Practitioner-Implemented Functional Communication Training: A Review of the Literature

Although functional communication training (FCT) is an effective intervention for increasing appropriate forms of communicative behaviors and decreasing inappropriate forms of communication (i.e., challenging behavior) in students with disabilities, its effectiveness might depend to some extent on the expertise of the interventionist. The purpose of this review was to analyze the literature on practitioner-implemented FCT to (a) determine whether there is sufficient evidence to support practitioners' ability to effectively implement FCT with fidelity and (b) assess the quality of the studies included for review. Twelve studies were identified and summarized, and the outcomes of these studies suggest that practitioners could effectively implement FCT. This generally positive finding is discussed in terms of the need to ensure fidelity of implementation and the need for additional research into the generalization and maintenance of outcomes from practitioner-implemented FCT interventions.