Evidence Based Practices

Evidence-based practices are those that have significant and convincing empirical efficacy and support. In 2005, Richard Simpson with co-authors, published Autism Spectrum Disorders: Interventions and Treatments for Children and Youth. This book identified practices that are evidence-based practices, promising practices, practices with limited support and practices that are not recommended.

According to Simpson and colleagues, evidence-based practices, to date, include Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Discrete Trial Instruction (DTI), Pivotal Response Training (PRT), and Learning Experiences: An Alternative Program for Preschoolers and parents (LEAP).

Program evaluation is a continuous part of the CLASS service model. This evaluation is aided by the collection of trial-by-trial data. This data is then subsequently graphed to produce a visual picture of an individual learner's progress. The graphs are used to make evidence-based decisions that guide instructional planning and revision.