A hand-signalling procedure was taught to four boys with severe autism and learning
disabilities, within dyadic proximal communication with an adult who was a stranger
to them. Proximal communication involved rough and tumble play and imitation of the
child, with frequent pause/burst phases to encourage him to initiate communication.
It builds on the social strengths of the children and is discussed in relation to
the prevailing deficit model of autism. High frequencies of hand signalling were
shown by each child and sustained over time. A behavioural explanation was rejected
in favour of a developmental one involving Piaget’s concept of operational causality.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
American Psychiatric Association1994: Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders,
fourth edition (DSM-IV).
Washington, DC
.
2.
Argyle, M.
and
Henderson, M.1985: The anatomy of relationships.
Harmondsworth: Penguin
.
3.
Bruner J. S.1975:
The ontogenesis of speech acts
. Journal of Child Language2,
1-19
.
4.
Bufkin, L. J.
and
Altman, R.1995:
A developmental study of nonverbal pragmatic communication in students with
and without mild mental retardation
. Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental
Disabilities, September,
199-207
.
5.
Christie, P.
and
Wimpory, D.1986:
Recent research into the development of Communicative competence and its
implications for the teaching of children with autism
. Communication20,
4-7
.
6.
Dunst C. J.1980: A clinical and educational manual for use with the Uzgiris and
Hunt scales of infant psychological development.
Baltimore, MD: University Park Press
.
7.
Hermelin, B.
and
O’Connor, N.1970: Psychological experiments with autistic children.
Oxford: Persimmon
.
8.
Howlin P. A.1981:
The effectiveness of operant language training with autistic children
. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders11,
89-105
.
9.
Kay, K.1977: Towards the origin of dialogue. In:
Schaffer, H. R.
editor, Studies in mother infant interaction.
London: Academic Press
.
10.
Kozloff, M. A.1974: Educating children with learning and behavior problems.
New York: Wiley
.
11.
Lynch, M. P.1995:
Onset of speech-like vocalisations in infants with Down’s syndrome
. American Journal of the Mentally Retarded100,
68-86
.
12.
Mundy, P.
,
Sigman, M.
,
Ungerer, J.
and
Sherman, T.1986:
Defining the social deficits of autism: the contribution of non-verbal
communication measures
. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry27,
657-669
.
13.
Newson, J.
and
Newson, E.1975:
Intersubjectivity and the transmission of culture: on the social origins of
symbolic functioning
. Bulletin of British Psychology and Sociology28,
437-446
.
14.
Nind, M.
and
Hewett, D.1994: Access to communication.
London: Fulton
.
15.
Piaget, J.1953: The origin of intelligence in the child.
London: Routledge & Kogan Paul
.
16.
Potter, C. A.
and
Whittaker, C. A.
1995:
Spontaneous protoimperative pointing and the development of semantic
relations in a child with autism
. Paper presented to the international conference: Psychological
Perspectives in Autism. Durham: National Autistic Society.
17.
Potter, C. A.
and
Whittaker, C. A.1997:
Teaching the spontaneous use of semantic relations through multipointing to
a child with autism and severe learning disabilities
. Child Language Teaching and Therapy13,
177-193
.
18.
Prizant, B. M.
and
Wetherby, A. M.1985:
Intentional communicative behaviour of Children with autism: theoretical
and practical issues
. Australian Journal of Human Communication Disorders13,
21-57
.
19.
Reynell, J.1977: Reynell Developmental Language Scale.
Windsor: NFER
.
20.
Reynolds, J.1997: An investigation into the early developmental patterns in a
group of children with both autism and severe learning difficulties.
University of Northumbria at Newcastle
.
21.
Schaffer, H. R.1977: Studies in mother-infant interaction.
London: Academic Press
.
22.
Schaffer, H. R.1996: Social development.
Oxford: Blackwell
.
23.
Schopler, E.
and
Reichler, R. J.1988: The childhood autism rating scale.
Los Angeles, CA: Western Psychological Services
.
24.
Sigman, M.
and
Ungerer, J. A.1984:
Attachment behaviors in autistic children
. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders14,
231-244
.
25.
Sigman, M.
,
Mundy, P.
,
Sherman, T.
and
Ungerer J.1986:
Social interactions of autistic, mentally retarded and normal children and
their caregivers
. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry27,
647-656
.
26.
Stone, W. L.
and
Caro-Martinez, M.1990:
Naturalistic observations of spontaneous communication in autistic children
. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders20,
437-453
.
27.
Uzgiris, I.
and
Hunt, J. McV.1989: Assessment in infancy: ordinal scales of Psychological
development, second edition.
Chicago, IL: University of Illinois Press
.
28.
Watson, L. R.
,
Lord, C.
,
Schaeffer, B.
and
Schopler, E.1989: Teaching spontaneous communication to autistic and
developmentally handicapped children.
New York: Irvington
.
29.
Westcott, H. L.1994: Abuse of children and adults with disabilities.
London: National Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Children
.
30.
Whittaker, C. A.
1984:
Cognitive development and aspects of prelinguistic and manual communication
in severely and profoundly retarded children
. Paper to the American Academy of Child Psychiatry. Toronto.
31.
Whittaker, C. A.
1996:
Spontaneous proximal communication in children with autism and severe
learning difficulties
. Paper to Therapeutic Interventions in Autism
Conference. National Autistic Society.
32.
Whittaker, C. A.
and
Potter C. A.1996: Communicative empowerment for pupils with autism. Joseph
Rowntree Foundation Project.
Durham: University of Durham
.
