USING HIGH-PROBABILITY REQUESTS TO INCREASE LOW-PROBABILITY COMMUNICATION BEHAVIOR IN YOUNG-CHILDREN WITH SEVERE DISABILITIES

This study explored the use of a teaching procedure incorporating high -probability request sequences to increase low-probability communicati on behavior of elementary-aged children with severe disabilities. Two students from an integrated public school campus participated, includi ng a 4 year old girl learning sign language and speech, and an 8 year old girl learning to sign. A multiple baseline across target words was used to evaluate the effects of the high-probability request sequence s. Findings included increases in communication responses by both part icipants, as well as increases in unprompted communication responses b y one of the girls. Implications are presented for using the high-prob ability request sequences to increase a variety of outcomes in classro om settings.