Two methods (signs presented with or without accompanying verbal label) of training autistic children to use manual signs were compared. The efficacy of training in both treatment conditions was demonstrated but no clear differences in acquisition speed across conditions were apparent. (Author/CL)

Comparison of the relative effectiveness of oral and total communication training models for teaching expressive labeling skills to three echolalic autistic children (six-nine years old) demonstrated that total communication was the most successful approach with each of the Ss. (Author/CL)

The observational study examined the sign language and communication abilities of 10 nonspeaking, autistic and autisticlike children (6 to 14 years old) involved in simultaneous communication training. Video data were collected as each child interacted with his/her therapist and with an unfamiliar adult. Analyses of the children's and adults'…

Follow-up on 14 originally mute, low-functioning autistic children one to four years after intensive simultaneous communication training indicated that half of the children who had become verbal by program termination remained verbal at follow-up. Maintenance at follow-up was related to such factors as length of program participation, quality of…

The effectiveness of verbal, sign, and simultaneous systems for the acquisition of receptive language by an autistic boy was investigated. Results suggest nonsignificant differences among the three methods. (Author/SEW)

The paper describes a program of teaching simultaneous communication (total communication) to behaviorally disordered preschool children, and presents the cases of two autistic and two autisticlike children. Simultaneous communication involves tactile, visual, oral, and auditory modalities and combines spoken language with Signed English. Before…

Following a review of the literature, the paper describes a total communication approach to the language development of a 4-year-old autistic child. It is explained that the child was videotaped while being trained to simultaneously use elements of American sign language together with the correct spoken word or words. Training procedures are…

Two teachers recount the 2 years they each spent teaching an autistic 9-year-old boy named Bernie. The first teacher reviews Bernie's life history, reporting the facts of his birth and followup examinations which revealed no medical abnormality. The teacher then describes her work with Bernie at the Therapeutic Nursery School. After an initial…

The paper presents an overview of the methods used in a class for autistic children (ages 4-11 years) and reports on a longitudinal case study of an autistic 11 year-old girl. Autistic characteristics, such as poor eye contact and insensitivity to pain, are outlined. The author explains that the program emphasized teaching basic communication…