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Positive Behavior Support Plan


Kate Zachar
March 5, 2015
Towson University

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT PLAN

Definition of Specific Behavior


Carol has several areas of reoccurring identified disruptive behavior. The first is
considered a minor disruption, and includes tearing worksheets and verbally protesting
classroom assignments. The second is classified as a major disruption, and includes
swiping objects from her desk and shelves, crying, yelling, pushing, kicking, disrobing,
and urination. Both levels of disruption (minor and major) are witnessed during
classroom-based activities, across various settings, and throughout the school day.
Carols disruptive behavior occurs when she is presented with a less preferred activity
or an academic demand. Her behavior results in a loss of instruction and significantly
interferes with Carols learning and the learning of others. Other students in her
homeroom complain that they cannot concentrate when Carol is crying and yelling, and
her in-class disruptions make effective teaching and learning almost impossible.
According to data collected at St. Elizabeth School, out of 47 Behavior Support
Referrals for Carol from July 2013 to January 2014, 21 of those required greater than 15
minutes of intervention, and 26 required less than 15 minutes of intervention. This data
shows significant variability in the length of time of Carols problem behavior. Carol has
been diagnosed with Autism and has anticipatory and generalized anxiety and affective
dysregulation (inability to regulate emotions) as a result of this diagnosis.

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT PLAN

Literature Review
1. Smooth Transitions: Helping Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder Navigate the
School Day (Hume, K., Sreckovic, M., Snyder, K., & Carnahan, C. R., 2014)
This article outlines several transition supports that can help students with autism
to successfully transition from various activities, teachers, and environments throughout
the school day. The article discusses how transitions can be filled with anxiety and
unpredictability for students with autism, and that transitions require a level of cognitive
flexibility that students with autism may lack. Therefore, it is important for teachers to
make these transitions more predictable for students with autism through simple
strategies that can be easily implemented in the classroom. These transition supports
include priming, social stories, cueing, power cards, and visual schedules. The article
also describes the process for determining which support will work best with particular
students.
2. The Clinical Application of Deep Touch Pressure With a Man With Autism Presenting
With Severe Anxiety and Challenging Behavior (Blairs, S., Slater, S., & Hare D.J., 2007)
This study looked at the systematic use of deep touch pressure for a man with
Autism who had severe challenging behavior. The man in the study would seek
physical restraint by staff members and would engage in aggression in order to receive
the restraint. The studys authors developed a program that was not contingent on the
man exhibiting challenging behaviors. According to a daily schedule, the man would be
brought to a quiet room and would have several sheets tightly tucked around him. An
alarm would be set for 15 minutes and a staff member would stay with the man at all

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT PLAN

times, talking with him. At the end of the session, the man would receive a tangible
reinforcer, such as chocolate milk. The man could elect to end the session at any time.
The program led to a dramatic reduction in the use of physical restraint and medication,
and increased the individuals quality of life.
3. Using a Modified Social Story to Decrease Disruptive Behavior of a Child With
Autism (Crozier, S. & Tincani, M., 2005)
This study looked at the effects of a modified Social Story, with and without
verbal prompts, on the disruptive (talking out) behavior of a student with Autism in his
preschool classroom. A Social Story is a short, simple story that is written from the
perspective of the child. The story delivers instructions on appropriate social behaviors.
This study found that the use of Social Stories helped to decrease the childs disruptive
behavior with and without prompting. However, the behavior decreased to a greater
degree when coupled with verbal prompting. In the baseline phase, the student
averaged 11.2 talk-outs during one 30-minute observation. In the first phase of the
intervention (Social Story without prompting), the students talk-outs dropped to 2.3 per
30-minute observation session. In the second phase of the intervention (Social Story
with verbal prompts), the students talk-outs dropped further to 0.2 talk-outs per 30minute observation.
4. The Efficacy of Function-Based Interventions For Students With Learning Disabilities
Who Exhibit Escape-Maintained Problem Behaviors: Preliminary Results From a Single
Case Experiment (Burke, M.D., Hagan-Burke, S., & Sugai, G., 2003)

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT PLAN

This study looked at the use of a functional behavior assessment to develop an


intervention plan for a third grade student with a learning disability who exhibited high
rates of problem behaviors during reading instruction. A functional analysis of the
students behaviors revealed a relationship between his problem behaviors and the
academic task presented to him during reading instruction. Specifically, the student
displayed behaviors when presented with reading tasks that required comprehension.
This students behaviors ranged from mild off-task behaviors (quietly refusing to do
work, etc.) to disruptive behaviors that interfered with the learning of other students
(singing loudly, arguing with teachers, etc.). The researchers decided that pre-teaching
vocabulary would be a logical intervention. The result of this intervention was a
significant increase in on-task time during reading comprehension, vocabulary, and
decoding tasks.
5. An Evaluation of an Intervention Sequence Outline in Positive Behavior Support for
People with Autism and Severe Escape-Motivated Challenging Behavior (McClean, B. &
Grey, I., 2012)
This article discusses the results of a 3-year study of four people with severe
challenging behaviors, severe intellectual disability, and autism spectrum disorder. The
study evaluated the implementation of multi-element sequential interventions, and their
impact on the frequency and severity of exceptionally severe behaviors. The study also
measured the effect of these interventions on the clients mental well-being and quality
of life. The authors observed significant reductions in all behaviors during the initial low
arousal intervention phase. Further reductions in aggressive behaviors were observed
in all clients when the rapport-building protocols were introduced. This pattern

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT PLAN

continued during subsequent phases of the intervention sequence until almost no


aggressive behaviors were observed. The authors describe the rationale for the
intervention sequence as follows: the removal of high arousal stimuli might set the
occasion for rapport building, which might in turn enhance the value of responses to
activity sequences and demands and in this way enhance the effectiveness of teaching
and differential reinforcement strategies.

Baseline Data Collection


I am currently completing an internship at St. Elizabeth School, a non-public
special education school in Baltimore City. Prior to the start of my internship, I worked
at St. Elizabeth School as a teaching assistant for the previous school year. For my
internship year, I have been working with my mentor teacher in the elementary/middle
Social Studies classroom. My mentor teacher teaches 5 different homeroom classes of
students, and these classes range in age and ability levels. All classes are less then 10
students, and there are many 1:1 assistants and other staff in the room during each
class period. Carol is a member of one of these homeroom classes. She does not
have a 1:1 assistant, but a staff member and an additional intern have been assigned to
help Carol during the school day. My mentor teacher and I teach Carol four times a
week, so I have plenty of opportunities to observe her during Social Studies classes.
However, for the purpose of the formal observations, I followed Carol to her English and
Science classes to see her interactions and level of engagement in other settings. I

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT PLAN

took handwritten notes, and I listed Carols behaviors as I saw them occur, as well as
staff reaction and intervention strategies over a 30-minute period of time.
In addition to the observations, I reviewed Carols file with my mentor teacher
and spoke to behavior support staff and her homeroom teacher. Anecdotally, when
Carol is not exhibiting disruptive behaviors, I found she is a joy to have in class; she is
smart and funny, and will often accept and complete work without complaint. She loves
to draw and color, and when I previously worked in the art room with Carol, I never saw
a hint of disruptive behavior. However, Carol is very affected by things that are
happening in her body. She has Celiac Disease and other digestive issues, and
recently had yeast in her digestive track that caused her significant discomfort. In
addition, she started her menses within the past year, and the additional hormones
have been very unsettling for her. These and other health issues have caused Carol to
exhibit severe behaviors more frequently. Carols medicine management is extensive
and includes drugs for seizures (Lamictal), stamina, cerebral folate deficiency
(Leucovorin), calming, and social engagement (Oxytocin). The introduction of new
medications can cause additional behaviors as Carol adjusts to the new drug. In
addition, when she is sick, Carol is sometimes allowed to stay at home, and then she
does not want to come back to school. She will say repeatedly that she wants to be
home with mommy. After a recent stretch of disruptive behavior, Carols mom
introduced an incentive toy at home, and this has proven very affective in motivating
Carol to participate at school, at least in the short-term.
St. Elizabeth Schools behavior support specialists have collected a great deal of
insightful data about Carol during the current school year. Every time that Carol is

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT PLAN

referred to the counseling room for disruptive behavior, a form is filled out that includes
important information about the type of behavior, the function of the behavior, the time,
setting, and the day of the week that the behavior occurs. This data is entered into the
computer and tables are created that offer visual representations of Carols behavior.
Looking at the behavior support data on Carol, I see that Carols Minor Disruptions and
Major Disruptions occur with virtually equal frequency. She has had a total of 59
behavior referrals thus far in the 2014/2015 school year. The major function of the
behavior, as documented on the behavior referrals, has been to avoid the task. Carols
behavior spikes at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 12:45 p.m, but her behaviors are
generally spread throughout the school day. She has no referrals during lunch or
homeroom. Furthermore, all of her behaviors occur in classrooms, but almost never in
the art room, which is her favorite subject. Carol has the most behavior support
referrals on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Wednesday, which is a half-day at St.
Elizabeth, and Friday have relatively few referrals. By month, Carol had a significant
spike in behavior in September and October, which her mother believes coincided with
Carols social worker being out for maternity leave.
During my two observations, I was looking for the two categories of behaviors
that are listed on Carols Functional Behavior Assessment. The first is Disruption Minor
and includes tearing worksheets and verbal protest. The second behavior is Disruption
Major and includes swiping objects from desk and shelves, crying, yelling, pushing,
kicking, disrobing, and urination. I was also hoping to determine the function of the
behavior through my observations, as well as the staffs response to Carols behavior.
Based on Carols recent Functional Behavior Assessment in 2014, a Behavior

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT PLAN

Intervention Plan was developed for Carol. During my observations, I was also looking
to see which of the strategies listed in Carols BIP were being implemented in the
classroom and which appeared to be successful.

____________________________________________________________
Observation #1
Date: 2/2/15
Time: 12:35 1:20 p.m.
Class: English
Activity: Small Group Instruction
Behavior:

Tearing things off wall


Kicking
Pushing staff
Throwing things
Yelling
Crying

Specific events within behavior:

Carol did not want to come to class, so she was escorted into class by behavior
support staff
Carol yelled I dont want to do work and Mommys picking me up
Began tearing pictures off the wall, yelling, kicking, etc.

Staff Response:

One preferred staff member and one behavior support staff worked with Carol in
a corner desk, blocking her exit
Staff wrote down three tasks on a whiteboard
Staff asked Carol to read the tasks aloud
The teacher introduced each task
Carol checked the tasks off the whiteboard as she finished them
Carol began to calm down as she checked off each task
Tasks are very short; one or two questions

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When finished, Carol asked for a weighted blanket and is brought the blanket
Carol rests on the ground under the blanket with headphones on and is calm

____________________________________________________________

Observation #2

Date: 2/4/15
Time: 8:35 9:20 a.m.
Class: Science
Activity: Whole group instruction
Behavior:

Yelling

Specific events within behavior:

Carol and staff walked down the hall to the classroom


Carol said she didnt want to go to class
Carol was yelling and escalating as she entered the classroom, but she saw that
the class would be watching Brainpop (preferred activity) and she began to
become quiet
Carol enjoyed watching the Brainpop movie about sound
She participated in class discussion and completed her worksheet without
complaint

Staff Response:

Carols social worker entered the room and began to talk to her and soothe her;
this is calming
One behavior support staff and one preferred staff member blocked Carol into a
corner desk to prevent exit
Behavior support staff helped Carol to complete her worksheet
Staff offered Carol words of encouragement and praise for her good work
When Carol finished her worksheet, she was allowed to return to her quiet room
down the hall

____________________________________________________________

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Based on my two initial observations, I saw that Carol was exhibiting the
behaviors listed on her Functional Behavior Assessment. I did not witness any
additional behaviors beyond those listed on her FBA. Her behaviors appear to be
somewhat predictable for the staff, and they are experienced at responding to these
behaviors. During the week that I was observing Carol, she was experiencing a spike in
behaviors due to recent health and menses concerns. Despite this, I saw how effective
several intervention strategies were in helping Carol to deescalate and finish her work.
In particular, the staff used a 3-task system that visibly helped Carol to manage her
anxiety about class work. Carol checked off the brief tasks as she finished them, and
with each task she seemed to become calmer and less agitated. In addition, Carol
responded well to having a preferred staff member with her while she was in crisis. This
staff member helped to deescalate Carol by using humor and proximity control. Based
on these observations and other strategies I saw being used to help Carol, I developed
the Positive Behavior Supports detailed below.

Hypothesis of Functional Intention


Based on my observations, interviews with teachers, and a review of Carols
records, I hypothesize that the function of Carols behavior is primarily avoidance of
tasks. When presented with a less preferred activity, or an academic demand, she will
respond with disruptive behavior. Carol actually prefers to be brought to the counseling
room rather than stay in the classroom, because then she has avoided the task in class.
This is why the behavior support staff have tried to keep her in her desk in class by

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blocking her into a corner. That way, she does not avoid the task altogether, but
instead is offered the 3-task checklist of truncated tasks. Carols avoidance of tasks is
related to her anticipatory anxiety and generalized anxiety and her diagnosis of autism.
This anxiety is most visible during transitions during the school day, as well as during
less preferred subjects and activities. During Observation #1, I witnessed Carol
screaming, I dont want to do work and Mommys picking me up, which clearly
suggested that the behavior was caused by her desire to avoid the task. Similarly, in
Observation #2, Carol said that she did not want to go to class as she was walking
down the hallway. This would normally have led to an escalation in her behavior,
however, she saw that a preferred activity (Brainpop) was being offered in the
classroom, and so she decided to participate without incident. In addition, based on the
data from the Behavior Support Referrals from St. Elizabeth School, the vast majority of
Carols referrals were motivated by avoiding the task. This data gives further evidence
to support my hypothesis.

Replacement Behavior
1. What is it the student should be doing?
Carol should be safely and actively engaged in instruction. This includes
completing class work as it is assigned, and safely interacting with peers and teachers.
Carol should learn that school is not an environment filled with unpredictability and
anxiety, but is instead a place with supportive, familiar teachers and staff who want to
establish routines and therapeutic rapport with Carol.

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2. How will you teach the replacement behavior?


The replacement behavior will be taught by using a Social Story related to safe
behavior at school. The Social Story will be written by Carols social worker, and then
the story will be read to Carol each morning before classes begin. The Social Story will
act to remind Carol about the kind of behavior that is appropriate at school. The Social
Story will include pictures of students in their desks, doing the work. This will act as a
model for Carol to follow. Subsequently, when Carol successfully participates in class
activities, she will be verbally praised by staff and teachers. Carol will be offered
frequent breaks to use when she feels she is getting frustrated. Staff will remind Carol
that she can ask for a break when she needs one. Carol will not be rewarded or praised
if she engages in inappropriate behavior, and she will still be required to finish her work.
Staff will not allow her to avoid work by engaging in disruptive behavior, even if the work
must be completed in the counseling room. Carol will also have a number of
established routines throughout the school day that will help her to maintain appropriate
behavior, including a regular place where she will sit in the classroom, and she will work
with the same staff members every day.
3. When will you teach the replacement behavior?
The replacement behavior will be taught each morning in the form of a Social
Story and reinforced as necessary. All teachers in the school are aware of the function
of Carols behaviors and the steps that must be taken to mitigate these behaviors.

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Positive Behavior Supports


1. Staff will utilize a 3-task system when working with Carol. During each class period,
a staff member will write three tasks on a small whiteboard and ask Carol to read the
tasks back to him/her. Carol will be reminded that when she finishes the three tasks,
she can take a break and draw. Carol will check off each task as she finished them
(she likes doing this), so that she knows how much more work she needs to do until she
is finished.
2. In order to prevent Carol from becoming anxious or heightened when working in
class, Carol will be presented with truncated work to encourage positive behavioral
momentum. This may include giving Carol tasks that do not overly frustrate her, and
shortening the length of time that Carol is expected to work during a period.
3. Carol will be paired with highly preferred staff to increase predictability and reduce
her anxiety. Carol has a very close relationship with several staff members, and she is
visibly calmed by their presence working closely with her. Carol expresses her
frustrations and needs to these individuals and they respond in ways that are calming
and comforting.
4. Finally, Carol will be offered deep pressure, especially the use of a weighted
blanket, whenever she requests it. Carols staff members bring a weighted blanket to
each class with her, and Carol can ask to lay under the blanket in the classroom.
Carols staff will encourage her to finish her work before she uses the blanket, but if
Carol asks for a break, she can use the blanket at that time as well. In addition, Carol

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can ask to take a break in the Quiet Room, and she can use her weighted blanket
there as well.

Data Collection and Visual Representation


I implemented my Positive Behavior Support Plan for 13 school days, from
February 4, 2015 to February 27, 2015. Each school day has seven periods, and fourth
period is lunch. During this time, there were three snow days, and several days in
which school opened late due to inclement weather. I created a data sheet that would
track the frequency, type (major or minor), and duration of Carols disruptive behavior.
This data sheet also documented when the positive behavior supports I had chosen
were utilized in response to Carols disruptive behavior, and if these supports
deescalated Carols behavior. Finally, the data sheet also followed whether Carol
successfully finished her work each period and if she was taken to the counseling room
or quiet room. An example of Carols data sheet is below.

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT PLAN


Example of Carols Data Sheet

16

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Visual Representations of the Data Collected


The two charts below show the results of 13 days of data collection. The first
chart is a summary of Carols classroom disruptions during the 13-day period. As you
can see, this was an exceptionally good period for Carol, and therefore the data reveals
very little. I will discuss this further in the interpretations section below.

Duration of Disruption (Minutes)

Summary of Carol's Data Collection


14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

Disruptions

Dates

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The second chart details the days in which positive behavior supports were
utilized to assist Carol, and the frequency in which they were used. Again, due to the
lack of disruptions, there is little that can be gleaned from this data because the
interventions were needed infrequently during this period. You can see that the positive
behavior supports were used the most frequently on February 9, 2015, when Carol
exhibited minor and major disruptions. On the other days, the supports were used
mainly to help Carol maintain appropriate behavior.

6
5
4
3
2
1
2/26/15

2/24/15

2/22/15

2/20/15

2/18/15

2/16/15

2/14/15

2/12/15

2/10/15

2/8/15

2/6/15

0
2/4/15

Frequency Per Day

Positive Behavior Supports Utilized

Positive Behavior Support (3-


tasks, preferred staff,
truncated work, and/or deep
pressure)

Dates

Data Summary and Interpretation


During the weeks leading up to my data collection, Carol was experiencing a
significant increase in problem behaviors, which I witnessed on a daily basis in class.
However, during the 13 days that I collected data on Carols behaviors, Carol only

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exhibited two incidents of behavior, both occurring on the same day. There is little that
can be concluded from this data, except that Carols recent health concerns improved
through medication. Therefore, she was experiencing less physical distress during my
data collection period. When Carol is feeling better, she is less likely to exhibit
disruptive behaviors and work avoidance.
On February 9, 2015, Carol had two class periods in which she displayed
disruptive behavior. The incidents were each 5 minutes or less, and the staff supported
Carol with the 3-task system, preferred staff, truncated work, and deep pressure.
During one of the incidents, Carol was brought to the quiet room so that she could
deescalate without disturbing other students. Carols staff reported that all of the
positive behavior supports helped to deescalate Carols behavior.
During the other 12 days that data was collected, Carol exhibited no disruptive
behavior and generally the positive behavior supports were not used. However, deep
pressure, in the form of a weighted blanket, was used on five other occasions. Carol
really enjoys the weighted blanket and finds it very calming. Staff will offer this blanket
to Carol when she has finished her work. It can be concluded that the weighted blanket
is an effective positive behavior support during class, and it helps to maintain Carols
appropriate behavior.
During the 13 days of observation, with the exception of the two periods of
disruptive behavior, Carol completed all her work as it was given to her. Therefore, her
staff did not use the 3-task system because it was not necessary. Often though, class
work is modified by teachers to prevent triggering Carols disruptive behavior. Teachers

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and staff at St. Elizabeth School do an excellent job of anticipating and mitigating
problem behaviors before they occur, and every teacher knows that a difficult or nonpreferred assignment can cause Carol to exhibit disruptive behavior. I believe much of
Carols success in recent weeks is due to the fact that teachers know precisely how
much to ask of Carol, and they know not to push an inch further.
Due to the unpredictable nature of Carols behaviors, it is difficult to say whether
the implementation of the positive behavior supports outlined in this plan had any effect
on the outcome as revealed by the data. Certainly, I cannot take credit for her excellent
stretch of good behavior, as I believe it had nothing to do with the behavior supports.
As I mentioned earlier in this report, Carol has had a total of 59 behavior referrals thus
far in the 2014/2015 school year, with spikes during certain months, but no clear
pattern. I cannot conclude anything definitely from my 13 days of data because Carol
may be experiencing a good stretch that may then be followed by another period of
increased disruptive behavior. Carols parents, teachers, and behavior staff try to
develop explanations and hypotheses for Carols behaviors because they can be
extremely disruptive and significantly effect Carols ability to engage in classroom
learning. However no explanation is entirely satisfying, and no behavior support plan
completely eliminates the behaviors, particularly if they are motivated by internal factors
such as health issues.

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Reflection
The completion of this project helped me to increase my knowledge, skills, and
dispositions in classroom management. I learned about the process of developing a
Functional Behavior Assessment and a Behavior Intervention Plan, and the
comprehensive data that is required to make this process successful. I also became
informed about some of the important studies that have been conducted to test the
effectiveness of various intervention strategies for students with autism. At St. Elizabeth
School, I witness many of these strategies being implemented on a daily basis, and it
has been a valuable process to explore the research basis of these intervention
strategies. In addition, if I was asked to develop an FBA or a BIP for a student in the
future, I would have the skills to do so in coordination with my school team. This team
effort is extremely important when developing a comprehensive view of student
behavior and how to mitigate maladaptive behaviors. Through this project, I learned
more about the important work of the Behavior Support Specialists at my school, and
their efforts to collect informative data about student behavior.
While completing this project, I have also become aware of the importance of
strong positive relationships with parents. Parents have excellent insights into their
childs behavior. Often the behaviors we see at school are related to something that is
happening at home, and having an open dialogue with parents can help reveal the
cause of certain behaviors at school. Carols mom regularly informs Carols social
worker and teacher about anything that is happening at home or issues related to
Carols health. She works together with the staff at St. Elizabeth School to help
reinforce school behavior plans with incentives at home. Carols mom is an excellent

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collaborator and team member and offers important pieces to the puzzle when
attempting to decipher Carols unpredictable behavior spikes. However, parents can
also have erroneous ideas about their childs behavior. Carols mother thought a recent
spike in behavior was due to her social worker being out on maternity leave, but now
that social worker found another job permanently, and Carols behavior has been better
than ever.
Many of the positive behavior supports I have outlined in this report are
interventions that Carols behavior support specialists have already been implementing
for Carol on a regular basis. My effort was to document their effectiveness. These
supports will continue to be provided for Carol as needed by her staff and teachers in all
classes.
One thing I might do differently if I were to repeat this project again is to take data
for a longer period of time. Taking data over several months or longer may have given
me a more useful picture of how certain positive behavior supports successfully
deescalate Carols problem behavior. However, recording data for my project, in
addition to Carols normal data sheet, is a burden for the classroom staff. I felt guilty
enough asking this of them for three weeks; I would hesitate to expect them to continue
this unless I could record the data myself. In addition, the behavior support team at St.
Elizabeth already records a great deal of data, and a Behavior Support Referral is filled
out every time Carol exhibits notable behavior in the classroom. This referral, however,
does not document the effectiveness of the interventions.

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Another thing I would do differently is to speak directly to Carols mom throughout


the process of completing this project. This, too, is a difficult proposition because I am
not a classroom teacher, but merely an intern, and Carols mother is unlikely to engage
in lengthy discussions with me about the function of Carols behavior. In addition, these
discussions may not glean any supplementary useful information, except to further the
idea that Carols behavior is unpredictable and motivated by heath factors, such as the
onset of menses.
My dispositions in classroom management have grown over the course of this
project. I find the work of behavior support to be the most fascinating aspect of my job
as a special educator. Positive Behavior Support can be the critical key to a students
successful participation in a classroom environment, and this makes it a crucially
important skill to have as a special educator. In the structured environment of St.
Elizabeth School, with its school-wide PBIS program and individualized supports for
each student, I have seen students thrive. Students who start the school year spending
half their day in the counseling room and frequently exhibit aggressive or disruptive
behavior, blossom by mid-year within the supportive environment of SES. Year after
year, the data shows that student behavior improves significantly and that the positive
behavior supports truly are effective. It is remarkable to see how these students change
and grow, and much of this growth is due to the effects of behavior management.

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References
Blairs, S., Slater, S., & Hare D.J. (2007). The clinical application of deep touch pressure
with a man with autism presenting with severe anxiety and challenging behavior.
British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 35(4), 214-220.
Burke, M.D., Hagan-Burke, S., & Sugai, G. (2003). The efficacy of function-based
interventions for students with learning disabilities who exhibit escape-maintained
problem behaviors: preliminary results from a single case experiment. Learning
Disability Quarterly, 26(1), 15-25.
Crozier, S. & Tincani, M. (2005). Using a modified social story to decrease disruptive
behavior of a child with autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental
Disabilities, 20(3), 150-157.
Homer, R.H., Sugai, G., & Anderson, C.M. (2010). Examining the evidence base for
school-wide positive behavior support. Focus on Exceptional Children, 42(8), 114.
Hume, K., Sreckovic, M., Snyder, K., & Carnahan, C. R. (2014). Smooth transitions:
helping students with autism spectrum disorder navigate the school day.
Teaching Exceptional Children, 47(1), 35-45.

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