Behavior Analytic Instruction for Learners with Autism

Numerous behavior analytic methods developed since the early 1960s have proved effective for developing a wide range of skills in learners with autism. Recent advances in stimulus control technology, in particular, offer effective methods for teaching many important skills and for promoting independent, generalized performances. This article reviews selected stimulus control techniques, including new methods for teaching conditional discrimination (matching) skills, stimulus equivalence procedures, prompt and prompt-fading techniques, and incidental teaching procedures.