Children's skill level in using a spoon facilitates increased independence during mealtimes and greater control over the pace and quantity of food intake, which has important implications for health and self-determination. Children with severe multiple disabilities, including cognitive and visual impairment (VI), require intensive instruction to…

The purpose of this systematic literature review was to summarize single-case intervention studies involving paraprofessional-implemented systematic instruction for students with disabilities. In the 19 reviewed studies, 60 paraprofessionals received training to implement systematic instruction with most learning naturalistic language strategies,…

In a recent single-case study, we showed that a new verbal-instruction system, ensuring the automatic presentation of step instructions, was beneficial for promoting the task performance of a woman with multiple disabilities (including blindness). The present study was aimed at replicating and extending the aforementioned investigation with three…

A multicomponent training package (live training, video modeling, role playing, and feedback) was used to train teachers to conduct assessment and to instruct students with profound multiple disabilities. Phase 1 of the study involved training seven teachers to conduct assessment in three areas: (a) preference assessment (i.e., identification of…

The article describes assessment, planning and training for people with multiple disabilities and visual impairment (MDVI). The ImPAct MDVI project, an EU Comenius programme, addressed concerns expressed by teachers of children and young people with MDVI as to how they are expected to integrate the diverse curriculum elements and particular skills…

Enabling persons with intellectual or multiple disabilities to carry out personal care tasks (such as washing and dressing) independent of guidance from parents or staff members and without prolonged interruptions is often difficult, particularly with persons whose disabilities also include visual impairments. Attempts were recently made to curb…

This task force report considers strategies designed to elicit active participation on the part of severely multihandicapped students. The first section considers ways to gather information on environments and daily activities of severely multihandicapped students. Hypothetical daily home and vocational routines were composed and estimates made of…

Ten multihandicapped high-school students in the Dayton (Ohio) Public Schools were trained using a curriculum of independent community social skills, focusing specifically on restaurant skills, travel skills, shopping skills, self-care skills, and skills for visiting a business or government agency. The students made weekly trips into the…

An itinerant teacher of multiply handicapped students with low vision shares learning activities in which students learn to use coins with the aid of a computer program and make a shopping list using advertising flyers. (DB)

A study investigated the effects of the Mobility Opportunities Via Education (MOVE) curriculum on the functional walking skills of five elementary students with severe, multiple disabilities. Repeated measures were taken during baseline, intervention, and maintenance phases. All students demonstrated progress in taking reciprocal steps during…

Examination of the acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of three cooking skills by three multiply and severely handicapped blind adolescents revealed that a "whole task" approach was successful in teaching the subjects to boil an egg, grill cheese, and cook a TV dinner. These skills also generalized to other cooking products. (Author/CB)

Thirty severely multiply handicapped deaf children have been served in an existing school for deaf children. Ongoing assessment is closely integrated with instruction to provide individual sequential programs. Children have one-to-one lessons and group experiences. The program is developed around the Social Learning Curriculum that has as its core…

Provided are guidelines for parents and teachers working with severely handicapped deaf blind children. Hearing, vision, and communication considerations are listed in the first section. Specific suggestions are outlined for developing the following skills: discipline, body movement, toilet training, eating, dressing, washing, and social…

This book is a guide to teaching orientation and mobility (O&M) skills to students with visual impairments in the public schools. The first chapter offers an overview of the nature and responsibilities of the orientation and mobility specialist and explains the fields legal underpinnings. Next comes a look at O&M in relation to the school year…

Children learn about their environment as they move through it--about people and objects, sizes, shapes, and distances. For typically developing children the senses of sight and hearing provide the greatest motivation for exploration. These children will use their vision and hearing to gather information about their surroundings while growing in…