Program Evaluation Checklist

Behaviour Institute Checklist for the Evaluation of Intensive Behaviour Program

The Behaviour Institute is a private agency providing applied behaviour analytical services for children with autism and their families in Ontario. The Directors are Dr. Joel Hundert and Dr. Nicole Walton-Allen who are psychologists, Board Certified Behaviour Analysts and teach at McMaster University in Ontario. ACT – Autism Community Training has the permission of the Behaviour Institute to use the following “yes/no” checklist to help parents evaluate their child’s Intensive Behavioural Intervention Program. There is a wealth of information on the website for parents to refer to: www.behaviourinstitute.com

  1. The supervisor of the child’s program has acceptable educational background, has had specific training in Applied Behaviour Analysis and has had acceptable experience that is suitable to the position that they hold.
  2. Staff receive ongoing direct supervision by qualified Behaviour Analysts that provides them with feedback on their skills.
  3. The supervision is frequent, direct and specific.
  4. The child’s ABA program is based on a direct assessment of the child’s skills. Stimulus preference is directed toward longer term goals.
  5. Goals for the child are set with parent input and reflect relevant functional areas of adjustment for the child.
  6. Goals are written in terms of measurable objectives, describing the behaviour that will occur, the conditions under which it is to occur and the criteria at which they should occur.
  7. The program is individualized to the child’s level, interest, etc.
  8. The level of intensity of the program both in terms of the number of hours, as well as the delivery of services is appropriate to the child.
  9. The program is based on systematic teaching procedures using applied behaviour analysis.
  10. There are means in place to ensure consistency across the staff who are working with the child.
  11. There are strategies in place to probe for generalization of skills across setting, people, stimuli and over time also ways of promoting generalization.
  12. There are means to ensure coordination of the IBI services with other services this child is currently receiving.
  13. Data is routinely collected on the child’s progress and used to make program changes.
  14. Regular ‘team’ meetings are held to review the child’s progress and to make revisions.
  15. A systematic curriculum of programs in in place that is comprehensive in scope and developmental in sequence.