Visual accents can create unique communication graphics to increase attending behavior necessary for learning symbol/referent relationships by students with severe vision loss. Accenting procedures use size, color, contrast, shape, and graphic pattern to enhance the probability that the learner will self-initiate attending to the visual symbol.…

This paper offers a model for planning services for children who are both mentally retarded and autistic. The model and recommendations for the residential therapeutic environment are organized according to the main axes of child development (biological, physical, cognitive, and socioemotional). (Author/DB)

This article summarizes recent research into incidence of speech and language disorders in behaviorally handicapped children. Issues facing clinicians working with these children are discussed, including speech-language objectives and techniques, appropriate behavior management techniques, and consultation with other professionals. (Author/PB)

A manual for training the severely multiply handicapped to use communication boards is presented, based on the Functional Speech and Language Training Program. The target group are persons who need a mode of communication but who have poor speech, and poor hand and finger control. A description of the communication boards and symbols includes an…

Available from: American Association for the Education of the Severely/Profoundly Handicapped, 1600 West Armory Way, Seattle, Washington 98119 The article presents classroom activities and techniques for facilitating the acquisition of basic motor responses by profoundly retarded and multiply handicapped students. (CL)

The article offers four assumptions as a philosophical basis for improved parent professional relations in the education of severely/multiply handicapped preschool students. Assumptions focus on family uniqueness, role in multidisciplinary teams, child management, and provision of support. Implications for practice and relevant research are cited.…

The author provides suggestions for audiologic assessment and aural rehabilitation of mentally retarded hearing impaired children. A practical screening procedure is described, and specific aspects of auditory training are considered. (SBH)

The study evaluated the effects of enabling two profoundly, multiply handicapped adults to select leisure items with which they wanted to interact. Results showed that when individuals were able to make choices, their rates of interacting with leisure materials increased, compared to interaction with instructor-selected items. (Author/JDD)

The study found significant improvements in behavior when a profoundly mentally retarded blind subject was reinforced with music. The young woman also discriminated among different types of music, and behavior rates varied accordingly. (Author/DB)

Techniques are presented to teach students with severe and multiple handicaps to record their performance data using adapted mechanical or electronic counting devices such as calculators. Described are the purposes of self-recording, materials needed, training guidelines, and evaluation procedures. (JDD)

This study examined the relationship between the level of self-stimulation and the rate of correct task-related responses in 2 multiply disabled (severely retarded, deaf and visually impaired) individuals (ages 16 and 12). Findings suggested that self-stimulation does not always need to be suppressed to promote adaptive responding. (DB)

This article describes an orientation and mobility program serving 20 students with both developmental disabilities and visual impairments. It documents the low level of baseline behaviors and discusses program components, including the training staff, school environment adaptations, and individualized and community training techniques.…

Of 124 students (ages 5-15) with behavioral/emotional problems, 38 percent were identified as also having learning disabilities and an additional 17.8 percent as having learning problems. The incidence of learning disabilities decreased with age, but that of learning problems remained stable regardless of age groupings. (DB)

The staff of an apartment-based residential support program was taught to use behavior interruption strategies to elicit requesting functions from two women with deaf-blindness and developmental disabilities. Results found the strategies to be both quickly assimilated by the staff and effective in increasing request rates from the subjects.…

This article describes the Diabetes Education/Support Group Program for people with diabetes and visual impairment. It analyzes some of the common problems that participants have reported (such as fear of insulin reactions and of long-term complications) and discusses methods of reducing anxiety and depression related to the two conditions.…