What Is Applied Behavior Analysis?

Recognized by both the US Surgeon General and Maine’s own MADSEC, applied behavior analysis (ABA) is an effective strategy for improving the skills and independence of children with autism.

Why Is Certification As An Associate Behavior Analyst Valuable?

As autism diagnoses have increased to five or six per 1000 people in recent years, demand has increased for practitioners to work with children with autism. Certification provides assurance of professional competence of practitioners who provide behaviorally-based services for these children.

Who Should Take These Courses?

These courses have been developed principally for special educators, but others who work with children with autism or other disabilities will also benefit.

Why Should You Take These Courses?

Participants who satisfactorily complete the three course sequence will have:

·         Fulfilled the coursework requirements necessary to sit for the examination for national board certification as a Board Certified Associate Behavior Analyst;

·         Earned 9 of the 24 credits necessary for Maine Special Education Certification; and 

·         Learned practices valued by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the education community, including functional behavior assessment, positive behavior support, and applications of assistive technology.

What Courses Are Being Offered?

The three courses will be offered on Saturdays at UMF over three semesters, beginning with SED 525 in the Fall 2008 semester. All 3 courses will be offered only on Saturdays.

Fall 2008 Course  & Schedule

SED 525 Basic Principles of Behavior Analysis  This course will introduce participants to a behavioral view of teaching and learning. The course presents basic behavioral processes and principals — with emphasis on working with young children with autism — and provides a conceptual foundation for subsequent courses. SED 525 is a PREREQUISITE for SED 526.

SED 525 will be offered on Saturdays. Exact dates and classroom location will be announced at a later date.

Spring 2009

SED 526  Behavior Analysis and the Scientific Assessment of Learning   This course will acquaint participants with behavior analytic approaches to (a) multifaceted assessment of children’s instructional and behavioral needs, and (b) evaluation of supportive interventions predicated on such assessment. SED 525 and SED 526 are PREREQUISITES for SED 527.

Fall 2009

SED 527  Applying Behavior Analysis: Methods of Instruction and Behavioral Support  This course will familiarize participants with behavior analytic strategies for (a) modifying instruction for students with special needs, and (b) managing behavior that interferes wit learning. The course represents the progression from conducting behavioral research (SED 526) to implementing evidence-based practices from research. 

Where Will The Courses Be Offered?

All three courses will be offered on the University of Maine at Farmington campus.

How Can You Register for These Courses? 

Registration for SED 525 will begin in mid April 2008. A course registration form will be sent to you via email if you have expressed interest in participation in the third cohort. The class size is limited to 24and enrollment is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please complete and send in the course registration with payment or a purchase order as instructed on the form . (If you cannot open the registration form, please call Valerie Soucie at 778-7502 or email valerie.soucie@maine.edu to request one.) 

Registration will be for the Fall 2008 course only (SED 525). However, you will be able to indicate your interest in registering for all three courses on the form, and space will be reserved for you. You will then be notified when registration periods open for the remaining two courses. Please be sure to indicate your interest in taking the other two courses on the registration form; this will be the only way we will know to reserve a place for you in these later courses. Thank You.

The Fall 2008 tuition rate for a three-credit graduate course is estimated to be $981; an additional $121 in fees is applicable to each course. The University of Maine System reserves the right to modify tuition and fees at any time. Students will be billed additional charges if tuition and/or fees change after they have enrolled.

INSTRUCTOR:  Dr. Susan F. Thibadeau, Ph.D., BCBA

Susan Thibadeau is a Licensed Psychologist in Maine and Massachusetts, and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. For the past 15 years, Dr. Thibadeau has been the director of the May Center for Child Development located in Chatham, Massachusetts.  The May Center provides special education services and group home living to children and adolescents with autism, home based early intervention services, and comprehensive preschool and kindergarten instruction in collaboration with a local public school system. Dr. Thibadeau earned her master’s degree in special education from Rhode Island College and her doctorate in developmental and child psychology from the University of Kansas. She is an Adjunct Professor in the Special Education Department of Fitchburg State College and in the Department of Applied Behavioral Science at the University of Kansas. Dr. Thibadeau has served as a consultant to numerous special education programs and as an expert witness for the U.S. Department of Justice. She is a member of the Association for Behavior Analysis and the American Psychological Association.