Recently, several professional educators have taken the position that there are profoundly retarded persons who are ineducable. Their basic hypothesis is that there is a population of profoundly retarded persons who are incapable of learning anything meaningful and thus should be excluded from educational programs. In this article, the authors examine the research evidence regarding the various skills that profoundly retarded persons with a wide range of learning characteristics have been successfully taught.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AzrinN., & ArmstrongP. (1973). The “mini-meal”-A method for teaching eating skills to the profoundly retarded. Mental Retardation, 11, 9–13.
2.
AzrinN., & FoxxR. (1971). A rapid method of toilet training the institutionalized retarded. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 4, 89–99.
3.
AzrinN., SneedT., & FoxxR. (1974). Dry-bed training: Rapid elimination of childhood enuresis. Behavior Research and Therapy, 12, 147–156.
4.
BaerD. A. (1981). A hung jury and a Scottish verdict: “Not proven.”Analysis and Intervention in Developmental Disabilities, 1, 91–97.
5.
BaileyJ. (1981). Wanted: A rational search for limiting conditions of habilitation in the retarded. Analysis and Intervention in Developmental Disabilities, 1, 45–52.
6.
BensburgG., ColwellC., & CasselR. (1965). Teaching the profoundly retarded self-help activities by behavior shaping techniques. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 69, 674–679.
7.
BerkowitzS., SherryP., & DavisB. (1971). Teaching self-feeding skills to profound retardates using reinforcement and fading procedures. Behavior Therapy, 2, 62–67.
8.
BurneyJ., RussellB., & ShoresR. (1977). Developing social responses in two profoundly retarded children. AAESPH Review, 2, 53–60.
9.
ButzR., & HasaziJ. (1973). Developing verbal imitative behavior in a profoundly retarded girl. Journal of Behavioral Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 4, 389–393.
10.
ColemanR., WhitmanT., & JohnsonM. (1979). Suppression of self-stimulatory behavior of a profoundly retarded boy across staff and settings: An assessment of situational generalization. Behavior Therapy, 10, 266–280.
11.
DeCatanzaroD., & BaldwinG. (1978). Effective treatment of self-injurious behavior through a forced arm exercise. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 82, 433–439.
12.
EllisN. (1979). Parlow case: A reply to Dr. Roos. Law and Psychology Review, 5, 14–49.
13.
FavellJ., McGimseyJ., & JonesM. (1978). The use of physical restraint in the treatment of self-injury and as positive reinforcemnt. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 11, 225–241.
14.
FawG., ReidD., SchepisM., FitzgeraldJ., & WeltyP. (1981). Involving institutional staff in the development and maintenance of sign language skills with profoundly retarded persons. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 14, 411–423.
15.
FoxxR., & AzrinN. (1972). Restitution: A method of eliminating aggressive-disruptive behavior of retarded and brain damaged patients. Behavior Research and Therapy, 10, 15–27.
16.
FrankelF., MossD., SchofieldS., & SimmonsJ. (1976). Case study: Use of differential reinforcement to suppress self-injurious and aggressive behavior. Psychological Reports, 39, 843–849.
17.
FullerP. (1949). Operant conditioning of a vegetative human organism. American Journal of Psychology, 62, 587–590.
18.
GilesD., & WolfM. (1966). Toilet training institutionalized, severe retardates: An application of operant behavior modification techniques. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 70, 766–780.
19.
GoldbergI., & CruickshankW. (1958). The trainable but noneducable: Whose responsibility?National Educational Association Journal, 47, 622–623.
20.
GrossmanH. (Ed.). (1973). Manual of terminology and classification in mental retardation. Washington, DC: American Association on Mental Deficiency.
21.
HaskettJ., & HollarW. (1978). Sensory reinforcement and contingency awareness of profoundly retarded children. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 83, 60–68.
22.
HenriksenK., & DoughtyR. (1967). Decelerating undesired mealtime behavior in a group of profoundy retarded boys. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 72, 40–44.
23.
HillJ. (1980). Use of an automated recreational device to facilitate independent leisure and motor behavior in a profoundly retarded male. In WeymanP., & HillJ. (Eds.), Instructional programming for severely handicapped youth. Richmond, VA: Virginia Commonwealth University.
24.
HollisJ. (1965a). Effects of social and nonsocial stimuli on the behavior of profoundly retarded children: Part I. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 69, 755–771.
25.
HollisJ. (1965b). Effects of social and nonsocial stimuli on the behavior of profoundly retarded children: Part II. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 69, 772–789.
26.
HornerR. (1980). The effects on an environmental “enrichment” program on the behaviors on institutionalized profoundly retarded children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 13, 473–491.
27.
HornerR. (1981). Stimulus control, transfer, and maintenance of upright walking posture in a severely mentally retarded adult. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 86, 86–96.
28.
JanssenC., & GuessD. (1978). Use of function as a consequence in training receptive labeling to severely and profoundly retarded individuals. AAESPH Review, 3, 246–258.
29.
KauffmanJ., & KrouseJ. (1981). The cult of educability: Searching for the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Analysis and Intervention in Developmental Disabilities, 1, 53–60.
LevineM., & ElliottC. (1970). Toilet training for profoundly retarded with limited staff. Mental Retardation, 8, 48–50.
32.
LuceroW, FriemanJ., SpoeringK., & FehrenbacherJ. (1976). Comparison of three procedures in reducing self-injurious behavior. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 80, 548–554.
33.
MeaselC., & AlfieriP. (1976). Treatment of self-injurious behavior by a combination of reinforcement for incompatible behavior and overcorrection. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 81, 147–153.
34.
MingeM., & BallT. (1967). Teaching of self-help skills to profoundly retarded patients. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 71, 864–868.
35.
MurphyR., & DoughtyN. (1977). Establishment of controlled arms movement in profoundly retarded students using response contingent vibratory stimulation. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 82, 212–216.
36.
MurphyR., NunesD., & Hutchings-RuprechtM. (1977). Reduction of stereotyped behavior in profoundly retarded individuals. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 82, 238–245.
37.
MurphyR., RuprechtM., BaggioP., & NunesD. (1979). The use of mild punishment in combination with reinforcement of alternate behaviors to reduce the self-injurious behavior of a profoundly retarded individual. AAESPH Review, 4, 187–195.
38.
MurphyR., RuprechtM., & NunesD. (1979). Elimination of self-injurious behavior in a profoundly retarded adolescent using intermittent time-out, restraint, and blindfold procedures. AAESPH Review, 4, 337–345.
39.
NoonanM., BrownF., MulliganM., & RettigM. (1982). Educability of severely handicapped persons: Both sides of the issue. The Journal of the Association for the Severely Handicapped, 7, 3–12.
40.
O'BrienF., AzrinN., & BugleC. (1972). Training profoundly retarded children to stop crawling. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 5, 131–137.
41.
PetersenG., AustinG., & LangR. (1979). Use of teacher prompts to increase social behavior: Generalization effects with severely and profoundly retarded adolescents. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 84, 82–86.
42.
RagoW., ParkerR., & ClelandC. (1978). Effect of increased space on the social behavior of institutionalized profoundly retarded male adults. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 82, 554–558.
43.
ReidJ., TombaughT., & HeuvelK. (1981). Application of contingent physical restraint to suppress stereotyped body rocking of profoundly mentally retarded persons. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 86, 78–85.
44.
RemingtonR., FoxenT., & HoggJ. (1977). Auditory reinforcement in profoundly retarded multiply handicapped children. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 82, 299–304.
RiceH., McDanielM., StallingsV., & GatzM. (1967). Operant behavior in vegetative patients II. Psychological Record, 17, 449–460.
48.
SalzbergB., & NapolitanJ. (1974). Holding a retarded boy at a table for 2 minutes to reduce inappropriate object contact. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 78, 748–751.
49.
SamarasM., & BallT. (1975). Reinforcement of cooperation between profoundly retarded adults. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 80, 63–71.
50.
SchepisM., ReidD., FitzgeraldJ., FawG., Van Den PolR., & WeltyP. (1982). A program for increasing manual signing by autistic and profoundly retarded youth within the daily environment. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 15, 363–379.
51.
SchleienS., AshT., KiernanJ., & WehmanP. (1981). Developing independent cooking skills in a profoundly retarded woman. Journal of the Association for the Severely Handicapped, 6, 23–29.
52.
SchleienS., WehmanP., & KiernanJ. (1981). Teaching leisure skills to severely handicapped adults: An age-appropriate darts game. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 4, 112–118.
53.
SmithL. (1981). Training severely and profoundly mentally handicapped nocturnal enuretics. Behavior Research and Therapy, 19, 67–74.
54.
SongA., & GandhiR. (1974). An analysis of behavior during the acquisition and maintenance phases of self-spoon feeding skills of profound retardates. Mental Retardation, 12, 25–28.
55.
StainbackS., StainbackW., & MaurerS. (1976). Training teachers for the severely/profoundly handicapped: A new frontier. Exceptional Children, 42, 203–210.
56.
StainbackS., StainbackW., WehmanP., & SpanjersL. (in press). Acquisition and generalization of physical fitness exercises in three profoundly retarded adults. Journal of the Association for the Severely Handicapped.
57.
ThompsonG., IwataB., & PoynterH. (1979). Operant control of pathological tongue thrust in spastic cerebral palsy. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 12, 325–333.
58.
WehmanP., RenzagliaA., BerryG., SchuetzR., & KaranO. (1978). Developing a leisure skill repertoire in severely and profoundly handicapped persons. AAESPH Review, 3, 162–172.
59.
YoungJ., & WinczeJ. (1974). The effects of the reinforcement of compatible and incompatible alternative behaviors on the self-injurious and related behaviors of a profoundly retarded female student. Behavior Therapy, 5, 614–623.