We developed an iOS app, the iSTIM, designed to support parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in reducing common repetitive vocal and motor behavior (i.e., stereotypy). The purpose of our study was to preliminarily test the decision-making algorithms of the iSTIM using trained university students to implement the assessments and interventions. Specifically, we examined the effects of the iSTIM on stereotypy and functional engagement in 11 children with ASD within alternating treatment designs. Using the iSTIM reduced engagement in stereotypy for eight participants and increased functional engagement for four of those participants. Our results indicate that the iSTIM may decrease engagement in stereotypy but that some of the decision-making algorithms may benefit from modifications prior to testing with parents.
Background
Due to deficits in adaptive and cognitive functioning, productivity may pose challenges for individuals with intellectual disability in the workplace.
Method
Using a changing‐criterion embedded in a multiple baseline across participants design, we examined the effects of differential reinforcement of high rates of behaviour (DRH) on the rate of data entry (i.e., productivity) in four adults with intellectual disability.
Results
Although the DRH procedure increased the rate of correct data entry in all four participants, none of the participants achieved the criterion that we set with novice undergraduate students.
Conclusions
Our results indicate that DRH is an effective intervention to increase rate of correct responding in individuals with intellectual disability, but that achieving the same productivity as workers without disability may not always be possible.
Researchers have demonstrated that video-based interventions are effective at teaching a variety of skills to individuals with intellectual disabilities. To replicate and extend this line of research, we initially planned to compare the effects of video modeling and video prompting on the acquisition of a novel work skill (i.e., data entry) in two adults with moderate intellectual disabilities using an alternating treatment design. When both interventions failed to improve performance, the instructors sequentially introduced a least-to-most instructor-delivered prompting procedure. The results indicated that the introduction of instructor prompts considerably increased correct responding in one participant during video modeling and in both participants during video prompting. Overall, the study suggests that practitioners should consider incorporating instructor-delivered prompts from the onset, or at least when no improvements in performance are observed, when using video-based interventions to teach new work skills to individuals with intellectual disabilities.
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