Supporting meaningful outcomes through developmentally grounded programming
Understanding Development to Drive Better Outcomes
When working with children with autism, understanding typical child development is crucial for creating meaningful and achievable goals that support long-term success. Our recent webinar with Dr. Erin Moran, Director of Training & Curriculum, explored how developmental insights can transform your approach to ABA programming and help you celebrate authentic progress with families.
Why Developmental Curricula Matter in ABA Therapy
Effective ABA programming requires a deep understanding of how children naturally develop, and Dr. Moran emphasized that using CDC developmental milestones as a reference point helps behavioral health professionals:
- Set realistic, developmentally appropriate expectations
- Select goals that align with natural learning progressions
- Communicate more effectively with caregivers about what to expect
- Build programs that support both skill acquisition and social-emotional growth
The Reality of Typical Child Development
A global study of parents revealed important insights into typical childhood behaviors that can inform our work. Behaviors such as tantrums and aggression are common and developmentally appropriate in early childhood, reminding us that goals like “zero tantrums” may not be realistic or beneficial for young learners.
This research highlights the importance of grounding our expectations in developmental realities, enabling us to create more meaningful and achievable programming that truly serves children and families.
Introducing the High-Fives Curriculum: A New Resource for Autism Service Providers
Hi Rasmus has developed the High-Fives Curriculum, a comprehensive developmental resource designed to bridge the gap between evidence-based practice and natural child development. This new curriculum includes:
- 627 evidence-based programs across essential skill areas
- Over 2,300 learning targets for comprehensive programming
- 8 domains and 30 subdomains covering critical developmental areas
- CDC milestone integration with video links for reference
- Skinner’s verbal behavior framework blended with developmental benchmarks
Built for Real-World Clinical Practice
The curriculum supports the naturalistic teaching approaches that help children generalize skills while building autonomy and social-emotional competence. Each program includes:
- Clear goal descriptions and learning contexts
- Customizable prompt templates
- Evidence-based strategy suggestions
- Materials recommendations
- AI-assisted target generation for efficient programming
Seamless Integration with Hi Rasmus Platform
The High-Fives Curriculum is fully integrated into the Hi Rasmus platform and is now available to all premium users through the program catalog. New features include:
- Treatment area customization for organization-specific needs
- Program template flexibility to match your clinical approach
- CDC milestone tagging for developmental reference
- AI-assisted target generation to streamline programming
This integration means you can access developmentally grounded programming without disrupting your existing workflows or data collection systems.
Supporting Evidence-Based Practice Through Research
Hi Rasmus is launching an effectiveness study with a university partner to track outcomes across common autism assessments. This research will provide valuable insights into how developmentally informed ABA programming impacts real-world outcomes for children with autism.
The platform will continue evolving based on this research, with deeper integration planned for staff training tools and competency tracking systems.
Moving Forward: Focus on What Matters Most
The High-Fives Curriculum represents our commitment to supporting the behavioral health professionals who make a difference in children’s lives every day. By grounding our programming in developmental realities while maintaining the rigor of evidence-based ABA practice, we can help you deliver more meaningful, effective interventions.
Whether you’re a solo practitioner or part of a large organization, the High-Fives Curriculum gives you the tools to create programming that genuinely serves the child in front of you, supporting not just skill acquisition but genuine developmental progress that families can celebrate.
