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Abstract
A 3-year study on the use of tangible symbols (i.e., objects and pictures used as symbols) by 41 children with a variety of handicapping conditions was conducted to follow up on an earlier study by the authors that revealed their utility for children who are deafblind. The vast majority of participants learned to use tangible symbols, allowing them to overcome the restrictions imposed by gestural communication. A number of the participants progressed beyond tangible symbols and learned to use abstract symbol systems, including speech. A few of the participants did not learn to use tangible symbols during the time span available for intervention. Data describing the progress of participants are presented. Participants are grouped according to outcome, and the characteristics of each group are discussed in terms of the communication skills of participants as they began intervention.
