Association for Behavior Analysis International

Telepractice refers to using technology to deliver training from a distance. Telepractice can allow Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) to access more students and families and teach applied behavior analytic (ABA) to more people. For example, Wacker et al., 2013 revealed that it is feasible for parents to conduct functional communication training (FCT) when being coached by BCBAs that were within 200 miles via telepractice. While there is developing literature supporting the use of distance technology to disseminate ABA, there is limited support for the use of this technology in global dissemination. These studies aim to extend the telepractice literature base by evaluating the use of telepractice to disseminate naturalistic instruction on a global level. Naturalistic instruction involves teaching in one's natural environment and reinforcing behavior with natural contingencies. The authors will speak on their research done on using telepractice to coach parents and students on naturalistic teaching in Japan.

We investigated the effects of a global telepractice training package on participants implementation of incidental teaching. The supervisor was a BCBA-D in the United States while the supervisees worked at a community based clinic in Japan. The supervisor worked with one bi-lingual coach to master incidental teaching via videoconferencing and delayed video-based feedback. The coach then taught three subsequent therapists. Impacts of this global telepractice training program will be discussed in terms of therapist fidelity of implementing incidental teaching, impact on child mands, and social validity of the training program.

Both naturalistic communication and parent-delivered interventions are considered evidence-based practices for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). However, it is not well known how much this delivery model may actually be efficient in terms of cost, time, and effort for parents. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a training on parent implementation of naturalistic communication teaching procedures and on childs communication skills using a tele-home practice. This study used a self-training manual that included written and video instructions to provide parent training in participants home environments. A changing criterion design was utilized. Three mother-child dyads with children ages 4-6 years with a diagnosis of ASD participated in this study. In addition to the self-training manual, the mother participants were asked to complete a self-checklist of the instructional procedures after each session. Based on the participants performances, written feedback was provided. Pre- and post-training and follow-up data collection are still under way.