Comparing Acquisition of and Preference for Manual Signs, Picture Exchange, and Speech-Generating Devices in Nine Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Description

The objective was to compare how quickly children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) acquired manual signs, picture exchange, and an iPad/iPod-based speech-generating device (SGD) and to compare whether children showed a preference for one of these options. Nine children with ASD and limited communication skills received intervention to teach requesting preferred stimuli by using manual signs, picture exchange, and a SGD. Intervention was evaluated in a nonconcurrent multiple-baseline across participants and alternating-treatments design. Five children learned all three systems to criterion. Four children required fewer sessions to learn the SGD compared to manual signs and picture exchange. Eight children demonstrated a preference for the SGD. The results support previous findings that children with ASD can learn manual signs, picture exchange, and an iPad/iPod-based SGD to request preferred stimuli. Most children showed a preference for the SGD. For some children, acquisition may be quicker when learning a preferred option.

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