Providing systematic individual teaching for severely disturbed and profoundly mentally-handicapped adults in residential care

An organizational system for providing individualized behavioural teaching to severely and profoundly mentally-handicapped adults was developed by adapting the materials and procedures used in the Portage model of domiciliary teaching. Implementation of the system following a short training workshop was monitored in four residential units in turn over a 3-month period. The progress of each of 6 severely and profoundly mentally-handicapped adults in each unit was assessed on a defined task before and subsequent to teaching using a multiple time-series design. Little skill acquisition was found and the results are contrasted with evaluations of Portage services to pre-school mentally-handicapped children. Methodological considerations in the evaluation of progress in profoundly mentally-handicapped adults are raised.