ABLLS Course

Lesson 1 • Origins and Purpose of ABLLS-R

Covers the historical development and theoretical basis of the ABLLS-R tool. Connects behavioral science principles to the assessment's design rationale.

Lesson 2 • Populations and Appropriate Use

Identifies the learner populations for whom ABLLS-R is designed. Clarifies appropriate versus inappropriate assessment contexts.

Lesson 3 • Overview of the Assessment Structure

Examines the 25 skill domains and their organization within the ABLLS-R. Learners map domain categories to functional skill areas.

Lesson 1 • Administering Cooperation and Reinforcer Effectiveness

Focuses on assessing learner cooperation and identifying effective reinforcers. These foundational skills gate access to all subsequent domain assessments.

Lesson 2 • Probing and Observation Techniques

Teaches structured probing and naturalistic observation as complementary data sources. Learners integrate both methods for comprehensive skill measurement.

Lesson 3 • Preparing for Assessment Sessions

Covers materials preparation, environment setup, and pre-assessment planning. Ensures conditions that support valid and reliable data collection.

Lesson 4 • Assessing Language and Communication Domains

Guides administration of receptive, expressive, and vocal imitation skill items. Learners apply standardized prompting and response recording procedures.

Lesson 1 • Understanding the Scoring System

Explains the criterion-referenced scoring scale and what each score level represents. Establishes the foundation for consistent, accurate item scoring.

Lesson 2 • Scoring Language Domain Items

Applies scoring criteria specifically to receptive, expressive, and verbal behavior items. Learners practice distinguishing score levels using behavioral definitions.

Lesson 3 • Interrater Reliability and Calibration

Teaches methods for establishing and maintaining scoring agreement across assessors. Learners calculate interrater reliability and identify sources of disagreement.

Lesson 1 • Completing the Skills Tracking System

Guides accurate transfer of scores to the grid-based tracking system. Learners produce visual skill profiles that highlight strengths and deficits.

Lesson 2 • Interpreting Language Domain Profiles

Focuses on reading verbal behavior domain patterns to guide communication programming. Learners distinguish between verbal operant deficits and excesses.

Lesson 3 • Analyzing Skill Gaps and Strengths

Teaches systematic analysis of domain scores to identify instructional priorities. Connects gap analysis to evidence-based goal selection.

Lesson 1 • Writing Academic and Adaptive Goals

Covers goal construction for reading, math, writing, and self-help skill domains. Connects ABLLS-R item sequences to functional, age-appropriate objectives.

Lesson 2 • Documenting Goals in Program Plans

Covers formatting and organizing goals within individualized program documentation. Learners produce complete, compliant program plan sections from ABLLS-R data.

Lesson 3 • Prioritizing and Sequencing Goals

Teaches frameworks for selecting and ordering goals across multiple skill domains. Learners balance learner needs, family priorities, and prerequisite skill sequences.

Lesson 4 • Writing Language and Communication Goals

Applies goal-writing principles to verbal behavior and communication skill deficits. Learners draft goals targeting mands, tacts, intraverbals, and receptive skills.

Lesson 1 • Creating Structured Program Sheets

Guides development of written program sheets that operationalize each instructional goal. Learners produce complete, implementable program documentation.

Lesson 2 • Building Reinforcement into Instruction

Teaches integration of identified reinforcers into instructional program design. Learners apply schedules of reinforcement matched to skill acquisition phase.

Lesson 3 • Designing Generalization and Maintenance Plans

Covers programming for skill generalization across settings, people, and materials. Learners embed maintenance opportunities into ongoing instructional schedules.

Lesson 4 • Designing Prompting and Fading Strategies

Covers prompt hierarchy selection and systematic fading to build independent responding. Connects prompting decisions to ABLLS-R skill level and learner history.

Lesson 1 • Making Data-Based Decisions

Teaches decision rules for modifying, advancing, or discontinuing instructional programs. Learners apply trend analysis and performance criteria to program decisions.

Lesson 2 • Reassessment and ABLLS-R Update Cycles

Covers scheduling and conducting ABLLS-R reassessments to track longitudinal progress. Learners compare assessment periods to evaluate program effectiveness.

Lesson 3 • Graphing and Visualizing Data

Covers standard graphing conventions for displaying behavioral and skill acquisition data. Learners produce and interpret equal-interval and semi-logarithmic graphs.

Lesson 4 • Designing Data Sheets and Systems

Teaches construction of efficient, accurate data collection tools for clinical use. Learners create data sheets aligned to specific program goals and teaching formats.

Lesson 1 • Program Evaluation Using ABLLS-R Data

Applies aggregate ABLLS-R data to evaluate program effectiveness across learner cohorts. Learners identify systemic gaps and drive quality improvement initiatives.

Lesson 2 • Integrating ABLLS-R with Other Assessments

Covers combining ABLLS-R data with complementary assessment tools for comprehensive profiles. Learners synthesize multi-source data into unified programming recommendations.

Lesson 3 • Ethical and Professional Standards in Assessment

Covers ethical obligations in assessment, data use, and professional conduct. Learners apply professional standards to complex, real-world assessment scenarios.

Lesson 4 • Supervising and Training Assessment Staff

Teaches competency-based training and supervision of staff conducting ABLLS-R assessments. Learners design training protocols and evaluate staff performance.