Using stimulus control procedures to teach indoor rock climbing to children with autism

The present study evaluated an intervention package for teaching route following to two children with autism at an indoor rock‐climbing gym. The intervention consisted of multiple within‐stimulus fading procedures in combination with errorless learning procedures, positive reinforcement, an error correction procedure, and conditional discrimination training technologies. The results demonstrated that both participants learned to climb at least 10 ft/3 m on specified routes. Furthermore, both participants learned to climb an entire 22‐ft/6.7‐m wall for at least one of three different routes without any errors in a regular rock‐climbing gym setting. The acquisition of this skill provides children with autism with an additional option for leisure participation with others. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.