Fading Virtual Strategy

Fading, an applied behavior analysis strategy (ABA), is most often paired with prompts, another ABA strategy. Fading refers to decreasing the level of assistance needed to complete a task or activity. When teaching a skill, the overall goal is for the student to eventually engage in the skill independently. For example, when a skill is taught using a hand-over- hand prompt, the prompt should be withdrawn as soon as possible so the student can perform the task without prompts. As an individual gains mastery of a skill at a particular prompt level, the prompt is faded to a less intrusive prompt (i.e., from hand-over- hand to touching a hand). This ensures that the individual does not become overly dependent on a particular prompt when learning a new behavior or skill.