Three documents describe the Project Success Environment Program, which was funded to help alleviate behavioral and academic problems of children from urban, low-socio-economic backgrounds by providing them with an opportunity to experience success in school. The program, sponsored by the Atlanta Public Schools, consisted of: (1) a positive…

The maintenance of learned behavior is a problem frequently faced by teachers of persons with severe disabilities. The study examined the use of a self-management procedure to improve and maintain the work performance of 6 young adults (ages 18-20) with severe retardation in integrated job settings. Students were taught to self-monitor their work…

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…

This paper describes a series of experiments which indicate how different reinforcement systems affect cooperative, competitive, and individualized learning structures. Following a brief literature review of prior research, the experiments investigated (1) individual reinforcement for peer tutoring and (2) shared-group reinforcement for peer…

A 10-week program to increase assignment completion was implemented with 10 sixth graders who rarely completed assignments. This behavior modification program entailed the use of an assignment completion contract for the students. The criteria for meeting this contract increased each week. When students met the weekly criteria, they were given a…

During the summers of 1970 and 1971, the Human Resources Research Organization presented a special inservice training program to elementary teachers of the River Rouge, Michigan, School District. This report evaluates the effects of this training program and focuses on the determination of gains in student achievement that may be attributed to the…

An individualized motivation system was used to increase the performance of three students using a computerized number facts program. Previous research on number facts suggested that performance increments might occur through massive practice and/or changes in processing ability. In this study, points exchangeable for extra gym time were…

Twenty-four studies are reviewed for home-based reinforcement of school behavior as a method for motivating behavioral change. It is noted that the technique has been used successfully with children in group homes and in special classes, and with entire mainstreamed and special classrooms. (MH)

Intended for use by local school districts, the manual provides guidelines for implementation of the Project APT (Application of Psychological Theory) inservice training course for teachers and administrators--a 10-week course presenting principles of reinforcement, general classroom management, objective writing, and task analysis for management…

Five experiments were conducted to determine whether properties inherent in some training procedures may subtly influence the adaptability of skilled performance of complex tasks. The first two experiments assessed the insensitivity of low-rate performances. Examined in the third experiment was the issue of whether instructions that focus…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 22 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: the effects of a federal compensatory reading program on academic achievement; variables affecting the reading growth rate of learning disabled children;…