ABA in Practice - Session 1: Overview of ABA and the course

For readers learning how an ABA program is organized, Maria Nicolaou introduces measurable goals, behavior functions, reinforcement, communication and teaching methods through everyday examples. This opening session provides a vocabulary and course orientation, with deeper instruction reserved for later modules.

Catalogue presenter credits: Maria Nicolaou.

Disclaimer: The BACB does not endorse this course or its materials.

The recording traces a program from assessment and planning through data review, generalization and maintenance, then uses toothbrushing and supermarket examples to explain reinforcement.

Communication examples cover requesting, naming, receptive responding and imitation before brief introductions to prompting, task analysis, discrete trial teaching and natural environment teaching.

What does this recording cover?

• The session distinguishes setting events and immediate antecedents within antecedent, behavior and consequence descriptions.
• Maria Nicolaou introduces four behavior functions through examples involving sensory experiences, escape or avoidance, attention and access to items.
• The session introduces reinforcement, punishment and extinction through their described effects on future behavior.
• Communication examples connect language categories with everyday requesting and responding.
• Teaching overviews cover prompts and fading, task analysis, discrete trial teaching and learning in natural settings.

Recording context: This is an introductory session; detailed instruction is reserved for later modules.

Three selected learner comments

The six-item evaluation mean was 2.50/5 across 3 complete responses, from 22 recorded rating responses. This mean includes only complete six-score responses. Source: Special Learning's course evaluation records, snapshot October 11, 2026.

Three selected anonymous responses appear below, with the wording and spelling retained. They describe learners' experiences and requests; they are not a guarantee of results or a claim that these comments represent every learner.

Spoke quickly but gave good examples

Course evaluation response, 2026

Provide more examples

Course evaluation response, 2024

correct closed captioning

Course evaluation response, 2024

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