ABSTRACT
The major problem area for which a program may be devised may involve the absence of behaviors which are deemed necessary or desirable by aspects of the environment. Although the behavioral characteristics of the mentally retarded which create concern for the educational and rehabilitation personnel are those which in one way or another are inappropriate to specific or general environmental requirements, the primary focus of the behavior modification program is on the development of more functional behavior patterns. The program goal becomes that of modifying behavior as it occurs in a given environment in such a manner that it becomes most appropriate to that environment. The therapeutic or change agents can involve a variety of persons other than the counselor, teacher, and client and may include parents, peers, work supervisors and others who can provide some programmatic discriminative and reinforcing events.
