The Verbal Behavior Approach: How to Teach Children with Autism and Related Disorders

Mary Lynch Barbera, Ph.D., RN, BCBA-D, is a Registered Nurse and a doctoral level Board Certified Behavior Analyst. From 2003-2010, she was the lead Behavior Analyst for the Pennsylvania Verbal Behavior Project studying the effect of Verbal Behavior Techniques in classrooms throughout the State of Pennsylvania. Barbera was the founding President of the Autism Society of America's Berks County Chapter, has worked with hundreds of children on the autism spectrum, and has extensive experience training a variety of professionals. She is the mother of a son with autism. Tracy Rasmussen is an award-winning journalist of over 25 years with a specialty in medical reporting. She has been a frequent speaker for the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill on issues of mental health.

Introduction.1. Starting with ABA. 2. The ABCs of ABA. 3: Assessing Your Child. 4. Developing Reinforcers. 5. Manding. 6. Increasing and Improving Speech in Non-Vocal or Minimally Vocal Children. 7.Errorless Teaching and the Use of Transfer Procedures. 8. Teaching Receptive Language Skills and Other Non-Verbal Operants. 9. Teaching Verbal Operants. 10. Putting It All Together. 11. Teaching Toileting and Other Important Self-Help Skills. 12. Final Thoughts. Appendices. Subject index. Author index.