Comparison of within-stimulus and extra-stimulus prompts to increase targeted play behaviors in an inclusive early intervention program.

Abstract

Limited participation and sampling of stimuli by children in early childhood programs may restrict opportunities to respond and limit learning. The purpose of this study was to extend the concept of within-stimulus prompting (Schreibman, 1975) for use in an early intervention classroom to occasion play with previously low-contact toys in previously low-contact centers for two children. Kaitlyn was 27 months old and diagnosed with Down syndrome. Greg was 29 months old and diagnosed with autism. A reversal design was used to evaluate experimental conditions. For Kaitlyn, adult prompting more effectively occasioned toy play. For Greg, the within-stimulus prompt effectively occasioned play with planted stimuli in previously low-contact centers following the within-stimulus with adult prompt phase and return to baseline.This document is copyrighted by the American Psychological Association or one of its allied publishers.This article is intended solely for the personal use of the individual user and is not to be disseminated broadly.

Teaching Sequences of Pretend Play to Children With Disabilities

“…Although additional research is needed examining the use of CTD and SLP to teach sequences by indigenous implementers (Barton et al, 2013), in the current study, the implementer used the procedures in the child’s classroom during the typical daily routines. This supports previous findings; for example, VanDerHeyden and colleagues (2002) used SLP during typical center times with two preschool children with disabilities. Children increased their toy play with systematic adult prompting and stimulus alterations, respectively, in their typical preschool classrooms.…”

“…Although the intervention procedures were similar to those used by Fox and Hanline (1993), their results were variable across conditions and children, which precluded the identification of functional relations. VanDerHeyden, Snyder, DiCarlo, Stricklin, and Vagianos (2002) used SLP to teach toy play to two children (one with Down syndrome and one with ASD). Increases in toy play were identified; however, toy play did not maintain in the absence of adult prompts.…”

Embedding Sensory Preference Into Toys to Enhance Toy Play in Toddlers With Disabilities

“…However, a concern exists over providing specialized support to promote toy play in these environments (Ivory & McCollum, 1999;Langley, 1985). Previous research suggests that attributes of materials may influence a toddler's interest in materials (Vanderhayden et al, 2002) and that sensory attributes could serve as reinforcers for school-age children with self-stimulatory behavior (Rincover, 1978;Rincover et al, 1979). Children who exhibit sensory-seeking behaviors have been characterized as constantly seeking sensory input (Dunn, 2002); thus, the embedding of preferred sensory attributes into toys may increase the amount of time a child interacts with the toy.…”

“…Although many young children enjoy using their senses, children identified as sensory-seeking are "driven to fulfill thresholds of sensation" and create opportunities to increase input of these sensations (Dunn, 2002, p. 45). Vanderhayden, Snyder, DiCarlo, Stricklin, and Vagianos (2002) suggest that embedding attributes in toys may influence a child's interest in materials. Relatedly, Roane, Vollmer, Ringdahl, and Marcus (1998) assessed preferences of individuals from preschool-aged through adulthood across general categories of materials, which included tactile and auditory attributes, using a free-operant assessment (providing free access to materials and recording materials chosen).…”

Touchscreen prompts for preschoolers

“…Prior work demonstrates that within-stimulus prompting (changes to the stimulus to which a child should attend, such as increasing the size of the number '5') can be more effective than extra-stimulus prompts (changes which are external to the stimulus to which a child should attend, such as underlining the number '5') in earlyeducation settings [32]. Thus we expected these visual prompts to be more effective than an external stimulus, such as a cartoon hand, and were surprised to find that this was not the case.…”