A. Implementation

In preparing the teaching programme, the researcher took the following measures:

Measuring the level of performance in functional skills under the independence domain, and randomly dividing the sample into a control group and an experimental one, such that each group goes through the following procedure:

Experimental group (n=15): pre-assessment > intervention using the functional curriculum > post-assessment.
Control group (n=15): pre-assessment > studying the adopted intellectual education curricula > post-assessment.

Devising a list of needs and strengths for each student and including them in her individualized education programme.
Focusing on the common goals among students, and having teachers and mothers choose the goals they deem a high priority for students. Accordingly, 15 general goals were selected, of which specific goals were assigned to the participating students. Moreover, the main and subsidiary training environments were identified, in addition to specifying the teaching aids and the appropriate teaching strategies to be employed.
Re-dividing the experimental sample into three groups instead of two, based on the educational method used with each group, as well as the students' common goals and behaviours, provided that each group is trained on each skill at a rate of three sessions per week, and a duration of two minutes for each session.
Preparing a weekly skills schedule defining the sessions and training groups.
Determining the expected number of training sessions, which is seven training sessions for each skill, provided that the students who have not achieved the success criterion continue training on the same skill, while the rest of the students move on to acquire new skills.
Developing an attendance sheet to ensure that all students receive the skills training sessions.
Preparing a mastery form for each skill subject of the training session, so that the trainer and the external observer -the assistant teacher- fill out the form on the spot.
Devising a lesson preparation model that includes the overall objective of the lesson, analysis of the training skill, teaching aids, teaching strategies and skill training procedures.
Determining the types of incentives based on the behavioural observation results and the interviews with students' mothers, as per the following:

Material incentive using the selection board: the pupil chooses the incentive she wants to get at the end of the week after obtaining the incentive points for all the skills on which she had trained.
Symbolic incentive using the individual incentive board: the student upgrades her performance in the skill at the end of the session, in addition to continuous verbal reinforcement throughout the skill training.
Preparing teaching aids for each goal according to the chosen educational strategies.