Play is a critical component of preschool children's development. For children with autism, restricted play skills eliminate common tools needed to build independent performance and peer relationships. The purpose of this study was to investigate a strategy to improve the independent performance of preschoolers with autism during playtime in an inclusive setting. A multiple-baseline design across subjects was employed to determine the effectiveness of correspondence training and activity schedules on the on-task and play correspondence behavior of 4 preschoolers with autism. Partial-interval recording was used to measure on-task behavior and experimenter prompts, whereas a frequency count was used for on-schedule behavior. Procedural integrity and social validity were also measured. Results of the study indicated that all 4 participants' on-task and play correspondence behavior increased, while experimenter prompts gradually decreased.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author .
2.
Baer, R.A. (1990). Correspondence training: Review and current issues . Research in Developmental Disabilities, 11, 379-390.
3.
Bailey, B., Jr., & Wolery, M. (1992). Teaching Infants and Preschoolers with Disabilities (2nd ed.). Engelwood Cliffs, NJ: Merrill.
4.
Bevill, A.R., Gast, D.L., MaGuire, A.M., & Vail, C.O. (2001). Increasing engagement of preschoolers with disabilities through correspondence training and picture cues. Journal of Early Intervention, 24, 129-145.
5.
Brewer, J., & Kieff, J. ( 1996). Fostering mutual respect for play at home and school. Childhood Education, 7, 92-96.
6.
Bryan, L.C., & Gast, D.L. (2000). Teaching on-task and on-schedule behaviors to high-functioning children with autism via picture activity schedules. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 30, 553-567.
7.
Buysse, V., Wesley, P., Keyes, L., & Bailey, Jr., D.B. (1996). Assessing the comfort zone of child-care teachers in serving young children with disabilities. Journal of Early Intervention, 20, 189-203.
8.
Carnine, D. (1997). Bridging the research-to-practice gap. Exceptional Children, 63, 513-521.
Frazier, J. (1997). The effects of correspondence training and picture schedules on the choice making and individual engagement of developmentally delayed preschool children during playtime. Unpublished master's thesis, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio .
11.
Gallagher, P.A. (1997). Teachers and inclusion: Perspectives on changing roles. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 17, 363-386.
12.
Greenspan, S., & Wieder, S. (1992). An integrated developmental approach to interventions for young children with severe difficulties in relating and communicating . Zero to Three, 13(2), 10-19.
13.
Groden, J., & LeVasseur, P. ( 1995). Cognitive picture rehearsal: A system to teach self-control. In K. A. Quill (Ed.), Teaching children with autism (pp. 287-306). Albany, NY: Delmar.
14.
King-Sears, M.E., & Cummings, C.S. (1996). Inclusive practices of classroom teachers. Remedial and Special Education, 17, 217-225.
15.
Lazarus, B.D. (1998). Say cheese! Using personal photographs as prompts . Teaching Exceptional Children, 30(6), 4-7.
16.
Libby, S., Powell, S., Messer, D., & Jordan, R. (1997). Imitation of pretend play acts by children with autism and down syndrome. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 27, 365-381.
17.
Lowenthal, B. (1996). Teaching social skills to preschoolers with special needs. Childhood Education, 72(2), 137-139.
18.
MacDuff, G.S., Krantz, P.J., & McClannahan, L.E. (1993). Teaching children with autism to use photographic activity schedules: Maintenance and generalization of complex response chains. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis , 26, 89-97.
19.
Massey, N.G., & Wheeler, J.J. (2000). Acquisition and generalization of activity schedules and their effects on task engagement in a young child with autism in an inclusive pre-school classroom. Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, 35, 326-335.
20.
McCormick, L., & Kawate, J. ( 1982). Kindergarten survival skills: New directions for preschool special education. Education and Training of the Mentally Retarded, 17, 247-252.
21.
Mills, P.E., Cole, K., Jenkins, J.R., & Dale, P.S. (1998). Effects of differing levels of inclusion on preschoolers with disabilities. Exceptional Children, 65, 79-90.
Odom, S.L., & Watts, E. (1991). Reducing teacher prompts in peer-mediated interventions for young children with autism. Journal of Special Education , 25( 1 ), 26-42.
24.
Osnes, P.G., Guevremont, D.C., & Stokes, T.F. (1986). If I say I'll talk more, then I will: Correspondence training to increase peer-directed talk by socially withdrawn children. Behavior Modification, 10, 287-299.
25.
Perlmutter, J., & Burrell, L. (1995). Learning through play as well as work in the primary grades. Young Children, 50( 1 ), 14-21.
26.
Pierce, K.L., & Schreibman, L. (1994). Teaching daily living skills to children with autism in unsupervised settings through pictorial self-management . Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 27, 471-481.
27.
Risley, T.R., & Hart, B. (1968). Developing correspondence between the nonverbal and verbal behavior of preschool children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1, 267-281.
28.
Romer, E.F., & Umbreit, J. ( 1998). The effects of family-centered service coordination: A social validity study. Journal of Early Intervention, 21, 95-110.
29.
Sainato, D.M., Goldstein, H., & Strain, P.S. ( 1992). Effects of self-evaluation on preschool children's use of social interaction strategies with their classmates with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 127-141.
30.
Sainato, D.M., & Morrison, R.S. (2001 ). Transition to inclusive environments for young children with disabilities: Toward a seamless system of service delivery. In M. S. Guralnick (Ed.), Early childhood inclusion (pp. 293-306). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
31.
Schmit, J., Alper, S., Raschke, D., & Ryndak, D. (2000). Effects of using a photographic cueing package during routine school transitions with a child who has autism. Mental Retardation, 38, 131-137.
32.
Schopler, E., Reichler, R.S., & Renner, B.R. ( 1988). The childhood autism rating scale. Los Angeles, CA: Western Psychological Services.
33.
Schwartz, I.S., Billingsly, E.E., & McBride, B.M. (1998). Including children with autism in inclusive preschools: Strategies that work. YoungExceptional Children, 1, 19-25.
34.
Thorp, D.M., Stahmer, A.C., & Schreibman, L. (1995). Effects of sociodramatic play training on children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 25, 265-281.
35.
Valk, J.E., & Schwartz, I. (1997, May). Using a progressive time delay procedure to implement photographic schedules during a free choice period. Poster session presented at the 23rd Annual Association for Behavior Analysis Conference, Chicago.
36.
Weninger, J.M., & Baer, R.A. ( 1990). Correspondence training with time delay: A comparison with reinforcement of compliance. Education and Treatment of Children, 13, 36-44.
