Comparing the acquisition rates of stimulus presentation in discrete trials

Abstract

Many researchers have investigated ways to improve the skill acquisition of students with developmental disabilities. Discrete trial teaching is one technique that has been shown to help students with developmental disabilities learn. Although there are many different approaches to teaching students to acquire new skills, there is a lack of research comparing stimuli presentations during discrete trials. The purpose of the present study is to compare the acquisition rate of sight words for three students with Autism when stimuli are presented either horizontally on a tabletop or vertically on a scan-board using a changing criterion design. Results of this study indicated that stimulus presentation remains differential among individuals. It remains important to differ stimuli presentation in discrete trials to see which stimulus presentation for each individual may improve acquisition rates. The results of this study also provide opportunities to continue research in the area of stimulus presentation, discrete trials, and acquisition rates.