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MANUAL LANGUAGE ACQUISITION AND ITS INFLUENCE ON OTHER AREAS OF FUNCTIONING IN FOUR AUTISTIC AND AUTISTIC‐LIKE CHILDREN
Author(s) -
Mary Konstantareas M.,
Webster Christopher D.,
Oxman Joel
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1979.tb00519.x
Subject(s) - psychology , sign language , autism , developmental psychology , generalization , nonverbal communication , intervention (counseling) , manual communication , communication disorder , cognitive psychology , language disorder , cognition , psychiatry , linguistics , mathematical analysis , philosophy , mathematics
SUMMARY Although preliminary evidence on the use of manual communication training with non‐verbal autistic children has been reported, no systematic evaluation of its effectiveness is available. The present study constitutes an intensive assessment of communication acquisition in four such children exposed to simultaneous (speech and sign) communication training over a nine‐month period. Of interest was also the generalization of possible gains to other areas of functioning. All subjects demonstrated considerable gains in sign communication both receptively and productively. Although social, self‐care and related abilities were not the main focus of intervention, all children demonstrated measurable gains in those areas as well.