Principles and Applications of Special Education...

Class 10: Assessment of Behavior March 30, 2015

Principles and Applications of Special Education Assessment

Schedule

�  4:30-5:00 – WJ-III Debrief & Case Studies �  5:00-6:00 – Assessment of Behavior - Overview �  6:00-6:15 – Break �  6:15-7:00 – Functional Behavioral Assessment

Objectives

�  Describe the purpose of a functional behavioral assessment

�  Compare and contrast event, latency, interval, and duration recording

�  Name three types of interval recordings and when they are used

� Purpose: Increase Academic Engaged Time �  The time when the student is actively involved in the

learning process.

� Behavioral challenges are to be addressed within the three-tier structure �  Teachers are required to document interventions and

their effects prior to special education referral.

Behavioral Assessment & Interventions

�  Behavioral intervention strategies are based on a clear understanding of why a behavior occurs.

�  Behavioristic principle is founded in the theory that behaviors are maintained or increased by the reinforcing events that follow the event or behavior.

�  Events that happen prior to the target behavior increase the likelihood that the behavior will be exhibited.

Behavioristic Principles

�  Implement interventions with consistency and integrity

�  Utilize Positive Behavioral Supports (PBS)* � Adults consistently implement school rules,

consequences and rewards � Teachers believe in and support the school’s

goals for improving behavior � 3:1 Ratio of Positives to Negatives

Tier-One Interventions

*See the LEAST RESTRICTIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS LRBI GUIDELINES: Positive Behavioral Supports and Selection of Least Restrictive Behavioral Interventions, October 2014 http://www.schools.utah.gov/board/Meetings/Summary/materials/DRAFTLRBIGuidelines102114.aspx

�  Include small-group interventions �  Specific intensive efforts for students who are at-

risk �  Data may be collected through Functional Behavioral

Assessment procedures �  Examples include:

�  Small-group instruction (e.g., social skills) �  Mentoring �  Behavior Contracts

*See the LEAST RESTRICTIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS LRBI GUIDELINES: Positive Behavioral Supports and Selection of Least Restrictive Behavioral Interventions, October 2014

http://www.schools.utah.gov/board/Meetings/Summary/materials/DRAFTLRBIGuidelines102114.aspx

Tier-Two Interventions*

�  Provided procedural safeguards for students with behaviors that interfere with educational success

�  Students were repeatedly suspended or expelled from school—FAPE issues

�  Discipline often resulted in more harm to the student or caused behaviors to escalate

IDEA: History

�  Manifestation Determination �  A hearing to determine if a student’s behavior is the result of the

student’s disability. �  Must occur immediately and before a student can be suspended

for more than 10 days

�  BIPs address student’s behavior by changing the antecedent or consequence the student is seeking.

�  BIPs must include instruction in positive behaviors to replace negative behaviors.

�  Students who receive services must be disciplined as anyone else would be except if the IEP/BIP was not followed OR the number of days suspended will exceed 10.

IDEA: Requirements

�  Ensuring a student’s IEP was appropriately written and followed.

�  PLAAFPs for behavior must be included in the IEP. �  A Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) is in place and is

based upon a FBA. �  A plan designed to increase positive behaviors and

decrease negative behaviors before these become problematic.

�  BIP includes PBIS to provide the student with acceptable replacement behaviors.

� Appropriate behaviors that are incompatible with the negative behaviors they replace.

Manifestation Requirements

�  A multi-component assessment to determine the purpose (function) of target behaviors

�  Seeks to answer the question WHY inappropriate behavior is occurring

�  Defines the target behavior �  Determines when the behavior occurs and does not occur �  Generated hypotheses about possible functions �  Special and general education teachers participate �  Testing the hypothesis to determine what function the

behavior serves is called Functional Behavioral Analysis

FBA: Purpose & Process

FBA: Requirements FBA should be conducted when a student’s behavior

�  impedes his or her learning or that of others

�  presents a danger to him/herself or others

�  requires suspension or placement in an interim setting approaching 10 cumulative days

FBA must be conducted when a student’s behavior

�  requires suspension or placement in an alternate setting for more than 10 consecutive days

�  requires a change in placement

�  involves drugs of weapons

�  requires a due process hearing officer to place a student in an alternative educational setting

1.  Indirect Observation n  Interviews, review school records, completing behavioral rating scales and

checklists.

2.  Direct Observation n  Event (frequency) recording

n Recording the frequency of a target behavior n  Interval recording

n Sampling a behavior intermittently for very brief periods of time n  Anecdotal recording

n Observations of behavior in which the teacher notes all behaviors and interactions that occur during a given period of time.

n  Duration recording n Observations that involve the length of time a behavior occurs.

n  Latency recording n Observations involving the amount of time that elapses from the presentation

of a stimulus until the response occurs.

FBA: Types of Observations

3.  Functional Assessment Interviews n The interview component of the FBA that provides information

about possible purposes of target behaviors. 4.  Functional Behavioral Analysis

n During the indirect assessment and the direct observation phases of the assessment, hypotheses are generated regarding the purpose or function of the behavior.

n The variables believed to be triggering the behavior and the possible consequences following the behavior are manipulated.

n By this manipulation, it can be determined exactly why the student is using the behavior.

FBA: Types of Assessment

�  May be completed by a teacher or other trained professional (e.g., school psychologist).

�  May be teacher-made and/or informal. �  Be objective. �  Be specific. �  Define behaviors so that individuals would be able

to agree about whether the behavior is occurring or not.

Direct Observational Techniques

1.  Identify target behaviors �  Specific behaviors that require intervention by the teacher

to promote optimal academic or social learning. 2.  Establish a baseline

�  The frequency, duration or latency of a behavior determined before behavioral intervention.

3.  Note antecedent events �  An event that occurs prior to the target behavior and

increases or decreases the probability of the target behavior. �  Setting event—Antecedents that occur in another setting

prior to the target behavior.

Direct Observational Techniques

�  Anecdotal Recording ◦  The teacher observes the student in a particular setting

and writes down everything that occurs in that setting. ◦  Provides a basis for analyzing the antecedent, behavior

and consequence �  Antecedent—triggers the behavior �  Behavior—the student displays �  Consequence—thought to maintain or reinforce the

behavior

Types of Recording

�  Event (Frequency) Recording ◦  Assesses the frequency with which a behavior occurs ◦  Tally the number of times a behavior occurs. ◦  Creates a baseline for use as a comparison following an

intervention ◦  Useful for observing easily detectable behaviors for

short periods of time

Types of Recording

�  Interval Recording ◦  Used when you want to observe several students or

behaviors at one time or to record behaviors that occur too frequently to record each event. ◦  Data are collected by the observer indicating whether

the behavior is occurring or not occurring. ◦  Observation intervals are very brief (e.g., 2 minutes). ◦  During this time, the behavior may be recorded every

15 seconds as happening or not happening.

Types of Recording

�  Duration Recording ◦  How long a student engages in a behavior. ◦  Time is the variable of interest.

�  Latency Recording ◦  The time is recorded from the moment a stimulus is

given until the response occurs. ◦  Elapsed time is the variable of interest.

Types of Recording

�  Some methods rely on input from parents, teachers, or peers rather than on direct observation. These methods include: �  Checklists �  Rating Scales �  Questionnaires �  Interviews

Non-direct Observation Techniques

�  Checklists �  Lists of academic or behavioral skills that the respondent completes by checking the

appropriate responses.

�  Rating Questionnaire �  Similar in content to a checklist, but the respondent indicates their response along a rating

scale. �  Format allows for interpretation of the extremes. �  Pinpoints areas for future observations. �  Issues to consider when using rating scales

�  Ratings are summaries of observations of the relative frequency of specific behaviors. �  Ratings of social behavior are judgments affected by one’s environment and the individual

rater’s standards for behavior. �  The social validity of the behaviors one assesses and eventually treats should be

understood. �  Multiple assessors of the same child’s behavior may agree only moderately. �  Many characteristics of a student may influence social behavior; however, the student’s

sex is a particularly salient variable.

Checklists & Rating Scales

�  Achenbach System of Empirically Based Behavior Assessment

�  Includes a parent, teacher and student form; Direct Observation form; Interview form

�  Student is rated on positive behaviors and behavioral syndromes.

�  Behavior Assessment System for Children-2nd edition �  Includes a parent and teacher rating scale; a developmental

history form, self-report form for students ages 8-25. �  Distinguishes between ADD, depression, other behavioral

concerns and social maladjustments.

Common Rating Scales

�  Conners Rating Scales-Revised �  Multidimensional scales that assess ADHD and other disorders that may

coexisit with attention disorders. �  Assists with DSM-IV diagnoses. �  Behavioral dimensions assessed: oppositional, cognitive problems/

inattention, hyperactivity, anxious-shy, perfectionism, social problems, psychosomatic.

Common Rating Scales – Cont.

�  Questionnaires �  The questions found on questionnaires are similar to the items

on checklists �  The respondent is encouraged to describe the behaviors or

situations where the behavior occurs. �  The respondent answers with objective, narrative statements.

�  Interviews �  Interviews are completed using questions similar to those used

on questionnaires. �  The evaluator orally asks the respondent the questions and

encourages objective, detailed information. �  Child Behavior Checklist: Semistructured Clinical Interview

Questionnaires & Interviews

�  Students may be found eligible under the category of emotional disturbance if they meet one or more of the following criteria:

�  An inability to learn that cannot be explained by other factors (such as a sensory or learning disorder)

�  Difficulty in establishing and maintaining relationships with peers and adults �  Behaviors that are inappropriate for the circumstances �  A persistent mood of unhappiness or depression �  Physical symptoms manifested as the result of fears or concerns about school or other

problems

�  Many factors are to be considered in the assessment of students exhibiting behavioral and emotional problems.

�  It is important that multiple measures and multiple informants be

used and that the individual student’s environment be assessed as well

Determining Emotional Disturbance

Measuring Behavior �  Data collection is an objective method of measurement

that can be used to shape and guide professional judgment. It enables teachers to verify that their behavior management plans or instructional methods are producing the desired outcomes and can also be used to identify and end the use of ineffective teaching practices based on current fads or ideologies rather than on evidence.

Bicard, S. C, Bicard, D. F., & the IRIS Center. (2012). Measuring behavior. Retrieved on [9/1/14,] from

http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/case_studies/ ICS.pdf

Measuring Behavior – Cont.

Teachers who do not use frequent measurement are vulnerable to two types of preventable errors: 1.  Continuing an ineffective behavioral or academic

intervention when no real improvement in performance has occurred

2.  Discontinuing an effective behavioral or academic intervention based on a subjective evaluation

Bicard, S. C, Bicard, D. F., & the IRIS Center. (2012). Measuring behavior. Retrieved on [9/1/14,] from http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/case_studies/ ICS.pdf

Data Collection

�  Visual Analysis of Results: ◦  Trends (Accelerating/Decelerating) ◦  Stable conditions ◦  Variable Conditions

Sample Graph

010

2030

4050

6070

8090

100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

(x)

(Y)

Baseline Intervention

Abcissa

Ordinate

Data Points

Stable Conditions

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

0102030405060708090100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Variable Conditions

0102030405060708090100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Variable

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

What to keep track of…

� Reduction in number of disciplinary referrals

� Reduction in number of disruptive behavior incidents

� Reduction in truancy rates �  Increases in attendance

More to keep track of… �  Increase in number of students reporting a

safer, calmer, more positive environment �  Increase in staff satisfaction with school policy

and procedures �  Acquisition of…

�  Social skills �  Self-management skills �  Anger management skills �  School/classroom survival skills

Methods of Data Collection

•  Event (Frequency) Recording: ◦  Count number of events in a given interval.

�  This method is sometimes called a “tally” method

�  Not good for non-discrete behaviors �  Counts must have a start and stop


Interval Recording: ◦  Standard set of time to record behavior. �  3 basic types:

� Whole Interval �  Partial Interval � Momentary Time Sampling

Event & Interval Recording Video

http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/frequency-and-interval/


Duration Recording ◦  How long does the behavior occur?

�  Must have an off and an on that is easily observed


Latency Recording: ◦ How long does it take to start?

Duration & Latency Recording Video

http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/duration-and-latency/

Methods of Data Collection Permanent Product: It’s something that is either done, or not

done. Examples of lasting products include written assignments, papers thrown on the floor, items left on the lunch table. In these examples, the behaviors that you might be looking for could include, number of questions answered correctly, number of completed assignments, number of homework assignments turned in. or number of times the lunch table is cleared.

�  Tieghi-Benet, M. C., Miller, K., Reiners, J., Robinett, B. E. Freeman, R. L., Smith, C. L., Baer, D., Palmer, A. (2003).

Encouraging Student Progress (ESP), Student/ team book. Lawrence, KS: University of Kansas.

Identify appropriate measurement system �  Collect the least amount of data that will tell you what you need to know.

�  Data provide the only objec;ve way to know whether an interven;on is effec;ve.

Common Mistakes

�  Selecting inappropriate method for measuring behavior

�  Using inadequate behavioral definitions

�  Using inadequate amount of data to make informed decisions

Behaviors never occur in isolation! Historically �  “Problems occur in people” ◦  Lead to trying to change the person

Present Day �  “Problem behaviors occur in contexts” ◦  Leads to trying to change the context

What is a FBA? �  Functional Behavioral Assessment (FuBA/FBA) �  A systematic process for ___________

problem behavior, identifying the environmental factors that _________ problem behaviors, identifying the consequences that maintain or __________ the problem behavior, and guiding the development of effective and efficient behavior intervention plans.

�  It is not a form! - It is a process!

describing

predict

reinforce

The A-B-Cs of Functional Assessment

Conditions under which problem behavior is likely to occur

Problem behavior

Event that maintains the occurrence of problem behavior

A B C

Why does behavior occur?

�  To get or obtain something or Escape or Avoid something. This is also known as….

�  Positive reinforcement – To get something �  Negative reinforcement – To avoid something

Function of Behavior

GET SOMETHING

(we like)

AVOID SOMETHING

(we don’t like)

INTERNAL Relaxation Self-Stimulation Justice/Fairness Sensory Input Enjoyment

EXTERNAL Attention Choice Objects/$ Praise

INTERNAL Failure Sensory Input Embarrassment Boredom Anxiety

EXTERNAL Task Peers/Teacher Homework Chores

Jason is often seen sitting next to the railing on the school steps with other students. This morning, he pushed another student out-of-the-way when he tried to sit in Jason’s spot.

What is the motivation for Jason pushing the other student?

A. Obtain items/activities B. Avoid adult C. Obtain peer attention

Modified from Scott, Liaupin and Nelson (http://serc.gws.uky.edu/pbis/)

When her lab partner has body odor, Suzanne asks to work alone at her desk during class.

What is the motivation for Suzanne’s asking to work alone?

A. Obtain peer attention B. Obtain items/activities C. Avoid Peer(s)


Mr. Feeble asks Ralph to take out his math book. Ralph responds, “Your mother wears combat boots.” Mr. Feeble then sends Ralph to sit in the hall instead of doing math.

What is the motivation for Ralph’s rude comment to Mr. Feeble?

A. Avoid task or activity B. Avoid Peer(s) C. Obtain adult attention


Sally sits next to Simon. Simon sticks his pencils up his nose and makes animal noises only when Sally sits beside him. Sally giggles.

What is the motivation for Simon’s bizarre behavior?

A. Avoid task or activity B. Obtain peer attention C. Avoid Adult


ABC Analysis for Attention

A B C Teacher working with Shelly

Scott begins complaining and crying

Teacher attends to Scott

Teacher attends to Scott

Scott temporarily stops complaining

Teacher begins working with Shelly

Teacher working with Shelly

Scott begins complaining and crying

Teacher returns to Scott

Get/obtain or Escape/avoid

A B C

Kuper playing with a toy

Sam hits Kuper and takes toy

Sam gets toy

Kuper tries to get toy back

Sam hits, screams and kicks

Sam keeps toy and Kuper leaves

What do you think?

A B C

Dave is playing with a toy and teacher gives direction, “time to work”

Dave hits, screams loud and kicks

Teacher returns to other students. Student keeps playing with toy

Teacher gives direction

???????? ???????

Setting Events* Triggering Antecedents

Maintaining Consequences

Problem Behavior

FBA Terms

Misses breakfast.

Teased by peers.

Name calling &

hits.

Teasing stops.

*Setting Events are things that when a trigger is present increases the chances that the problem behavior will occur (e.g., Settings, lack of sleep, medications, illness, change in routines/people, hunger, etc.).

FBA Steps �  Step 1. Define problem behavior �  Step 2. Collect assessment data ◦ Direct (ABC & Baseline) ◦  Indirect

�  Step 3. Analyze data �  Step 4. Develop summary statement �  Step 5. Identify replacement behaviors ◦  Behavior Intervention Plan or Behavior

Support Plan (BIP/BSP)

FBA – Your Turn!

§ Discuss and summarize your responses to the four ABC scenarios (See handout).

§ Identify five of the most common behavior challenges in a classroom and list possible “functions” of each behavior.

Next Week �  WJ-III Test Session III

Sources •  Overton, T. (2012). Assessing learners with special needs (7th ed.).

Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.

•  Spinelli, C. G. (2012). Classroom Assessment for Students in Special and General Education (3rd). Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.

•  The IRIS Center Peabody College Vanderbilt University Nashville,

TN 37203 [email protected]. The IRIS Center is funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Grant #H325E120002.

•  Zirpoli, T. J. (2012). Behavior management. Application for teachers

(6th Ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill-Prentice Hall.

Principles and Applications of Special Education...

Documents

Transcript of Principles and Applications of Special Education...