Naturalistic observations of elicited expressive communication of children with autism: an analysis of teacher instructions.
This study observed expressive communication of 17 Australian and 15 Taiwanese children with autism who were mute or had limited spoken language during 2 hour regular school routines and analyzed teacher instructions associated with elicited expressive communication. Results indicated: (a) the frequency of occurrence of elicited expressive communication was very low; (b) the incidence of elicited expressive communication was negatively correlated with autism severity; (c) verbal prompt and a combination of verbal prompt and modeling were the most common types of teacher instruction and the use of physical prompt was a rate event; (d) modeling and verbal prompt were positively correlated with speech and unaided augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and a combination of verbal prompt and modeling was positively associated with aided AAC; and (e) modeling, verbal prompt, and a combination of modeling and verbal prompt were positively correlated with requesting function and commenting function was positively correlated with modeling and verbal prompt.
Chiang
Hsu-Min
HM
Macquarie University, Australia. hschiang@indiana.edu
D000293:Adolescent; D001315:Australia; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D004519:Education, Special / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007100:Imitative Behavior; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D012057:Reinforcement, Verbal; D013624:Taiwan