Paraprofessionals are the adult an autistic student works with most across the school day. Most aide training covers general classroom management. Very little goes deep on behavior support for students with autism. That gap matters because students show the strongest outcomes when behavior support is delivered consistently across every adult who works with them. Special Learning exists to close that gap.
159 courses across 11 topic areas plus downloadable tools, training courses covering ABA principles and behavior support, and practical resources for daily work with students with ASD. One payment. Twelve months of full access.
Get the All Access Annual Library →A student with autism might spend six hours a day with a paraprofessional. That's more direct contact time than they have with their teacher, more than they have with their behavior specialist, and far more than they have with any therapist. The para is the person carrying out the behavior plan, running the instructional programs, and responding to behavioral moments in real time.
When paraprofessionals understand behavioral science, that contact time becomes therapeutic. When they don't, it can accidentally reinforce the exact behaviors the team is trying to reduce. The research on consistency across caregivers and support staff is clear: inconsistent delivery reduces effectiveness regardless of how well-designed the behavior plan is.
ABA training for paraprofessionals isn't about getting a credential. It's about being the most effective version of the role you're already doing.
The All Access Annual Library includes the content most directly applicable to paraprofessional work with autistic students:
The Level 1 ABA Online Training is the right starting point for paraprofessionals new to behavioral science. It builds the framework everything else depends on.
These resources are free. No subscription required.
These are the same tools used in clinical practice. Start here before committing to the library.
Special Learning was founded in 2010 by Karen Chung because evidence-based training resources didn't exist in accessible form. The company now serves 32,000+ customers in 140+ countries. The content is built by practitioners with clinical and school-based experience. It's designed for the people doing the direct work, which includes paraprofessionals, teacher's aides, and every adult who carries out a behavior plan in a school or home setting.
You don't need a behavioral credential to use Special Learning. You need to work with students who have autism and want to do it well. The training is professional development in ABA — no credential required to use it.
Formal ABA training isn't universally required by law. What the research shows is that students with autism achieve better outcomes when behavior support is delivered consistently across every adult who works with them. If a paraprofessional is carrying out a behavior plan but doesn't understand the principles behind it, consistency breaks down. ABA training closes that gap.
Reinforcement delivery, recognizing the function of behavior, discrete trial instruction, visual supports, prompting and fading procedures, and data collection. The Level 1 ABA Online Training in the All Access Annual Library covers these in sequence, starting from foundations.
Yes. The All Access Annual Library is designed for paraprofessionals, teacher's aides, parents, and allied professionals. No credential is required. The Level 1 ABA Online Training starts from behavioral science basics and is the right entry point for anyone new to ABA.
An RBT is a credential requiring pre-credential training, a competency assessment, and ongoing supervision; RBTs work primarily in clinical or in-home ABA settings. A paraprofessional is a school-based education support role. The roles serve different settings and have different formal requirements. Some paraprofessionals pursue RBT credentialing to strengthen their skills. Special Learning's All Access Annual Library serves both groups.
$299 per year for the All Access Annual Library. 159 training courses across 11 topic areas plus downloadable tools covering ABA principles, behavior support, communication, social skills, and daily living. No per-course fees. One payment covers 12 months of full access.
The What Is ABA Guide, autism signs guide, ABA Glossary Complete, visual schedule builder, token board template, and social story generator are all free at special-learning.com/tools/ and special-learning.com/free-resources/. No email required for most tools.
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