Inside Behavior Analysis
Volume 1 | 2009 | Number 1
Taiwan ABA
By Hua Feng
During the past year, Taiwan ABA accomplished quite a lot. First of all, SEEK Education and TABA collaborated with Wu-han Women’s’ and Children’s Hospital held an international conference in Wu-han, China during April 10-12, 2008. Two honors scholars, Dr. William Heward and Dr. Gerald Shook, three board members in TABA, and two behavioral consultants in Seek Education were invited to lecture at the international conference. The topics included ABA principles, intervention strategies, ABA and theory-of-mind, respond cards, functional behavior assessment and positive behavioral support, BACB overview, etc. More than 200 people from around China’s provinces attended the conference and made great impacts on the treatment of children with autism in China. With continued professional support from SEEK Education, Wu-han Women’s and Children’s Hospital has established an intensive treatment program for children with autism soon after the conference. More than 100 children are involved in the ABA program and making great improvements. In addition, three workshops lasting at least two days were held in north, central, and south Taiwan, and attracted more than 200 participants. A six-day advanced workshop for professionals was held in Taipei with 40 participants, and a four-day workshop for parents was held in Taichung and Taipei, and drew about 45 participants.
The Graduate Institute of Rehabilitation Counseling, National Changhua University of Education, continues to offer BCBA course sequences through the on-campus Master's degree program and the number of students enrolled in this program has grown from three to eight. The backgrounds of the students are very diverse from special educators, PT, OT, ST, and clinic psychologists. SEEK Education also continues the satellite program offered by University of Nevada, Reno, and is trying to offer other options for professionals interested in pursuing BCBA accreditation in Taiwan. TABA also tries to encourage other universities which are interested in establishing the certified program in Northern or Southern Taiwan.
Plans for the upcoming year will include different programs and activities. First of all, an international two-day conference and the 3rd annual convention will be held together in Taipei. The major theme of the conference is to promote evidence-based intervention and accountability of the ABA service. In the conference, posters and paper presentations will display evidence-based research from around Taiwan and other countries. The president of the ABAI, Dr. William Heward will be the keynote speaker for the conference. Three other professors from America and a director and BC from SEEK Education will be invited to lecture at the conference. TABA will continue to provide applied behavior analysis training programs of beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels to parents, teachers, and professionals in Taiwan. An educational broadcast station in Chang-hua, enables TABA to share the development and mission of our association. A sequence of interviews in the broadcasts will plan to share the ideals and mission of TABA. At least one issue of the TABA journal will be published and TABA will maintain a Web site where one can find conference announcements, membership directory, parents' sharing, and links to other behavior analysis sites, including ABAI.