Use of constant time delay in small group instruction: A study of observational and incidental learning

This investigation examined the effectiveness and efficiency of constant time delay in small group instruction. Four secondary-age students with mild and moderate mental retardation were taught to identify local and federal service and government agencies and over-the-counter medications. The amount of information learned when each subject was presented with two target and six observational stimuli (same-task, different-stimuli condition) was compared to when each student in the group was taught the same eight target stimuli (same-task, same-stimuli condition). The subjects' acquisition of incidental information presented in the descriptive praise statement following correct responses to the target stimuli was assessed. A multiple probe design across behaviors was used. The results indicated that (a) constant time delay was effective across all facts, students, and conditions; (b) the same-task, different-stimuli condition produced more efficient learning than the same-task, same-stimuli condition; (c) students acquired more target information in the same-task, same-stimuli conditions; (d) observational learning occurred in the same-task, different-stimuli condition for all subjects; (e) increased exposure to other students' target information and differential reinforcement in the probe conditions increased the percentages of correct observational responding in the same-task, different-stimuli conditions; and (f) there were no differences between conditions in students' acquisition of incidental information. These findings are discussed in terms of strategies for designing effective and efficient small group instruction.