The effects of different reinforcement conditions on the test performance of multihandicapped deaf children.

The researchers tested four ways to give reinforcers during a test. Kids who were deaf and had other disabilities took the same short quiz each day.

One group got a token right after every right answer. Other groups got tokens later, got tokens no matter what, or got them all at the end. The order of conditions was shuffled for each child.

Kids scored highest when the token came right away. Any delay—waiting until later, getting tokens for free, or saving them all—dropped scores.

The drop was large enough that the team called immediate reinforcement the clear winner.

Schwarz et al. (1970) showed the opposite: a boy worked harder when rewards came after school. The key difference is population. The 1970 child could hear and only needed to remember the video review. The 1975 kids needed the prompt to stay on task while deaf and juggling other needs.

de Kuijper et al. (2014) and Weston et al. (2020) muddied the timing rule again. They found that letting kids bank tokens and cash them in later worked just as well, and the kids liked it more. Those studies used easier tasks and kids with autism or ID who could see their token total grow—built-in visual feedback that acted like an immediate cue.

Coffey et al. (2005) split the difference. They kept a five-second delay but added a quick “Good!” or sticker during the wait. The cue held attention and learning stayed fast, showing that a tiny bridge can shrink the damage of delay.

If you test students with multiple disabilities, give the reinforcer right after the response. Don’t wait until the end of the page or the period. If you must delay, drop in a visual or verbal marker so the learner sees the link. Watch for signs of satiation when you try banked tokens—what works for kids with autism may flop for kids who are deaf plus visually impaired.