Using Goal Only vs. Goals and Objectives.

Owned by Carolyn Garlick
Last updated: Jul 03, 2024 by Brittney Kalicki
3 min read

This resource will review and discuss the difference between a Goal Only Program versus a Goals and Objectives Program. When customizing a program for your client, there is an area that asks How progress should be tracked, it defaults to Goals and Objectives, but requires your decision. Please review the information regarding both options before making that decision.

GOAL ONLY Programs

 

If selecting this option, targets are added to a single terminal Goal

  • The Goal field should be used to indicate the terminal goal for the program being customized

  • This option removes objectives associated with the goal

  • All teaching targets are added as usual

  • Typically allows for more flexibility when teaching a goal

All other customization options for the program are still available for Goal Only programs (i.e., mastery criteria, adding prompts, triggering maintenance, etc.)

 

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Programs

 

If selecting this option, Objectives are added to the terminal Goal and Targets are added to each Objective

  • The Goal field should be used to indicate the terminal goal for the program being customized

    • When adding objectives, the last Objective may/can be the same as the Goal

  • You can add Objectives (adding to the ones that may already populate if they were added to the program in the Program Library)

  • You can remove objectives to have less than 3

  • You can edit each objective as needed as they are open text boxes

  • After customizing each objective targets still need to be added for data collection (see below)

IMPORTANT notes about objective based programs:

  • Task Analysis data collection cannot be used with a Goals and Objectives program (will automatically change to Goal Only)

  • Targets must be assigned to an objective

  • All targets in one objective need to be mastered before any target in the subsequent objective can be targeted

  • Two objectives CANNOT be taught simultaneously.

    • If staff master an objective and move on to another, you cannot go back and add more targets to the previous objective.

    • If staff forget to take targets off of hold in an objective and moved on, you cannot go back and take those targets off of hold. If staff wish to teach those targets, they should be added to a existing or new objective.

  • All Objectives and Targets associated with the objectives must be mastered in order to master the goal.

    • If a staff needs to unmaster the program, they will be able to edit the last objective and the goal field to begin teaching again.

    • Staff cannot unmaster objectives once data is collected on a subsequent objective.

      • If data has already began on the next objective the request cannot be made as only one objective can be open at a time.

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