Margaret Giordano
Purpose of Mini-Course
The goal of this mini-course is to provide instruction in behavior management in order to address challenging behaviors exhibited by students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). This mini-course provides an introduction to the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), models how to conduct a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA), and provides guidelines for the development of a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP). Knowledge gained from this course may be used to address any level of challenging behavior, from milder behaviors (e.g., attending to task) to more severe behaviors (e.g., aggression, self-injurious behavior).
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this mini-course, learners will be able to:
- Recall, explain and apply vocabulary terms and principles related to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
- Conduct a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)
- Develop a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)
Needs Assessment
I: The Problem
Students with autism spectrum disorders frequently exhibit challenging behaviors that negatively impact academic and postsecondary outcomes. Teachers and parents often do not know how to deal with these problem behaviors. Left unaddressed, behavioral issues will most likely persist and potentially worsen over time.
II: Background Research
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is currently the fastest growing developmental disability in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently estimated that 1 in 68 children has ASD and there was approximately a 290% increase in its prevalence rate between 1997 and 2008 (Chung et al., 2015). Given the exponential increase in diagnoses of ASD in the U.S., it is essential to understand the behavioral challenges related to the disorder and to have effective strategies to address them.
Children and adults with ASD exhibit multiple of the following traits, which may affect behavior (Colvin, Sheehan, & Simpson, 2014):
1. Mild to significant deficits in social interactions
2. Mild to significant deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication (expressive and receptive)
3. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, and activities
4. Atypical responses to sensory experiences
5. Mild to significant deficits in cognitive abilities
6. Challenges related to physical and emotional health
7. Motor skills difficulties
Teachers report that teaching students with ASD is especially difficult because many of their challenges are related to social communication and behavior (Chung et al., 2015). The inclusion of these students in general education classrooms has become a major concern for teachers who struggle to understand the disorder and how to manage the behavioral challenges that accompany it (Chung et al., 2015). While significant behaviors such as aggression or property destruction have obvious negative impact on the classroom, even minor behaviors such as off-task behavior, noncompliance and talking out of turn are disruptive to the learning environment. Lewis et al. (2017) share that high frequencies of mild behaviors (e.g., disruptions, distractibility, hyperactivity) create significant challenges for teachers. Teachers report that students who have high rates of inappropriate behavior are the most difficult students to teach and that it is hard to understand and manage these behaviors effectively (Lewis et al., 2017). When teachers need to spend more time managing the inappropriate behaviors of a handful of students, less time is spent on instruction. As a result, poor academic and postsecondary outcomes among students with behavioral issues is well-established in research. These outcomes include poor academic achievement, higher dropout rates, higher unemployment rates, and higher rates of mental health problems (Lewis et al., 2017).
Young and Martinez (2016) found that the majority of pre-service and in-service teachers held beliefs that challenging behavior was the result of the student’s developmental stage or that the behavior had an underlying emotional cause. Others attributed challenging behaviors to “lack of medication, poor moral background, a weak system of values, and laziness” (Young & Martinez, 2016). This suggests that teachers rely on their own beliefs and prejudices about behavior and that generally guides how they address behaviors in the classroom (Young & Martinez, 2016). While teachers' explanations for challenging behavior varied, the theme remained the same: the cause of these behaviors was beyond the teacher’s control and therefore little could be done about them.
A recent survey found that 75% of special educators asked had heard of Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs), but that only 42% had formal training in how to conduct an FBA (Young & Martinez, 2016). That same survey found that only 17% of general educators had heard of FBAs and of that 17%, only 12% had received formal training (Young & Martinez, 2016). This suggests that many teachers are not exposed to the basic principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), despite the benefits of specific training in ABA. Teachers who are trained in ABA are better equipped to observe behavior, identify what function the behavior serves, and develop interventions to replace the challenging behavior with more socially appropriate behavior (Brunsting et al., 2014).
III: Mini-Course Content
This mini-course strives to answer the following questions:
- What is Applied Behavior Analysis?
- What is a Functional Behavior Assessment?
- What is a Behavior Intervention Plan?
- How do I conduct a Functional Behavior Assessment?
- How do I develop a Behavior Intervention Plan?
IV: The Solution
Research shows that there is a need for more effective training in behavior management in order to improve outcomes for children and adults with autism spectrum disorders (Young & Martinez, 2016). Increased skill and confidence in behavior management may also serve to decrease parent stress and teacher stress, which may in turn reduce teacher burnout (Lecavalier et al., 2006). The solution is to provide more effective, widespread training in behavior management to support teachers and parents in addressing problem behaviors proactively.
V: Goal
This mini-course will instruct learners in the foundational principles of Applied Behavior Analysis so that learners may determine the purpose of a challenging behavior and address it proactively. Upon completion of this course, learners will be able to conduct a Functional Behavior Assessment and develop a Behavior Intervention Plan in order to reduce problem behaviors across settings.
Analysis of the Learner and Context
I: Learner Analysis
Anticipated learners include but are not limited to:
- Special education teachers of students with autism
- Inclusion teachers of students with autism
- General education teachers of students with autism
- Paraprofessionals (e.g., 1:1 aide) of students with autism
- Related service providers (e.g., speech therapist) of students with autism
- Direct support professionals (e.g., respite worker) of students with autism
- Parents and caregivers of individuals with autism
Anticipated learners should have basic knowledge and understanding of autism spectrum disorders. Learners have low to moderate experience with handling behavioral challenges associated with children with autism and are seeking proactive strategies to modify maladaptive behaviors in the classroom, the home, and the community. This mini-course assumes that learners have no prior experience with applied behavior analysis and ABA-related jargon.
II: Instructional Context
This mini-course takes place fully online. Learners need a computer or tablet, as well as a high-speed internet connection in order to participate successfully in this course.
Performance Objectives
Learners will:
- Recall, explain and apply vocabulary terms and principles related to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
- Recall and explain the four functions of behavior
- Establish the operational definition of target behavior in specific and objective terms
- Define replacement behavior that will replace the target behavior in specific and objective terms
- Gather data about target behavior using ABC data charting and other methods
- Develop a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) to address challenging behavior
Task Analysis
I: Goals
Terminal Goal:
Participants will be able to assess challenging behavior and develop a plan to address the behavior.
Enabling Goals:
- Learners will recall, explain and apply foundational principles of applied behavior analysis.
- Learners will recall, explain and apply vocabulary terms related to applied behavior analysis.
- Learners will establish the operational definition of the target behavior.
- Learners will identify and define replacement behavior.
- Learners will gather information about the behavior using ABC data charting.
- Learners will determine the function of the behavior.
- Learners will develop a behavior intervention plan to address the behavior.
II: KASI
Knowledge
- Recall, explain and apply foundational principles of applied behavior analysis
- Recall, explain and apply vocabulary terms related to applied behavior analysis
Attitudes
- Understand that behavior can be changed by altering the antecedent or consequence of the behavior
- Understand that applied behavior analysis is an ethical, empirically sound way to alter behaviors
- Increased confidence in ability to manage challenging behaviors
Skills
- Establish the operational definition of the target behavior
- Identify and define replacement behavior
- Gather behavior data using ABC charting
- Determine function of target behavior
- Identify motivators to be used for reinforcement of behavior
- Develop and implement a behavior intervention plan to address the challenging behavior
Interpersonal Skills
- When confronted with challenging behavior, participants will react appropriately to the behavior so that the behavior is not reinforced.
III: Pedagogical Approach
Unit 1: What is Applied Behavioral Analysis?
Instructivist: For this unit, the instructor will present content, monitor, and guide feedback. The instructor will present content related to the foundational principles, ethics, and the essential vocabulary of applied behavior analysis. Learners need to be able to retrieve information learned in this unit in order to apply it later.
Unit 2: Establishing Behavioral Objectives
Constructivist: For this unit, learners will apply knowledge obtained in the previous unit. The instructor will present examples of challenging behavior and learners will provide specific, operational definitions of the behavior. Subsequently, learners will then identify and define what the challenging behavior should be replaced with.
Unit 3: Conducting a Functional Behavior Assessment
Instructivist/Constructivist/Connectivist: For this unit, the instructor will present content related to the four functions of behavior and ABC data charting. Learners will then apply this knowledge by completing ABC data charts and determining the function of behavior in behavioral examples provided by the instructor. Resources for conducting functional behavior assessments will be provided by the instructor.
Unit 4: Developing a Behavior Intervention Plan
Instructivist/Constructivist/Connectivist: For this unit, the instructor will present content related to how to identify appropriate motivators for students, create a behavior intervention plan, and track accompanying data to determine if a plan is working. Learners will then apply this knowledge by developing a behavior intervention plan based on a behavioral example provided by the instructor. Resources for developing behavior intervention plans will be provided by the instructor.
Curriculum Map
Autism & ABA: A Crash Course in Behavior Management
Link to Mini-Course
Autism & ABA: A Crash Course in Behavior Management
References and Resources
Brunsting, N. C., Sreckovic, M. A., & Lane, K. L. (2014). Special education teacher burnout: A synthesis of research from 1979 to 2013. Education and Treatment of Children, 37(4), 681–711. http://doi.org/10.1353/etc.2014.0032
Chung, W., Chung, S., Edgar-Smith, S., Palmer, R. B., DeLambo, D., & Huang, W. (2015). An examination of in-service teacher attitudes toward students with autism spectrum disorder: Implications for professional practice. Current Issues in Education, 18(2), 459–474.
Colvin, G., Sheehan, M. R., & Simpson, R. L. (2014). Managing the cycle of meltdowns for students with autism spectrum disorder. New York NY: Skyhorse Publishing.
Darling-Hammond, L., Barron, B., Pearson, P. D., Schoenfeld, A. H., Cervetti, G. N., Chen, M., & Tilson, J. L. (2015). Powerful Learning: What We Know About Teaching for Understanding. Somerset: Wiley.
Larson, M. B., & Lockee, B. B. (2014). Streamlined ID: a practical guide to instructional design. New York: Routledge.
Lecavalier, L., Leone, S., & Wiltz, J. (2006). The impact of behaviour problems on caregiver stress in young people with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 50(3), 172–183. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2788.2005.00732.x
Lewis, T. J., Hatton, H. L., Jorgenson, C., & Maynard, D. (2017). What beginning special educators need to know about conducting functional behavioral assessments. Teaching Exceptional Children, 49(4), 231–238. http://doi.org/10.1177/0040059917690885
Young, A., & Martinez, R. (2016). Teachers’ explanations for challenging behavior in the classroom: What do teachers know about functional behavior assessment? National Teacher Education Journal, 9(1), 39–47.
About Me
Hello all! My name is Margaret Giordano. I received my bachelor’s degrees in English Literature and Spanish Language/Literature from SUNY Geneseo and received my master’s degree in Special and Adolescent Education from The College of Saint Rose in Albany. I currently live in Troy, NY and work as a special education teacher for students with severe developmental disabilities.