What is the ABLLS and how does it relate to Verbal Behavior programming?
The ABLLS is an acronym for a book entitled, Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills. It was written by Drs. Mark Sundberg and James Partington and published in 1998. This book is an assessment, curriculum guide, and skills-tracking system for children with autism or other developmental disabilities. VB practitioners utilize the ABLLS to assess a child’s level in 25 different areas of functioning. A parent and/or a teacher who is very familiar with the child can complete this assessment. The ABLLS can be completed every 3 to 6 months after the initial assessment and because of its frequency serves as an excellent tracking system of the child’s progress. Also in 1998, Drs. Sundberg and Partington published Teaching Language to Children with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, which gives an excellent overview of the VB terminology and techniques. These books, based on Skinner’s Analysis of Verbal Behavior, finally brought VB techniques into programs to educate children
