Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities - Division on ...

Computer-Based Video Instruction to Teach Students with
Intellectual <strong>Disabilities</strong> to Verbally Respond to Questions <strong>and</strong>
Make Purchases <strong>in</strong> Fast Food Restaurants
L<strong>in</strong>da C. Mechl<strong>in</strong>g, Leslie S. Pridgen, <strong>and</strong> Beth A. Cron<strong>in</strong>
The University of North Carol<strong>in</strong>a at Wilm<strong>in</strong>gton
Abstract: Computer-based video <strong>in</strong>struction (CBVI) was used to teach verbal responses to questions presented by
cashiers <strong>and</strong> purchas<strong>in</strong>g skills <strong>in</strong> fast food restaurants. A multiple probe design across participants was used
to evaluate the effectiveness of CBVI. Instruction occurred through simulations of three fast food restaurants on
the computer us<strong>in</strong>g video captions, still photographs, <strong>and</strong> voice record<strong>in</strong>gs. Generalization <strong>and</strong> ma<strong>in</strong>tenance of
skills were measured with<strong>in</strong> the three community fast food restaurants. Results <strong>in</strong>dicate that verbal responses to
questions <strong>and</strong> fast food restaurant purchas<strong>in</strong>g skills can be taught to students with moderate to severe
<strong>in</strong>tellectual disabilities through CBVI.
The importance of acquir<strong>in</strong>g functional community
skills to promote <strong>in</strong>dependence is supported
<strong>in</strong> the field of special education. These
<strong>in</strong>clude such skills as: shopp<strong>in</strong>g, purchas<strong>in</strong>g,
travel <strong>and</strong> mobility, bank<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>and</strong> participation
<strong>in</strong> recreational activities. The ability to
access restaurants, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g fast food, “sit
down,” <strong>and</strong> family restaurants, is also reported
as functional <strong>and</strong> mean<strong>in</strong>gful for person with
disabilities (Snell & Brown, 2000; Storey,
Bates, & Hanson, 1984; Westl<strong>in</strong>g & Fox, 2000)
<strong>and</strong> is a skill that can be used repeatedly <strong>and</strong>
across multiple environments. A number of
important sub-skills are necessary when us<strong>in</strong>g
a restaurant <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g: order<strong>in</strong>g, pay<strong>in</strong>g, eat<strong>in</strong>g,
travel, safety, <strong>and</strong> social etiquette. A limited
number of studies have evaluated <strong>in</strong>struction
of these skills with the majority focus<strong>in</strong>g
on fast food establishments (Berg et al., 1989-
90; Cooper & Browder, 1998; Marhol<strong>in</strong>,
O’Toole, Torchette, Berger, & Doyle, 1979;
McDonnell, 1987; McDonnell & Ferguson,
1988; Rotholz, Berkowitz, & Burberry, 1989;
Sowers & Powers, 1995; Van Den Pol et al.,
1981). In addition to fast food establishments,
skills for us<strong>in</strong>g family restaurants (Bates, Cuvo,
Correspondence concern<strong>in</strong>g this article should
be addressed to L<strong>in</strong>da C. Mechl<strong>in</strong>g, Department of
Curricular Studies, The University of North Carol<strong>in</strong>a
at Wilm<strong>in</strong>gton, 601 South College Road, Wilm<strong>in</strong>gton,
NC 28403-5940.
<strong>Education</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Developmental</strong> <strong>Disabilities</strong>, 2005, 40(1), 47–59
© <strong>Division</strong> on <strong>Developmental</strong> <strong>Disabilities</strong>
M<strong>in</strong>er, & Korabek, 2001), concession areas
(Schleien, Certo, & Mucc<strong>in</strong>o, 1984; Test, Howell,
Burkhart, & Beroth, 1993) <strong>and</strong> vend<strong>in</strong>g
mach<strong>in</strong>es (Browder, Snell, & Wildonger,
1988; Nietupski, Clancy, & Christiansen, 1984;
Sprague & Horner, 1984) have also been evaluated.
Order<strong>in</strong>g procedures implemented <strong>in</strong>
each of these sett<strong>in</strong>gs have <strong>in</strong>cluded use of
verbally order<strong>in</strong>g (Sowers & Powers; Van Den
Pol et al.), written <strong>in</strong>structions (Berg et al.),
augmentative communication devices (Doss
et al., 1991; Rothloz et al.), sign language
(Rothloz et al.), <strong>and</strong> picture cues (Cooper &
Browder; McDonnell). Methods to teach these
skills have focused on teach<strong>in</strong>g through community-based
<strong>in</strong>struction (Cooper & Browder;
Marhol<strong>in</strong> et al.; McDonnell; Rotholz et al.;
Schle<strong>in</strong> et al.; Storey et al.; Test et al.), simulation
(Van Den Pol et al.) <strong>and</strong> a comb<strong>in</strong>ation
of simulation <strong>and</strong> community-based <strong>in</strong>struction
(Bates et al.; Berg et al.; McDonnell et al.;
McDonnell & Ferguson).
When us<strong>in</strong>g simulation (teach<strong>in</strong>g outside of
the natural environment where skills will be
used), the importance of closely replicat<strong>in</strong>g
actual stimuli <strong>and</strong> responses found <strong>in</strong> natural
sett<strong>in</strong>gs (Brown<strong>in</strong>g, White, Nave, & Bark<strong>in</strong>,
1986) <strong>and</strong> use of multiple teach<strong>in</strong>g examples
(Neef, Lensbower, Hockersmith, DePalma, &
Gray, 1990) are reported as important for promot<strong>in</strong>g
generalization of skills. One means for
creat<strong>in</strong>g simulations with realistic, life-like scenarios,
is through video technology. Use of
Computer-Based Video Instruction / 47