Introduction
Over the past decade there has been a 500% increase nationally in the number of children diagnosed with autism resulting in an increased demand for individualized home- and school-based behavioral treatment programs ( (Mayer, 2008). Along with an increase in the number of students with autism, special education law mandates that educators utilize scientifically based practices to teach all students (Gongola, 2012).
Children with autism have limited language and communication skills and because of this social interaction problems and restricted/repetitive interests and behaviors may occur. Furthermore, the difficulties in language and communication skills in autism affect cognitive and social development (Kurt, 2011). Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is used to increase behavior in the areas of imitation, receptive and expressive language, gross and fine motor skills, tantrums, aggression, and vocal and motor stereotypic behavior ((MacDonald,2014).…