Functional communication training

FCT connects a message to a relevant outcome

Suppose a response reliably produces a break from difficult work. FCT may teach an accessible break or help message and arrange for that message to produce the break. If a response produces social interaction, the new message should efficiently contact interaction. A generic reward unrelated to the maintaining outcome may struggle to compete.

The ABAI basic-principles page includes reinforcement and functional relations in higher-education content. The BACB BCBA Test Content Outline, 6th edition covers functional assessment, function-based intervention, differential reinforcement, verbal operants, AAC, and evaluating effects. These are training and examination sources rather than an individual FCT protocol.

The Tiger, Hanley, and Bruzek review describes FCT as teaching communication that obtains the reinforcer maintaining another response. The review discusses assessment, response selection, teaching, extinction, and schedule thinning across the published literature available at that time.

Assessment defines what the message should accomplish

Interview and observation data can identify patterns and possible outcomes. An experimental functional analysis can test a causal relation under arranged conditions. The qualified professional selects methods based on risk, context, scope, competence, and the strength of evidence needed.

Record the target response, relevant antecedents, consequences, opportunities, communication access, health and sensory factors, partner behavior, and the person's report. Pain, inaccessible materials, inadequate instruction, noise, fatigue, or a reasonable refusal may call for medical, interdisciplinary, or environmental action rather than a new communication target.

When assessment evidence changes, the FCT plan should change. A message that produces attention will rarely solve a task that is visually inaccessible. More than one function or context may require more than one response and partner routine.

Select the communication form with the person

A useful response is:

• within the person's current or readily teachable repertoire
• physically and cognitively accessible in the relevant moment
• efficient enough to compete with the target response
• recognizable to ordinary partners across settings
• specific enough for the partner to respond accurately
• acceptable to the person and available without coercion

Response form can include speech, a symbol, sign, gesture, switch, text, typing, or another mode. A person may use several forms. Shillingsburg and colleagues studied communication-modality preference with three participants and illustrates direct preference assessment. That small study does not prescribe a modality for anyone else.

ASHA's AAC practice portal says AAC users should always have access to their tools or devices. Keep a robust AAC system available throughout teaching and everyday life. Never remove a primary communication system to control how often a person can ask.

Teach the message and the partner response together

Create clear opportunities while keeping the situation safe and tolerable. Prompt only as much as needed, allow enough time to respond, and fade prompts from data. Report independent and prompted communication separately.

At first, the message usually needs to produce the outcome quickly and reliably. Partner training is essential. Measure whether each partner notices the response, responds within the promised time, and provides the outcome accurately. A high communication score can coexist with a poor plan when partners rarely honor the message.

Extinction for the target response is common in FCT research and carries risks, including escalation, emotional responding, and feasibility problems. The Tiger review also describes reports of FCT without extinction and the use of reinforcement quality, immediacy, duration, or rate to favor communication. Extinction is a separate clinical decision, not part of the letters FCT.

Thin reinforcement only after communication works

Everyday outcomes cannot always be delivered immediately or continuously. Schedule thinning gradually introduces waits, unavailable periods, or task requirements while trying to preserve communication and low risk.

An earlier review found that 19 of 76 FCT studies described schedule thinning; those 19 studies contained 52 applications (Hagopian, Boelter, and Jarmolowicz). The review discusses delay, multiple, and chained schedules and response restriction. Its published procedures are not blanket clinical recommendations.

An updated schedule-thinning review covers newer approaches, reinforcer dimensions, competing activities, and resurgence. Choose the terminal schedule with the person and relevant partners. Define criteria to advance, pause, or return to an easier step. Continue measuring communication, target responses, partner fidelity, access, burden, and the person's experience.

Schedule signals should be understandable and accessible. A wait signal is useful only when partners honor it and the delay remains safe and reasonable. Keep AAC available even when a requested outcome is temporarily unavailable.

A fictional FCT example

Mika is a fictional nine-year-old who uses speech and AAC and wants a dependable way to pause difficult math. An eligible opportunity begins when a chosen math task reaches a new step. Across six baseline opportunities, Mika pushes materials away in 5 of 6. Adults remove the task within ten seconds after 4 of 5 pushes. Mika's break page is closed or the AAC device is out of reach in 4 of 6 opportunities.

These descriptive data support questions about escape and communication access without proving function. A qualified review also finds that two task directions are unclear. Mika chooses either “help” or “break” through speech or AAC.

The team clarifies the directions, keeps AAC open, teaches both messages, and responds immediately. Across ten later opportunities, Mika communicates independently in 8 of 10, partners respond within ten seconds in 7 of 8, and pushing occurs in 2 of 10. Mika rates 9 of 10 tasks workable.

Instruction, AAC access, teaching, and partner response changed together. The pattern supports the package under those opportunities and cannot isolate FCT as the cause. The missed partner response remains visible because communication success includes what the environment does next.

Protect dissent and essential access

Honor recognizable communication even when it differs from the trained phrase or icon. Speech, eye contact, still hands, or a specific motor response should never become the price of being heard. Record assent, dissent, discomfort, and partner response. Pause nonemergency teaching when assent is withdrawn and reassess fit.

Food, water, bathroom access, mobility, prescribed care, pain care, rest, relationships, and emergency help remain available regardless of performance. Immediate danger and mandated duties follow their own routes.

The current BACB Ethics Code applies to BCBA and BCaBA certificants and people who completed an application. It addresses client involvement, consent and assent when applicable, assessment, medical needs, risk, positive reinforcement, data, and continual evaluation.