Navigating Special Services Diagnoses and Terms

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), as defined by Cooper, Heron, and Heward , is "the science in which tactics derived from the principles of behavior are applied to improve socially significant behavior and experimentation is used to identify the variables responsible for the improvement in behavior". (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007, p. 690).

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave. Although autism can be diagnosed at any age, it is described as a “developmental disorder” because symptoms generally appear in the first two years of life. (National Institute of Health, 2024).