ACQUISITION AND GENERALISATION OF CONVERSATION SCRIPTS : A COMPARISON BETWEEN VIDEO MODELLING AND PICTURE-SCRIPTS

Abstract

The present study was designed to compare the efficacy of video modelling with the use of picture-scripts in the teaching of conversation scripts. Generalisation across stimuli, settings and conversation partners were also investigated. 4 autistic children participated in the study. Four conversation scripts, two in each condition, were taught. The results indicate that three of the conversations scripts were more quickly acquired in the video modelling condition. Generalisation across stimuli, setting and conversation partners occurred for all conversation topics. Better generalisation results were obtained (I) in the video modelling condition and (II) from generalisation probes carried out in the lab compared to those carried out at home. Subjects were also more enthusiastic in the video modelling condition. Implications of the results for the teaching of conversational scripts are discussed in relation to some of the deficits children with autism face. Possible alternatives that integrate the advantages presented by both methods are also highlighted.