Playing with toys as a means of environmental engagement has long been considered important in early child development (Messer, Rachford, McCarthy, & Yarrow, 1987; Wolery & Werts, 1994). However, children with highly significant disabilities often engage in toy play less frequently than their peers without disabilities (Blasco, Bailey, & Burchinal, 1993; Langley, 1985) and frequently need specialized support to promote toy play (Ivory & McCollum, 1999; Langley, 1985). Preference assessment technology was used to identify preferred sensory attributes. Those sensory attributes were embedded into a toy previously identified as nonpreferred based on selection and amount of toy play. Differences were noted in caregiver opinion of sensory preference when compared to a sensory attribute preference assessment. The initial paired-item presentation consisted of a rotation of 4 toys from the natural environment using a child-directed approach, which consisted of choice, prompting, and praise for completion of functional toy play. An additional condition added the child's preferred sensory attribute to a nonpreferred toy using the above-mentioned procedures. Results indicated that the addition of a preferred sensory attribute increased selection of that toy with 2 of 3 children, and resulted in increased independent functional toy play for all 3 children.

Toy play represents one of many levels of play where children can expand their repertoires and socially interact with peers. Play typically increases in complexity as the child's repertoire develops; however, children with autism often have delayed play skills. The current study investigated the effects of using a 3-component play training procedure (choices, prompting, and consequences), replicated from a previous study, to increase simple and pretend toy play in three boys with autism. Additional measures were used to observe engagement with materials, children, and adults during a 10-minute session. Observations show increased toy play for two participants and increases in overall engagement for all participants. The findings suggest that the teaching program used is replicable across multiple populations, furthering the advancement of evidence-based practices.

Behavioral researchers have investigated procedures for identifying preferred items for individuals with varying levels of developmental disabilities. Some researchers in this area have reported difficulties in identifying preferred items for individuals with severe to profound multiple disabilities (SPMD), in part because the individuals may not possess the motor skills needed to select and manipulate the items included within the assessment. The purpose of the current study was to address three research questions: Would differences in preference patterns be observed if individuals with SPMD could activate toys with a motor response that is within their repertoire (i.e., press a large microswitch to activate the toy) versus when they are required to perform a motor response that may not be within their repertoire (e.g., sliding knobs, twisting dials to activate a toy)? Would teaching specific skills to activate a toy result in increased toy engagement and a shift in preference toward directly operating the toy? Would teaching the participant a motor response to activate the toy directly affect the levels of microswitch engagement observed? Data were collected within a combination multiple baseline (across 2 participants) and multielement (across conditions) design. The results of this study showed that (a) differences in preference were observed when different measures of assessing preferences were conducted, (b) acquisition of specific motor skills resulted in an increase in preference toward directly manipulating items, and (c) acquisition of motor skills also resulted in a decrease in activating items via microswitches. These results extend the preference assessment literature by showing that the motor skills present within an individual's current repertoire may affect the results of preference assessments for individuals with SPMD.