A study of 28 mother/child dyads (children aged 3 to 6) in which half the children were deaf was undertaken to compare communication skills between hearing and deaf children and the characteristics of functional communication between mothers and their children. Tapes of a half hour free play situation between mother and child were studied for each…

The Life Skills Program has six modules designed to meet the needs of inmates at different stages. The first module introduces the program; the second develops interpersonal communication skills and personal responsibility; the other four concentrate on goal setting, employability, personal planning, and stress management. (Only the second module,…

Introduces the concept of telephone apprehension. Argues that the concept is potentially useful to management scholars. Reports results of five studies that yield a reliable and valid self-report instrument (the Telephone Apprehension Measure) for measuring telephone apprehension in college undergraduates, employed adults, and practicing managers.…

This review explored the literature on programs for students with learning disabilities incorporating self-advocacy components into secondary-to-post-secondary transition programs. An evaluation of self-advocacy components is presented to determine to what extent such self-advocacy skills as knowing one's rights, effective communication skills,…

"Picture Exchange Communication System" (PECS) training was implemented with 5 nonspeaking adults with mental retardation who were not currently using any type of functional communication system. A modified ABAB, single-subject design was used to assess the effectiveness of PECS in enhancing the functional communication skills of these…

The Leisure and Recreation Behavior Evaluation (LRBE) measure is intended for use by direct care staff of mentally handicapped adults. The LRBE evaluates an individual's level of independence for a leisure or recreation behavior on a 4-point rating scale for 30 aspects divided into six major categories: (1) the activity, (2) preparation and…

A two-part presentation on cross-cultural communication consists of a discussion of cultural differences in interpersonal communication and an article from a Greek English-language publication concerning telephone use skills in a foreign country. Cultural differences in communication are divided into eight types and illustrated: (1) when to talk;…

Designed to help prepare handicapped preschool children for mainstreaming, the manual describes 37 skills and related strategies for teaching those skills. The five skill areas are understanding self and others (including defending self, playing cooperatively, and respecting others); communicating (including initiating interaction with peers and…

Goals are presented for communication skills needed to function independently in the community. The goals, developed for adolescents/adults with severe/moderate mental handicaps, are situation-specific, outcome-oriented, and community-based. They deal with telephone use, shopping, leisure activities, traveling, banking, and going to a restaurant…

This paper reports the results from a minitrial in Sweden of the use of still-picture telephones by people with moderate mental retardation. The two participants used total communication, mixing spoken language, Pictogram symbols, and sign language. Improved communicative skills were found, though heavy staff training and involvement were…

This study examined how Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale scores changed in individuals with autism as a function of age and initial IQ. Results revealed that subjects (N=440) improved with age in all domains. The rate of growth on Communication and Daily Living Skills sub-tests was related to initial IQ while rate of growth in Social Skills was…

Focusing on activities that can be directly taught as "survival language situations," this journal (1) evaluates what school critics mean by "survival English," (2) demonstrates that teachers can easily pay attention to "survival"-oriented language, and (3) argues that a comprehensive English course enables students…

Written to help parents and children recognize the importance of communication, this publication provides guidelines for parenting children from infancy through adolescence. Initially, discussion focuses on issues related to the nature of communication, parenting, good parenting, infancy, toddlers, and school-age children. Subsequent discussion…

The creation of values is seen as the central purpose of collegiate education. Some historical examples are cited that demonstrate the importance of values in shaping the present liberal arts college. Three widely valued skills are discussed: the ability to discriminate, to communicate, and to recognize obligation. (LBH)

The curriculum guide presents activity suggestions for teachers to use with autistic students in grades K-12. Brief remarks are offered on placement criteria, student characteristics, and parent participation. Goals, objectives, procedures, materials, domain areas, and evaluation approaches are listed for eight skill areas: (1) pre-vocational…