SPC ED 519

Course Description
This is an introductory course in the application of behavioral principles in educational settings. Principles and strategies introduced in this course are derived from an extensive research base in applied behavior analysis and effective teaching with learners who have special needs and with those who are typically developing learners. The course presents information on the definition and measurement of behavior, reinforcement strategies, systematic program development, basic formats for classroom instruction, and techniques for monitoring student progress. It also includes information and discussion on the responsible and ethical use of behavioral strategies.

The course emphasizes procedures for increasing academic and socially appropriate behavior through simulations and practice exercises. Review of research methodologies and the critical analysis of research literature in the area of applied behavior analysis are required. The course will consist of a blend of lecture, small group exercises, and discussion. Students will engage in practice exercises in which they will apply techniques learned in class to everyday classroom or social situations. They will also complete a functional assessment with a student that allows sustained practice in understanding the factors affecting a social or academic behavior, and developing and implementing an appropriate intervention plan to assist the individual to decrease problem behaviors and replace these with appropriate ones.

Concentration I: Intellectual Disability & Severe Disabilities: Studies in Educational Equity for Diverse Exceptional Learners

The vision of Concentration I is that all children and adults with disabilities will be valued members of their communities, including their communities of learners. The work of the Concentration focuses deliberately on those diversities that are constructed in ways that devalue the status of those individuals who are so labeled. In particular this includes individuals:

whose varieties, forms, or modalities of communication and/or language are considered alternative or non-mainstream; with extensive and pervasive needs for support; and/or in groups disproportionately represented in special education. . . . The social contract extends unconditional human rights to all people. Therefore, all people should have the right to participate in an educational system that enhances human rights and provides educational opportunities to students and that does not systematically institutionalize or segregate individuals. Instead, educational systems should assure the human rights of all students, including those with intellectual and severe disabilities by:

•Teaching all students skills for learning, empowerment, advocacy, and self-regulation including making choices and taking risks,

•Seeing, acknowledging, and demonstrating respect for the humanity of each student,

•Assuring the physical presence and participation of each student,

•Supporting the relationships of each student,

•Recognizing and valuing families and home communities as sources of strength and support, and

•Drawing upon the rich diversity of students’ cultural and linguistic backgrounds in educational planning and development of supports.

Course Objectives
Students in this course will:

1. Learn and apply appropriate procedures for selection of target behaviors and identification of the critical variables affecting selected target behaviors, including understanding the interaction between an individual’s inherent abilities and characteristics and the culture and settings within which the individual lives.

2. Demonstrate appropriate application of applied behavior analysis strategies to increase and maintain appropriate and desired social and academic behaviors.

3. Demonstrate appropriate use of antecedent and consequence based intervention strategies.

4. Demonstrate understanding of ethical considerations inherent in use of applied behavior analysis in school and community settings.

5. Demonstrate understanding of the functional assessment model and how it is used in educational or community settings by developing and implementing a systematic behavior intervention plan, based on a functional behavior assessment, to teach a positive participant behavior, using direct observation, recording, charting, and reinforcement.

Required Texts:
Alberto, P. A., & Troutman, A. C. (2012). Applied behavior analysis for teachers. (9th ed). Columbus, OK: Merrill Prentice Hall.

O’Neill, R. E., Albin, R. W., Storey, K., Horner, R. H., & Sprague, J. R. (2014). Functional assessment and program development for problem behavior (3rd ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.

American Psychological Association. (2009). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.) Washington, DC: Author.

Required Readings:

These can be retrieved from the Zimmerman Library Electronic Reserves Website (See instructor for password)

Dunlap, G., Sailor, W., Horner, R. H., & Sugai, G. (2009). Overview and history of positive

behavior support. In W. Sailor, G. Dunlap, G. Sugai, & R. Horner (Eds.) (pp. 3-16). Handbook of

positive behavior support

Pengra, L. M. (2000). Values give meaning to behavior. In Your Values, My Values (pp. 19-38).

Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.

Pengra, L. M. (2000). Problem behavior and schema analysis. In Your Values, My Values (pp. 115-137).

Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.

Recommended Texts & Readings:

Bambara, L. M., Dunlap, G., & Schwartz, I. (Eds.). (2004). Positive Behavior Support: Critical Articles

on Improving Practice for Individuals with Severe Disabilities. Pro-Ed and TASH.

Class Schedule & Handouts
#Reading Questions (link to questions at end of the webpage that might be helpful in guiding you through the readings in the textbook. These are not required but will aid you in deepening your understanding of the topics discussed in class.)

Week 1 Overview of course

Read: A & T Chapters 1 & 2

Handout: Introduction to Course

What Really Happened to Little Albert (thanks to Crystal and Jason)

Week 2 No Class Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday

Week 3 Functional Behavior Assessment Model

Read: O’Neill et al., Chapters 1, 2, & 3

Handouts: Functional Behavior Assessment Process: Part 1

Assignment: Turn in plagiarism tutorial certificate

Vocabulary #1

Week 4 Finish FBA Model & Developing Behavior Intervention Plans

Read: O’Neill et al. Chapters 4 & 5

Handouts: FBA_Part 2

Creating Effective Behavior Support/Intervention Plans

Assignment Due: Vocabulary #2

Week 5 Data Collection Systems

Read: A & T Chapters 4 & 5

Handouts: Measuring a Behavior: DataCollection NOTE: This will be passed out in class.

Assignment Due: (1) Vocabulary #3 (2) FAP Subsection 1

Guest Speaker: Dr. Megan Griffin, BCBA-D

Week 6 Single Case Research and ABA

Read: A & T Chapters 6

Handout #1 Single Case Designs

Assignment Due: Vocabulary #4:Single Case Design Types (we will do this in class - must bring the handouts to class be able to do this activity)

RESOURCES: Best List of Behavioral Apps EVAH

Week 7 Differential Reinforcement: Antecedent Control & Shaping

Read: A & T Chapter 10

Pengra (2000) Chapt. 2 (on E-Reserves)

Handouts: Stimulus Control & Shaping

Assignment Due: Vocabulary Activity #5

FAP Subsection 2

Week 8 Consequences (Strategies) that Increase Behaviors

Read: A & T Chapter 8

Handout: Strategies to Strengthen Behaviors: Positive & Negative Reinforcement

Assignment Due: Quiz 1

Week 9 No Class Spring Break

Week 10 Consequences (Strategies) to Increase Behaviors, continued

Behavioral Objectives

Read: A & T Chapters 8 (from last week) & Chapter 3

Handout: Reinforcement Schedules.pdf

Writing Clear, Measureable BehavioralObjectives

Assignment Due FAP #3

Vocabulary Activity#6

Week 11 Consequences (Strategies) to Decease Behaviors

Read: A & T Chapter 9

Handout: Decreasing Behaviors Part (I will bring copies to class tonight.)

Assignment Due: Vocabulary Activity #7

Additional Information & Resources:

Stop Hurting Kids

National Review of Restraint-Related Deaths of Children and Adults with Disabilities

NM PED Policy on Use of Restraints

NMPED_Policy on Use of Timeout

Story on use of electric shock

Check out this story on a school for students with behavioral challenges that doesn’t use restraint/seclusion School takes unique approach to students with behavioral issues

Story on Spanking as a form of discipline

Week 12 Consequences (Strategies) to Decease Behaviors, continued

Read: same chapter as last week and and Pengra (2000) Chapter 6 (e-reserves)

Teaching for Generalization

Read: A & T Chapter 11

Handout: Decreasing Behaviors Part 2

Generalization

Assignment Due: Vocabulary Activity#8

Research Article Critique (use Turnitin to turn in your paper and bring a hard copy of the article to class)

New Blogpost on use of restrain/seclusion in schools: http://stophurtingkids.com/2013/11/05/the-importance-of-prohibiting-restraint-as-a-planned-intervention/

Week 13 Teaching for Generalization, continued

Read: A & T Chapters 11

Handout:Generalization

Assignment Due: Vocabulary #9 (print this out; we will do the activity in class)

Week 14 Self-Management

Ethics of ABA and Positive Behavior Supports

Read: A & T Chapters 12 & 13; Overview of PBS (Dunlap et al., 2010) on e-reserves

Handout: Self-Management

CEC |Practice Standards

Ethical Code of Conduct6.60.9 NMAC

Ethics powerpoint handouts

Assignment Due: Quiz #2

Week 15 In-Class Comprehensive Exam

Assignments due: In-class Comprehensive Exam

Week 16 FBA Project Presentations

Handout: Template for Poster

Assignments due: FBA Project Presentations

(You may turn in your final FAP Summary paper OR turn in in on May 4.)

Week 17 Monday, May 4, 2015 NO CLASS THIS WEEK

Assignment Due: FAP Summary Paper Due in my office no later than 5:00 p.m.

Reading Questions
These are questions that may be useful for you to consider while reading the text and preparing for exams.
Chapter 3:
1. What are the key components of a behavioral objective?
2. Explain what an "operational definition" is and be able to operationalize a student behavior, such as "staying on-task."
3. Why is it important to clearly specify and define a target behavior?
4. What is the hierarchy of response competence? Be able to define each of the 4 levels.
5. What are the six levels of Bloom's Taxonomy? Be able to write an objective at each level.
6. What is a "BIP"?

Chapter 4:
1. Why is data collection an essential part of instruction?
2. Define these terms: frequency, rate, duration, latency, topography, force, locus, dimension of a behavior, anecdotal report, permanent product, event recording, interval recording, latency recording, time sampling, controlled presentation, reliability, inerobserver agreement, reactivity, complexity, expectancy, observer drift.
3. See if you can answer the questions on pp. 94-95 of your text.

Chapter 7:
1. Define functional assessment and functional analysis and explain the differences/similarities between them.
2. What are the functions of behavior identified by your text?
3. Explain why it is important to develop a behavior intervention plan that is based on the function of a target behavior.
4. What are setting events?
5. What are the steps in developing a behavior intervention (support) plan?
6. Describe common indirect strategies for gathering information to develop a BSP.
7. Describe some common methods used in direct observation of behavior.
8. What is A - B - C (what do each of these terms stand for)? Why is this important and useful in gathering information for a behavior support plan?
9. What is the purpose of data analysis? What are some things to look for?
10. Explain why asking a student "Why did you do that?" is not likely to be an effective strategy.

Chapter 9:
1. Alberto & Troutman (2012) categorize procedures to decrease behavior into 4 different levels on the basis of the procedures' aversiveness. How do each of the procedures discussed in Chapter 9 fit within these categories?

2. What is differential reinforcement (DR)? What are the kinds of of DR procedures I can use in my classroom to decrease undesired behaviors and increase desired behaviors?

3. What is noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) and how does it work to decrease undesired behavior?

4. What are some of the things I should take into consideration when using extinction to decrease a behavior?

5. What are some classroom examples of the use of response cost?

6. Time-out is a frequently used procedure in classrooms. What are the different types of time-out procedures I could choose to use? What are some things I should consider before using a time-out procedure in my classroom?

7. What are the effects of punishment on behavior?

8. What are some punishment procedures that have been used in classrooms?

9. What are the ethical, moral, and legal issues that I must consider before using a punishment procedure with a student?

Chapter 11:
1. When we say that a child can generalize, what does that mean?

2. Why does the "train and hope" approach not work?

3. Define these terms: stimulus generalization, response generalization, probe, maintenance

4. Instead of "train and hope", describe seven different strategies we can use to help students generalize important skills. Be able to provide classroom examples of each strategy.

5. What factors aid you in generalizing skills from one setting to another, or from one student to another?

Chapter 12:
1. What are self-management strategies? Why are they sometimes referred to as student-directed strategies?

2. Why should self-management strategies be considered in teaching students? What are some ways in which they are especially beneficial to students with mental retardation/severe disabilities?

3.How, specifically, could you apply each of the following strategies in the classroom?
•Self-monitoring (self-recording)
•Goal setting
•Self-Evaluation
•Self-Instruction
• Self-reinforcement and self-punishment

Resources

Positive Behavior Supports

Comprehensive site that provides information, resources, research, video, etc on Positive Behavior Support

Interactive Tutorial: Understanding Problem Behavior

Interactive site that allows you to work through material to understand problem behavior and how to develop effective interventions to support students.

Real Danger: Restraints and Our Children

Excellent site for more information about the use of restraints with children. Many resources for continued study or sharing with colleagues.