Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Course

Lesson 1 • History and Philosophy of Behaviorism

Traces behaviorism from Watson through Skinner to modern ABA, grounding students in the field's intellectual lineage. Provides context for understanding why ABA operates as a natural science.

Lesson 2 • Basic Concepts: Behavior and Environment

Defines behavior, response, and stimulus, and explains how environmental events control behavior. Connects these definitions to measurement and intervention design.

Lesson 3 • Core Dimensions of ABA

Introduces Baer, Wolf, and Risley's seven dimensions: applied, behavioral, analytic, technological, conceptually systematic, effective, and generality. Students use these dimensions to evaluate ABA research and practice.

Lesson 1 • Extinction and Behavioral Momentum

Covers extinction procedures, extinction bursts, and the concept of behavioral momentum. Students plan extinction protocols that account for resurgence and spontaneous recovery.

Lesson 2 • Schedules of Reinforcement

Analyzes fixed and variable ratio and interval schedules and their characteristic response patterns. Students predict schedule effects on acquisition, maintenance, and extinction.

Lesson 3 • Punishment: Positive and Negative

Examines positive and negative punishment, their side effects, and ethical considerations. Students weigh punishment against reinforcement-based alternatives in practice.

Lesson 4 • Respondent Conditioning Basics

Explains classical conditioning, including acquisition, extinction, and stimulus generalization. Establishes how reflexive behavior is established and modified before introducing operant processes.

Lesson 1 • Skinner's Analysis of Verbal Behavior

Presents verbal operants—mand, tact, echoic, intraverbal, and listener behavior—as functionally defined units. Students distinguish operants and use them to assess and teach language.

Lesson 2 • Stimulus Equivalence and Derived Relations

Introduces equivalence classes, reflexivity, symmetry, and transitivity as foundations for complex symbolic behavior. Students connect equivalence to reading, math, and language instruction.

Lesson 3 • Teaching Verbal Operants in Practice

Applies verbal behavior analysis to design language intervention sequences for learners with communication deficits. Students sequence mand training before tact and intraverbal instruction.

Lesson 1 • Graphing and Visual Analysis

Covers equal-interval and semi-logarithmic graphs, data path conventions, and visual analysis criteria. Students interpret level, trend, and variability to make data-based decisions.

Lesson 2 • Continuous and Discontinuous Recording

Contrasts event recording, duration recording, and time-sampling methods including whole-interval, partial-interval, and momentary time sampling. Students evaluate accuracy trade-offs for each method.

Lesson 3 • Interobserver Agreement

Teaches calculation and interpretation of interobserver agreement (IOA) indices for continuous and discontinuous data. Students identify sources of observer drift and implement calibration procedures.

Lesson 1 • Direct Observation and ABC Recording

Teaches antecedent-behavior-consequence (ABC) recording and scatter plot analysis to identify behavioral patterns. Students use direct observation data to refine function hypotheses.

Lesson 2 • Functions of Problem Behavior

Introduces the four primary behavioral functions: social positive, social negative, automatic positive, and automatic negative reinforcement. Students classify problem behaviors by function using case examples.

Lesson 3 • Writing Function-Based Hypotheses

Guides students in synthesizing FBA data into clear, testable hypothesis statements that link antecedents, behavior, and consequences. Hypotheses directly connect to intervention selection.

Lesson 4 • Indirect Assessment Methods

Reviews structured interviews, rating scales, and checklists used to gather informant data about problem behavior. Students evaluate the limitations of indirect methods and use them to guide direct observation.

Lesson 1 • Discrete Trial Training

Details the structure of discrete trial training (DTT), including the three-term contingency, inter-trial intervals, and error correction. Students implement DTT programs with fidelity across skill domains.

Lesson 2 • Shaping and Differential Reinforcement

Explains shaping as successive approximation toward a terminal behavior using differential reinforcement. Students write shaping programs with defined criteria for reinforcement at each step.

Lesson 3 • Task Analysis and Chaining

Teaches how to construct task analyses and implement forward, backward, and total task chaining. Students select chaining methods based on learner profile and skill complexity.

Lesson 4 • Naturalistic Teaching Strategies

Introduces incidental teaching, pivotal response training, and natural environment teaching as complements to DTT. Students embed learning opportunities within daily routines and play.

Lesson 1 • Consequence-Based Intervention Strategies

Examines differential reinforcement procedures (DRA, DRO, DRI, DRL) and extinction as consequence strategies. Students match consequence procedures to behavioral function and ethical guidelines.

Lesson 2 • Antecedent Modification Strategies

Covers environmental modifications, establishing operation manipulation, and high-probability request sequences to reduce problem behavior before it occurs. Students select antecedent strategies matched to behavioral function.

Lesson 3 • Crisis and Safety Planning

Addresses proactive safety planning, de-escalation strategies, and documentation requirements for high-risk behaviors. Students integrate crisis protocols into BIPs without relying on aversive procedures.

Lesson 4 • Teaching Replacement Behaviors

Focuses on functional communication training (FCT) and other replacement behavior instruction as the core of function-based intervention. Students design FCT protocols matched to the identified function.

Lesson 1 • Maintenance Planning

Covers schedule thinning, intermittent reinforcement, and booster sessions to sustain behavior change over time. Students design maintenance plans that transition from structured to natural contingencies.

Lesson 2 • Programming for Generalization

Applies Stokes and Baer's generalization tactics, including training loosely, using multiple exemplars, and mediating generalization. Students build generalization objectives into every skill acquisition program.

Lesson 3 • Social Validity Assessment

Introduces Wolf's social validity framework to evaluate the significance of goals, appropriateness of procedures, and importance of outcomes. Students collect and use social validity data to refine programs.

Lesson 4 • Transitioning and Fading Services

Guides students in planning transitions across service settings and systematically fading ABA supports. Students develop transition plans that preserve gains and empower natural support networks.