It’s common for people to use the phrases Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Discrete Trial Training interchangeably. Yet, those of us who work in ABA know that while there is a relationship between the two, they are not the same thing. For example, you may say school and classroom interchangeably in conversation, yet most recognize that there is a clear difference. The school is the main structure, and the classroom is a segment of the school. Make sense? Discrete Trial Training, often called DTT, is just one piece that falls under the broader picture of Applied Behavior Analysis. Let’s take a closer look.
We are grateful to partner with you to deliver high-quality, individualized education for your most complex learners. TeachTown is committed to providing the best-in-class special education solutions for your students with moderate to severe disabilities and the special education teams who serve them. We are focused exclusively on you! To further support the invaluable work you do every day, we have made significant curriculum and platform investments over the past year and a half, including a near 400% increase in our engineering & technical teams. Additionally, we have made several strategic enhancements to our curriculum based on the voices that matter most – special education teachers and leaders. You now have access to a K-12 adapted core curriculum, lesson flexibility, standards-based reporting, breaking news resources, an in-app onboarding explorer, a new professional development program, and much more. In this first annual product newsletter, we share the key developments of the 2022-2023 school year and preview a few exciting things on the horizon. Let’s dive in!
For many individuals with autism spectrum disorder, communication and social interaction may present a challenge. If a teacher were to approach a typically developing student and say, “Hey, Sally! How was your weekend?” - Sally may make eye contact with this teacher and say, “Great! How was yours?” For many students with autism, this interaction looks different. If the same teacher said the same phrase to a student with autism, “Hey Sally! How is your day going?,” the particular student may look toward the ground, or cover their ears, or reply back in a repetitive sequence. Social skills can be learned, however. Prosocial behaviors can be taught by a variety of professionals using a multitude of techniques, including Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), to students with autism.