An Evaluation of Reinforcer Magnitude and Echoic Prompts on Vocal Requesting of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Echoic prompts paired with bigger reinforcers can flip tablet users into spoken requests.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Three school-age kids with autism who already used speech tablets were taught to ask out loud.
The team gave big reinforcers (longer iPad time) and echoic prompts. They counted spoken requests in 10-minute play sessions.
What they found
All three kids asked out loud more often. One child stopped using the tablet and spoke every time.
Bigger prizes plus echoic prompts moved the kids from tapping to talking.
How this fits with other research
Bishop et al. (2020) got the same result with younger preschoolers, so the combo works across ages.
Kaneda et al. (2025) later showed you can also boost speech by turning off the tablet voice and waiting to give the treat. Their kids had ID too, so the idea keeps growing.
Iacono et al. (2016) review says AAC helps first requests; this study shows how to move past the device when kids are ready.
Why it matters
If a child uses a tablet to talk, try echoic prompts plus a bigger payoff. Start in play, keep the tablet handy, and watch for spoken words to rise. One kid dumped the tablet completely; the others still had it as back-up. You just might spark natural speech without losing the device.
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Join Free →During play, model the word, give an echoic prompt, and hand a large reinforcer only for spoken attempts.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have communication support needs and many rely on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems to communicate. Previous research suggests that AAC use does not preclude the acquisition of spoken language and, in some cases, may facilitate improvements in spoken communication in children with ASD. This study systematically applied echoic prompting and manipulated reinforcer magnitude in an effort to increase the spoken requests of 3 children with ASD, ages 10–12 years, who used iPad-based speech generating devices (SGDs). The spoken language (vocal requests) of all 3 participants increased in frequency and 1 participant began using spoken language exclusively, even when the SGD was an option. Implications for practitioners and directions for future research in this area are discussed.
Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 2021 · doi:10.1007/s10882-021-09787-9