An approach to treating mild to moderately severe cases of the speech disturbance, apraxia, focuses on helping the patient establish a conscious knowledge of how an accurate response is produced through a five-phase training program. (DB)

Drawing as therapy for the expressively restricted aphasic adult is discussed with sections on: drawing and acquired brain damage, communication through drawing in aphasia, and training expressively restricted aphasic patients to draw communicatively by use of the Lyon/Sims Program. (DB)

A review of the literature and research on language facilitation with residential retarded populations considers interactive models for facilitating language, the use of communication facilitators, and the content of such training. Two studies demonstrating the beneficial effects of daily caregiver interaction on communication skills are stressed.…

People with communication disabilities experience problems in accessing the justice system. In this article we describe the development of a multimedia package designed to train legal personnel to identify and reduce communication barriers to their services. The training package is being developed collaboratively by a diverse team that included…

To produce spontaneous and generalized language use by severely disabled individuals, the language training context and content must be examined. Training methods can better approximate the conditions of natural language use when they involve: generation of spontaneous language responses to effect real-world changes, single performance "trials,"…

The article discusses autism in the birth to age two population in terms of early symptomatology and identification, early intervention as prevention, approaches to early assessment, and approaches to intervention. (DB)

The article describes the use of interrupted behavior chains to teach communication skills in natural settings with autistic students. Empirical and theoretical bases for the training strategy are explained as are specific procedures for implementing the strategy. Implications of the strategy for classroom organization and service delivery are…

This articles lists online information resources related to educating students with autism. Web sites are included for characteristics of autism (11), national organizations (8), resources (9), educational and therapeutic interventions (11), treatment centers (3), and training materials (4). (CR)

This paper reviews learning characteristics and best intervention practices for the mentally retarded; research on the use of computer-assisted instruction to teach language skills; alternative models for computer use, such as expert systems and learner-based software; characteristics of computer-based language activities that complement learning…