Speech Development; *Severely Handicapped

Examined were the home verbal envircrments cf three multiply handicapped language impairei children (3, 6, and 8 years old). Each child wore an FM transmitter-micrcpbcne fcr 3 1/2 consecutive days. Prliminary analysis of the accustic data was in terms of actual data time, parental lesscn time, and number of engaged (verbal interactions) and unengaged times in the natural environment. Descriptive analysis was then Eerfcrmed along four dimensions: an overview of the househcld, the vccal ccntrols directed to the child, the vocal movements displayed by the child, and the non-vocal movements displayed by the child which were the setting for engagements. Two major conclusicns were that each child spent the majcr portion of the day unengaged thus limiting the cpEcrtunities for the establishment cf verbal behavicr; ar.d that the nature and functions of the engagements which did take place were unlikely to enhance the establishment of verbal belavicr. The results underscored the need for parent education programs. (DB) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original dccument