Rachel H. Thompson, Paige M. McKerchar, & Kelly A. Dancho (2004). The effects of delayed physical prompts and reinforcement on infant sign language acquisition. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 37, 379-383.

Researchers and clinicians have recommended that sign language be taught to typically developing children during their first 2 years of life; however, existing research does not provide adequate information regarding appropriate methods of sign training. We used delayed physical prompting and reinforcement to teach manual signs to 3 children between the ages of 6 and 13 months. Data were collected on the occurrence of prompted and independent signs as well as crying. Sign training was successful in producing independent signing in all 3 children in under 4 hr of training per child.

DESCRIPTORS: communication training, infants, noncontingent reinforcement, physical prompting, sign language, delay