Teaching a Child with Autism to Mand for Answers to Questions Using a Speech-Generating Device.

Two minimally verbal boys with autism, ages 5 and 6, joined the study.

Each child already touched pictures on an iPad to ask for toys. The team taught them to press new buttons that asked “Where?” and “Who?” when an item or person was missing.

Teaching used short trials, hints that faded, and small candy rewards. The kids moved through steps only after hitting mastery three times in a row.

Both boys learned to tap the question buttons without help in 10–14 short sessions. They still used the questions two weeks later and asked new adults in new rooms.

Parents reported the kids asked “Where?” at home and in the grocery store. Skills moved to real life without extra training.

Hattier et al. (2011) got children to say “Where’s [toy]?” by hiding favorite items. Amarie et al. show the same mand can emerge from an iPad. Different response, same function.

Rosenthal et al. (1980) warned that mands stick only to the cues you teach. The 2016 study adds SGD tech and proves you can lock skills to missing-item cues then broaden them.

Thiessen et al. (2009) proved novices can run DTT well with a short manual. Amarie uses those same table-top trials, but aims the teaching at child communication, not staff accuracy.

If a child already requests objects on a device, you can add two question buttons in about three weeks. Hide a toy, wait for an reach or glance, then prompt the “Where?” button and hand over the item. Fade prompts fast and practice in new rooms. The child gains a way to fill information gaps without spoken words, and the skill travels home.