Applied Behaviour Analysis Course

Lesson 1 • Defining and Measuring Behavior

Introduces operational definitions and measurable dimensions of behavior. Accurate definition is prerequisite to all data collection and intervention design.

Lesson 2 • Ethics and Professional Standards

Covers the ethical code governing behavior analysts and client rights. Establishes the professional obligations that frame every subsequent clinical decision.

Lesson 3 • Core Dimensions of ABA

Examines Baer, Wolf, and Risley's seven dimensions. Provides a framework for evaluating whether any practice qualifies as genuine ABA.

Lesson 1 • Stimulus Control and Discrimination

Examines how antecedents come to evoke or suppress behavior. Stimulus control is essential for understanding prompting and generalization strategies.

Lesson 2 • Schedules of Reinforcement

Analyzes fixed and variable ratio and interval schedules and their behavioral effects. Schedule knowledge guides reinforcement thinning in applied programs.

Lesson 3 • Motivating Operations

Defines establishing and abolishing operations and their value-altering effects. MO analysis explains why the same consequence differs in effectiveness across contexts.

Lesson 4 • Operant Conditioning Fundamentals

Explains how consequences select and maintain behavior. Reinforcement and punishment concepts underpin every intervention strategy taught later.

Lesson 1 • Interobserver Agreement

Teaches calculation and interpretation of IOA across measurement methods. IOA verifies that data reflect actual behavior rather than observer bias.

Lesson 2 • Selecting Measurement Systems

Matches measurement methods to behavioral dimensions and practical constraints. Choosing the right system ensures data validity before any intervention begins.

Lesson 3 • Graphing Behavioral Data

Covers construction and interpretation of standard line graphs and cumulative records. Visual analysis of graphs drives all data-based decisions in ABA.

Lesson 1 • Reversal and Withdrawal Designs

Details ABAB and withdrawal variations for demonstrating functional relations. Teaches when reversal is appropriate and when it raises ethical concerns.

Lesson 2 • Alternating Treatments and Changing Criterion

Examines rapid alternation designs and stepwise criterion designs. Expands the toolkit for comparing interventions and shaping behavior toward a terminal goal.

Lesson 3 • Multiple Baseline Designs

Covers across-behaviors, across-settings, and across-participants variations. Preferred when reversal is impractical or unethical due to irreversible behavior change.

Lesson 1 • Descriptive Assessment Methods

Teaches ABC narrative recording and scatterplot analysis in natural settings. Descriptive data reveal antecedent-behavior-consequence patterns without manipulating variables.

Lesson 2 • Functional Analysis Methodology

Explains experimental manipulation of antecedents and consequences to confirm function. FA provides the strongest evidence for function and guides the most precise interventions.

Lesson 3 • Indirect Assessment Methods

Covers interviews, rating scales, and checklists used to gather informant data. Indirect methods generate initial hypotheses before direct observation begins.

Lesson 4 • Writing the FBA Report and Hypothesis

Synthesizes assessment data into a clear hypothesis statement and written report. A precise hypothesis directly links assessment findings to intervention selection.

Lesson 1 • Shaping and Differential Reinforcement

Teaches successive approximation to build behaviors not yet in the learner's repertoire. Shaping requires precise reinforcement criteria and continuous data-based adjustment.

Lesson 2 • Prompting Strategies and Hierarchies

Covers physical, model, gestural, and verbal prompts and their systematic application. Prompt selection and fading determine how quickly learners achieve independent performance.

Lesson 3 • Naturalistic Teaching Strategies

Covers incidental teaching, pivotal response training, and natural environment teaching. Naturalistic methods promote generalization by embedding instruction in everyday routines.

Lesson 4 • Chaining Procedures

Analyzes task analysis and forward, backward, and total task chaining methods. Chaining assembles discrete skills into complex behavioral sequences for functional independence.

Lesson 1 • Antecedent-Based Interventions

Modifies setting events, discriminative stimuli, and motivating operations to prevent problem behavior. Antecedent strategies reduce behavior before it occurs, minimizing reactive consequences.

Lesson 2 • Punishment-Based Procedures

Reviews response cost, time-out, and overcorrection with strict ethical guidelines. Punishment is used only when reinforcement-based strategies have proven insufficient.

Lesson 3 • Differential Reinforcement Procedures

Covers DRA, DRI, DRO, DRL, and DRH to reduce problem behavior while building alternatives. Differential reinforcement is the preferred first-line reduction strategy in ethical practice.

Lesson 4 • Behavior Intervention Plan Development

Integrates FBA findings into a comprehensive, written behavior intervention plan. The BIP operationalizes all reduction and replacement strategies for consistent team implementation.

Lesson 1 • Curriculum-Based Assessment in ABA

Uses skill assessments and preference assessments to guide program content. Assessment-driven programming ensures instruction targets meaningful, functional skills.

Lesson 2 • Program Monitoring and Data-Based Decisions

Applies visual analysis to ongoing program data to guide modifications. Systematic review cycles prevent stagnation and ensure continuous learner progress.

Lesson 3 • Evaluating Treatment Integrity

Measures the degree to which interventions are implemented as designed. Treatment integrity data explain outcome variability and guide staff training priorities.

Lesson 4 • Maintenance Strategies

Designs reinforcement thinning and natural community of reinforcement plans. Maintenance ensures skills persist after formal intervention is faded or discontinued.