A Study on Effects of Multiple Exemplar Instruction on Derived Reading Responses and Number-Concept Responses within Stimuli Equivalence in children with Developmental Disabilities

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the Multiple Examplar Instruction(MEI) induced untaught reading responses and number concept responses. These untaught target responses were induced within a stimulus class which showed stimulus equivalence relation. A participant was a first grader with developmental disabilities in an elementary school. The participant exhibited developmental disabilities including language delays. She tacted over 400 objects and pictures, placed number cards in a right order. She worked on early reading skills and number skills. 3 types of stimulus were used for reading responses and number concept responses during MEI and pre- and post-probes: picture cards, corresponding written words, words read vocally for reading and number cards, picture cards with an amount of a number shown and spoken ordinal numbers for number concepts. A multiple probe design was used in this study. First, direct instruction on some of possible stimulus-response relations within the stimulus equivalence relations were delivered in order to establish reinforcement history within that relations. Then, probe for untaught stimulus-response within the same stimulus equivalence relations were conducted. The participant showed low level of correct derived responses with the equivalence relations. A MEI was implemented where the participant learned to respond within the equivalence relations as a type of relational frame. The Participant showed target derived responses within the stimulus equivalence relations during the Post-MEI probe and generalized the derived responding to a novel set of stimuli.