ABA as a Profession
those they supervise. A few basic skills are worthy of mention in this overview of ABA to foster your identification of the major areas of competence within behavior analysis. A behavior analyst should: 1. Spend time with the learner and those who play a role in his educational programming (parents, teachers, etc.) in order to gain an appreciation of the learner’s preferences and skills and the team’s values and goals. 2. Observe the learner on multiple occasions to become familiar with what the learner can do with and without intervention. 3. Conduct objective assessments that capture a true picture of the behavior.
We have provided a lot of information in this book. Yet, this is only a fraction of the ABA knowledge base. Professionals in this field are responsible for knowing how to successfully implement a wide range of assessment, intervention, and quality assurance methods. To do so requires extensive training including academic coursework, hands-on experience, and supervision. A national certification is well underway to ensure a minimum level of competence for those who practice ABA. This certification became available on a national level in 1999 and is a major advancement for the profession and for consumers of ABA services. The criteria for this certification offer guidelines for consumers when choosing a behavior analyst.
The following resources offer many specific qualifications for behavior analysts and
55
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs