Much research exists supporting the efficacy of naturalistic behavioral interventions on increasing social communication skills for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, these evidence-based interventions are not consistently utilized in preschool classrooms. Prelinguistic Milieu Teaching was used to teach early intentional communication (i.e., purposeful and coordinated use of vocalizations, gestures, and eye contact) to three preschool students with or at risk for ASD. The present study extends prior research demonstrating the effects of PMT in increasing intentional communication through implementation in a preschool special education classroom, measurement of collateral gains related to PMT targets, and measurement of maintenance and generalization of gains. Results indicate students increased their rates of intentional communication upon introduction of PMT. These gains maintained over time for two students. Present study results have implications for future research and practice regarding the efficacy and feasibility of implementing PMT in preschool classrooms.
Accuracy of Three Screening Instruments in Identifying Preschool Children at Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder