Workshops added:

ABA-VB Workshops feature hands on, small group instruction for putting theory into action. Call now to reserve your seat. Led by certified behavior analyst qualified, experienced and knowledgeable practitioners of ABA-VB working full time as consultants to school districts. They will engage you and coach you through the HOW, specifically to work with a student on pairing with reinforcement, manding, tacting, etc. as outlined in the ABLLS-R.

Welcome!
This site is dedicated to families of children throughout the world struggling daily, to do the best they can, with what they have, where they are. We wish to acknowledge the courage of all the kids out there who do their best, on a daily basis, carrying baggage we can never fully understand, in the form of a syndrome called Autism. The Verbal Behavior Institute (VBI) was created by working with some of the best and the brightest in the field of Verbal Behavior method of Applied Behavior Analysis.  more


At VBI we ask: What function does the behavior Serve?


Applied Behavior Analysis - Verbal Behavior (ABA-VB) is a scientific method of teaching children with disabilities how to communicate using the science of Applied Behavior Analysis.

Unfortunately, ABA-Verbal Behavior is being hyped by many poorly trained people. This poor practice endangers the technology. Most school districts are fed up with persons billing for services by setting up programs that can't be sustained leaving behind broken hearts and legal bills.

A few months ago, another parent challenged me by asking where I got off as being an "expert" on the subject of ABA-VB best practices. I advised him I observe first hand as a Behavior Analyst and School Principal, the product of poor services; regression of kids, families breaking up, no measurable outcomes year after year, no progress across months of work, districts being sued, no supervision, and no one served but the financial interests of those holding themselves out as "consultants". Beyond that, I noted that I've worked in the field of disabilities my whole life, am a parent (as was he) a licensed school principal, CEO of a New York Early Intervention and State Education Department approved preschool agency for special education children, and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). He conceded the point. 

This site is developed largely in response to the trend of some folk selling mass marketed seminars and promoting poorly supervised program development consultants. They are in large part very poor copies of the work Dr. Carbone has devoted a lifetime to. 

When you pay out your hard earned cash, Drill down; look into the long term (meaning 5 year+) history of the experts giving the seminars. What work were they doing when your child was born? If the answer is they were employed in an entirely unrelated field, then wonder about their motivation and more importantly about their SUPERVISED work experience.

We hope these models will provide a standard for comparison. For more information on services - call Cheryl Blackwell, at (732) 672-3473 or e-mail us at info@verbalbehaviorinstitute.com

HOW WE FIRST LEARNED ABOUT ABA-VB

A few years ago a former staff came to me (Terry Blackwell) and said, "You NEED to see this new work with severely impaired children with Autism. There is a new method that can teach them to speak!". Pre-occupied with running a health care company, I didn't want to take time out to listen. As it turned out, I took the time off. I heard a great presentation by Dr. Vincent Carbone, BCBA.

Basically what I heard, in layman's terms, was that in the 1950s a scientist named B.F. Skinner figured out that language had several different functions. Years later he would be voted as the "most important scientist of the past 100 years". He went on to write a text, he himself noted would likely be his most important, and yet most overlooked text. The book was called "Verbal Behavior". Then the Autism epidemic hit. Suddenly the issue of tens of thousands of kids who could not speak took front and center stage. A few scientists, decided to apply some of Skinner's began studying with adults who were developmentally disabled. As they researched, they found there was really only one of the functions of language that immediately reinforced the "speaker"; that function was to ask for things; which Skinner called "manding".

Today, that study is represented in a tool called the ABLLS-R, or Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills. It is an outstanding basis to create an individualized program of teaching language - BUT, it also is hard work, requiring rigorous training and supervised work to be used properly. Hardly anyone has received the training and supervision to do this work well (and by that I mean perhaps 5 -10% of those holding themselves out there as VB experts are qualified).

Over the past several years, we've worked to improve our skills in the area of ABA "Verbal Behavior. Indeed, we were so impressed with the presentation, we went back to school, (yep, a husband and wife Behavior Analyst family!) took a good many courses and spent hours on hours watching and thinking about the skills of the best people we could find. We are fortunate today to work on a regular basis with perhaps 5 - 10, of the top ABA-Verbal Behavior BOARD CERTIFIED staff in the country. These people remain dedicated educators - who continually strive for high skills. They know what they are doing, and the data and the kids they've helped are the evidence to make that claim.

What follow are some considerations we think go along with setting up a good program:
A SAD TRUTH - there is greater need, than there is qualified staff. This situation creates an opportunity for unethical people to obtain payment for services they are not qualified to render. Hence the "caveat emptor" bar to your left... Our suggestion: make certain your advisor, is in fact; well qualified by thoroughly checking education, experience and references. If all they did was take a few seminars, say no thank you and save your money and your child.

Consideration - a program that begins, with the end in mind, has a much better chance of establishing success. However, there is a GREAT deal of lip service to quality. Make sure that your program has regularly measured feedback in terms of specific, behavioral progress, data and graphing of results.

What is important in your child's life? Academics? or perhaps learning a specific life skill. Which are you working on? Is there room in their program for both? If your child can read a book but not negotiate his/her way through a store without a behavior outburst is that a balanced program? How do you work these things into their program? Are there maladaptive behaviors interfering with home and or school. How do you include addressing that issue, in a data based practice so that maximum potential can be reached?

There is no "magic". ANYONE WHO SAYS to you they can cure your child's autism is a liar. Run away from them. There are TOO MANY folk out there looking to take your money; and very few of them are qualified to walk through your front door. Even fewer, can sustain a quality effort of shaping language development with your child. Be CAREFUL....review the EXPERIENCE and their education. If they are NEW to the field of consulting, and or working with ABA-VB, I wouldn't hire them as a consultant, perhaps as an aide with supervision....

The Behavior Analyst Certification Board is a TOUGH standard. It may not be a "guarantee" but we think it is a good place to start. (see the Behavior Analyst Certification Board at http://www.BACB.com)

When you sit down and think about "where the road leads" for your child or student, ask yourself questions in the long term....E.g., Where does this path take us... 10, 15 or 20 years from now? What are the Life Skills my son/daughter; student or client needs to negotiate in their world without me present? Are those needs currently met by the program they are in? If not, what can we do about it through effective advocacy, based on measured outcomes?