This article outlines two compatible models of planning and implementing programs for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The Ziggurat Model begins the process with an assessment of student strengths and concerns related specifically to ASD and identifies interventions across five tiers that match these strengths and concerns: (a)…

This study examined the relationship between auditory, visual, touch, and oral sensory dysfunction in autism and their relationship to multisensory dysfunction and severity of autism. The Sensory Profile was completed on 104 persons with a diagnosis of autism, 3 to 56 years of age. Analysis showed a significant correlation between the different…

Dimensional preference tasks in both visual and haptic modalities with three dimensional stimuli varying in form, size, color, or texture were presented to 64 children. There were 16 subjects at each of four grade levels: preschool, kindergarten, grade 1, and grade 3. On each trial, the subject was presented three stimuli and asked to tell the…

Right-hemispheric specialization for tactual processing was investigated in right-handed preschool children. Cross-modal transfer from touch to vision was assessed while children palpated shapes with hand while music was simultaneously played to ear. Left-hand advantage and lateralized nature of interference among older children supports…

Investigating relationship between infants' visual and tactual exploration, looking and touching responses of 6-month-olds to objects only visually or tactually novel were observed. Results indicated infants were capable of tactual recognition memory, that temperature was salient object property, and that visual and tactual exploration are not…

Based on a thesis submitted to the Graduate School of Purdue University by the first author. (Author)

Findings suggested that a deficit in auditory memory rather than cross-modal perception appears to be a factor in poor reading comprehension. (Author/DLS)

Two experiments studied the impact of the nature of information available at different processing levels on differences in haptic (tactile) and in visual, free classification development. Found that exploration characteristics (involving simultaneous versus independent processing of stimulus dimensions) and presentation of the stimulus dimensions…

The relationship between conceptual complexity and stimulus saliency was explored in a 3 x 4 factorial design using 144 undergraduates. Levels of complexity were represented by varying the ratio of relevant-to-irrelevant dimensions (1:3, 2:2, and 3:1). The saliency factor varied according to the discriminability between each attribute within…

Tests of dimensional dominance with planometric stimuli in either the visual or haptic modality were given to 108 children, 36 from each of the grade levels preschool, kindergarten, and first. Visual dimensions were form and color; haptic dimensions were form and texture. Following initial dominance assessment, one-third of the subjects were…

In teaching students how to write, the utilitarian aspect does not need to be ignored, but--more important--the imaginative, expressive aspect should be emphasized. Since all writing depends on the full resources of the imagination, students need to be taught how to recreate or vivify people, objects, scenes, and feelings. A process which helps…

Illustrated by full-page photographs, this book focuses on each of the child's five senses and shows how the senses are interrelated. Activities are suggested to increase the child's sensory awareness. (CS)