Journal of Special Education Technology

A study was conducted to train a five-year-old, severely handicapped boy to activate an adapted battery-operated and electronically controlled toy. To activate the toy the student was required to manually depress a Zygo tread switch which, while depressed, maintained activation of the toy. During the baseline condition the student was provided only with a verbal prompt (and the occurrence of switch activation was recorded). During three subsequent intervention phases verbal prompting only, and verbal and physical prompting conditions were alternated between daily morning and afternoon sessions. Training involved the use of verbal and three different types of physical prompts. Prompts were systematically withdrawn in two consecutive phases after the student's switch activation increased sharply. In the final condition a return to baseline (verbal prompts only) was instituted. The study yielded several interesting findings: (a) the physical prompting procedure was effective in rapidly establishing the response; (b) the response was later also performed when the student was given only a verbal prompt; (c) gradual withdrawal of physical prompting did not result in a concomitant decrease in the behavior, and (d) the behavior maintained during the final condition in which only verbal prompts were provided. The study indicates that systematic prompting, prompt fading, and the use of electronically mediated devices can be effective in establishing purposeful communicative and leisure behaviors in low functioning severely handicapped students. Implications are discussed for the widespread applicability of this technology.

This study was designed to determine whether (1) different types of informational feedback (i.e., error correction) affected learning performance; and (2) interactive video was an effective instructional medium with mildly handicapped adolescents. Twenty-six Ss were matched in pairs based on a pretest score and age and then randomly assigned to two groups. The respective group mean IQs were 58 and 60. The learning task consisted of responding to a 10-item true/false learning module on budgeting. Each S was taught individually in a single session. Each of the 10 items would reappear in the interactive video instuctional session until S responded to that item correctly two consecutive times or until S erred on the item a total of three times. Items were presented iteratively to minimize simple memorization of correct responses. The results indicated this medium was effective in that significant learning occurred for both groups. However, there were no differences between Ss introduced to the more extended (Group A) versus briefer (Group B) form of informational feedback.

The need for developing a technology of teaching that equals the current sophistication of microcomputer technology is addressed. The importance of utilizing principles of learning and behavior analysis in the development of such a technology is emphasized. The potential role that stimulus control and precise error analysis have in educational program development as well as in the prescription of specific learning sequences for children is provided.

This article explains the usefulness of PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) in streamlining the currently cumbersome exceptional student referral process. With PERT, realistic time and personnel needs can be established so that the referral process can be completed within reasonable time limits. In addition, the status of every referral can be known at all times.

A sample work breakdown structure for referrals is developed as the initial step in PERT. With this step, the process is broken down into small manageable units. Based on this, a network is developed. The network shows the interrelationships and priorities of the steps needed to complete the referral process.

If microcomputers are to survive as educational tools, microcomputer software must be evaluated to determine its effectiveness. This article extends previous microcomputer software evaluation forms by: (a) providing an evaluation instrument based on research-based instructional techniques, (b) providing a step-by-step approach for evaluating software, and (c) adding a student evaluation component to the overall review.