The STAR Program

The STAR Program (Strategies for Teaching Based on Autism

Research) is a curriculum that involves several evidence-
based practices. The STAR Program involves the ABA
(Applied Behavior Analysis) strategies of discrete trial training
and pivotal response training and teaching functional
routines. The program consists of assessment tools, lesson
plans, materials and data collection resources to support
instruction in the areas of receptive language, expressive
language, spontaneous language, academic skills,
functional routines and play/social interaction.

Three key ideas regarding the STAR Program:

Pivotal Response
Discrete Trial Training Functional Routines
Training

Check out these

videos for a quick
explanation of The
STAR Program

How to successfully support the STAR Program?

Monitor Use strategies

Begin with Determine
progress Make plans for for skills Student skill
Attend a training assessment of student's
through data generalization outside of this growth
student's skills reinforcers
collection curriculum

Questions to Consider

1 Assessment What skills does the student already demonstrate consistently?

2 Lesson
What lessons can we begin with across all content areas?
Selection

With the ABA strategies, it is important to have current information about student reinforcers to use during
3 Reinforcer
Assessment implementation.

The strategies used in the STAR Program require a specific skill set and it is important that those
4 Begin
implementing them have taken training. Ongoing coaching and feedback around implementation
Implementation
fidelity is suggested.

Regular data collection is required to determine student progress. The methods of data collection are
5 Monitor
Progress specific to the instructional strategy being used and are outlined in the STAR Program manual.

Once students have achieved goals in structured settings, it is important to also ensure that these skills
6 Generalize Skills have generalized to a variety of contexts. This is done through thoughtful planning, monitoring and
reinforcement.