Preskill workshops and work activity classes and centers have been developed to teach the severely or profoundly retarded client how to assemble or complete a number of tasks and how to exhibit appropriate behaviors that result in a high degree of attention to task and acceptable levels of task production. (SB)

The progress of a 4-year-old child with Rett Syndrome (a developmental disability resulting in severe mental and physical deficits in female children) in learning simple environmental control over an 18-month-period is described. A systematic program providing for contingency control of toys and music via switches was provided in the child's…

Describes the Participant Action Planning Approach (PAPA) process that requires each trainee to prepare a list of concrete actions or changes he or she plans to make back on the job once the training program is over. Benefits of PAPA are discussed, including transfer of learning, verbalization, and commitment. (CT)

A case study is presented of a seven-year-old girl with severe to profound mental retardation who exhibited excessive handmouthing. Contingent sensory reinforcement was successfully used to reduce her handmouthing to substantially lower levels. (Author/JDD)