Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities

A procedure for teaching descriptive concepts was implemented with four preschool retarded boys. The direct instruction method, teaching materials, and measurement procedures are detailed. All students learned correct responding to tasks used during teaching and developed concepts, as evidenced by performance on novel tasks. Replication of the program with still younger retarded children was equally successful. The results are interpreted as support for the view that preschool retarded children can be taught many of the skills with which other children enter public schools.

This article is intended to acquaint teachers and educators with the training methodology used over the last decade in residential and other non-school settings with profoundly retarded persons. Problems unique to the profoundly retarded and suggested areas are for program emphasis presented to provide a frame of reference for future curriculum development.

A survey of four selected reference groups was conducted to determine significant differences in perceived role expectations for Full-Time Work-Study Program Coordinators of educable mentally retarded youth, in Ohio secondary schools. A 63 item instrument was developed for the survey. Data were analyzed in two ways (a) ranking of items by per cent of agree responses, and (b) a chi-square statistical technique to determine significant differences at the .05 level. Data analyses revealed the respondent groups differed regarding four of the items within the instrument.