Using the T-IRAP interactive computer program and applied behavior analysis to teach relational responding in children with autism

The IRAP computer software program was adapted as an interactive teaching tool (T-IRAP) targeting relational frames with four children with diagnosed autism aged 8-10 years. An adaptation of a multiple-baseline design was used to compare participants' relational learning in terms of speed and accuracy during Table-Top (TT) and T-IRAP teaching. The TT procedure was commenced with all participants simultaneously, and the T-IRAP was introduced at stepwise time intervals (after 5, 10, 15, 20 trial blocks) across the four participants. Nonarbitrary then arbitrary coordination, comparative, opposition and derived relations were targeted. Results showed that the T-IRAP was successfully adapted to teach all targeted relations, and in general greater speed and accuracy in relational responding were shown for all four participants during T-IRAP teaching compared with TT teaching. Thus the T-IRAP may be a useful supplementary teaching tool in applied settings