Search

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of gesture instruction on the communication abilities of a student with autism. The multiple probe across settings of the single-case approach was conducted. The independent variable was gesture instruction, and the dependent variable was communication behaviour including the frequency of motoric gesture communication and deictic gesture communication. The participant accepted the experimental treatment of baseline, processing and maintenance phase one by one. Visual inspection was employed to assess the treatment effects of gesture instruction on this student. Results of this study showed that gesture instruction enhanced the frequency of the student’s deictic gesture communication behaviour. The treatment effects could be maintained for two weeks and be generalized to another situation. Additionally, gesture instruction decreased the frequency of the student’s motoric gesture communication behaviour and the treatment effects could be maintained for two weeks. After intervention, both teachers and parents interviewed indicated positive attitudes toward the gesture instruction, and confirmed the improvement on communication performance of this student.

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of gesture instruction on the communication abilities of a student with autism. The multiple probe across settings of the single-case approach was conducted. The independent variable was gesture instruction, and the dependent variable was communication behaviour including the frequency of motoric gesture communication and deictic gesture communication. The participant accepted the experimental treatment of baseline, processing and maintenance phase one by one. Visual inspection was employed to assess the treatment effects of gesture instruction on this student. Results of this study showed that gesture instruction enhanced the frequency of the student’s deictic gesture communication behaviour. The treatment effects could be maintained for two weeks and be generalized to another situation. Additionally, gesture instruction decreased the frequency of the student’s motoric gesture communication behaviour and the treatment effects could be maintained for two weeks. After intervention, both teachers and parents interviewed indicated positive attitudes toward the gesture instruction, and confirmed the improvement on communication performance of this student.

The current study included two experiments that functionally analyzed stereotypical oral-digital behavior of one female student with profound mental retardation. An analogue functional analysis was used in Experiment 1 to detect the function of the student's oral-digital stereotypy which might serve to escape from task demands, obtain attention from others, or produce sensory self-stimulation. An analysis of sensory modalities was conducted in Experiment 2 to further analyze the possible sensory consequences maintaining the student's repetitive oral-digital. Results of the present study demonstrated that multiple consequences which included drawing attention from teachers and producing sensory stimulation could serve to maintain this student's stereotypy. The specific sensory function of this student's oral-digital stereotypy might be maintained by tactile stimulation. These findings were further discussed in terms of the sensory and social reinforcers that execute their impacts on this student's stereotypical behavior, and procedures used to detect those functions.