Application for Florida Institute of Technology
ABA Program Reimbursement
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Last name First name Middle initial
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Home address (no. and street or box no.)
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City State Zip code
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Home phone Business phone E-mail
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District Name/Code or Organization Occupation or Position
Public School District employment information:
Building Name:
Address:
School phone:
Supervisor name:
Supervisor phone:
I am interested in participating in the □ 3-course program □ 5-course program
Please indicate your level of education:
□ Bachelor’s degree in _________________________________
□ Master’s degree in ___________________________________
□ Associate degree in __________________________________
□ Certification (please list specific certification type) ____________________________
□ Other (please specify) _______________________________
Please indicate the number of years of experience in your current position: __________________________
Please indicate the number of years of experience in your current field: _____________________________
Describe any training or curriculum development skills/experience you have.
RETURN THIS FORM TO:
MSU/Project ACCESS
901 South National
Springfield, MO 65897
Or via email to ProjectACCESS@MissouriState.edu
Or fax to 417-895-5576
Reimbursement opportunity for the Florida Institute of Technology’s
online Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) 3 and 5course programs
• The Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) ABA courses meet the instructional requirements for
certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) according to the Behavior Analyst
Certification Board (BACB) and a Board Certified Associate Behavior Analyst (BCABA). FIT offers two
online ABA course sequences: 3-course program for Board Certified Associate Behavior Analyst
(BCABA) and 5-course program for Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).
• These courses are offered as professional development courses, not as part of Florida Tech’s degree
programs. However, universities and other institutions may choose to accept them if a student enrolls in
a degree program, when taken for transferable credit, but are not required to do so. Students will
receive a grade for each course on a university transcript and a certificate of completion, but not a
degree.
• Each course has 7 units and each unit has 5 hours of video.
• Students schedule online meetings with the instructor and 10 other students once per unit. Each co-
instructor has 10-12 students, which provides more individualized mentoring. Students watch a Web
case, complete a brief Active Student Responding exercise and take a practice test before the online
live instructional meeting. After the meeting, students complete up to two practice tests online. This
process is repeated for all seven units of the course.
Additional information about the courses and frequently asked questions can be found on the Florida Institute of
Technology web site at http://uc.fit.edu/pdp/programs/aba/index.html.
Application questions
Who can apply for the program and DESE reimbursement?
Applicant minimum requirements:
• Certified teacher or Speech Language Pathologist currently employed in a Missouri school district
• 5 years of experience working as a certified teacher or Speech Language Pathologist in the public
school system
• Bachelor’s degree in Education or related field
When do I have to submit my application?
Individuals desiring to apply for DESE reimbursement for the 3- or 5-course program must submit the
application form found above to Project ACCESS no later than December 1, 2008. Project ACCESS will
contact individuals who have been selected to go through the program and receive reimbursement.
Where do I submit my application?
Applications must be submitted to:
MSU/Project ACCESS
901 South National
Springfield, MO 65897
Or via email to ProjectACCESS@MissouriState.edu
Or fax to 417-895-5576
Coursework questions
What is the difference between BCBA and BCABA?
The requirements to take the BCABA certification examination are lower than the requirements to take the
BCBA examination. The pay and type of positions may differ depending on the agency and the state. The BACB
strongly recommends that a BCABA work under the supervision of a BCBA and not independently. Some states
adhere to this BACB recommendation while others have different stipulations depending on the type of client
and/or specific practices.
How will I register for the courses?
After you have received approval from Project ACCESS to register for the courses and receive reimbursement,
you will need to go to http://uc.fit.edu/pdp/programs/aba/registration/ and click on the ‘Registration Instructions’
link. Then follow the ‘How to Register’ steps. Individuals do not need to apply to the Florida Institute of
Technology in order to complete the course work.
When does the next series of courses begin?
The next series of courses (3- and 5-course programs) will begin January 15, 2009. For more information about
the course schedule, please visit http://uc.fit.edu/pdp/programs/aba/registration/. You must complete the
courses in the order offered by the Florida Institute of Technology.
Will I have to travel to take the final exam?
No. The final exam is to be done online at any proctored site (does not have to be done at the Florida Institute
of Technology). The site may be proctored by anyone in a “position of trust”, which could include a school
administrator, teacher, librarian, clergy, professor, etc. The individual proctoring the exam does not have to be
someone with ABA knowledge.
What type of technology is required to participate in the online course work?
Individuals must have access to “better than dial-up” internet in order to facilitate viewing of videos and other
interactive portions of the course.
The minimum requirements include:
• High-speed (384k) Internet connection
• Computer with:
o A sound card and speakers to hear audio broadcast;
o One of the supported operating systems listed at www.macromedia.com/go/breeze_sysreqs;
o One of the supported browsers listed at www.macromedia.com/go/breeze_sysreqs;
o Macromedia Flash Player 6.0.65 or later as a browser plug-in
Note: Macromedia Flash Player is standard in most browsers. You can find out what version of
Flash Player you have at the Test Macromedia Web Players page at
www.macromedia.com/software/flash/about
Do these professional development courses count toward the supervised experience
requirement?
No. Supervised experience consists of working with individuals in a human services environment under
supervision of a BCBA. Supervised experience is not at all like taking a course. However, certification applicants
may not start accumulating experience until they have begun the course work required to meet the BACB
course work requirements.
Will I be certified in behavior analysis when I complete all the courses in one of the two
professional development programs?
No. Only the BACB can certify behavior analysts. To view certification requirements and additional information,
visit http://www.bacb.com/cues/frame_about.html and click on the “Becoming Certified” link.
Reimbursement questions
Will the DESE reimburse costs for both the 3-course and 5-course programs?
Yes.
Will I be reimbursed for all costs associated with the course work?
Individuals will be reimbursed for all course expenses, including required textbooks or other required materials.
Please visit http://uc.fit.edu/pdp/programs/aba/registration/ for more information about course fees.
PLEASE NOTE: Individuals participating in this reimbursement opportunity will NOT be reimbursed for
supervision hours by a BCBA. Supervision hours are not a requirement of the coursework, but are necessary if
individuals choose to sit for board certification examination.
How and when will I be reimbursed for coursework?
Individuals will be reimbursed after the coursework is complete and a grade of B or better is earned in all
courses. If any grade received is below a B, no reimbursement will be provided for any coursework.
Coursework is considered either the complete 3-course program or the 5-course program. Individuals
will NOT be reimbursed after completion of each course (BEHP 5000, 50001, etc., i.e., one course at a time).
Reimbursement will occur on the following schedule:
• After coursework is successfully completed and the individual is employed in the Missouri public school
system for the fiscal year following coursework completion, 50% of coursework fees will be reimbursed.
• After the individual is employed in the Missouri public school system for the consecutive fiscal year, the
remaining fees of the coursework will be reimbursed.
In other words, if you successfully complete the 3- or 5-course program (earn a grade of B or better in all
courses) and remain employed in the Missouri public school system for two years after course completion, full
course reimbursement will be provided.
Individuals will need to submit invoices, transcript grades, and proof of employment in a Missouri public school
district to Project ACCESS at the above address no later than 90 days after the end of each school year for the
two years following course completion. If submission is made after 90 days, reimbursement for coursework fees
cannot be guaranteed.
How and when will I be reimbursed for textbooks?
Upon successful (earn a grade of B or better) completion of either the complete 3- or 5-course program,
textbook fees can be invoiced to Project ACCESS and will be reimbursed upon receipt of invoice. Individuals
will need to submit invoices and transcript grades to Project ACCESS at the above address no later than 90
days after completion of the course program. If submission is made after 90 days, reimbursement for textbook
fees cannot be guaranteed.
Can I receive reimbursement for the BCBA/BCABA examination?
Yes, once coursework is completed and a grade of B or better is earned, individuals can choose to sit for the
BCBA/BCABA examination and will be reimbursed for these costs, should they receive a passing score
(generally a $250 reimbursement). To meet certification requirements individuals must have a bachelor’s or
master’s degree, depending on which level of certification the individual wishes to attain (BCABA is bachelor’s
degree level and BCBA is master’s degree level).
Individuals will be reimbursed after the examination is completed and passed. Individuals will then need to
submit invoices and proof of certification to Project ACCESS at the above address no later than 90 days after
completion of the exam. If submission is made after 90 days, reimbursement for examination fees will not be
guaranteed.
Will I be required to pay back any hours?
No, it is not required that individuals provide ABA-related services through the DESE or Project ACCESS to pay
back any hours. The DESE is offering this training reimbursement opportunity to interested educators across
Missouri to allow school districts increased access to individuals with appropriate educational background to
assist the school team in programming and curriculum adaptations for students with ASD.