Internet Skills for Adults with Disabilities (2007) - AQA PDF

JOURNAL OF APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS 2007, 40, 185–189 NUMBER 1 (SPRING 2007) THE EFFECTS OF ERRORLESS LEARNING AND BACKWARD CHAINING ON THE ACQUISITION OF INTERNET SKILLS IN ADULTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DIS...

JOURNAL OF APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS 2007, 40, 185–189 NUMBER 1 (SPRING 2007) THE EFFECTS OF ERRORLESS LEARNING AND BACKWARD CHAINING ON THE ACQUISITION OF INTERNET SKILLS IN ADULTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES JARED JEROME, ERIC P. FRANTINO, AND PETER STURMEY QUEENS COLLEGE AND THE GRADUATE CENTER OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK An important area in the learning and development of individuals with disabilities is the acquisition of independent, age-appropriate leisure skills. Three adults with autism and mental retardation were taught to access specific Internet sites using backward chaining and most-to- least intrusive prompting. The number of independent steps completed in the task analysis increased following training. DESCRIPTORS: autism, computer use, leisure skills ________________________________________ Age-appropriate leisure skills are important baseline (across students) and sequential with- and valued for all individuals, and the use of drawal design. After the first two training sessions personal computers has become an important in which picture prompts were used, the form of leisure activity for many, including percentage of correct steps completed increased those with developmental disabilities. Several across sessions for each participant. When the prior investigations have demonstrated effective picture prompts were removed in the second methods for training leisure skills to individuals baseline condition, however, the percentage of with developmental disabilities. For example, correct steps decreased. The posttest and follow- Luyben, Funk, Morgan, Clark, and Delulio up procedures showed a return to the high (1986) trained 3 adults with mild mental percentages found after the first two training retardation a side-of-the-foot soccer pass using sessions with picture prompts. Thus, Frank et al. chaining and prompting. The pass was analyzed demonstrated that picture prompts were very into nine steps that were taught sequentially effective in the training of computer skills to through forward chaining with a varying degree individuals with developmental disabilities. of prompts as training progressed. At first, Although these studies show that adults with verbal instruction plus a physical prompt were developmental disabilities can learn both leisure used. These were succeeded by imitative and computer skills using prompting, forward prompts, gestural prompts, and finally, verbal and backward chaining, and differential reinforce- prompts alone. Eventually the target behavior of ment, no previous research has shown that adults side passing the soccer ball was learned without with developmental disabilities can be taught to prompts for all participants. use the Internet to access age-appropriate adult Frank, Wacker, Berg, and McMahon (1985) leisure activities. Thus, the aim of the current taught 5 individuals with mental retardation to study was to teach adults with autism and mental perform two computer tasks. There were 32 steps retardation to access age-appropriate Web sites on required to initiate and terminate a spelling the Internet using a combined errorless learning program and 23 steps required to initiate and and backward chaining procedure. terminate a clock program on the computer. Both skills were evaluated in a combined multiple METHOD Participants and Settings Requests for reprints should be sent to Jared Jerome, 67-41 Burns St. Apt. L7, Forest Hills, New York 11375. Chris and Mark were 32-year-old and 24-year- doi: 10.1901/jaba.2007.41-06 old men, respectively, and both had been 185 186 JARED JEROME et al. diagnosed with autism and mild mental re- 1. Press the computer power button. tardation. Ethan was a 25-year-old man who had 2. Press the monitor power button. been diagnosed with mild mental retardation and 3. Place hand on the mouse. deafness. Each man was chosen to be a participant 4. Move the cursor with the mouse until it because, when asked ‘‘Do you want to play on the points to the Internet ExplorerH icon. computer?’’ he got up and walked to the 5. Double click the Internet ExplorerH computer and sat next to it within 10 s on five icon. consecutive trials, and if he turned on the power 6. Move the cursor with the mouse to the button on either the computer or the monitor on GoogleH search box. five consecutive trials when prompted. 7. Left click in the box. All sessions were conducted in a day-habil- 8. Type in the search topic of interest. itation center for adults with mental retardation 9. Place hand back on mouse. and autism. The sessions took place either in 10. Move cursor to the box labeled ‘‘search.’’ the participant’s classroom or in a separate 11. Single click the box. classroom with a different computer. Across all 12. Move the cursor with the mouse down to sessions, the participant was seated in a chair the Web site of choice. approximately 1 m away from and facing the 13. Single click the Web site of choice. computer. Across all steps, clicking was defined as Response Measurement and Reliability pushing down with the right index finger on Across all conditions, data were collected on the front part of the mouse. the number of independent tasks completed. Prior to each day’s sessions, a stimulus The frequency of steps completed per session preference assessment (based on DeLeon & was based on a 13-step task analysis (described Iwata, 1996) was conducted to determine the below), and the data were analyzed based on the items to be presented as reinforcers during the number of steps completed independently teaching sessions. For all participants, small relative to the total number of steps. Interob- edible items (e.g., jelly beans) were used as server agreement was assessed on 53% of all reinforcers. sessions by having a second observer simulta- Preferred online games or Web sites for each neously but independently collect data on the participant were determined before baseline by completion of each step of the task analysis. An asking program staff what topics interested the agreement was defined as both observers participants and then observing the participants marking a check when a step of the task analysis engage in the game or Web site for a minimum was performed or marking an X when a step of 5 min when the Web sites had been accessed was not performed. Agreement was calculated by the experimenters. Staff informed the by dividing the number of steps with agree- experimenters that the participants often used ments by the number of steps with agreements those Web sites, but the staff had to access the plus the number of steps with disagreements Web sites for them. To gain access to the multiplied by 100%. Agreement averaged preferred Internet activity, participants needed 100% for task completion throughout baseline to double click the link to the Web site from and postteaching. a search engine (i.e., the GoogleH homepage; www.google.com). Chris and Ethan worked to Procedure access an online pinball game, and Mark The following 13-step task analysis was worked to access a Web site that played music conducted to develop the requisite skills videos (specific links are available from the first necessary to access a specific Web site: author).  INTERNET SKILL DEVELOPMENT 187 Baseline. During baseline, each session began The prompting procedure continued until with the experimenter saying, ‘‘[name], do you the participant independently completed each want to play on the computer?’’ After the of the 13 task-analysis steps two times consec- participant sat down, the experimenter stood utively. After mastery of each step, training on 1 m behind the participant. The experimenter the previous step was added. For example, once said nothing else and did not deliver any other the participant independently completed the prompts during the baseline condition. When 13th step on two consecutive trials, the the participant either looked away from the prompting procedure was applied to the 12th computer or did not engage in the initial step or step and so on, based on a backward chaining any subsequent step of the task for 2 min, the procedure. When all 13 steps were completed trial was terminated and the experimenter independently for three consecutive sessions, accessed the target online game or Web site teaching was considered to be completed. and allowed the participant to interact with the Throughout the teaching condition, the online game or Web site for 5 min. All baseline experimenters delivered edible items after the sessions lasted between 2 and 5 min, depending participant completed each step of the task on the participant’s behavior. analysis, for both prompted and independent Teaching. In the teaching condition, the task completion. Edible items were delivered experimenter stood 1 m behind the seated as a form of immediate reinforcement to participant throughout the session. When each maintain behavior in the absence of the teaching session began, however, the initial 12 delayed reinforcement provided by accessing steps of the task analysis were complete such the Internet activity. In addition, the participant that the participant was only required to click received 5-min access to the preferred on the link for their preferred internet activity Internet activity after completion of the final present on the GoogleH homepage. The step in the task analysis, regardless of whether experimenter then said, ‘‘[name], begin playing completion of that step was prompted or on the computer.’’ If the participant correctly occurred independently. Each teaching session completed this step, access to the preferred lasted for a maximum of 40 min based on the internet activity was delivered for 5 min. maximum time available on the participants’ If the participant did not click the mouse after schedules. 3 s, an errorless learning procedure was used to Postteaching. Postteaching sessions were con- click the GoogleH link. A most-to-least intrusive ducted in an identical manner to the baseline prompting procedure (i.e., hand-over-hand condition; that is, edible reinforcers and guidance, followed by hand-over-wrist guid- prompts were not delivered. The only difference ance, then hand-over-elbow guidance, and was if the participants did not complete the 13- finally hand-over-shoulder guidance) was used step chain, the session was terminated without until all prompts were faded and the participant access to the Web site. Participants were independently clicked on the GoogleH link. required to progress from one step to the next Experimenters progressed to a less intrusive within the same 2-min time frame that existed prompt after the participant performed the task during baseline. with the previous prompt on two consecutive Generalization probes. Beginning in the post- trials. Thus, the participants were not given the teaching phase, a second computer became opportunity to perform an incorrect task on the available in a separate classroom, located computer. With the exception of the most-to- approximately 8 m from the computer used least intrusive prompting procedure, no other during baseline. The generalization computer verbal prompts were delivered. and monitor were similar to the training 188 JARED JEROME et al. Figure 1. Number of steps of task analysis completed for 3 participants across all trials.  INTERNET SKILL DEVELOPMENT 189 computer in size and general layout (e.g., power generalization computer was used and was used button, mouse type). The same 13-step task only during postteaching and not during analysis allowed access to the Web site of baseline. Future research should evaluate stim- choice, and the same procedure as baseline and ulus generalization across different computers postteaching was used. Generalization probes and locations as well as response generalization, were conducted on this second computer on such as to other Internet skills. Also, during the 52%, 58%, and 38% of postteaching sessions baseline condition participants were given only for Chris, Mark, and Ethan, respectively. the following discriminative stimulus: ‘‘[Name], do you want to play on the computer?’’ It is RESULTS AND DISCUSSION possible that if participants were given more detailed instructions, they would have been able The results are shown in Figure 1. Chris had to perform more task-analysis steps. Likewise, it a range of one to four steps completed in is possible that the delivery of edible reinforcers baseline. He met criterion for all 13 steps in one in the teaching condition may have resulted in 40-min teaching session. In postteaching, he increased task completion relative to baseline. completed all 13 steps of the task analysis Finally, although the participants completed the during every session. Mark completed zero to 13-step chain during the postteaching and one steps in baseline. He met criterion after five generalization conditions without any prompt- 40-min teaching sessions. In postteaching, he ing, it was not determined whether they learned completed 1 to 13 steps, and he completed all to approach a computer independently to access 13 steps in 10 of 12 sessions. Ethan completed a Web site of choice. Future research should zero to five steps in baseline. He met criterion in observe whether participants would indepen- one 40-min teaching session. In postteaching, dently initiate trained leisure skills while not he completed all 13 steps in every session. Thus, under the control of a specific discriminative the number of steps completed independently stimulus. increased after teaching for each participant. In addition, participants’ skills generalized to REFERENCES a novel computer. Previous research has demonstrated the use of DeLeon, I. G., & Iwata, B. A. (1996). Evaluation of a multiple-stimulus presentation format for assessing task analyses and errorless learning to teach reinforcer preferences. Journal of Applied Behavior a variety of nonleisure computer skills and other Analysis, 29, 519–532. leisure activities. The present study combined Frank, A. R., Wacker, D. P., Berg, W. K., & McMahon, C. M. (1985). Teaching selected microcomputer skills the efforts of this previous research by teaching to retarded students via picture prompts. Journal of leisure skills on the computer to adults with Applied Behavior Analysis, 18, 179–185. developmental disabilities. A limitation of the Luyben, P. D., Funk, D. M., Morgan, J. K., Clark, K. A., present study was that it taught access to only & Delulio, D. W. (1986). Team sports for the severely retarded: Training a side-of-the-foot soccer two Web sites, an online game and a music pass using a maximum-to-minimum prompt reduc- Web site that had been determined to be tion strategy. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 19, preferred prior to the study. Future research 431–436. Tiger, J. H., Hanley, G. P., & Hernandez, E. (2006). An should extend this method to include choice evaluation of the value of choice with preschool among a variety of available Web sites, because children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 39, choosing among multiple activities may result 1–16. in higher levels of task engagement (Tiger, Received March 16, 2006 Hanley, & Hernandez, 2006). A second Final acceptance September 12, 2006 limitation to the study was that only one Action Editor, Henry Roane