本研究分成二部份實施。第一部份研究是觀察及評量５１名中重度智能不足學童的 語言及溝通行為。評量對象選自臺北市立陽明教養院（Ｎ＝２７）及省立南投啟智教養院（ Ｎ＝２４），其年齡範圍為６歲至１９歲。評量方法採直接觀察記錄法。根據本研究觀察評 量所得，中重度智障學童出現溝通行為的頻率都很低尚不及１５％，其溝通形式係以出現「 動作」、「手勢」為多（約６０％∼７０％），而出現「聲音」、「說話」較少。另就溝通 功能來說，中重度智障學童出現「社會互動」較多（占６４．８％），。第二部份研究是根 據上述觀察及評量所得資料，並參考國內現行的手語教材，研擬一套手語與口語並用溝通訓 練方案共有八個教學單元，可供八至十二週教學。每週教學兩小時，均利用知動訓練課或語 文教學時間實施。 實驗對象計有實驗組１６人及控制組２３人，此項教學實驗結果顯示：ぇ有五成以上的國中 部智障學生，對於二十個特定的手語詞彙，均能做正確的手語與口語反應，但國小部學童則 僅有一成左右達成此一成績。え三組中重度智障學生在語言理解及語言表達領域之得分都有 明顯的進步，但在讀寫領域方面之得分則無明顯的進步。ぉ國中部實驗組學生無論在「看圖 說詞」、「依照語言指示打手語」、「看圖打手語」、「看手語說詞」及「看手語找圖片」 等五項成績均顯著優於控制組學生。

　　　　　This study consisted of two parts: In the first studies, 51 moderately to severely mentally handicapped students were observed during 2 to 7 seconds of Play activities in order to examine the patterns of spontancous communication. The forms and functions of their communcation were recorded by trained observers. The results revealed that spontaneous communication was a relatively rare event. The rate of occurrence were about 10% to 14% Considering the group as a whole, the prototypical communicative event consisted of the sample directing a motor and gesture forms of communication toward the peers for the purpose of requesting something or attracting attention to them or themselves. In the second studies, a simultaneous sign/verbal communication program was developed to train 39 moderately to severely mentally handicapped students at two public institutions. The results showed that:1) Over 50% of the subjects belong to 7th-9th grades have acquired 20 new vocabularies either expressed by sign or verbal forms;2) There were significant improvement of scores on receptive and expressive domain but not an written domain after a 10-weeks total communication program;3) The total communication program not only significantly facilitate the acquisition of new vocabularies, either expressed in sign or verbal form, but also enhance the learning mood and motivation of the experimental group.