Embedding instruction in art activities to teach preschoolers with disabilities to imitate their peers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of embedding a procedure called progressive time delay (a direct teaching strategy) in art activities to teach preschoolers with disabilities to imitate their peers. Three children (one with autism, one with developmental delays and visual impairments, and one with severe language disabilities with autistic features) participated in the study. Five requests to imitate their peers were embedded into each daily art activity for each child and their responses were recorded. A multiple probe design across subjects was used to evaluate the procedures. The findings indicated that embedding the progressive time delay procedure into art activities produced high levels of imitation of the novel responses of their peers in a nearly errorless fashion. In addition, the levels of peer imitation increased in a generalization (transfer) activity (i.e., fine motor area) after instruction was used in the art activities. The results are discussed in terms of delivering instruction during ongoing preschool activities in classrooms enrolling both children with and without disabilities.