This comparison draws in part from “Cool versus Not Cool Procedure Implemented via Telehealth | Learning | 0.5 Hours” (Autism Partnership Foundation), and extends it with peer-reviewed research from our library of 27,900+ ABA research articles. The decision framework, BACB ethics code references, and cross-links below are synthesized by Behaviorist Book Club.
View the original presentation →When selecting a social skills intervention for telehealth delivery with autistic individuals, BCBAs frequently face a choice between several evidence-based approaches. Two of the most structured and empirically evaluated options are the cool versus not cool procedure and the teaching interaction procedure (TIP). Both have been implemented in ABA contexts and involve explicit instruction in socially appropriate behavior, but they differ in their underlying mechanisms, implementation requirements, and appropriateness for various learner profiles.
The cool versus not cool procedure emphasizes social discrimination — teaching learners to label and identify behaviors as appropriate or inappropriate — while the TIP focuses on sequential skill instruction through a defined series of steps including rationale, skill demonstration, role-play, and feedback. Understanding these distinctions helps BCBAs match the intervention to the learner's current skill repertoire, the complexity of the social target, and the constraints of the telehealth format. The comparison below examines six key factors to support this clinical decision-making process.
| Factor | Evidence-Based Approach | Traditional Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Core Mechanism | Cool vs. Not Cool: Social discrimination training using labeled exemplars and non-exemplars to build judgment | Teaching Interaction Procedure: Sequential skill instruction with rationale, modeling, role-play, and performance feedback |
| Learner Prerequisites | Requires receptive label identification, attending, and basic conversational repertoires | Requires ability to follow multi-step verbal instructions and engage in extended role-play exchanges |
| Telehealth Adaptability | Well-suited to telehealth; visual materials and modeling can be formatted for digital display with manageable adaptation | Adaptable to telehealth but requires more complex role-play management and extended back-and-forth exchange across the video interface |
| Generalization Support | Discrimination training supports flexible responding across varied exemplars; requires explicit generalization programming | Rationale component builds conceptual understanding that may support generalization; still requires planned generalization probes |
| Data Collection | Trial-based probe data on correct discrimination responses; straightforward to code through video observation | Multi-component fidelity data across all TIP steps; more complex to code reliably in real-time telehealth sessions |
| Best Fit | Learners who need to build social discrimination skills across multiple contexts with concrete labeling support | Learners with stronger verbal and conversational repertoires who can benefit from explicit rationale and extended performance feedback |
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ on-demand CEUs including ethics, supervision, and clinical topics like this one. Plus a new live CEU every Wednesday.
Use this framework when approaching cool versus not cool procedure implemented via telehealth | learning | 0.5 hours in your practice:
Does the data support a need for intervention? Is there a meaningful impact on the individual's quality of life, safety, or access to reinforcement?
YES → Proceed to assessment NO → Document reasoning, monitor
A functional assessment should guide intervention selection. Avoid defaulting to standard protocols without individual analysis. Consider environmental variables, setting events, and private events.
YES → Select evidence-based approach matched to function NO → Complete assessment first
Goals should be co-developed. Assent and informed consent are ethical requirements. The individual's preferences and values matter in selecting both goals and methods.
YES → Proceed with collaborative plan NO → Engage in shared decision-making
This course covers the clinical and ethical dimensions in detail with structured learning objectives and CEU credit.
Cool versus Not Cool Procedure Implemented via Telehealth | Learning | 0.5 Hours — Autism Partnership Foundation · 0.5 BACB General CEUs · $0
Take This Course →We extended this decision guide with research from our library — dig into the peer-reviewed studies behind each approach, in plain-English summaries written for BCBAs.
280 research articles with practitioner takeaways
258 research articles with practitioner takeaways
239 research articles with practitioner takeaways
0.5 BACB General CEUs · $0 · Autism Partnership Foundation
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All behavior-analytic intervention is individualized. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute clinical advice. Treatment decisions should be informed by the best available published research, individualized assessment, and obtained with the informed consent of the client or their legal guardian. Behavior analysts are responsible for practicing within the boundaries of their competence and adhering to the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.