ASSESSING CONDITIONAL USE OF GRAPHIC MODE REQUESTING IN A YOUNG BOY WITH AUTISM

The present study focused on conditional use of generalized requesting in a 6-year-old boy with autism and severe communication impairment C onditional use was defined as pointing to a generalized request symbol ''WANT'' when preferred items were placed out of reach, but reaching directly for items that were within reach. Baseline observations indic ated that the child reached for, but did not request each of three pre ferred objects. Generalized requesting was acquired during the subsequ ent intervention phase. Conditional use was then assessed when preferr ed items were presented within reach and then out of reach. The child frequently pointed to the ''WANT'' symbol even when the preferred item was within reach, suggesting overgeneralization of requesting. Condit ional use was then established by alternating placement of items on a trial-by-trial basis and with differential reinforcement for reaching and requesting. Results highlight the need to assess conditional use o f augmentative communication.