title: Training instructional skills with paraprofessional service providers at a community-based habilitation setting.
abstract: The present study evaluates a training program with paraprofessional service providers at a community-based habilitation setting. Four staff were taught to implement alternative and augmentative communication instruction with an adult who had autism and mental retardation through a combination of instruction, demonstration, behavior rehearsal, and performance feedback. Training was conducted under natural conditions at the adult's group home residence. Three of the four staff were able to maintain near-100% instructional accuracy following initial training. The results add to the limited research literature concerning community-based training of direct-care personnel.
authors.affiliation: May Center for Adult Services, West Springfield, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: James K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Luiselli
authors.forename: Alan E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Harchik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011361:Professional Competence; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012046:Rehabilitation; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*