Presenting non-target stimuli in consequent events to children with autism

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of presenting non-target stimuli in the consequent event on the future learning of non-target stimuli for 5 children with autism using a constant time delay (CTD) procedure to teach students to read sight words. Following criterion level performance in the future and non-future conditions, students were taught using a CTD procedure to read the future target words and a new set of target stimuli. An adapted alternated treatments design was used to compare the effectiveness and efficiency of the two instructional conditions. Results indicated that presentation of future target stimuli does not interfere with current target stimuli instruction. Future research needs to be conducted to determine if students will require fewer sessions and less instructional time to achieve criterion on future target stimuli compared to initial target stimuli.