Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is a scientific approach to understanding behaviour and how it is affected by the environment. “Behaviour” refers to all kinds of actions and skills (not just misbehaviour), and “environment” includes all sorts of physical and social events that might change or be changed by one's behaviour. The science of behaviour analysis focuses on principles of how behaviour works, or how learning takes place.

Information provided by: ‘Concepts and Principles of Behavior Analysis’ by Jack L. Michael

Since the early 1960's, hundreds of behavior analysts have used positive reinforcement and other principles to build communication, play, social, academic, self-care, work, and community living skills and to reduce problem behaviors in learners with autism of all ages. Some ABA techniques involve instruction that is directed by adults in a highly structured fashion, while others make use of the learner¹s natural interests and follow his or her initiations. Others approaches can teach skills in the context of ongoing activities. All skills are broken down into small steps or components, and learners are provided many repeated opportunities to learn and practice skills in a variety of settings, with abundant positive reinforcement. The goals of intervention as well as the specific types of instructions and reinforcers used are customized to the strengths and needs of the individual learner. Performance is measured continuously by direct observation and the collection of data. Intervention is modified if the data show that the learner is not making satisfactory progress.

In his book, Skinner defined language in functional terms and outlined an explanation of language based on an analysis of the controlling variables for different types of verbal responses. This focus on the reasons why words are said allows us to not only teach the learner to use words to communicate, but allows us to teach actual concepts or “meanings” of words that can lead to conversational language in our children. Skinner’s explanation is now being used by many behavior analysts who teach language to individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities (Sundberg & Partington, 1998).

Skinner’s detailed functional analysis of language explains how he grouped language into a set of units with each operant (request, label, receptive), serving a different function. Skinner emphasized the importance of being able to identify the concept of a word across all of these different functional categories (ex.) It is important to teach children how to label items, identify them, as well as to ask for them when they are motivated for them. These are the foundations to conversation and functional language.

Many current home-based programs use a Verbal Behaviour model when teaching language to children with autism, within the context of Applied Behaviour Analysis.