Teaching mands for information using speech generating devices: A replication and extension

Three preschoolers with autism who had no spoken words learned to ask questions with a tablet that spoke for them.

The team used a multiple-baseline design across kids. Each child got the same three phases: teach, prompt, and test.

The targets were "Who?" and "Which?" mands. If the child touched the right icon, the device gave the answer and the child got a toy.

Every child learned to press the icon to ask the question. After asking, they used the answer to find the hidden toy.

The skill stayed high when prompts were removed and moved to new toys and new adults.

Landa et al. (2020) ran the same mand-for-info plan but with spoken words only. Their kids also learned, so the SGD is helpful, not required.

Shillingsburg et al. (2018) tried an earlier version without the device. Adding the SGD in 2019 kept the same teaching steps but gave non-vocal kids a voice.

Bishop et al. (2020) used the same tablet plus echoic prompts to boost vocal speech. The two studies sit side-by-side: one grows mands for info, the other grows spoken words.

If you have a client who does not speak, start teaching question mands through an SGD. Use simple icons, prompt only when the item is hidden, and reinforce with the item named in the answer. The skill generalizes fast and sets the stage for later conversation.