|
|
|||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
| |
|
||
| Summary of the BACB’s Consideration of Specialty Certification cont’d |
August,
2007 Page 6 |
knowledge would be sufficiently distinct from the knowledge required to become BCBA certified and whether different bodies of knowledge are required to work with different populations (i.e., autism vs. other developmental disabilities).
The results of this process will not be detailed here. However, it was particularly notable that the major “duty” areas that emerged largely supplemented the existing task standards with proposed competencies that often went beyond behavior analytic expertise and skills. In other words, the panel generally found the existing Exam Content Task List covered the fundamental behavior analytic skills needed to work with any population. Instead, they found that the additional knowledge and skills required to serve people with autism or other developmental disabilities were not fundamentally behavior analytic. They found it likely that the body of knowledge required to work with people with autism would be slightly different from that required to work with people with other developmental disabilities. Their focus turned to identifying the body of knowledge required to work with people with autism. The additional knowledge and skills included expertise in communicating the history and culture of autism to others, extracting relevant information from data provided by other sources, explaining diagnostic procedures, educating others about non-behavior analytic interventions, and implementing safe emergency procedures, among others. BACB Decision At its most recent annual meeting, the BACB considered not only the findings of the expert panel but the full range of issues associated with the question of whether it should offer a specialized certificate. For instance, it considered other mechanisms for improving the quality of services offered by certificants to these populations. One option is to use the results of the DACUM process to encourage development of training curricula that might be offered by college and university programs or even by the BACB. |
The Board further considered actions it was in the process of taking that might impact the performance of certificants. For example, the Board is in the early stages of reviewing its disciplinary standards, with the intention of broadening their reach. Two other changes are addressed at ensuring that the limitations of the BCABA credential are more easily recognized and accommodated. A planned revision of the certificate title replacing the term “Associate” with the term “Assistant” will clarify the collaborative relationship that must exist between BCBAs and BCABAs. In addition, requiring that BCABAs receive a certain level of supervision by BCBAs is expected to ameliorate concerns that might be driving some interests in a specialty certificate. When these changes are eventually promulgated, they may be expected to curb some of the more egregious problems that have been noted in delivery of services. The BACB considered challenges that might be involved in establishing the mechanisms for acquiring advanced coursework and experience required to sit for a specialty certificate examination. Would training programs have the resources to accommodate advanced or specialized training? Would this kind of training need to be offered by the BACB, independently of universities? Who would be qualified to teach such courses or supervise applicants? Many who would be interested in such a certificate are no longer in school, and would not be able to return. With all issues thoroughly considered, the directors decided to not develop a specialty certificate at this time. The general feeling was that it would be wise to first evaluate the impact of the planned changes identified above. Meanwhile, the Board is grateful to the panel members for their participation and the valuable information they provided. The BACB plans to publish the Task List generated by the expert panel. While the possibility of an advanced certificate or a specialty certificate remains open, ongoing review of the factors considered over the last two years may make other options more appealing. |