Examining generalization performance in a conditional discrimination task for learners with moderate-to-severe intellectual and developmental disabilities: Using a generalization gradient

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ABSTRACTThis study examined how differences between teaching stimuli in a conditional discrimination impacted discrimination/generalization outcomes among learners with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). In Study 1, three color sets were identified among 30 typically developing adults. Five young children with moderate-to-severe IDD participated in Study 2 employing an adapted alternating treatment single-case experimental design. Participants’ performance within each color set was baselined. Subsequently each participant received three intervention conditions (i.e., two conditional discrimination and a simple discrimination) in an alternated manner. Generalization testing was implemented when mastery criterion was reached on an intervention condition. Results showed that simple discrimination was acquired most quickly. Simple discrimination was not less effective than two conditional discriminations in enhancing generalization performance subsequent to intervention. The minimal-difference conditional discrimination was relatively more effective in enhancing generalization performance at least within one stimulus class than the maximal-difference one (and simple discrimination). Limitations and implications are discussed.