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The literature suggests that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) educated in inclusive settings generally do not interact with typically developing classmates during social activities. This study assessed whether an intervention package consisting of interest-based structured play activities involving adult instruction, modeling, and response to child questions would result in an increase in social interaction with typically developing peers. A multiple baseline design across four participants with an embedded reversal was used to demonstrate the effects of the intervention on social interaction during structured play sessions. Initiations, responses, and interactive play increased for all participants. Generalization to novel peers was observed, and treatment gains were maintained during 6-week follow-up sessions. Recommendations for practitioners working with children with ASD in inclusive settings and potential areas of future research are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different speech-generating device displays and vocabulary organizations on the acquisition of multi-step requesting responses in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Four young children with ASD were taught to use an iPad® application to make requests using both a taxonomically organized grid display and a schematically organized visual scene display or hybrid. The conditions were compared using a multi-element design. Time delay and least-to-most prompting were used to teach responses in both conditions. Three participants met mastery criterion for acquiring requests with the schematic display but did not meet criterion requesting with the taxonomic display. A fourth participant learned to make requests with both displays but showed generalization only with the schematic display. Error analyses indicated there were different types of errors made across conditions, which may suggest the need to tailor intervention methods to specific displays. Implications for the design of AAC [augmentative and alternative communication] displays, assessment, and interventions are discussed.

This study aimed to teach individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and limited vocal speech to emit target vocalizations while using a speech-generating device (SGD). Of the 4 participants, 3 began emitting vocal word approximations with SGD responses after vocal instructional methods (delays, differential reinforcement, prompting) were introduced. Two participants met mastery criterion with a reinforcer delay and differential reinforcement, and 1 met criterion after fading an echoic model and prompt delay. For these participants, vocalizations initiated before speech outputs were shown to increase, and vocalizations generalized to a context in which the SGD was absent. The 4th participant showed high vocalization rates only when prompted. The results suggest that adding vocal instruction to an SGD-based intervention can increase vocalizations emitted along with SGD responses for some individuals with ASD.

This review addresses the use of peer-mediated interventions (PMI) to improve the social interaction skills of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in inclusive settings. The purpose of this review is to (a) identify the characteristics and components of peer-mediated social interaction interventions, (b) evaluate the effectiveness of PMI by offering an analysis of intervention results and research design, and (c) suggest directions for future research. Overall, results suggest that PMI is a promising treatment for increasing social interaction in children, adolescents, and young adults with ASD in inclusive settings, with positive generalization, maintenance, and social validity outcomes. Findings also suggest that participant characteristics and the type of social deficit an individual exhibits are important considerations when choosing the optimal configuration of PMI strategies.

This review addresses the use of peer-mediated interventions (PMI) to improve the social interaction skills of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in inclusive settings. The purpose of this review is to (a) identify the characteristics and components of peer-mediated social interaction interventions, (b) evaluate the effectiveness of PMI by offering an analysis of intervention results and research design, and (c) suggest directions for future research. Overall, results suggest that PMI is a promising treatment for increasing social interaction in children, adolescents, and young adults with ASD in inclusive settings, with positive generalization, maintenance, and social validity outcomes. Findings also suggest that participant characteristics and the type of social deficit an individual exhibits are important considerations when choosing the optimal configuration of PMI strategies., Author(s): Laci Watkins[sup.1] , Mark O'Reilly[sup.1] , Michelle Kuhn[sup.1] , Cindy Gevarter[sup.1] , Giulio E. Lancioni[sup.2] , Jeff Sigafoos[sup.3] , Russell Lang[sup.4] Author Affiliations: (1) Department of Special Education, 1912 [...]

An analysis of the influence of established growth factors on the in vitro proliferation of isolated neonatal rabbit type II alveolar epithelial cells, reveals that in vitro proliferation in such isolated cells is modified by specific growth factors. Tritiated thymidine incorporation, cell counts and labeling index demonstrate the capacity of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) to enhance type II cell proliferation. EGF is less stimulatory than TGF-alpha.

The application of the rhodium(III)-complex and its dicationic analogue for the formation of different indoles and pyrroles is explained. The different mechanisms involved in the rhodium(III)-catalyzed arene and alkene C-H bond functionalization reactions are also discussed.

The literature suggests that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) educated in inclusive settings generally do not interact with typically developing classmates during social activities. This study assessed whether an intervention package consisting of interest‐based structured play activities involving adult instruction, modeling, and response to child questions would result in an increase in social interaction with typically developing peers. A multiple baseline design across four participants with an embedded reversal was used to demonstrate the effects of the intervention on social interaction during structured play sessions. Initiations, responses, and interactive play increased for all participants. Generalization to novel peers was observed, and treatment gains were maintained during 6‐week follow‐up sessions. Recommendations for practitioners working with children with ASD in inclusive settings and potential areas of future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were taught to request preferred items using four different augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) displays on an iPad®-based speech-generating device (SGD). Acquisition was compared using multi-element designs. Displays included a symbol-based grid, a photo image with embedded hotspots, a hybrid (photo image with embedded hotspots and symbols), and a pop-up symbol grid. Three participants mastered requesting items from a field of four with at least three displays, and one mastered requesting items in a field of two. The fifth participant did not acquire requests in a field of preferred items. Individualized display effects were present, and the photo image appeared to have provided the most consistent advantages for three participants. Some errors were more or less common with specific displays and/or participants. The results have important implications for AAC assessment and implementation protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this translational review (i.e. moving from basic primate research toward possible human applications) was to summarize non-human primate literature on anxiety to inform the development of future assessments of anxiety in non-verbal individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: Systematic searches of databases identified 67 studies that met inclusion criteria. Each study was analysed and summarised in terms of (a) strategies used to evoke anxiety, (b) non-verbal behavioural indicators of anxiety and (c) physiological indicators of anxiety. Results: Eighteen strategies were used to evoke anxiety, 48 non-verbal behavioural indicators and 17 physiological indicators of anxiety were measured. Conclusions: A number of the strategies used with non-human primates, if modified carefully, could be considered in the ongoing effort to study anxiety in individuals with ASD. Potential applications to the assessment of anxiety in humans with ASD are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to teach individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and limited vocal speech to emit target vocalizations while using a speech-generating device (SGD). Of the 4 participants, 3 began emitting vocal word approximations with SGD responses after vocal instructional methods (delays, differential reinforcement, prompting) were introduced. Two participants met mastery criterion with a reinforcer delay and differential reinforcement, and 1 met criterion after fading an echoic model and prompt delay. For these participants, vocalizations initiated before speech outputs were shown to increase, and vocalizations generalized to a context in which the SGD was absent. The 4th participant showed high vocalization rates only when prompted. The results suggest that adding vocal instruction to an SGD-based intervention can increase vocalizations emitted along with SGD responses for some individuals with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]