Teaching Multi-step Requesting and Social Communication to Five Autistic Children Using Speech-Generating Devices and Systematic Instruction

Abstract Objectives We evaluated a systematic instructional package for teaching four-step SGD-based requesting and social communication sequence. Of interest was whether intervention would lead to accurate performance of the sequence, as well generalization, maintenance, discriminated/functional use. Methods Five minimally verbal autistic children received instruction complete sequence on an iPad®-based SGD. The involved (a) saying hello, (b) making general request, (c) specific (d) thanking listener. effects instruction, which consisted practice sessions, time delay, prompting, reinforcement, were in multiple-baseline across participants design. Results All five reached 100% correct during intervention. This high level responding generalized novel interventionist maintained at follow-up. Discriminated/functional use icons evident. Conclusions effective children.