ABA and Speech Therapy for Autism: How to Combine Both for Better Communication

TABLE OF CONTENT

Communication is not just “talking.” For many kids, it starts with being able to request, protest, ask for help, and connect with other people without frustration. That is why ABA therapy and speech therapy are so often paired. ABA can create more opportunities and motivation to communicate, while speech therapy builds the skills needed to understand language and use it more clearly and socially.

This guide explains what “integrated care” actually looks like, why it helps, and how parents and clinicians can coordinate goals so progress shows up in real life, not just in sessions.

Key Takeaways

ABA and speech therapy serve different but complementary roles. ABA focuses on how communication is used in daily life, while speech therapy develops the language skills needed to communicate clearly and effectively.
The strongest results come from coordination, not parallel services. When goals, strategies, and reinforcement are aligned across ABA and speech therapy, children are more likely to generalize communication skills beyond therapy sessions.
ABA can increase access to speech therapy. By addressing attention, engagement, and interfering behaviors, ABA often makes speech therapy sessions more productive and easier for children to participate in.

What Is the Difference Between ABA Therapy and Speech Therapy?

ABA therapy and speech therapy are often used together for children with autism, but they serve different roles in supporting communication. Understanding how each works helps families make informed decisions about the right combination of services.

What is ABA Therapy in Practice?

ABA therapy focuses on behavior and learning, including how communication is used in daily life. Rather than teaching speech sounds or sentence structure, ABA targets the function of communication. This means helping a child learn when, why, and how to communicate in ways that reduce frustration and increase independence.

In practice, ABA may teach a child to request items, ask for help, make choices, or respond to others using spoken words, signs, pictures, or communication devices. ABA also addresses behaviors that interfere with communication, such as tantrums or avoidance, by replacing them with more effective communication strategies. A major emphasis of ABA is practicing these skills across real-world settings so they generalize beyond therapy sessions.

What is Speech Therapy in Practice?

Speech therapy focuses on the mechanics and development of communication. Speech-language pathologists work on understanding language, producing sounds clearly, forming words and sentences, and using language socially. Therapy may address articulation, vocabulary, sentence structure, and pragmatic or social communication skills.

For children who are minimally verbal or nonverbal, speech therapy may also introduce and support alternative communication methods, such as AAC systems. The goal is to strengthen a child’s ability to express themselves and understand others as clearly and effectively as possible.

Key Differences Between ABA and Speech Therapy

The key difference between ABA therapy and speech therapy lies in what they prioritize. ABA focuses on how communication functions within behavior and daily routines, helping children use communication consistently to navigate real-world situations. Speech therapy, on the other hand, concentrates on developing the underlying language and speech skills that make communication possible.

While speech therapy works on how words are formed, understood, and used, ABA ensures those communication skills are applied effectively across environments like home, school, and social settings. ABA also addresses behaviors that interfere with communication, while speech therapy targets the clarity, structure, and social use of language itself. Together, they address different layers of the same goal: helping children communicate more effectively and independently.

The Benefits of Collaboration Between ABA and Speech Therapy Providers

Comprehensive Assessment and Aligned Goals

When BCBAs and speech-language pathologists collaborate, assessments become more complete and accurate. Each provider brings a different clinical lens, allowing strengths, challenges, and priorities to be identified more clearly. This shared understanding leads to aligned goals, so everyone is working toward the same outcomes rather than parallel or conflicting objectives.

A More Holistic Developmental Approach

ABA and speech therapy address different but interconnected areas of development. ABA focuses on learning, behavior, and functional skills, while speech therapy targets language and communication. Together, they support the whole child, addressing both how a child communicates and how they engage with their environment.

Consistency Across Settings

When providers collaborate, strategies and expectations stay consistent across therapy sessions, home, and school. Skills introduced in one setting are reinforced in others, making it easier for children to generalize what they learn beyond the therapy room and apply it in real-life situations.

Stronger Communication Outcomes

ABA techniques can break communication into small, teachable steps, such as requesting or responding. Speech therapists can then build on these foundations by expanding vocabulary, sentence structure, and conversational skills. This layered approach supports steady and meaningful communication growth.

Improved Social Interaction Skills

ABA often targets specific social behaviors like turn-taking, joint attention, or responding to peers. Speech therapy helps children use language within those social interactions. Working together, providers help children not only understand social expectations but also communicate effectively within them.

Greater Parent Understanding and Carryover

When ABA and speech providers work as a team, parents receive clearer, more consistent guidance. Understanding how both therapies support the same goals makes it easier for families to reinforce strategies at home, increasing carryover and long-term progress.

How to Combine ABA and Speech Therapy Effectively

ABA and speech therapy are most effective when they are coordinated rather than treated as separate services. While ABA focuses on functional communication and behavior, speech therapy builds language structure and clarity. When goals are aligned, children receive more consistent instruction and are more likely to use communication skills in everyday situations.

ABA can also support speech therapy by building foundational skills such as attention, engagement, and tolerance for structured activities. This makes communication-focused sessions more productive. In turn, speech skills introduced by a speech-language pathologist can be reinforced during ABA sessions through repeated practice in natural settings like play, routines, and social interactions.

Ongoing collaboration between providers, along with parent involvement at home, helps ensure skills carry over across environments. When ABA, speech therapy, and family strategies work together, children are better supported in developing meaningful, functional communication.

Support Your Child’s Communication With the Right ABA Approach

When ABA and speech therapy are aligned, children receive clearer guidance, stronger reinforcement, and more consistent progress. The right ABA therapy program does not treat communication as a side goal. It builds it into everyday learning, behavior support, and real-world routines.

If you are considering ABA therapy that supports speech, language, and functional communication, starting with the right provider matters.

Get started with ABA therapy designed to support communication and behavior together, and help your child make meaningful, lasting progress.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does ABA therapy help with speech development?

Yes. ABA therapy supports speech development by teaching the functional use of communication, such as requesting, responding, and initiating interaction. While ABA does not focus on articulation or sound production, it creates frequent, structured opportunities for children to use speech, signs, or AAC in meaningful ways.

What is the difference between ABA therapy and speech therapy for autism?

ABA therapy focuses on how and when communication is used by addressing behavior, learning patterns, and functional language. Speech therapy focuses on how language is formed, including sounds, words, sentences, and social communication. Many children benefit most when both therapies are used together.

Should a child with autism receive ABA therapy and speech therapy at the same time?

Often, yes. Combining ABA therapy and speech therapy allows communication skills introduced in speech sessions to be practiced and reinforced throughout daily routines. This coordinated approach improves consistency, generalization, and long-term communication outcomes for many children with autism.

Sources:

Autism Speaks. "Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)." https://www.autismspeaks.org/applied-behavior-analysis
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. "Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)." https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/aac/
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. "Collaboration and Teaming." https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/resources/collaboration-and-teaming
National Center for Biotechnology Information. "Multidisciplinary Teaming: Enhancing Collaboration through Increased Understanding." https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6743510/‍
National Center for Biotechnology Information. "The Top 10 Reasons Children With Autism Deserve ABA" https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3196209/