What does a fade plan help to achieve in a behavioral intervention?

A fade plan is designed to gradually reduce support while maintaining learning effectiveness and promoting independence in the individual receiving the intervention. The primary goal of a fade plan is to help learners rely less on prompts or assistance over time, as they become more proficient in the skill being taught. This approach supports the development of autonomy and ensures that individuals can perform tasks independently even after the intervention concludes.

By gradually decreasing the level of assistance, a fade plan allows the individual to demonstrate their understanding and skills in various contexts, reinforcing their ability to generalize the learned behavior. It creates an environment where support is systematically withdrawn, ensuring that the learner does not become overly dependent on prompts, but also does not lose the skills they have developed.

In contrast, increasing the duration of interventions may not directly contribute to promoting independence or reducing support. Ensuring that prompts remain constant does not align with the goal of fostering independence, as it could hinder the learner’s ability to perform tasks without assistance. Lastly, eliminating all forms of assessment would not be consistent with the fading process, as ongoing assessment is crucial for determining when and how to adjust support levels effectively.