ABA therapy can be used to teach/increase a variety of adaptive skills, such as tooth brushing, toileting, hair brushing, shoe tying, making a bed, etc. My favorite definition of an adaptive skill is anything that will have to be done for the learner, if the learner does not learn the skill. So if I don’t teach my child how to dress him/herself, then I will have to dress my child.
A common concern many of my clients have around adaptive functioning is the dreaded Morning Routine. Since my clients are usually school age, I have ample opportunity to help families target issues that regularly pop up during that frenzied time in the morning of trying to get the child out of the door on time. Issues like: task refusal, off task behavior, prompt dependency, skipping steps of the routine/completing the routine out of order, etc.
ABA interventions should always be individualized, but some of my most effective strategies for simplifying the morning routine include:
In a landmark move for the global assistive technology community, the Ministry of Electronics & IT recently unveiled a comprehensive strategy to transform India from a text-heavy digital landscape into a voice-first ecosystem. Launched at the India AI Summit Expo 2026, this initiative is anchore…
By Sam Blanco, PhD, LBA, BCBA
There’s a famous quote from W. Edwards Deming that says “Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion.” While Deming wasn’t a behavior analyst, this statement aligns closely with how BCBAs approach their work.
Most BCBAs will report how much they love …
Adidas has announced the launch of the Supernova Rise 3 Adaptive, its first performance running shoe specifically designed for athletes with disabilities. Developed over several years, the shoe was inspired by Chris Nikic—the first person with Down syndrome to complete an Ironman—who previously stru…
Dear Friends,
I never write for our blogs but I wanted to share this glimmer of hope.
This weekend, an acquaintance of a friend of a friend asked me to view a French film called “No Filter Café” at a Socially Relevant Film Festival in NYC.
It’s a film in French about 5 young men…
With the April 24, 2026, deadline for the updated ADA Title II regulations rapidly approaching, the landscape of digital inclusion is shifting from reactive accommodation to proactive accessibility. This mandate requires large public institutions to ensure that every facet of their digital presence—…
