Online ISSN: 2325-7466
2006
Triannual
National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET)
United States

Articles

Applied Behavior Analysis: Current Myths in Public Education

Cheryl Fielding, Ph.D., John Lowdermilk, Ph.D., Lauren L. Lanier, Abigail G. Fannin, Jennifer L. Schkade, Chad A. Rose, Ph.D, Cynthia G. Simpson, Ph.D.
  • Cheryl Fielding, Ph.D. (Author) University of Texas Pan American
    Cheryl Fielding is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Associate Professor at the University of Texas Pan American. Her research interest is in the area of the staff selection process for caregivers of children and adults with challenging behavior.
  • John Lowdermilk, Ph.D. (Author) University of Texas Pan American
    John Lowdermilk, Ph.D., is currently an Assistant Professor of Special Education and Director of the Educational Technology Resource Center & Curriculum Resource Center at the University of Texas Pan American. His research interest is serious educational gaming and he regularly conducts professional development workshops in the area special education.
  • Lauren L. Lanier (Author) Sam Houston State University image/svg+xml
    Lauren L. Lanier is a practicing Board Certified Behavior Analyst in Houston, TX. She currently serves as an independent contractor with CARE, LLC supervising ABA tutors in various states and consulting in Texas school districts.
  • Abigail G. Fannin (Author) Sam Houston State University
    Abigail G. Fannin is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in Houston, TX. She is currently working as a special education Teacher in Klein ISD. Ms. Fannin has 7 years of experience teaching children on the autism spectrum utilizing the principles of ABA.
  • Jennifer L. Schkade (Author) Sam Houston State University
    Jennifer Schkade is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who has spent the past 10 years working with students with autism in a variety of settings including, public schools, private day programs and in families’ homes. She currently works as a behavior specialist in Klein ISD and as an ABA therapist with CARE, LLC. Jennifer has conducted many workshops for teachers helping school systems improve classroom management through the use of ABA.
  • Chad A. Rose, Ph.D (Author) Sam Houston State University
    Chad A. Rose is an Assistant Professor of Special Education at Sam Houston State University. His research explores the predictive and protective factors associated with the overrepresentation of students with disabilities within the bullying dynamic.
  • Cynthia G. Simpson, Ph.D. (Author) Sam Houston State University
    Cynthia G. Simpson is a Professor and Dean of the School of Education at Houston Baptist University in Houston, Texas. Her research explores gender discrepancies within the bullying dynamic and bullying prevention strategies within a multi-component framework. Dr. Simpson has worked in a variety of settings assessing and developing curriculum for students with autism.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.211
Abstract
The effective use of behavior management strategies and related policies continues to be a debated issue in public education. Despite overwhelming evidence espousing the benefits of the implementation of procedures derived from principles based on the science of applied behavior analysis (ABA), educators often indicate many common misconceptions in this area. These misconceptions contribute to a reluctance on the part of educators to implement strategies utilizing what we know to be true about the operation of behavioral law. Further, these misconceptions often impede educator effectiveness and student progress. This paper reviews 3 common misperceptions: 1) ABA is used exclusively for children who have autism; 2) ABA may only be implemented using a teacher/student ratio of 1:1, and; 3) negative connotations of terminology associated with ABA. Important legal issues, procedures, research, and philosophical issues related to the implementation of ABA is explored along with concluding recommendations for public school educators.
Keywords
Public Education, Academic Achievement, Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Intervention, Teacher Effectiveness
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How to Cite
Fielding, C., Lowdermilk, J., Lanier, L. L., Fannin, A. G., Schkade, J. L., Rose, C. A., & Simpson, C. G. (2013). Applied Behavior Analysis: Current Myths in Public Education. Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals, 8(2), 83-97. https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.211

Spring/Summer 2013

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  • Article Type Articles
  • Submitted May 7, 2013
  • Published June 15, 2013
  • Issue Spring/Summer 2013
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