The influence of matching and motor-imitation abilities on rapid acquisition of manual signs and exchange-based communicative responses.
Establishing a relation between existing skills and acquisition of communicative responses may be useful in guiding selection of alternative communication systems. Matching and motor-imitation skills were assessed for 6 children with developmental disabilities, followed by training to request the same set of preferred items using exchange-based communication and manual signs. Three participants displayed both skills and rapidly acquired both communicative response forms. Three others displayed neither skill; 1 mastered exchange-based responses but not manual signs, and neither of the other 2 easily acquired either response form.
Gregory
Meagan K
MK
Kennedy Krieger Institute and University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Maryland, USA.
DeLeon
Iser G
IG
Richman
David M
DM
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000150:complications; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000150:complications; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007100:Imitative Behavior; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills