The role of equivalence class formation in delayed position recognition span performance was examined with three mentally retarded adults. Matching-to-sample training established equivalence classes. In subsequent span tests, subject-produced numeral names led to dramatic increases in span scores. The equivalences provided precursors of verbal…

The problem of teaching relational discriminations to people with mental retardation is examined. The limitations of several commonly used teaching procedures are discussed and alternative approaches to simple-discrimination learning are described. Results of two preliminary single-subject studies demonstrating the feasibility of these approaches…

Five young adult females with mild mental retardation were given match-to-sample training to develop four classes of equivalent stimuli. All subjects demonstrated development of all possible equivalence classes involving these stimuli. For four of five subjects, the classes that included auditory stimuli developed more rapidly than those that did…

Arguing that an explicit representation of the problem-solving method of an expert system shell as abstract control knowledge provides a powerful foundation for learning, this paper describes the abstract control knowledge of the Heracles expert system shell for heuristic classification problems, and describes how the Odysseus apprenticeship…

Two students with moderate to severe mental retardation learned delayed matching to sample in which some of the trials involved complex sample stimuli, each consisting of a picture and a printed word. Matching to either the preceding picture or printed word sample was reinforced. Evidence for the formation of equivalence classes was observed.…

This overview of computer uses in occupational training discusses three computer-based training modes--embedded, stand-alone, and adjunct training. An adjunct training system is described which captures task realism through a simulation to teach the use of a command and control system. A pilot study of this adjunct system's use is described.…

This study examined the matching and sequencing of quantities, numerals, and arbitrary forms by two individuals with mental retardation. Results showed that sequence training did not readily lead to new matching performances, unlike prior research with college students. Instead, training in matching to sample yielded emergent sequence production…

Four students (ages seven to nine) with moderate mental retardation were successfully taught to name photographs of foods using a progressive time delay procedure. Presentation of the supermarket grocery department as part of the discriminative stimulus was effective in increasing the percentage of correct responding. Some generalization occurred…