While noncompliance is a concerning challenging behavior and commonly reported by educators, its measurement is likely to be invalid and inaccurate given the subjectivity of the operational definition. Engagement is offered as a more valid, accurate measurement that may provide data regarding the amount of instruction accessed by the student. In…

Although there is substantial functional behavioral assessment (FBA) literature suggesting that function-based interventions are effective for improving problem behavior, only a limited number of studies have examined the effectiveness of function-based antecedent versus consequent interventions. Additionally, although there has been a recent…

This article reviews the functional behavior assessment steps followed to develop interventions designed to decrease challenging behavior in the classroom. The implementation of antecedent based interventions generated from data gathered through interviews and observations addressed off-task, call outs and other challenging classroom behaviors.…

This study compared the efficacy of no choice and choice of preferred engagement stimuli to reduce escape-maintained disruptive behavior of pupils in kindergarten with developmental disabilities in inclusive classes. This study demonstrated how functional behavior assessment can be conducted in a school setting to determine the functional…

Prior research has suggested Check-In/Check-Out (CICO) effectiveness is linked to the function of problem behavior. Though effective for students whose misbehavior occurs to gain attention, findings are equivocal for behavior that occurs to escape academic tasks. The purpose of this study was to therefore evaluate a modification to CICO, wherein…

Acting-out behavior by students manifests in ways that make classroom management and academic success very challenging. In this time- and field-tested resource, Colvin and Scott present a system for understanding acting-out behavior in terms of seven phases and correcting it before it gets in the way of student engagement and learning. The newly…

This intervention report presents findings from a systematic review of "functional behavioral assessment-based interventions" conducted using the WWC Procedures and Standards Handbook, version 3.0, and the Children Identified With or At Risk for an Emotional Disturbance review protocol, version 3.0. Functional behavioral assessment (FBA)…

Psychological science has identified positive classroom management and climate building strategies as a key element in developing and maintaining effective learning environments. In this article, we review the literature that has identified effective strategies that build classroom climates to maximize student learning and minimize disruption. In…

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been shown to benefit from being educated in general education classrooms that provide interactions with typically developing peers. However, behaviors exhibited by students with ASD frequently lead to their return to segregated special education settings. Evidence-based interventions that are both…

Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR) is a collaborative, standardized process that was developed as a way to address identified barriers to completing effective functional behavior assessments (FBAs) in public schools. Current research literature documents the effectiveness of the PTR process in decreasing problematic behaviors and increasing social…

The current study evaluated the efficacy of a training series designed to teach typical school-based behavior support professionals to build behavioral interventions from functional behavioral assessment (FBA) information. The study was conducted in three stages. First, a descriptive assessment examined the extent to which typical school team…

A comprehensive self-management intervention was utilized to increase the on-task behavior of three African American students within an urban middle-school setting. The intervention was designed to necessitate minimal management on the part of the general education classroom teacher by utilizing an electronic prompting device, as well as a…

Direct behavior ratings (DBRs) combine aspects of both systematic direct observation and behavior rating scales to create a feasible method for social behavior assessment within a problem-solving model. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether accuracy of DBRs was affected depending on the behaviors selected to be rated using a DBR.…

An impediment to teaching that occurs with many students who have severe disabilities is problem behavior during teaching sessions. This paper describes "preference-based teaching", a recently developed means of reducing problem behavior by making teaching programs enjoyable for students. Preference-based teaching begins with actions taken prior…