Reading and crossmodal transfer of stimulus equivalences in severe retardation
Sidman, M.; Cresson, O.
American Journal of Mental Deficiency 77(5): 515-523
1973
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-9351 PMID: 4267398 Document Number: 5698
Two severely retarded Down's syndrome boys were first taught to match printed words to each other (visual discrimination), and to match dictated words to their corresponding pictures (auditory comprehension), but were still incapable of matching the printed words to their pictures (reading comprehension), or of reading the printed words orally. They were next taught to match the dictated to the printed words, and were then able to read the words orally and with comprehension. The learned equivalences of dictated words to pictures and to printed words transferred to the purely visual equivalence of printed words to pictures. The success of the mediated-transfer paradigm suggests that inability to achieve crossmodal transfer of stimulus equivalences is not necessarily the cause of reading deficiency in severe retardation, and provides a technique for introducing severely retarded children to simple reading skills.
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