Choice Boards for Participation

When learners have a say in how they participate, everything shifts — engagement goes up, resistance goes down, and learning actually happens. This customizable choice board makes that possible without adding complexity to your day.

Designed by three BCBAs, this printable visual tool gives learners an active role in choosing their participation accommodations across six categories: where they work, who they work with, what materials they use, how the activity is structured, what the time/expectation looks like, and what regulation support they need.

You don't use every option — you choose 3–6 icons that fit the learner and the setting, print and laminate them, and let the learner lead. Icons can rotate between activities to keep things fresh. A parent consultation section helps families co-create the board so accommodations stay consistent at home too.

This is self-advocacy made simple, practical, and grounded in ABA principles — a small environmental change that can create big participation shifts.