USING HIGH-PROBABILITY REQUESTS TO INCREASE LOW-PROBABILITY COMMUNICATION BEHAVIOR IN YOUNG-CHILDREN WITH SEVERE DISABILITIES

This study explored the use of a teaching procedure incorporating high-probability request sequences to increase low-probability communication behavior of elementary-aged children with severe disabilities. Two students from an integrated public school campus participated, including a 4 year old girl learning sign language and speech, and an 8 year old girl learning to sign. A multiple baseline across target words was used to evaluate the effects of the high-probability request sequences. Findings included increases in communication responses by both participants, as well as increases in unprompted communication responses by one of the girls. Implications are presented for using the high-probability request sequences to increase a variety of outcomes in classroom settings.