Guest post! Alyssa Gilligan, M.S. CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist specializing in the treatment of children with Autism. She works at an ABA center in Hunt Valley, Maryland and works very closely with the ABA team!

"Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is an intervention strategy commonly used with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. ABA involves the use of research proven, behavior based strategies to teach communication, life skills, social skills, and academics. It focuses on the principles of motivation and reinforcement to increase positive behaviors and decrease negative behaviors.

An ABA program is developed by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) who supervises a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) that works with the child under the direct supervision of the BCBA. The program development is based on detailed analysis of data collected by the RBT and goals are added and modified based on that data!

ABA and speech-language therapy have a lot in common. An SLP and a BCBA working together can make miracles happen! The SLP provides knowledge and expertise of developmental milestones that assist the BCBA in developing new goals. For example, providing education on which grammatical markers the child should be using, knowing what play skill the child needs to learn next, or knowing at what stage of narrative language the child is. Alternatively, the BCBA can assist the SLP in identifying motivators and developing custom reinforcement systems to increase the child's participation in therapy.

ABA is also excellent at helping with generalization! The SLP might teach a new skill to a student but may not have the opportunity to work on it outside of the therapy room. The BCBA would then make similar goals and practice the skill in the natural environment.

In short, ABA and speech make a really powerful team!"

Alyssa S. Gilligan, M.S. CCC-SLP