Main Content
Syllabus
SPLED 462 Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis (3 cr) This course addresses principles of applied behavior analysis and empiricism related to instruction and special issues affecting individuals with autism.
Overview
This is the second course in the four-course series leading to the Professional Development Program in Autism. Content includes an overview of basic principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) and elements of empiricism in education settings. Basic principles include reinforcement, stimulus control, punishment, prompting, fading, generalization, and maintenance. Special emphasis will be given to the application of ABA principles in classroom settings.
A historical perspective will be outlined concerning the application of ABA to individuals with autism, use of ethics, and determining credibility of treatments. Empirically based interventions for persons with autism will be covered including discrete trial and analysis of verbal behavior. Finally, issues affecting persons with autism and their families will be addressed including functional analysis, sleeping, and toileting/grooming.
Course Content
The course will include 14 lessons:
- Orientation Lesson (if you have taken SPLED461, it's optional)
- Lesson 1: Roots of ABA
- Lesson 2: Empiricism
- Lesson 3: Preparing Behavioral Objectives
- Lesson 4: Procedures for Collecting Data
- Lesson 5: Graphing Data
- Lesson 6: Determinig the Function of Behavior
- Lesson 7: Consequences thet Increase Behavior
- Lesson 8: Consequences that Decrease Behavior
- Lesson 9: Differential Reinforcement: Antecedents
- Lesson 10: Self-Management and Generalization/Maintenance
- Lesson 11: Classroom Arrangement
- Lesson 12: Discrete Trial Training
- Lesson 13: Verbal Behavior
- Lesson 14: Special Issues in ASD: Eating, Sleeping, Toileting
Course Objectives
After completing this course you should be able to:
- Discuss the theoretical basis of applied behavior analysis (ABA) and its application to the treatment of individuals with ASD
- Delineate the components of empiricism and how these are applied to the treatment of individuals with ASD
- Write operational behavioral objectives
- Outline procedures for collecting data
- Outline procedures for graphing data and using data driven decision-making
- Delineate methods of conducting a functional behavior assessment
- Learn strategies for increasing behavior
- Learn strategies for decreasing behavior
- List and discuss generalization and maintenance strategies
- Develop plans for student self-management
- Outline strategies for successful classroom arrangement
- Describe the method of discrete trial teaching and its application to the instruction of individuals with ASD
- Describe the method of verbal behavior and its application to the instruction of individuals with ASD
- Identify and outline strategies for eating, sleeping, and toileting issues.
Contact Information
Dr. Pamela Wolfe is the instructor for this course. You can contact Dr. Wolfe by posting a message on the SPLED462 General Discussion in Canvas or by e-mailing her directly at psw7@psu.edu.
If you have questions concerning your registration status, billing, tuition and fees, grades, exams, or credits, contact Outreach Student Services at 800-252-3592 or 814-865-5403 or by e-mail at psuwd@psu.edu.
If you have questions concerning the course textbook or other materials, contact MBS Direct customer service at 800-325-3252 or 573-441-9179.
If you have any technical difficulties using the tools within this course, please contact the World Campus HelpDesk.
Website: Penn State Online Technical Support
E-mail: wdtechsupport@psu.edu
Phone: 1-800-252-3592 or 1-814-865-0047
Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You can view the Online Students' Library Guide for more information.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and services. Once you have a Penn State account, you will automatically be registered with the library within 24–48 hours. If you would like to determine whether your registration has been completed, visit the Libraries home page and select My Account.
Technical Specifications
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
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| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Requirements
Lesson Content
In addition to the Orientation Lesson scheduled for Week 1, there are 14 lessons in this course. The orientation lesson during the first week is designed to provide instruction and practice with the course website and the Canvas online learning management system prior to application to course requirements and content. You only need to complete the Orientation Lesson if you have not taken SPLED461. If you have taken SPLED461, you only need to complete the Academic Integrity part before moving on to Lesson 1.
Each of the subsequent 14 lessons is scheduled for approximately one week. During each lesson, students will complete the following:
- Read all lesson content and watch the YouTube examples. Note: If any of the videos are not viewable, please report to the HelpDesk.
- Complete and submit online practice activities/quizzes.
- Participate in online asynchronous discussion forum. Students are required to participate in graded team discussion activities for each lesson. They should also read all instructor course announcements and discussion forum messages posted in the SPLED462 General Discussion.
- Complete and submit the graded assignment.
Practice Activities/Quizzes
For each lesson, there are self-evaluation activities and/or practice quizzes, which will become available on the lesson's start date (see the Course Schedule). Some activities may be embedded into the video lecture, while others will show up after the video segments. There are also practice activities for the Orientation Lesson designed to enable students to learn how to use the features of the course website. Practice activities and practice quizzes are integral components of the course; however, no points are earned for these activities. These activities have been designed to help students master the concepts presented in each of the lessons. The successful, serious student will take advantage of the practice activities and quizzes in preparation for the graded assignments and exams.
Discussion Activities
To engage as a learning community, I am requiring you to participate in the discussion activities. You are required to post responses to one question I have posed for each lesson.
You will receive 4 points for posting during each lesson (14 lessons). There are no right or wrong answers to this assignment. It is meant for you to reflect on what you have read, find additional information, and/or share opinions.
Specific requirements/information for this activity are as follows:
- You will post a minimum of 2 entries per question. You should make 1 post answering the question and 1 additional post responding to a peer. Feel free to discuss more—this activity is to facilitate YOUR thinking.
- Each post should be made as a separate entry. We will use Canvas to track responses so in order to get credit, make sure you have 2 SEPARATE posts.
- Posts should be a minimum of 3 sentences (more than “I agree with you”) and reflect your thoughts.
- Discussion questions will be opened at the beginning of each session and will close at the due date on the syllabus. Thus, you must post your entries during the appointed session dates. Everyone is expected to post responses during the session dates (even if you are on vacation, etc., as it is reasonable to expect you will have access to the Internet at some point during the two week-long lesson).
- You will be receiving credit for this required activity. You will receive 4 points per lesson for posting your entries (posting an original response and responding to a peer).
- This is a discussion for you and your peers. I will intermittently add comments/ideas but will only occasionally monitor your discussion. It’s up to you as a group to make the discussion a meaningful learning experience.
- It is assumed that you will not post inflammatory or offensive comments to your peers. Practice collaboration and positive discussion. I will delete inappropriate comments and contact you directly if I observe this practice.
It’s my hope that these discussion activities will facilitate your interaction with your classmates. Remember, it’s up to you to make your discussions useful/meaningful. This is one way we can learn from each other!
Assignments
For each lesson, you will have an assignment or multiple-choice quiz worth 10 points. The due dates are provided to you in the Course Schedule.
Assignments submitted through Canvas, CANNOT EXCEED 1 double-spaced, single-sided typed page (must be typed). Assignments exceeding the page limits will not be graded and will be assigned a grade of 0.
Final Exam
There is only one unproctored exam at the end of this course. The final exam will consist of 60 multiple-choice questions; several questions from each lesson. The exam is time limited; once you start the exam, you will have 2.5 hours to finish it.
Requests for extensions or changes to the course schedule will not be accepted. You will have access to each lesson for at least three full weeks. Assignments and discussion question posts are due by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the end date of each lesson and will be inaccessible after that time. We encourage you to work ahead if you foresee conflicts in your schedule.
Only if you have a truly extenuating circumstance or an emergency should you contact Dr. Wolfe about a change to the posted schedule.
Course Schedule
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
Course Schedule
- Course length: 16 weeks
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Grading
There will be 14 assignments and quizzes worth 10 points each, 14 discussion activities worth four points each, and one final exam worth 60 points. There are 256 total points in the course.
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Activity
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Points
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Assignments (14)
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140
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| Discussion Activities (14) | 56 |
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Final Exam
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60
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TOTAL POINTS
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256
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Grades will be assigned on the following scale:
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Letter Grade
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Percentage Range
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A
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94-100%
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A-
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90-94%
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B+
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86-90%
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B
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83-86%
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B-
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80-83%
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C+
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76-80%
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C
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70-76%
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D
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60-70%
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F
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<60%
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Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies. If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Additional Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.