Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) �in Schools�
Do you use principles and practices from the science of ABA?
We hope you will find this brief quiz informative. You will learn about some of the ABA principles and practices you may be using already and gain further understanding of terminology and ways to move toward greater intentionality and fidelity of implementation.
Once you enter the quiz, read the question and select either yes or no. You will then advance to a description of the concept described in the question. Click Next to continue.
Click one of the options
Yes
No
Prompting and Prompt Fading are behaviorally-based teaching practices that are foundational to instruction. They are the cues and support that allow students to learn during the acquisition phase, and gradually fading prompts gives the student an opportunity to become independent. We often use a prompt hierarchy that involves a most to least (errorless teaching) or a least to most approach to teaching. Prompt fading is implemented using intentional strategies such as graduated guidance and time delay.
PROMPTING AND PROMPT FADING
2. Have you ever given a student something they wanted in order to increase a desired behavior in the future?
Yes
No
REINFORCEMENT is the most powerful ABA principle for behavior change. When you reinforce a behavior, you increase the likelihood that behavior will occur in the future. Many of the practices in ABA are based on the principle of reinforcement (e.g., differential reinforcement, token economy, shaping, self-management).
REINFORCEMENT
3. Have you systematically assessed what a student wants most to earn as part of a behavior plan?
Yes
No
If we are using reinforcement to increase a behavior, we want to identify potential reinforcers using a PREFERENCE ASSESSMENT. This may involve a checklist, asking the student, interviewing staff or parents to learn more about the student, or observing the student. It is much more effective than guessing what the student may want. Even when we are using preferences as part of a plan, we need to collect data to make sure that we are actually reinforcing behavior (i.e., behavior is increasing). A preference is not always powerful enough to change every behavior.
PREFERENCE ASSESSMENT
4. Have you taken a complex task and broken it down into specific steps and taught those steps systematically?
Yes
No
TASK ANALYSIS is fundamental to teaching any skill that involves multiple steps. A behavior analytic approach to teaching uses this method to break down a skill (e.g., math, following a routine, completing a multi-step project, making an art project, putting on winter gear to go outside). The goal is to assist the student (often using prompts) to complete each step successfully and gradually become independent with each step.
TASK ANALYSIS
5. Have you used the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), according to the PECS manual and training, to teach functional communication?
Yes
No
PICTURE EXCHANGE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM (PECS)
is an approach to teach students with communication challenges, using picture icons, to make their wants and needs known and even communicate thoughts and feelings. It was developed by Andy Bondy (BCBA) and Lori Frost (SLP) using the principles of ABA. Many people have used pictures to help students communicate; however, to be most effective and allow students to develop more sophisticated communication skills, it is important to follow the PECS protocol with fidelity.
PICTURE EXCHANGE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
6. Have you ever given a student a few easy tasks before giving a more challenging task?
Yes
No
BEHAVIORAL MOMENTUM is an ABA practice that involves increasing the likelihood of success by introducing a few easy requests before introducing a more difficult task. The early successes are reinforced, which increases responding and makes that harder task less daunting.
BEHAVIORAL MOMENTUM
7. Have you taught multiple steps linked together to achieve a new skill?
Yes
No
CHAINING involves linking together behaviors that become a single complex skill and follows the principles of ABA. Examples of skills that may be taught using chaining include handwashing, tying shoes, making a sandwich, filling out a worksheet, putting on a coat, and going through the lunch line. Each step in the “chain” is cued by the previous step. You might notice that each step in the chain is not particularly useful on its own since completion of each step is necessary to accomplish the overall goal.
CHAINING
8. Have you provided instructions to another adult, modeled the skill, then given the person a chance to practice followed by feedback?
Yes
No
BEHAVIORAL SKILLS TRAINING (BST) is a way of teaching adults and students new skills. It involves providing instructions (written and/or verbal), modeling the skill (in-person or video), providing an opportunity for repeated practice, and giving positive and corrective feedback to improve their practice next time. It is highly effective for teaching many skills: Students - how to engage in conversations, safety skills, using a self-management system. Adults – how to implement a behavior plan, collecting data, how to use a new app.
BEHAVIORAL SKILLS TRAINING
9. Are you teaching and practicing behavior expectations along with providing acknowledgement and feedback?
Yes
No
POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS AND SUPPORTS (PBIS) has its foundation in ABA since it focuses on similar principles and practices including reinforcement, token systems, establishing goals/expectations, and data collection. Key components of PBIS include developing a matrix of behavioral expectations for the school/classroom, teaching those expectations to students with instructions and role-plays, acknowledging and reinforcing students when they meet expectations, and redirecting and reteaching when students are not following expectations. PBIS is considered a systems level approach to using ABA in schools.
POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS AND SUPPORTS
10. Are you specifically defining behaviors and collecting data (e.g., frequency, duration, time sample)?
Yes
No
DATA COLLECTION is a fundamental part of ABA since we need to know whether the interventions being implemented are effective, and data should inform how we adjust our interventions to improve outcomes.
DATA COLLECTION
11. Have you taught a skill to fluency by repeated practice and measuring progress?
Yes
No
STAGES OF LEARNING are important in ABA and we only know about progress if we measure it. When learning a new skill or behavior, students start in the acquisition stage of learning, but that is just the first step. Skills need to be taught to fluency (fast and accurate) and they need to be generalized to new settings, people, and materials. Finally, behaviors need to be maintained over time for our investment in teaching to really pay off.
STAGES OF LEARNING
12. Have you increased your attention for expected behaviors, such as using a calm voice, and reduced your attention for less desirable behaviors such as whining or yelling?
Yes
No
DIFFERENTIAL REINFORCEMENT (DR) involves selecting one or more behaviors to reinforce and other behaviors to put on extinction (not reinforce). Since DR is based on the principle of reinforcement, those behaviors that are getting reinforcement will increase and the behaviors that are not being reinforced will decrease. This is an effective way to increase desirable behaviors and reduce undesirable behaviors.
DIFFERENTIAL REINFORCEMENT
13. Have you set up a class-wide token system for students to earn “tokens” for following the classroom expectations?
Yes
No
TOKEN ECONOMY systems have a foundation in reinforcement, a core principle of ABA. It is common to see systems that approximate token economies set up in classrooms. However, to really capitalize on the power of a token economy, it is important to follow the components of a behaviorally-based token economy and implement it with fidelity so it will be most effective. This includes understanding how to set up the system, using preference assessments, setting up backup reinforcers, delivering tokens, understanding the implications of using response cost, and collecting data on effectiveness.
TOKEN ECONOMY
14. Have you used a signal to let students know when to engage in a behavior and when not to engage in a behavior?
Yes
No
STIMULUS CONTROL involves signaling when reinforcement is available and when it is not available. It is a seemingly simple concept but it is a powerful principle of ABA. When a student is uncertain about when to engage in a particular behavior, they are more likely to engage in unpredictable behavior that may not align with the classroom expectations. For example, a teacher may use a clear visual signal on the whiteboard to let students know what is an appropriate voice level for each activity. That is a clear cue to indicate if a voice level will be reinforced (e.g., great job everyone keeping the room quiet during independent work time) or not. Without the cue, a student may be speaking loudly and get reprimanded by the teacher. The teacher could use the principle of stimulus control to make expected behaviors clear and reinforce those expected behaviors.
STIMULUS CONTROL
15. Have you collected frequency data across at least three days, graphed the data, and used it to make a decision about next steps?
Yes
No
DATA-BASED DECISION MAKING using visual analysis is important to instruction in ABA. We maximize success and instructional time by collecting data and regularly looking at that data in a graphical form to decide how to proceed with instruction.
DATA-BASED DECISION MAKING
16. When you develop a plan, do you create a checklist of all the necessary steps to implement the plan accurately and with fidelity?
Yes
No
IMPLEMENTATION WITH FIDELITY is how we ensure we are using evidence-based practices and scientific approaches, like ABA, in the way they were intended. When changes are made to established practices, it is unclear whether they will be as effective. If you change a recipe, if a doctor changes a treatment regimen, or a builder deviates from the architect's plan, the outcome may not be the same. Because ABA is a science, research has established how principles and practices work and we will be most successful when we follow protocols, understand conceptual principles, and take data to make sure the plan is working.
IMPLEMENTATION WITH FIDELITY
17. When making decisions about behavior change, are you taking a systematic approach to planning and decision making?
Yes
No
INTENTIONALITY is a hallmark of ABA. Although being flexible and agile are essential for school-staff in a fast-moving school environment, a foundational plan is still the basis for teaching and behavior support. This involves intentionally defining behaviors, conducting assessments, setting expectations and goals, matching interventions, and collecting and analyzing data at the school, classroom, and student levels.
INTENTIONALITY
Thank you for participating in this quiz to learn more about ABA principles and practices in schools.
For more information, check out the ABA in Schools short course through Michigan Virtual University. It is free and you can earn 2 SCECHs.