STIMULUS EQUIVALENCE AND SELECTION-BASED COMMUNICATION

本项目将刺激控制技术应用于基本问题 在教有严重学习困难的人联系单词时， 并且涉及用于基于选择的通信的图形符号 (SBC)系统. 总的目标是开发有效、高效、 评估和教授这些刺激之间关系的方法， 刺激等价类的发展。 我们认为这些 努力支持SBC培训中正在进行的应用研究， 难教的人。 积极的结果将有理论上的 影响以及：他们将提供第一个示范， 刺激等效性的研究。 我们的研究样本 包括有严重学习困难的学生， 功能性语音和精细运动和模仿技能 学习手工签名，但谁能学会通过选择 图形符号表示选择、需求、评论和问题。 干预研究表明，SBC系统（即，通信 书籍、黑板和电子设备）可以起到有效的 通信输出模式以及许多个人的教学工具 患有智力迟钝和自闭症 那些学习最严格的人 然而，困难往往对教导他们的努力没有反应。 传统的方法，符号和文字可以替代的参考。 Project 6采用关系学习方法来解决这个关键问题。 项目6将利用技术发展研究 几个程序之间的关系教学符号，指称，和 口语。 我们的研究使用实验室验证的刺激控制 程序，如排除和刺激的样本匹配（MTS） 控制塑造，以教授构成刺激之间的关系 功能SBC词汇表项目。 这些程序与 技术创新，使丰富的计算机模拟， 基本的SBC训练 这里要探讨的技术包括 计算机化呈现：（1）高质量的运动视频，动画， 扫描照片;（2）记录人类语言。 我们还将 评估从结构化培训情境到符号使用的迁移 人类语言的录音 我们还将评估从 结构化的培训情况下，使用符号的沟通， 不那么结构化的日常情况。 项目6的具体目标是： (1)评估常用刺激集的可辨别性 在SBC系统中;（2）分析输入的符号匹配指令集， 我们对有严重学习困难的个体的样本;（3） 符号与指称关系教学方法探讨 最大限度地减少训练中出现错误的概率， 符号在功能上的可替代性。(4)检查 合成语音输出在口语早期发育中的作用 词/符号/所指关系;（5）探索开发新的 快速的口语单词/符号关系;（6）应用刺激等效 刺激等价类的扩展分析 SBC系统;（7）检查语言之间的关系 理解和获得基本的SBC技能。

This project applies stimulus control technology to fundamental problems in teaching individuals with severe learning difficulties to relate words and referents to graphic symbols for use in selection-based communication (SBC) systems. The overall goal is to develop effective, efficient methods for assessing and teaching relations among such stimuli, leading to the development of stimulus equivalence classes. We view these efforts as supporting ongoing applied research in SBC training for difficult-to-teach individuals. Positive outcomes will have theoretical implications as well: They will provide the first demonstration of stimulus equivalence in frankly nonverbal humans. Our study sample comprises students with severe learning difficulties who lack both functional vocal speech and the fine motor and imitation skills necessary to learn manual signing, but who could learn to communicate by selecting graphic symbols to indicate choices, needs, comments, and questions. Intervention studies have shown that SBC systems (i.e., communication books, boards, and electronic devices) can function as effective communication output modes as well as teaching tools for many individuals with mental retardation and autism. Those with the most severe learning difficulties, however, often do not respond to efforts to teach them by conventional methods that symbols and words can substitute for referents. Project 6 takes a relational learning approach to this critical problem. Project 6 will take advantage of technological developments to study several procedures for teaching relations among symbols, referents, and spoken words. Our studies use laboratory-validated stimulus control procedures such as match-to-sample (MTS) with exclusion and stimulus control shaping to teach relations among stimuli that constitute functional SBC vocabulary items. These procedures are combined with technological innovations to enable rich computer simulations of rudimentary SBC training. Techniques to be explored here include computerized presentations of: (1) high-quality motion video, animation, and scanned photographs; (2) recorded human speech. We will also evaluate transfer from structured training situations to use of symbols for recorded human speech. We will also evaluate transfer from structured training situations to use of symbols for communication in less structured, everyday situations. Specific Aims of Project 6 are to: (1) assess the discriminability of sets of stimuli that are commonly used in SBC systems; (2) analyze the entering symbol matching repertoires of our samples of individuals with severe learning difficulties; (3) investigate methods for teaching relations between symbols and referents that minimize the probability of errors occurring in training, and result in functional substitutability of symbols for referents. (4) examine the function of synthetic speech output in the initial development of spoken word/symbol/referent relations; (5) explore techniques for developing new spoken word/symbol relations rapidly; (6) apply stimulus equivalence analyses to the expansion of stimulus equivalence classes for users of SBC systems; and (7) examine the relationship between language comprehension and acquisition of rudimentary SBC skills.