title: Comparing massed-trial instruction, distributed-trial instruction, and task interspersal to teach tacts to children with autism spectrum disorders.
abstract: Although massed-trial instruction, distributed-trial instruction, and task interspersal have been shown to be effective methods of teaching skills to children with autism spectrum disorders, they have not been directly compared. In the current study, we taught 6 children to tact shapes of countries using these methods to determine which would result in the quickest acquisition. Five of the 6 participants acquired the targets in the massed-trial condition before the other 2 conditions.
authors.affiliation: Florida Institute of Technology and the Scott Center for Autism Treatment.
authors.forename: Lina M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Majdalany
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Wilder
authors.forename: Abigail
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Greif
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mathisen
authors.forename: Valdeep
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Saini
mesh_terms: D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities; D004495:Education of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: autism spectrum disorders; discrete-trial instruction; skill acquisition