Teaching Adults with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities to Interact Successfully with Others in a Virtual Format

Callahan et al. (2022) ran group BST over Zoom for four adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities. They wanted to see if the adults could learn to turn on their camera, use their mic, and say encouraging things during online meetings.

Each week the group met on Zoom. The trainer explained the skill, showed a short video model, let everyone practice, and gave live feedback. They tracked each adult's use of the three skills during mock meetings.

All four adults quickly improved on two of the three skills: using the camera and saying encouraging statements. Mic use went up for two adults and stayed low for the others. Gains held one month later.

When staff invited the adults to new Zoom calls without training, most still used the skills, showing the skills carried over to new online rooms.

Laske et al. (2022) did almost the same thing—remote BST—but taught public speaking to neuro-typical adults. Both studies got strong gains, so the Zoom BST package works for different groups and goals.

Radogna et al. (2024) moved in the opposite direction: they added token rewards and taught job social skills in real Italian workplaces. Their extra reinforcement might help if Zoom BST alone is not enough for some clients.

Pierce et al. (1994) did the original in-person BST for job interviews with adults with developmental disabilities. Callahan keeps the same four-step BST core but swaps the setting from a face-to-face office to a Zoom room.

Remote day programs and hybrid jobs are here to stay. If your adults with NDD struggle to look at the camera, unmute, or greet coworkers online, a short group BST block can fix it. You do not need extra staff or a clinic—just Zoom, a slide deck, and a feedback checklist. Run one 45-minute session per skill, track correct responses with a simple 10-item sheet, and watch the adults join meetings with confidence.