Behavioral Technology for Teaching Matching Skills

DESCRIPTION: This application seeks support for an SBIR Phase II project to complete development and evaluation of a computer-based product, StartMatching!, which is intended primarily for teaching children with mental retardation, autism, and other intellectual disabilities. The product addresses a pivotal skill --generalized identity matching to sample -- which is a target of many current programs for teaching this population (and also for teaching young typically developing children). In identity matching, students are presented with an array of two- or three-dimensional stimuli and required to select the item that physically matches (i.e., is identical to) a sample; hence the name "matching to sample." The project has two major objectives. First, based on a successful prototype developed in Phase I, we will develop a full-feature version of the StartMatching! product, in anticipation of commercialization. Second, we will verify that the product (1) can be implemented effectively by its intended users and (2) teaches matching skills reliably in settings in which it will be routinely used. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: The product being developed and evaluated may have a significant impact on special education practice for a variety of student populations. As such, the product is potentially marketable to educators, psychologists, other professionals, and parents.