Three young adults with moderate/severe disabilities were taught to use an adaptive shopping aid in order to prepare a grocery shopping list, locate and obtain items in a supermarket, and purchase those items. Data indicated skill acquisition by all three young adults, with partial skill maintenance as much as four weeks following problem…

No differential effects were revealed between minimal and relatively lengthy intervals in simulated and in vivo training of two students (8 and 13 years old) with severe handicaps. Performance in community fast food restaurants was measured. (CL)

A seven-year-old profoundly retarded male was trained to perform 15 of 18 functional tasks via an imitation approach paired with contingent reinforcement. Thirteen tasks were maintained at a high rate during the school year. Also, he developed response alternatives for existing self-stimulatory behaviors. (CL)

The author discusses the teaching of independent living skills (ILS) to mentally retarded adults. (SBH)

Assessment of the degree of community integration of 300 young adults who had participated in special education programs for students labeled mentally retarded indicated that the individuals surveyed were generally satisfied with their present situation and most displayed some degree of competence in independent living skills. (Author/CL)

To maximize effectiveness of instruction in daily living skills, teachers need procedures that are applicable to small group instruction, that promote generalization, and that can be replicated across skills. Eight moderately mentally retarded adults acquired and generalized daily living skills through a combination of instructions in reading…

Four moderately and severely retarded young adults were taught to use a pocket calculator to purchase supermarket items and picture prompt cards to account for state sales tax. A multiple probe design indicated that all four students reached criterion on the eight-step task analysis. Twelve additional students were then taught the purchasing…

Five moderately and mildly retarded students (19 to 21 years old) were taught to sort garments to be laundered and to use a clothes washer and dryer. Rapid acquisition and maintenance of the laundry skills were obtained through praise and response contingent feedback as a consequence for behavior. (Author/CL)

Fourth graders (N=4) were trained to attend appropriately to three severely handicapped learners, two of whom maintained their high level of independent performance of cafeteria skills while another continued to increase performance. (CL)

Five elementary-aged special needs students were taught to walk from the entrance of their school to classroom using prompt fading sequence and fading of teacher presence and verbal directions. Results showed both rapid skill acquisition contingent upon the specific training each S received and maintenance of behavior. (Author/CL)

The article describes a curriculum model for the severely handicapped which utilizes the traditional notions of content, scope, and sequence and relates these concepts to the learning and generalization processes. (DLS)

Trainable mentally retarded high school students in Brunswick, Maine, spend three hours out of every school day learning a variety of art and handicraft skills in the Title IV Marketable Skills Project, and the rest of their time learning daily living skills. (DLS)

Seven moderately and severely handicapped adolescents (mean IQ = 45) based in a regular middle school were involved in an instructional program designed to teach selected independent supermarket shopping skills. (Author)