Serving students with autism: Ensuring a place for applied behavior analysis

Abstract

The prevalence rate of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has grown dramatically, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires educators to use evidence-based practices to improve academic and/or behavior outcomes for children with ASD. There is definitive scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness of applied behavior analysis (ABA) as an educational intervention for children with autism, yet ABA is not formally included as a related service under IDEA. Juliet Hart Barnett discusses how ABA can address the needs of students with autism, the barriers to its implementation, and why it should be treated as a related service that schools provide under IDEA.