Key Points:
- Functional Communication Training empowers children with autism to replace challenging behaviour by learning to use communication effectively.
- This guide explains how to identify the function of behaviour and teach alternative responses with real-world techniques for parents.
- You will learn actionable strategies to support your child’s communication success, with a focus on needs, wants and daily interaction.
Children on the autism spectrum often struggle to communicate what they need, want or feel. When communication fails, frustration may show up as behaviours like shouting, tantrums or withdrawal. This article explores how Functional Communication Training (FCT) can bridge that gap, teaching children to express themselves rather than act out.
You’ll learn clear, practical methods for identifying behavioural roots, choosing communication modes, and creating daily opportunities for success, all in understandable terms. Whether you are a parent, caregiver or teacher, this guide offers actionable advice to help a child communicate their needs and reduce frustration.
What is Functional Communication Training?
Here we define FCT, explain why it matters, and what research tells us about its effectiveness.
Understanding the Concept
Functional Communication Training is a behaviour-based strategy that teaches a child to use a meaningful communicative response in place of a challenging behaviour that serves the same purpose. For example, a child who throws a toy when they want attention might instead be taught to tap a picture card or use a gesture to say “play with me”.
Why It Matters for Children with Autism
Many children with autism behave in challenging ways not because they want to misbehave, but because they lack an easier way to convey a need. FCT addresses this by offering an accessible alternative: a communication tool suited to the child’s current ability. Because it works on the root need rather than simply removing the behaviour, FCT tends to be more effective and sustainable.
Research reviews describe FCT as an evidence-based practice for individuals with autism and other disabilities, showing consistent reductions in challenging behaviour. That said, some research points to gaps around long-term generalisation and self-injurious behaviour support.
How to Identify the Function of Behaviour
Next we detail how to figure out what a child’s behaviour is communicating, and why this step is critical before teaching the new communication.
Why Assessing Behaviour Function Matters
Any behaviour, positive or negative, is often serving a purpose. With FCT, we begin by identifying why the behaviour occurs: Is the child seeking attention? Escaping a task? Trying to access a tangible item or simply seeking sensory input? Without understanding this, teaching a new response may miss the mark.
Practical Steps to Conduct a Behaviour Function Assessment
- Observe and record: Note when the challenging behaviour occurs, what is happening just before and immediately after it.
- Ask key questions: What does the child get when they do the behaviour? What do they avoid?
- Gather data: Even simple tallying of behaviour and context helps.
- Make hypotheses: For example, “When the task becomes hard, the child elopes, so the function may escape.”
- Confirm patterns: Do you observe consistent links between context, behaviour and outcome?
This process may be facilitated by professionals, but caregivers can also gather meaningful information. Once the function is clearer, you can select a replacement communication behaviour that serves the same function.
Selecting and Teaching a Functional Communication Response
Having identified the purpose of the behaviour, the next step is to choose how the child will communicate instead, and then teach it.
Choosing the Right Communication Mode
Different children will benefit from different modes based on their current skills and preferences. For example:
- Simple vocal words if the child has some speech.
- Gestures or manual signs.
- Picture cards or choice boards.
- Speech-generating devices for non-verbal children.
The key is that the chosen mode must allow the child to get what they previously achieved via the challenging behaviour.
Teaching the Replacement Communication
- Begin with high motivation: Use something the child really wants or wants to escape. The greater the motivation, the more likely the new behaviour will be used.
- Prompt and model the new communication: Show the child what to do, then prompt their response immediately when the situation arises.
- Reinforce the new response immediately: As soon as they use the new way of communication, provide the item, attention or break.
- Ignore or fail to reinforce the old challenging behaviour: Do not provide the reinforcement that maintained it. This is known as extinction of the problem behaviour.
- Practice across settings: Use the new communication in everyday routines: snack time, transitions, play, etc.
- Gradually fade prompts: As the child becomes independent in using the communication, reduce external support and cues.
Example Scenario
A child who cries and throws objects when they want a snack is observed to do this because the parent then gives the snack (function: access). With FCT, you might teach a picture card of a cookie. You prompt the child to hand you the card, you give the snack. Over time the picture card replaces the cry/throw. Then you gradually prompt less.
Fading Support and Generalising Skills
Once the child uses the communication consistently, the next goal is to integrate it in daily life and reduce the structure, so the skill becomes natural.
Why Fading and Generalisation Are Important
If the child uses the new communicative behaviour only in one setting with one person, the benefit is limited. We want the skill to transfer across people, places, times. Research indicates that while FCT shows strong efficacy (in controlled settings), its real-world generalisation and maintenance need deliberate planning.
Strategies for Fading and Generalisation
- Vary the settings: Practice the communication in the classroom, playground, home, car.
- Involve multiple adults: Parents, teachers, aides should all prompt and reinforce the new communication.
- Gradually reduce prompts: Move from full prompt (“use the sign”) → partial prompt (“remember to ask”) → no prompt.
- Extend to less-preferred items/activities: Don’t limit to only favourite toys or food. Expand so communication becomes broad.
- Monitor for maintenance: Periodically check if the child is still using the replacement response and not reverting to old behaviours.
- Prepare for challenges: When the reinforcement schedule thins or the environment changes, challenging behaviour may resurface unless the new communication is robust.
Involving Parents and Everyday Routines
Parent/carer involvement is key to successful FCT because much of communication happens throughout the day.
How Caregivers Can Support
- Carry visual supports or cards so the child can communicate in any part of the home or community.
- Be consistent with reinforcement: Whenever the child uses the replacement communication, respond immediately.
- Embed short sessions into daily routines: For example snack, bathroom request, starting an activity. Even 5-10 minutes per session can make a difference.
- Teach the new skill in naturalistic situations: The lunch line, transition from play to homework, choosing an activity.
- Celebrate successes: Acknowledge and praise the new communication behaviour so the child feels successful.
- Collaborate with schools and therapists: Share the function hypothesis, mode of communication and how you are using it at home so consistency is maintained across environments.
Research shows parent-implemented FCT via telehealth produced large behaviour reductions when coached.
Addressing Common Challenges
Even with a solid plan, challenges arise. Here is how to handle some common issues.
Behaviour Does Not Decrease
If the challenging behaviour persists:
- Revisit the function assessment: The function may have been mis-identified.
- Ensure the replacement communication truly results in the same outcome: If the new communication does not reliably get the reinforcer the old behaviour did, the child may revert.
- Check consistency: All adults should respond similarly. Mixed messages weaken the intervention.
- Increase prompt support temporarily: The child might need more modelling until the skill is mastered.
Child Does Not Use the Replacement Communication
- Ensure motivation is high: Use reinforcers the child loves.
- Model and prompt more frequently.
- Choose a simpler communication mode if the current one is too complex.
- Reinforce any approximation (attempts) of the new response—this encourages progress.
Generalising to New Situations Feels Hard
- Incrementally introduce new settings rather than all at once.
- Use the same communication mode in each setting but gradually change people and environment.
- Use visual cues or reminders in new places (picture card attached to door, etc.).
- Communicate with all stakeholders so the approach is consistent across places.
Measuring Progress and Knowing When to Move On
Tracking outcomes is essential so you can see whether the training is working and when it’s time to advance.
Useful Metrics to Track
- Frequency of challenging behaviour before and during intervention.
- Frequency of replacement communication responses.
- Settings and people in which the replacement communication is used.
- Situations where the child still struggles to use the response.
- Social validity: Does the child seem less frustrated? Are interactions smoother?
When to Move On
When you observe the child using the replacement communication reliably in multiple settings, and challenging behaviour has decreased for a sustained period, you can plan to:
- Introduce more complex communicative demands (e.g., combining requests with comments).
- Thin the reinforcement schedule: Instead of every time, reinforce regularly but not every single use, so the child learns to use communication even when immediate reward is not guaranteed.
- Extend to social-communication: Begin teaching skills like initiating interaction, requesting help, commenting, not just requests for wants.
Remember, progress is incremental and maintaining the new skill across environments is just as important as reaching it.
Empowering Communication Through Functional Training
Functional Communication Training (FCT) is one of the most powerful ABA tools for children with autism, it helps replace challenging behaviors with meaningful, effective communication. Whether it’s using gestures, words, or assistive devices, FCT focuses on giving each child the tools to express their needs clearly and confidently.
At Spirit ABA, we specialize in integrating FCT into personalized therapy programs that meet each child’s developmental level. Families in Iowa, Nebraska, and Colorado rely on our experienced team to build communication skills that lead to independence and joy. From teaching simple requests to supporting complex language goals, we help turn frustration into progress, one step at a time. If you’re ready to strengthen your child’s communication and connection, contact Spirit ABA today to explore how Functional Communication Training can transform your family’s daily life.
