Teaching equivalence relations to individuals with minimal verbal repertoires: Are visual and auditory-visual discriminations predictive of stimulus equivalence?

The relationship between language, performance on the Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities (ABLA) test, and stimulus equivalence was examined. Five participants with minimal verbal repertoires were studied; 3 who passed up to ABLA Level 4, a visual quasi-identity discrimination and 2 who passed ABLA Level 6, an auditory-visual nonidentify discrimination. Only the latter 2 participants demonstrated positive equivalence test outcomes similar to previous studies (Brady & McLean, 2000; Carr, Wilkinson, Blackman, & McIlvane, 2000). The results suggest that well-developed language skills are not necessary to demonstrate positive outcomes on equivalence tests among three 3-member stimulus classes, and that visual and auditory discriminations as measured by the ABLA test may be prerequisite for the learning of equivalence relations.