One of the benefits of research into incidental teaching techniques has been the attention that is now paid to motivation when designing programs for children with autism. Labeling colors may be learned by teaching a child to touch different color cards, but this skill can also be approached by teaching a child to pick up different colored trains (if he demonstrates interest in trains). Another extension of this can be teaching a child first to request different colored trains, and later to expressively label them. The format used can be tailored to the specific interests and learning style of a particular child.

Some skills can take a very long time to teach. The length of time necessary to teach a skill can lead to the format of a program becoming less and less motivating. And, it's not always feasible to continually change the format of the program. However, one of the benefits of research into discrete trial teaching has been the attention that is paid to continually assessing and delivering a variety of reinforcers in treatment. This additional reinforcement can be included within the format of the program to keep a child from getting bored.

Whenever I hear an instructor say, "This child is bored of the program," my first inclination is to look at the reinforcement that is being used. Often, it seems more appropriate to say that the child isn't bored of the program; he's bored of the reinforcement that's being given in the program. Mindi Fisher, the first consultant from the Lovaas Institute who ever trained me, made a comment that remains my mantra when it comes to delivering effective, varied reinforcement.

"If you don't break a sweat, you're not doing Lovaas."