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Community-based instruction with profoundly mentally retarded persons: client and public responsiveness
J F Phillips1, D H Reid, C A Korabek
1Western Carolina Center, Morganton, NC 28655.
Research in Developmental Disabilities
|January 1, 1988
Summary
Community-based training effectively taught receptive language skills to profoundly mentally retarded individuals. The program showed success in real-world settings and received positive feedback from employees.
Area of Science:
- Special education
- Developmental disabilities
- Behavioral intervention
Background:
- Profound intellectual disability presents significant challenges in developing receptive language skills.
- Educational interventions often require adaptation for community settings to enhance generalization.
- Previous research highlights the need for effective, accessible training methods for individuals with profound mental retardation.
Observation:
- A training program utilizing least-to-most prompting and contingent consequences was implemented in community settings.
- Experiments were conducted in a department store and an outdoor recreational area.
- The program targeted receptive identification of objects.
Findings:
- The community-based training program successfully taught receptive object identification to profoundly mentally retarded individuals.
- Generalized improvements in receptive skills were observed across different locations within the training environment.
- No cross-modal generalization to expressive skills was noted.
Implications:
- Community-based training offers a viable strategy for expanding educational opportunities for individuals with profound mental retardation.
- The positive reactions of store employees suggest potential for broader community acceptance and participation.
- Further research is warranted to explore the full potential of community-based interventions for this population.