Presenter: Andrew Houvouras, MA, BCBA

Program Description

For too long, educators have been provided with strategies to support behavior that are not effective. This training will focus on interventions that are effective evidence-based practices that reduce the need for restraint, suspensions and other aversive procedures (for both students and professionals!) Practical strategies will be shared, with opportunities to work together using a tool designed to support positive functional replacement skill development that can make classrooms better for educators and students alike.

About the Presenter:

The Director of Experiential Training at the Florida Institute of Technology's renowned School of Behavior Analysis, Andrew has almost 40 years of experience working with individuals in the autism spectrum and 28 years as a behavior analyst. The co-author of Quick Responses for Reducing Misbehavior and Suspensions and author of The Lives of the Silent, Andrew is a practitioner, researcher, and storyteller who believes in the importance of a science of behavior, collaboration, and humanism. The proud father of sons, Preston and Kooper, he is a surfer, paddler, coach, cyclist, and enjoys walking the beaches of Cocoa Beach with his French Bulldog, Poppy. A past president of the Florida Association for Behavior Analysis, his areas of expertise include applications of applied behavior analysis to unusual and severe behavior, autism spectrum disorders, and the assessment of challenging behavior. "I am so lucky for this life that chose me. I continue to be able to learn about the human condition and work with people committed to serving others. I cannot imagine a better life."

Learner Outcomes:

Participants will identify at least three commonly used interventions for individuals with ASD that lack empirical support and explain why they do not meet the standards of evidence-based practice
Participants will design and implement data collection systems in Microsoft Excel to monitor behavior and evaluate intervention efficacy.
Participants will apply Quick Room (Gavoni et al., 2025) protocols as part of a systemic, proactive response strategy to reduce problem behavior and teach functionally equivalent replacement skills.

Correcting the Course: Lessons Learned, Actions Now, and Systems for Future