Choosing Objectives for a Distance Learning Behavioral Intervention in Autism Curriculum

The national need for individuals trained in applied behavior analysis (ABA) helped persuade the U. S. Department of Education to fund the development of a four-course, undergraduate-level curriculum on the topic. In this article, the authors report the results and application of a four-phase Delphi survey procedure designed to identify the most critical topics to cover in the curriculum. Thirty-four specialists in behavioral intervention participated and identified 74 items, 36 of which eventually emerged as strongly recommended, 27 as recommended and 11 as not recommended. This information was used to select topics and practices to cover in the courses. Other ABA scholars, researchers, and practitioners may find this information useful in designing instructional programs for adults.