Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a science that is dedicated to understanding the principles of behavior and applying these to improve important behaviors, such as teaching a child to communicate, expanding play, and building meaningful social interactions. The use of ABA is the recommended autism treatment approach by the U.S. Surgeon General and American Academy of Pediatrics (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1999; Lilienfeld, 2005). Research shows with an ABA intervention program, children with autism make significant gains in social interactions, communication, intellectual functioning, and adaptive behavior (e.g., Lovaas, 1987; Remington et al., 2007; Sheinkopf & Siegel, 1998; Smith, Eikeseth, Klevstrand, & Lovaas, 1997; Smith, Groen, & Wynn, 2000).
