Discrete-trial training (DTT) is a recommended Applied Behavior Analysis practice. It is
a “method for individualizing and simplifying instruction to enhance children’s learning” (Smith,
2001). With children with autism, teachers and therapist have used DTT to successfully teach
new forms of behavior, discriminations, advanced skills, and managing disruptive behaviors.
Despite this utility, DTT has several disadvantages. Extra efforts are typically needed to enable
the student’s generalization across teachers, settings, and stimuli, implementation can require a
significant amount of hours per week, and teachers may need intensive training to delivery it
properly.