Date Approved

5-15-2008

Embargo Period

3-23-2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A. in Special Education

Department

Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education

College

College of Education

Advisor

Xin, Joy

Subject(s)

Autistic children--Means of communication; Verbal behavior

Disciplines

Special Education and Teaching

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the implementation of the Verbal Behavior approach with young children with autism. The participants included eight boys between the ages of three and five who are currently placed in a self-contained classroom for students with autism. Using the Verbal Behavior protocol, baseline data was collected for all participating students in the area of verbal communication. Data was also taken for three students with violent or aggressive behaviors. During the intervention, when the Verbal Behavior approach was provided, goals were developed for each student and their performance data were collected daily for 20 weeks. The results showed that all students improved their verbal communication skills in prompted, unprompted and independent communication situations. The results also showed that the student's aggressive behaviors were consistently decreased and eventually extinguished.

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