What ABA therapy focuses on
ABA therapy is a broad behavioural framework used to build a wide range of skills, communication, social interaction, academic readiness and daily-living skills, while reducing behaviours that interfere with learning.
What speech therapy focuses on
Speech therapy focuses specifically on communication: how a child produces sounds and words, how well they understand language, and how they use language to express themselves and interact socially.
Where they overlap
Communication goals often appear in both. An ABA program may include specific communication objectives, and a speech-language pathologist may use reinforcement strategies similar to ABA.
Why many children benefit from both
A child with limited communication may need a speech-language pathologist's specific expertise, alongside an ABA program addressing broader behaviour and skill-building goals. Coordinated teams share progress data so both plans reinforce each other.
Common questions
It depends on their specific assessment results. Some children need only one; many benefit from both working in coordination.
Yes, many centres, including ours, schedule both in the same visit where appropriate, and coordinate goals across both.
Written by The Outcomes ABA clinical team. This article is for general information and isn't a substitute for an individual clinical assessment.