Acquisition of Sign Language Using Positive Practice over correction

Abstract

The effects of two training procedures for teaching sign language to four me-ntally retarded persons were evaluated. Positive practice overcorrection alone, in combination with positive reinforcement, and a no-training control condition were compared in an alternating treatments design. During baseline, each sub-ject was required to observe the trainer say and sign the target word and then to say and sign the same word upon request. During positive practice overcorre-ction, an error in sign production resulted in the subject having to repeat the correct response five times. For the combined procedure each correct response resulted in positive reinforcement. No assistance or feedback was provided in the no-training control condition. All subjects learned new signs under both training conditions, but the addition of positive reinforcement was superior to positive practice alone with three subjects. Both procedures were equally effect-ive with the fourth subject. No learning took place in the no-training control condition. Two subjects were able to vocalize all words correctly, no change in vocalization was observed in the third, and some improvement was noted in the fourth, particularly under the reinforcement condition.