Increasing functional use of an assistive communication device by a student with severe disabilities

Abstract

An instructional package consisting of preinstruction and natural environment teaching techniques was used to teach a young man with cerebral palsy and moderate mental retardation to functionally use a simple customized overlay on a Touch Talker. Within the context of a multiple baseline design, the training was introduced in three different school settings during a vocational training task to teach generalized use in functional settings. Sequential withdrawal of the preinstruction was phased into the program for response maintenance. The student's use of the Touch Talker to communicate increased substantially after the introduction of the instructional package in each setting. High levels of device use were maintained as the preinstruction procedures were withdrawn. The implications of these results and observations from the staff working with the student are discussed.

• augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)
• electronic devices
• functional communication
• generalization
• moderate mental retardation
• physical disabilities
• multiple baseline/sequential withdrawal design
• teaching strategies