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This study investigated the use of a computer-based intervention for teaching orthographic symbols to children with autism. Through a structured seven-step fading procedure, children were taught to identify words from commercially available logos depicting food items. A multiple-probe design across participants was used to examine the effects of exposing 6 children with autism to 8 food items selected individually based on their meaningfulness to each child. The acquired knowledge was then tested for generalization into the classroom. Results indicated that after exposure to the fading procedure, all children were able to identify the orthographic symbols and maintain the knowledge over time. Most of the children were able to transfer the knowledge and generalize to daily activities within the classroom. Implications and future research directions are discussed.
Children with autism demonstrate difficulties in communication skills, verbal skills, communicative initiations, and social communicative behaviors (Koegel & Koegel, 1995; Schulcr, Prizant, & Wetherby, 1997). More than 50% of the children have difficulties in developing language skills and neglect to choose other means to communicate (Prizant, 1996). Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) strategies may enhance their means to communicate and provide them with acceptable means of communicating with people, helping them to become independent and influence their environment (Light, Roberts, Dimarco, & Greiner, 1998; Schepis, Reid, Beharmann, & Sutton, 1998). Graphic symbols such as line drawings, photographs, or pictograms are often used for AAC.
Research has demonstrated that children with autism learn to use graphic and orthographic symbols for expressive communication (Mirenda & Mathy-Laikko, 1989; Mirenda & Schuler, 1988; Schuler & Baldwin, 1981). Communication books and devices have been used for effective communication and for conveying various messages using different graphic symbols (Hamilton & Snell, 1993; Reichle & Brown, 1986).
Nonverbal children with autism can acquire the skills necessary to use AAC and assistive technologies (AT) even in preschool (Schepis et al., 1998). They learn to initiate, to identify symbols, and to use communication boards and books (Light et al., 1998; Quill, 1995). Over the years, as children develop their communication skills, further intervention may be required to advance their knowledge and provide them with communication systems, such as orthographic symbols, that are more acceptable and appropriate for use within the family and the local community. Orthographic symbols...