Behavioral Intervention Promotes Successful Use of an iPod-Based Communication Device by an Adolescent With Autism

Abstract

Individuals with autism and limited speech are candidates for speech-generating devices (SGDs), but some individuals might experience difficulty in operating these devices. We describe the case of Steven, a 17-year-old adolescent with autism who used an iPod-based SGD, but had difficulty activating the speech output feature of this device. His difficulties were initially interpreted as motor control problems, suggesting the need to abandon this technology, prescribe a different SGD, or adapt his existing device. An alternative conceptualization was that the existing intervention procedures had failed to shape more effective response topographies. Along these lines, a behavioral intervention, involving differential reinforcement and delayed prompting, proved effective in shaping response topographies that enabled Steven to be more successful in activating the speech output function of his iPod-based SGD. The results suggest that behavioral intervention may provide an alternative to the more costly and involved process of replacing or modifying the person’s SGD.