Proposed Use of Two-Part Interactive Modeling as a Means to Increase Functional Skills in Children With a Variety of Disabilities

Purpose: Many behavior modification and intervention programs are based on operant procedures developed for animal subjects, but few use modeling procedures in which one student observes interactions between two proficient trainers. We show how such procedures, which successfully trained Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) to produce and comprehend elements of human language, can be adapted for use with children with three types of disabilities: (a) autism with limited social and language skills, (b) developmental delay with physical handicaps and lack of language skills, and (c) hyperactivity with impaired cognitive and social skills. Summary: Children were evaluated before entering the program and outcomes were recorded to determine improvement levels. No child reached totally normative (physical age-appropriate) levels, but all significantly improved their social and communication skills and use of contextually appropriate behavior. Conclusions: A two-trainer modeling system can be a valuable intervention tool for children whose disabilities involve social and communicative skills.

[1]  Effects of modeling and corrected practice on generative language learning of preschool children. , 1984, The Journal of speech and hearing disorders.

[2]  R. Koegel,et al.  Treatment of psychotic children in a classroom environment: I. Learning in a large group. , 1974, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[3]  K. Pierce,et al.  Increasing complex social behaviors in children with autism: effects of peer-implemented pivotal response training. , 1995, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[4]  L. Schreibman,et al.  Learning through observation: The effects of peer modeling on acquisition and generalization in autistic children , 1983, Journal of abnormal child psychology.

[5]  Rachel Morgan,et al.  Spatial determinants in the perception of self-produced leg movements in 3- to 5-month-old infants. , 1995 .

[6]  K. Nelson,et al.  Useful Evidence on Negative Evidence. , 1996 .

[7]  K. Nelson,et al.  Available input for language-impaired children and younger children of matched language levels , 1995 .

[8]  L. Schreibman,et al.  Increasing spontaneous verbal responding in autistic children using a time delay procedure. , 1985, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[9]  I. Pepperberg.  VOCAL LEARNING IN GREY PARROTS (PSITTACUS ERITHACUS): EFFECTS OF SOCIAL INTERACTION, REFERENCE, AND CONTEXT , 1994 .

[10]  I. Pepperberg,et al.  LIMITED CONTEXTUAL VOCAL LEARNING IN THE GREY PARROT (PSITTACUS ERITHACUS): THE EFFECT OF INTERACTIVE CO-VIEWERS ON VIDEOTAPED INSTRUCTION , 1999 .

[11]  I. Pepperberg.  Social Modeling Theory: A Possible Framework for Understanding Avian Vocal Learning , 1985 .

[12]  M. Charlop,et al.  Increasing autistic children's spontaneous verbalizations of affection: an assessment of time delay and peer modeling procedures. , 1986, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[13]  L. Schreibman,et al.  Multiple peer use of pivotal response training to increase social behaviors of classmates with autism: results from trained and untrained peers. , 1997, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[14]  P. Strain,et al.  Effects of peer-mediated social initiations and prompting/reinforcement procedures on the social behavior of autistic children , 1979, Journal of autism and developmental disorders.

[15]  L. Schreibman,et al.  Using Peer Trainers to Promote Social Behavior in Autism , 1997 .

[16]  M. Semmel,et al.  ARE INCLUSIVE PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS WITH MILD DISABILITIES EFFECTIVE? A COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF MODEL PROGRAMS , 1997 .

[17]  I. Pepperberg,et al.  Effect of avian-human joint attention on allospecific vocal learning by grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus). , 1996, Journal of comparative psychology.

[18]  S. Wolchik,et al.  Peer versus adult models and autistic children's learning: Acquisition, generalization, and maintenance , 1988, Journal of autism and developmental disorders.

[19]  S M Camarata,et al.  Comparison of conversational-recasting and imitative procedures for training grammatical structures in children with specific language impairment. , 1994, Journal of speech and hearing research.

[20]  Irene M. Pepperberg,et al.  Some Cognitive Capacities of an African Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus) , 1990 .

[21]  Marina Vanayan,et al.  Observational Learning in Pigeons: The effects of Model Proficiency on Observer Performance , 1985 .

[22]  M. Charlop,et al.  Increasing autistic children's daily spontaneous speech. , 1991, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[23]  Nancy L. Waldron,et al.  The Effects of an Inclusive School Program on Students with Mild and Severe Learning Disabilities , 1998 .

[24]  I. Pepperberg,et al.  Allospecific vocal learning by Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus): A failure of videotaped instruction under certain conditions , 1998, Behavioural Processes.

[25]  P. Connell.  An effect of modeling and imitation teaching procedures on children with and without specific language impairment. , 1987, Journal of speech and hearing research.

[26]  R. Lanquetot.  The effectiveness of peer modeling with autistic children , 1989 .

[27]  D. Rumbaugh,et al.  Reference: the linguistic essential. , 1980, Science.

[28]  Dietmar Todt,et al.  Social Learning of Vocal Patterns and Modes of their Application in Grey Parrots (Psittacus erithacus)1,2,3 , 1975 .

[29]  S. Krashen.  Formal and Informal Linguistic Environments in Language Acquisition and Language Learning. , 1976 .

[30]  I. Pepperberg.  Social influences on vocal development: Social influences on the acquisition of human-based codes in parrots and nonhuman primates , 1997 .

[31]  R. Koegel,et al.  The influence of child-preferred activities on autistic children's social behavior. , 1987, Journal of applied behavior analysis.