Establishing a repertoire of requesting for a student with severe and multiple disabilities using tangible symbols and naturalistic time delay

This study examined the use of a naturalistic time delay strategy and a carefully graded discrimination sequence to teach requesting of high interest leisure activities by a student with severe and multiple disabilities. The student was taught to request a preferred item or activity by reaching for and touching a tangible symbol. A multiple probe design was used to demonstrate that requesting selected items and activities was successfully taught during a nine school-week program. At the completion of teaching, the student was able to request in response to expectant time delay and the presence of the desired item. Implications for programming and instruction in the cross-curriculum area of communication are discussed and suggestions offered for further research.