What is generalization in ABA?
Generalization is a skill holding up outside the conditions it was taught in - with different people, in different places, with different materials, and over time - which is the real goal of ABA teaching rather than performance in session.
A skill that only appears with one technician, at one table, with one set of materials is not yet a usable skill. Generalization is the difference between a client who can label pictures on a flashcard and one who asks for what they want at home.
Teams plan for it rather than hope for it: teaching with varied materials and instructions, involving multiple people, practicing in the settings where the skill is actually needed, and training caregivers so it is supported outside of session.
Maintenance is the same idea across time - whether the skill is still there weeks or months later. Both are tracked with data, which is why programs keep probing mastered targets instead of dropping them the moment criterion is met.