Strategies for Teaching Severely/Profoundly Handicapped Infants and Young Children

Abstract

This educational model establishes the effectiveness of employing natural, gentle, and nonadversive strategies as a means of shaping play skills. Severely/profoundly handicapped children fail to spontaneously acquire the skills for play. This approach provides structured routines designed to provide opportunities for reciprocal interactions with objects. The instructional strategies provide, in a natural way, opportunities for tracking, attending to task, and recalling routines. The procedures described in this article differ from those traditionally used with the severely retarded. Indices of effectiveness have been based on a 4-year study of 20 children. Findings have demonstrated the children participating in the demonstration program made remarkable gains on the criteria specified in the play routines as well as demonstrated developmental gains.