Six institutionalized conduct-problem children performed in a classroom under three reinforcement conditions: (1) noncontingent reinforcement: (2) reinforcement for being on task and (3) reinforcement for the accuracy and rate fo their academic behavior. Within each of these conditions, the teacher was either present throughout the class session or absent for a portion of the session. In the teacher's absence, on-task behavior was markedly reduced and disruption was markedly increased, regardless of the reinforcement condition in operation. In contrast, the teacher's absence had no effect on academic accuracy and had a major effect on academic rate only when reinforcement was delivered noncontingently. Furthermore, the extent to which the children became disruptive in the teacher's absence was reduced when reinforcement was contingent upon academic accuracy and rate, instead of being contingent upon being on task or delivered noncontingently. It is suggested that the reinforcement of academic behavior, rather than on-task behavior or classroom social behavior, not only will improve the latter behaviors as well, but possibly also make them less dependent upon the presence and continued surveillance of the teacher.

Three behavior problem children, ages 11-14, who had been placed in a state mental health facility, were subjected to baseline and two sequential reinforcement conditions (reading reinforcement and chance reinforcement). The results indicate that free time can function as a reinforcer producing increases in the percentage of items answered correctly. Further, the results indicate that improvements can be affected in other academic subjects when only reading accuracy is reinforced. Finally, it was apparent that neither a reading reinforced nor a chance reinforcement condition produced consistently differential results. Results imply that a procedure which reinforces the qualitative aspects of academic performance can be effective in increasing the accuracy of academic performance. Moreover, these improvements in academic behavior were achieved using free time, a reinforcer which is inexpensive and readily available to the teacher. It should also be noted that a single 20-minute free-time period was effectively used to produce changes in three academic areas.