Establishing walking by severely retarded children.

This article examines the implications of independent ambulation for severely retarded children and reviews the literature describing behavioral interventions which facilitate walking. Findings from applied behavior analysis of single subjects support the value of operant techniques in the acquisition of walking. An operationally defined, data-based, four-level sequence for training walking beginning with momentary standing and ending with independent walking on command is described. Representative data from five severely retarded children are presented.