Effectiveness of Smart ABA in Teaching Reading Skills to Children with Autism

Abstract

Autism is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder that appears before the age of three, marked by persistent deficits in communication, social interaction, and learning abilities. Reading is one of the most challenging yet essential skills for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), supporting their academic and daily functioning. This study examined the effectiveness of Smart Applied Behavior Analysis (Smart ABA) in teaching foundational reading skills to children with ASD. Five nonverbal children under five years old participated in a structured intervention integrating Smart Discrete Trial Training and Smart Discrimination Training across five tasks focused on uppercase vowel recognition (A, O, U, E, I). The mastery criterion was set at ≥80% accuracy for three consecutive sessions. Results showed that all participants achieved reading mastery within an average of 46 sessions (approximately two weeks) and demonstrated 100% retention during generalization. Smart ABA effectively accelerated reading acquisition, enhanced attention and compliance, and provided measurable evidence of learning stability. Beyond empirical outcomes, Smart ABA contributes methodologically through explicit time-based tracking of mastery and aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 by promoting inclusive and quality education for all children.