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Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) may engage in challenging behavior. These behaviors present challenges to support staff who often lack training in effective behavior management procedures. Behavioral skills training (BST) is an empirically supported method of staff training and has been used to teach support staff a number of intervention skills. The purpose of this study was to extend the literature on BST and to examine the effects of BST on staff implementation of functional communication training (FCT) for three adults with IDD using a non-concurrent multiple baseline design. Results indicated that with BST, staff fidelity increased over baseline levels. With the addition of individualized coaching, staff implementation reached mastery criteria. Improvements in staff implementation fidelity corresponded with decreases in participant challenging behavior and increases in appropriate communication. Findings suggest that BST with coaching may be an effective method to train staff to implement FCT with adults.

Between 30 and 50% of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) do not develop vocal language deemed functionally acceptable to meet their daily communication needs. As a result, individuals with ASD may require intervention alternatives to vocal speech, such as augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). However, very little is known about how members of the public may respond to forms of AAC. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how two commonly used AAC formats, manual sign and a selection-based speech generating device (SGD), result in access to reinforcement in the natural environment. To do this, we approached naïve adults (i.e., individuals unfamiliar with the aims of the study) and asked questions that were likely to result in reinforcement. We measured whether or not naïve adults accurately responded to each question, and we collected additional descriptive information about their reaction to that form of AAC. This study has important implications for social validity and long-term considerations of AAC.