Four students (ages 10-14) with moderate mental retardation learned chained tasks with constant time delay and with the system of least prompts. Both strategies produced criterion-level performance; however, constant time delay was more efficient than least prompts in terms of number of sessions, percent of errors, and direct instructional time to…

The characteristics of the skill clusters involved in community living response chains were studied, focusing on the length of the chain, the response classes contained in the chain, and the implicit variations within the chain. Instruction of response chains can be enhanced through consideration of the stimulus control strategies used.…

Sequence errors may be reduced by allowing students to perform a chained task in any functional order. This study, involving four elementary-aged students with moderate intellectual disabilities, found that tasks taught with functional procedures were acquired in fewer sessions, in less time, and with fewer errors than tasks taught in a specific…

In a study which taught four high school students with severe handicaps to use a commercial washing machine and laundry soap dispenser, a concurrent chaining strategy was found more efficient than forward chaining in facilitating skill acquisition. Concurrent chaining also resulted in better maintenance at four- and eight-week follow-up…

Acquisition, discrimination, and review training were used to teach four severely retarded adolescents to tell time to the nearest 5-minute interval. All subjects acquired the target behavior, and three of four maintained appropriate responses after 8 weeks. Discrimination errors and the social relevance of the skill are discussed. (Author/JW)

Three severely retarded adult males were taught to use a side-of-the-foot soccer pass, using a nine-step stimulus-response chain. Intensive physical prompts were provided initially, then systematically faded. The three trainers achieved the no-prompt criterion after 24, 29, and 22 sessions, respectively. (Author/JW)

Three adolescents with moderate mental handicaps were taught bedmaking skills through a technique which involved dividing the entire chain into sections, teaching the first section in a total cycle fashion, and adding instruction on subsequent sections in a forward chaining manner. The technique promoted skill acquisition and substantial…

The effectiveness of simultaneous prompting, an instructional procedure which involves presenting the task direction and immediately providing the controlling prompt, was evaluated with four young adults with severe intellectual disabilities. Daily probe sessions assessed acquisition of the target behavior. Results indicated the procedure was…

Three children (ages 10-13) with moderate mental retardation were taught, in a triad, to perform chained snack preparation tasks, with each student being directly taught one task and the other two observing. Results indicated that each student learned the skill taught directly and nearly all of the steps of the chains observed. (Author/JDD)

By inserting a typical instructional trial into an ongoing sequence of behaviors, three students, aged six-seven, with severe disabilities were taught to request items or events within interrupted behavior chain contexts. The strategy was effective in establishing initial communicative responses in the three learners. Responses generalized to…

Three students (ages 5-10) with profound intellectual, sensory, and physical disabilities were taught to activate a communication device to request the continuation of activities in which they were involved. The intervention consisted of a consistent response interval and increasing time delay paired with decreasing physical assistance in…

The study compared the results of group and individual training methods on the acquisition of a roll-on-deodorant self care skill by 16 profoundly retarded adults residing at a residential institution for the mentally retarded. The deodorant skill was divided into 11 teaching steps and an initial performance baseline was obtained for each subject.…

Task analysis and backward chaining were used to teach four young adults with moderate mental disabilities basic first aid skills for simulated cuts, burns, and insect bites. Following training, students were able to apply skills to a nonhandicapped peer. Maintenance probes at 1 to 18 weeks posttraining indicated mixed results. Social validation…

It has been the experience of most adult basic education teachers that their students are apprehensive about taking tests. The study evaluates the effects of training adult basic education teachers in behavioral attending skills. Two basic questions were investigated: (1) Would the training of instructors in the use of behavior attending skills…

Verbal prompts, modeling, physical guidance, positive reinforcement, fading, and chaining procedures were used to teach two nonverbal individuals (one severely and one moderately mentally retarded) an interactive signing dialogue in a naturalistic setting. Although clients learned to use signed communication, extensive training was required and…