William L. Heward, Ed.D., BCBA-D,
William L. Heward is Professor Emeritus in the College of Education and Human Ecology at The Ohio State University.
He has taught at universities in Brazil, Japan, Portugal, and Singapore and lectured or given workshops in 24 other countries. A Past President and Fellow of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, Bill’s publications include co-authoring the books, Applied Behavior Analysis (3rd ed., 2020), Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education (12th ed., 2022), and Let’s Make a Contract: A Positive Way to Change Your Child’s Behavior (2022).
Awards recognizing Dr. Heward’s contributions to education and behavior analysis include the Fred S. Keller Behavioral Education Award from the American Psychological Association’s Division 25, the Ellen P. Reese Award for Communication of Behavioral Concepts from the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies, and the Distinguished Psychology Department Alumnus Award from Western Michigan University.
Presentation at the ABA International Conference 2024
Presentation:
Making a Difference as a Behavior Analyst
Abstract:
Baer, Wolf, and Risley’s (1968, 1987) seven dimensions of applied behavior analysis (ABA) have served the science and its practice well. ABA embodies five additional characteristics that should raise the spirits of those who study, teach, practice, and/or research this science and encourage decision makers and consumers in many domains to view ABA as a trustworthy technology for achieving socially significant behavior change.
I will identify those characteristics and suggest several actions behavior analysts, regardless of role or career stage, can take to narrow the gap between ABA’s tremendous potential to help make the world a more humane place and the science’s much-too-limited impact to date.