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Teaching Receptive Discriminations to Children With Autism: A Comparison of Traditional and Embedded Discrete Trial Teaching

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Abstract

Discrete trial teaching (DTT) procedures have proven effective in teaching language to children with autism. Discrete trial teaching uses a highly structured, fast-paced format of instruction that is typically conducted in a one-to-one situation at a desk or table with minimal distractions. We compared this traditional model of DTT to a version of DTT in which instruction was embedded within the context of a more naturalistic, activity-based environment. However, all of the other characteristics of DTT (e.g., pacing, tight stimulus control, targets selected by the teacher) were retained. Receptive discriminations were taught to 2 4-year-old boys, diagnosed with autism in traditional or embedded DTT. Results showed that for both boys, traditional and embedded DTT were equally effective and efficient. Additionally, measures were collected on participant affect and a concurrent-chains preference evaluation was used to determine which teaching procedure was preferred by the participants. The two procedures produced similar levels of positive and negative affect and were equally preferred by 1 participant while embedded DTT produced more positive affect and was more preferred by the other.

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Author notes

  1. Kaneen B. Geiger & Linda A. LeBlanc

    Present address: Trumpet Behavioral Health, 390 Union Blvd., Suite 300, Lakewood, CO, 80228, USA

  2. James E. Carr

    Present address: Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Littleton, USA

  3. Amy S. Polick

    Present address: Florida State University, Panama City, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Auburn University, Auburn, USA

    Kaneen B. Geiger, James E. Carr, Linda A. LeBlanc, Nicole M. Hanney, Amy S. Polick & Megan R. Heinicke

Authors
  1. Kaneen B. Geiger
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  2. James E. Carr
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  3. Linda A. LeBlanc
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  4. Nicole M. Hanney
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  5. Amy S. Polick
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  6. Megan R. Heinicke
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Linda A. LeBlanc.

Additional information

We thank Erin Conner, Kelly Cox, Brittany Kirksey, Trevor Ramsey, Lauren Smith, Lindsey Smith, and Kristen Vaughn for their assistance with data collection.

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Geiger, K.B., Carr, J.E., LeBlanc, L.A. et al. Teaching Receptive Discriminations to Children With Autism: A Comparison of Traditional and Embedded Discrete Trial Teaching. Behav Analysis Practice 5, 49–59 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03391823

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