Evidence review in progress · May be OAP-covered
Direct answer
Lovaas (1987) · Smith, Groen & Wynn (2000) · National Autism Center (2015) · Verified 2026-08-20
Quick summary
In brief
DTT, Quick Summary
- This page is general information, not an individualized treatment recommendation.
- Evidence labels summarize the page sources and should not replace clinical judgment.
- Confirm provider credentials, coverage, goals, monitoring, alternatives, and fees before starting.
General information only, not a diagnosis, treatment plan, crisis service, or individual estimate. Confirm your next step with the linked source or a qualified professional.
At a glance
- Evidence level
- Evidence review in progress
- OAP funding
- Eligible under OAP core clinical services
- Typical cost
- Provider fees vary by setting; request a current written quote
- Typical frequency
- Individual plan varies; confirm the schedule with a qualified clinician
- Target age range
- Age suitability varies; confirm fit with a qualified clinician
OAP Coverage Note
OAP eligibility depends on current program rules, the funded service category, and the provider's credentials. Confirm coverage with AccessOAP or your service coordinator before committing to care.
Who provides this therapy
- Provider credential check
- Ask any prospective provider which of these credentials they hold, and confirm the credential with the relevant regulatory college before starting.
- Credentials listed for this therapy
- BCBA
- RBT
- IBI Therapist
How Discrete Trial Training Works
Each discrete trial follows a precise five-part sequence. The therapist presents a clear instruction or cue. A prompt helps the child respond correctly if needed. The child produces a response. The therapist delivers a consequence — reinforcement for correct responses or correction for errors. A brief inter-trial interval separates consecutive trials.
DTT is highly effective for teaching foundational skills. These include matching, imitation, receptive and expressive language, and pre-academic concepts. Skills are taught in massed trials to build fluency. Once mastered in structured settings, skills are generalized to natural environments through planned transfer procedures.
Data collection during every trial drives clinical decisions. Therapists graph response accuracy, prompt levels, and rate of acquisition. This precision allows rapid identification of effective teaching strategies and early detection of skill plateaus requiring program modification.
Research Evidence
Lovaas (1987) published the landmark study demonstrating that 47% of young autistic children receiving 40 hours per week of DTT-based intervention achieved typical intellectual and educational functioning. Smith, Groen, and Wynn (2000) replicated these findings in a controlled trial published in the American Journal on Mental Retardation.
The National Autism Center National Standards Project (2009, updated 2015) classified DTT as an "established" evidence-based practice. The National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice (NCAEP, 2020) similarly identifies DTT as meeting criteria for evidence-based status across multiple skill domains.
DTT in Ontario Service System
In Ontario, DTT is the primary teaching methodology within Intensive Behavioural Intervention programs. IBI has been funded through Ontario autism services since 2000. Under the current OAP framework, families access DTT-based services through their childhood budget allocation.
Ontario regulates behaviour analysts through the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario (CPBAO). Behaviour analysts and registered behaviour technicians deliver therapy. Families can verify provider credentials in the CPBAO public register.
Evidence and sources
Lovaas (1987)
Behavioral treatment and normal educational and intellectual functioning in young autistic children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55(1), 3-9.
Smith, Groen & Wynn (2000)
Randomized trial of intensive early intervention for children with pervasive developmental disorder. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 105(4), 269-285.
National Autism Center (2015)
Findings and conclusions: National Standards Project, Phase 2. Randolph, MA: National Autism Center.
Before you commit
- Questions worth asking any provider
- What certification or regulatory college licenses you to deliver this therapy, and can I verify it?
- How will you measure progress, and how often will you share results with our family?
- What does a typical session look like, and can we observe one before committing?
- How does this approach get adjusted if it is not working after a few months?
- What happens to our data, our schedule, and our funding if you leave or the practice closes?
- Signs to slow down
- The provider cannot name a regulatory college or certifying body, or asks you not to check it.
- You are asked to sign a long-term contract before seeing a session or meeting the therapist.
- Progress is described only in general terms, with no way to see or measure it over time.
- The provider discourages you from getting a second opinion or asking about other approaches.
- Fees, cancellation terms, or what OAP funding covers are unclear or change after you sign up.
Frequently asked questions
DTT is one teaching method within ABA. ABA is the broader science of behaviour that encompasses many strategies including DTT, natural environment teaching, and pivotal response training. DTT is the most structured of these approaches, using massed practice in controlled settings.
DTT delivered as part of a behaviour service may be eligible when the service, provider, and goals meet current OAP rules. Confirm coverage with AccessOAP and verify the clinicians current Ontario registration.
DTT can be effective for children building foundational skills. Some children may respond better to naturalistic approaches like PRT or ESDM. A comprehensive assessment by a qualified behaviour analyst determines which ABA methodology best matches a childs learning profile and goals.
Where the waitlist stands
Families navigating autism services in Ontario face a documented multi-year wait. Here is the Ontario data — and a two-minute way to push back, when you are ready.
- Official provider list — snapshot of registered OAP providers. Ontario Autism Program (oapproviderlist.ca)
- Ontario Autism Program guidelines for Core Clinical Services and supports. Government of Ontario (2026)
Verified references and sources
Official Organizations
- [2025]Autism Spectrum Disorders Fact Sheet (updated September 17, 2025)World Health Organization (WHO) • Official • 2025-09-17
Peer-Reviewed Research
- [2010]Randomized, Controlled Trial of an Intervention for Toddlers With Autism: The Early Start Denver ModelDawson G, Rogers S, Munson J, et al. (Pediatrics) • Academic • 2010-01-01
- [2018]Early intensive behavioural intervention (EIBI) for young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD)Reichow B, Hume K, Barton EE, Boyd BA (Cochrane Systematic Review) • Academic • 2018-05-09
About this page
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