This investigation assessed the utility of a selection-based instructional program in teaching relations between driving behavior and driving stimuli in addition to the emergence of topography-based responding. A selection-based instructional program was delivered to three individuals with intellectual disabilities and/or learning disabilities in order to teach participants relations of sameness between automobile operation stimuli and driving behaviors. Participants were directly taught relations between video models of vehicle operation, road sign outlines, and textual stimuli of road signs using a selection-based instructional protocol delivered via a computer program. Following mastery of the selection-based instruction the emergence of selection-based responding on symmetrical and transitive posttest probes at the mastery level was observed for all 3 participants. Furthermore, movement on posttest generalization vehicle simulator probe was observed for one participant.

The following studies examined the effectiveness and the efficiency of individual and small group equivalence-based instruction on English and math relations with elementary school children. The first experiment implemented a multiple-probe design across three typically developing third graders using an automated procedure to evaluate the stimulus equivalence paradigm (SEP) on establishing English and math equivalence classes. Since some researchers have proposed that covert behavior facilitates in the formation of equivalence classes (Horne & Lowe, 1996; Stromer, Mackay, & Remington, 1996), the second experiment examined the possible role of covert behavior, more specifically, a visual imagining strategy, on correct responding after remedial instructional sessions. To further extend SEP into more academic environments, the third experiment used an observational learning procedure to evaluate the formation of English and math symmetry relations as well as the formation of equivalence classes in a small group format. The emergence of topography-based responding was also assessed after instruction for all three experiments.

This investigation evaluated a computerized behavioral skills training package for teaching responses to interview skills by adolescents and young adults with learning disabilities. The package consisted of instructional videos, video-modeling, rehearsal, feedback, and selection-based instruction. Experiment 1 replicated and extended recent research which has suggested that a selection-based protocol operating on a lag schedule of reinforcement is an effective and efficient method for teaching responses to interview questions (O’Neill, Blowers, Henson, & Rehfeldt, 2015; O’Neill & Rehfeldt, 2014). The purpose was to address some of the limitations of these studies while testing the limits of the selection-based protocol in promoting topography-based responses to interview questions by adolescents and young adults with learning disabilities. Experiment 2 evaluated the efficacy of the computerized behavioral skills training protocol while simultaneously comparing the basic package to an identical package plus the selection-based protocol from Experiment 1. This experiment attempted to isolate the additive effect of selection-based instruction from that of computerized behavioral skills training for teaching topography-based responses to interview questions by adolescents and young adults with learning disabilities.