Development of Smart Discrimination Training Using Cards and Objects to Improve Discrimination Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience difficulties in discrimination learning, particularly when multiple stimuli are presented during early learning stages. Therefore, this study aimed to develop Smart Discrimination Training (Smart DT) using cards and objects to support discrimination learning in children with ASD. A developmental design, combined with limited implementation and preliminary observations of feasibility, was used to analyze three boys with ASD in Indonesia. Smart DT was developed within the Smart Applied Behavior Analysis (Smart ABA) framework through systematic stages including Smart Discrete Trial Training (Smart DTT), gradual distractor introduction, discrimination stabilization, maintenance embedding, and block-based escalation procedures. The development process included a therapist readability assessment, expert and practitioner validation, and implementation through trial-by-trial recording using Smart Measurement and Evaluation (Smart ME). Aiken’s V coefficient for procedural validity reached 0.94, indicating strong conceptual and practical acceptability. The participants successfully mastered 13 color card discrimination activities within an average of 26.25 days and maintained stable performance during the 6-week maintenance phase. In conclusion, these findings suggest that Smart DT provides a gradual, structured, and measurable discrimination learning procedure that may help establish more stable stimulus control and reduce confusion during discrimination learning in children with ASD.