Training Community-Living, Intellectually Handicapped People in Fire Safety Using Video Prompting

Abstract

Four adult, moderately intellectually handicapped persons who lived independently in the community were trained in safe exiting from their bedrooms in the event of fire. Baseline levels of competence were low, typically less than 20% of steps correct. Training was introduced to each trainee following a multiple probe across subjects design. Failures to complete a step were followed by video prompting in which the trainee watched a video of a model (an intellectually handicapped male) demonstrate the correct performance of the step. Acquisition required at most 10 sessions, the skills transferred to another residence and to the trainee's bedroom, and were maintained at 5 weeks.