The research to be conducted at the University of Pittsburgh will concentrate on the development of assessment instruments and accompanying instructional strategies for autisticlike preschool children and their families. Work with children will focus on social interaction, language development, independent work and play skills, and the elimination of disruptive behavior. To teach parents to use behavior modification techniques with their autisticlike children, training materials will be developed and tested. In the final years of the institute, further research will be conducted to determine the effect of the intervention on placement of children in less restrictive environments.
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