The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate whether typically developing infants at 9-months of age could learn to use graphic symbols to demonstrate intentional communicative behaviors. A multiple baseline design with a maintenance condition was used to illustrate infants' responses. A total of six infants participated in this study. Three infants were assigned to the experimental condition and received graphic symbol instruction for two consecutive weeks for a total of 30 sessions. The other three infants were assigned to the control condition in which their developmental behaviors were observed when only exposed to graphic symbols but, no instruction was conducted on the graphic symbols. A total of 16 graphic symbols were created for each infant. These were based on individual preferences and were determined by suggestions provided by the infants' caregivers. Each infant's graphic symbols were divided into two main categories, food ( N = 8) and toy ( N = 8) items. These two categories were also divided into two sub-categories, preferred ( N = 4) and non-preferred ( N = 4) items.
Results illustrated a significant difference between the behaviors (i.e., communication modality, graphic symbol use, triadic exchange behaviors) of infants who received the intervention condition from those in the control condition. Results also demonstrated a difference in communicative modality used as infants aged. Data revealed higher rates of triadic exchange behaviors in infants who received graphic symbol instruction for requesting preferred food items. Results suggest that infants can learn through naturalistic instruction to use graphic symbols during adult-infant interactions. These results suggest the possibility exist for increasing and enhancing the early communicative behaviors (i.e., request) of young children with communication impairments. These findings suggest that the possibility also exists that alternative modes may be used to enhance, promote, and increase communicative behaviors. The goal is that these finding can be used to augment the use of alternative modes of communication in early intervention for infants who may be considered at-risk of communication delay or disability or who may present developmental disabilities.
