Equivalence-Based Instruction in an academic setting : application for teaching children with high support needs to tell time

Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of Equivalence-Based Instructions (EBI) in teaching children with high support needs to tell time. Despite the complexity of clocks as stimuli, EBI was hypothesized to facilitate skill acquisition and generalization beyond directly taught relations. Two participants were selected based on their Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), which included the goal of learning to tell time. The study employed a pre-test-training-post-test design with generalization probes. Both participants demonstrated high levels of accuracy during the post-tests and successfully generalized the skill to untrained hours of the clock. The intervention took place during regular school hours, and participants expressed enthusiasm for the study, indicating a positive experience. Results confirmed the formation of equivalence classes and the emergence of untaught relations, supporting EBI´s theoretical framework. The study reinforces the potential of EBI as a valuable instructional approach for teaching complex skills to individuals with high support needs.Keywords: Equivalence-based instruction, conditional discrimination, academic, tell-time, high support needs, computerized training, generalization