Sign Language as a Prompt to Teach A Verbal "Yes" and "No" Discrimination to an Autistic Boy

Abstract

The study investigated the effectiveness of overcorrection and manual sign communication in teaching a young autistic boy to answer "yes" and "no" verbal questions correctly. Teaching procedures followed a behavioral discrete trial format which was done with the individual child in a booth setting. The subject's baseline showed preservation on "yes" and an avoidance of "no." A reversal design was used with a number of interventions which included various presentations of "yes" and "no" questions, overcorrection, and sign training. No change occured when overcorrection alone was used to incorrect responses; however, sign training coupled with overcorrection produced dramatic achievement, which continued through subsequent treatment and generalization. Implications for sign language as a prompt for verbal language in autistic children are discussed.