Manipulation of Motivating Operations and Use of a Script-Fading Procedure to Teach Mands for Location to Children With Language Delays

The effects of contriving motivating operations (MOs) and script fading on the acquisition of the mand "Where's [object]?" were evaluated in 2 boys with language delays. During each session, trials were alternated in which high-preference items were present (abolishing operation [AO] trials) or missing (establishing operation [EO] trials) from their typical locations. Both participants learned to mand during EO trials and not to mand during AO trials during training. Generalization of manding was demonstrated across novel instructors, stimuli, and settings and maintained 3 to 4 weeks following the intervention.