Biomaterial Database

Acquisition of American sign language by a noncommunicating autistic child. 1976

R L Fulwiler, and R S Fouts

Experiments in the perception and language abilities of autistic children indicate that the children have auditory-visual association problems. These findings, combined with the findings that autistic communication is primarily gestural, led to the teaching of elements of American Sign Language to a 5-year-old nonverbal autistic boy. Results after 20 hours of training indicate that the child did acquire signs, that increasing signing led to increasing vocal speech, and that the child has rudimentary English syntax. The use of Ameslan signs spontaneously generalized to other situations and the training resulted in increased social interaction.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007804	Language Development	The gradual expansion in complexity and meaning of symbols and sounds as perceived and interpreted by the individual through a maturational and learning process. Stages in development include babbling, cooing, word imitation with cognition, and use of short sentences.	Language Acquisition,Acquisition, Language,Development, Language
D008297	Male		Males
D008369	Manual Communication	Method of nonverbal communication utilizing hand movements as speech equivalents.	Communication, Manual,Communications, Manual,Manual Communications
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D005793	Generalization, Psychological	The phenomenon of an organism's responding to all situations similar to one in which it has been conditioned.	Generalization (Psychology),Generalization, Psychology,Generalizations (Psychology),Generalizations, Psychological,Generalizations, Psychology,Psychological Generalization,Psychological Generalizations,Psychology Generalization,Psychology Generalizations
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001321	Autistic Disorder	A disorder beginning in childhood. It is marked by the presence of markedly abnormal or impaired development in social interaction and communication and a markedly restricted repertoire of activity and interest. Manifestations of the disorder vary greatly depending on the developmental level and chronological age of the individual. (DSM-V)	Autism, Infantile,Kanner's Syndrome,Autism,Autism, Early Infantile,Disorder, Autistic,Disorders, Autistic,Early Infantile Autism,Infantile Autism,Infantile Autism, Early,Kanner Syndrome,Kanners Syndrome
D001521	Behavior Therapy	The application of modern theories of learning and conditioning in the treatment of behavior disorders.	Behavior Change Techniques,Behavior Modification,Behavior Treatment,Conditioning Therapy,Therapy, Behavior,Therapy, Conditioning,Behavior Change Technique,Behavior Modifications,Behavior Therapies,Conditioning Therapies,Modification, Behavior,Technique, Behavior Change,Treatment, Behavior
D012813	Sign Language	A system of hand gestures used for communication by those with HEARING LOSS or by people speaking different languages.	Sign Languages
D012919	Social Behavior	Any behavior caused by or affecting another individual or group usually of the same species.	Sociality,Behavior, Social,Behaviors, Social,Social Behaviors