Lesson 4: Integrating ABA Principles into VR Activities

Develop clear and concise instructions and prompts

In ABA, the term “prompts” refers to anything that can be added to the discriminative stimulus (SD) instruction to help the learner give the correct answer. Prompts are a way to help complete a task. The use of prompts aims to create the conditions for implementing the error-less learning method. This method reduces the likelihood of errors during learning. Thanks to the prompts, the learner initially shows correct answers, which are immediately reinforced through rewards. The variety in the choice of the type of indication necessary allows the adaptation of the indications to the different abilities and needs of a student. The selection of prompts is based on the learner’s skill level.

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In ABA, the following types of requests are identified:

Gesture Cue: This may include pointing, nodding, or any other action the student may observe from their teacher. The educator uses gestures to show students what they need to do.

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Physical cue: This involves the educator providing physical contact to guide the student’s actions throughout the target activity. The movements of the student’s hands are corrected by the teacher’s hands.

There are different levels of physical prompts:

• Full physical prompt or “hand over hand” prompt: The teacher performs all actions by himself using the student’s hands.
• Partial physical prompt: The teacher partially assists the student in responding correctly by providing some physical assistance and guiding the student’s actions during part of the target activity.

Verbal prompts: It consists of modeling the correct answer when the teacher demonstrates what the student should say.

Intensity levels of verbal prompts include:

• Complete verbal prompt: To say the complete phrase or word.
• Partial verbal prompt: To say the word or phrase partially.

Textual or written prompts: It can be organized as a list or other type of written instruction. The text describes what the student must do.

Visual prompts: These can include videos, photos or drawings on paper, a whiteboard, or an electronic device.

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Auditory prompts: Any sound the student can hear, such as an alarm or timer. This sound tells the student to perform a certain action.

Positional prompts: The educator places the correct answer object closer to the student.

The following recommendations apply to the use of prompts:

• The prompt should be given immediately after the instruction is provided.
• Use the least intrusive prompt necessary, starting from the lowest level of assistance.
• Rapid fading should be timely and consistent. If prompts are always given at the same level, the learner may develop dependency on prompts and may never be able to perform the task independently.

Rapid fading can occur as follows:

High to lowest: The strongest prompt is used first to ensure that the response is correct. Once the response occurs, a weaker prompt is used the next time, and so on, until the response occurs independently.

Gradual physical guidance: Involves full physical assistance (hand over hand) that fades gradually, changing points of contact (hand on wrist, hand on elbow, hand on shoulder).

Time delay: Initially, the prompt is given immediately after instruction, but as the training progresses, the prompt is delayed by a few seconds, giving the learner a chance to respond before the request. If a response occurs during the delay, the prompt is no longer needed. If there is no response, the prompt is given again.

It’s important to plan the entire application fading process ahead of time and choose a method. Using multiple methods can confuse and complicate learning. A criterion for the transition from one prompt intensity level to another should be established before beginning error-less learning in developing a specific skill. For example, a transition criterion might be 80% correct answers in three sessions.

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By using error-less learning, the student can develop an immediate prompt dependency. Several factors contribute to this behavior. One reason may lie in the actions of the educator, who always provides prompts, such as involuntary gestures or glances toward the correct answer. The student then learns to follow these prompts rather than the educator’s instructions. Another reason for prompt dependence is the lack of clear and distinguishable consequences between a correct answer and a mistake.