Search

The authors present a case report for an adolescent student with a learning disability who has academic, behavioral, and intensive mental health needs. A therapeutic package to support and maintain student progress is discussed. The case report outlines specifically how the student's mental health needs were supported through the implementation of Acceptance Commitment Therapy and a Check-In, Check-Out procedure. The authors discuss how the interventions are applied to the student's academic engagement, emotional stability, and improved quality of life. Major takeaways and implications for school teams are discussed.

The authors present a three-year case report for an adolescent student with Autism who has academic, behavioral, and mental health needs requiring collaborative school-based intervention. The case report outlines specifically how the student's mental health needs were supported through the application of a relationship-building framework. The authors discuss how elements of the Establish, Maintain, Restore intervention were applied to the therapist-student relationship. Results of the intervention consisted of stable connections with school staff and academic support for the student's educational success. Major takeaways and implications for school teams are discussed.

The aim of the present qualitative interview study was to explore how teachers working at an alternative education setting serving students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) build relationships with their students. In-depth interviews with five instructors resulted in the development of seven interrelated themes concerning the key attitudes, process, context, and outcomes associated with developing quality relationships with students with EBD. The authors present and thoroughly describe each of these themes. They then discuss how the study adds to the limited knowledge about the student teacher relationship for students with EBD and how practitioners working with this population of students can use this knowledge. Finally, they address what next steps are needed to improve this influential aspect of the learning environment for these students.

Dr. Michael L. Wehmeyer has been recognized nationally and internationally for his research on intellectual and developmental disabilities and is well known as a leader on the concept of self-determination. His career has spanned experiences from the state system to higher education. He has been the recipient of several federally funded grants to support his research and to prepare doctoral students for leadership activities. He shared his reflections in which he describes the benefit of teaching students with disabilities goal setting and the pursuit of those goals for a meaningful and purposeful life.

The quality of the relationship that develops between a student and teacher has been connected to pivotal instructional and behavioral outcomes for students. The student-teacher relationship can specifically be harnessed to reduce minor behavioral infractions. However, it is an element of the learning environment that is often overlooked. This article outlines the importance of the student-teacher relationship and provides specific strategies gleaned from the existing literature that teachers could implement in their daily instruction to improve the quality of their relationships with students.

Teacher praise is an evidence-based strategy shown to increase appropriate prosocial behavior and decrease disruptive behavior, particularly with elementary school age students. In this article, we provide direction and recommendations for using positive feedback with middle and high school students. A review of the research literature, guidelines for implementation, and online resources are presented, along with a case study example designed to apply the implementation guidelines in a secondary school setting.

Active supervision--defined as circulating, scanning, interacting with students, and reinforcing demonstrations of expected academic and social behaviors by a teacher or other staff member--is often considered a component of safe and secure schools. Yet, the evidence base supporting the effectiveness of active supervision has not been synthesized or evaluated for its quality. Therefore, we conducted an evidence-based review and meta-analysis of empirical research evaluating the effects of active supervision in schools. We identified 12 research studies evaluating active supervision, assessed the quality of each study, and calculated effect sizes for student behaviors, including disruptive behavior. Results from the four studies meeting data requirements for estimating standardized mean difference effect sizes suggest that, on average, active supervision reduced problem behavior by almost 2.0 standard deviation units. Only four studies met the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) design standards and the results of those were mixed, thus not meeting the WWC evidence-based criteria. Limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed.

In this study researchers examined a teacher's use of simultaneous prompting (SP) procedure in a fourth-grade special education classroom setting. Using an ABAB single subject design, the effects of a SP procedure on an increased rate of delivering questions with a small group of students identified with emotional behavior disorders were examined. Results indicated that when the teacher increased the rates of opportunities to respond (OTR), the students' on-task behavior, rate of correct responses increased, and number of errors decreased. A discussion of limitations and future research directions is included.

The current body of research on classroom environments identifies key proactive instructional strategies that when implemented effectively can reduce the likelihood of problematic behavioral incidents by students. One strategy known as active supervision has demonstrated positive outcomes across school settings, including classrooms, hallways, cafeterias, and playgrounds. In this article, authors provide a definition of active supervision, empirical support for its use, a detailed description of how to implement it, and resources for further study.

In this article, we open with a discussion of stress and its potential impact on the teaching profession. We then follow with an empirical rationale for and steps in the implementation of potentially promising mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) interventions for teachers, particularly teachers of students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Body scan, calm breathing, focused attention, and relaxation are highlighted. A list of resources for further use of MBSR is included.

Group contingencies are an effective way to prevent and address problem behavior; however, the extent to which these effects transfer to settings where the intervention is not implemented (i.e., setting generalization) is unknown. Using a multiple baseline design, this study assessed the setting generalization of the effects of an interdependent group contingency on decreasing off-task behavior in elementary students with emotional and behavioral disorders. A combination of generalization strategies was used, including maximizing the response's contact with reinforcement, making the instructional setting similar to the generalization setting, training multiple exemplars, and training to generalize. Participants included three classrooms (N = 22 students; 3 female, 19 male) in grades K--6. Results showed that intervention effects did not automatically generalize across settings. With the addition of the generalization strategies, behavior in the generalization setting reached levels similar to the instructional setting, indicating the strategies were successful. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

Previous research has shown that a classroom management package can be used to prevent challenging behaviors and promote positive student behavior. Replicating and extending previous research, the purpose of this study was to investigate if a package of precorrection, explicit timing, and active supervision can have a positive effect across content areas and grade levels within an urban middle school. Utilizing 3 single-case AB designs, the effects of a classroom management intervention in 3 classrooms were observed on decreasing student disruptions and teacher redirections. Results indicated that the rates of student disruptions and teacher redirections decreased by more than 50% across the 3 classrooms. To evaluate consumer satisfaction within the intervention, we collected social validity data.

This investigation used a qualitative case study to examine the sources of teacher stress and the ways teachers try to alleviate stress. Three research questions guided this study: (1) What are recent sources of stress for special education teachers in various school settings and grade levels? (2) How does stress impact special education teachers? and (3) What protective factors do special educators use to alleviate and address stress? Interview data were collected over a period of 3 years using a standardized interview protocol. The study consisted of 16 Caucasian special education teachers (13 females; three males) from a variety of urban and suburban settings in a large, Midwestern metropolitan region. Seven teachers taught at the elementary level, seven in middle school settings, and two in high schools. The most prominent themes from the results of this study indicate that lack of administrative support, individual student challenges, teacher perceptions, and state mandates are sources of stress.

An ABAB design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of an interdependent group contingency with randomized components to improve the transition behavior of middle school students identified with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBDs) served in an alternative educational setting. The intervention was implemented by one teacher with three classes of students, and the dependent variable was the percentage of students ready to begin class at the appropriate time. Data revealed significant improvements in student behavior, providing support for implementation of group contingencies for students with EBDs in alternative educational settings and an example of feasible procedures and data collection methods.

Difficulty managing classroom behavior is a frequently recognized problem for teachers, especially teachers early in their careers. Classroom rules are identified as an integral part of effective classroom management as they are relatively simple to implement and focus on preventing challenging behaviors before they occur. Sources such as classroom management textbooks and practitioner-oriented journal articles recommend a number of characteristics that make classroom rules effective; unfortunately, these sources have not been uniform in their recommendations. The purpose of this review of effective practices is to compare what information teachers are being given either in their preservice coursework or in-service training via textbooks and practitioner-oriented articles with actual empirical research that used classroom rules as an independent variable. Results indicated that the two most important characteristics of effective classroom rules are teaching the rules to students and tying rules to positive and/or negative consequences. Other characteristics recommended in secondary sources remain equivocal in the research. Implications for effective teacher preparation in classroom management are discussed.

There has been growing interest in the field of education regarding the use of technology in classrooms to improve student outcomes. Specifically, researchers have demonstrated positive outcomes for using mobile technology with students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Fewer studies have used mobile technology with students with emotional and behavioral disability (EBD). The purpose of this article is to discuss the effectiveness of video modeling as an intervention package and highlight the benefits of using video modeling and mobile technology to teach behavioral skills to students with EBD. The article provides guidelines and resources for teachers to implement video modeling instruction using mobile technology in the general education setting.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of sensory activities used as antecedent interventions on the percentage correct on academic tasks and rate of aberrant behavior in three elementary aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Study activities were conducted in an after school program for children with ASD where program personnel acted as change agents regarding strategy implementation. An alternating treatment design was used with each participant to evaluate the differentiated effects of three activities. Results varied across participants regarding the sensory related activity that had the greatest effects on producing correct academic responses and reduction in aberrant behavior. In addition, sensory activities had greater effects than control sessions across all participants. A discussion of limitations and future research directions is included.

One proactive approach to increasing student engagement in schools is implementing Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) strategies. PBIS focuses on prevention and concentrates on quality-of-life issues that include improved academic achievement, enhanced social competence, and safe learning and teaching environments. This study is a replication of a study that investigated the combination of active supervision, precorrection, and explicit timing. The purpose of the study was to decrease student problem behavior, reduce transition time, and support maintenance of the intervention in the setting. Results show that active supervision, precorrection, and explicit timing decreased student problem behavior, decreased the duration of transitions in two instructional periods, and the intervention was maintained in the setting. Implications, limitations, and future research are discussed.

The passage of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act and the No Child Left Behind Act has highlighted the importance of all students having access to the general education curriculum. Because students with disabilities are being included in the general education classroom in greater numbers, teachers need to implement research-based instructional strategies. To extend research on one effective strategy, the authors used a single case ABAB reversal design to investigate the effects of using response cards on active student responding and on-task behavior for five students with intellectual disabilities during science and social studies lessons in the general education classroom. Results suggest increased active student responding and on-task behavior for all five participants. A discussion of study limitations, implications, and future research directions is included.

The current study evaluated the effects of an interdependent group contingency with randomized components on student behavior during the transition from lunch to class. The study was conducted in three high school classrooms in an alternative school setting for students with emotional and behavioral disorders and used an ABAB withdrawal design. During the intervention, the teacher informed the students that it was time for class to begin and then scanned the room to count the number of students ready (i.e., seated at assigned desk, eyes directed at the teacher or front of the room, and not being physically or verbally disruptive). The teacher randomly selected a criterion number of students who needed to be ready to start instruction. If the class met the criterion, the teacher randomly selected a reward. Dependent variables included the percentage of students ready to begin instruction within 5 min of the official class start time and the number of minutes past the official start time that class actually began (i.e., teacher directed students to an academic task or explicitly stated that class was starting). Across all classrooms, results indicated significant improvements in student transition behavior. Discussion focuses on the practical implications for providing intervention supports to students with problem behavior.

Dr. Maureen Conroy shares her reflections on a career that focuses on developing, validating, and evaluating interventions for young children with social and behavioral challenges. Dr. Conroy discusses her past experiences and her perspective on where the field is headed. Finally, she provides her advice for those entering the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Challenging behaviors displayed in both general education classrooms and self-contained classrooms by students with emotional behavioral disorders (EBD) can be a difficult challenge for novice and experienced teachers (Kennedy & Jolivette, 2008; Turnbull, Turnbull, & Wehmeyer, 2010). Furthermore, students with EBD demonstrate broad deficits in academic areas such as reading and math (Lane, Wehby, Little, & Cooley, 2005). An instructional strategy that has been found to maximize the effectiveness of classroom instruction by increasing student participation and academic outcomes is Numbered Heads Together (NHT) (Maheady, Michielli-Pendl, Harper, & Mallette, 2006; Haydon, Maheady, & Hunter, 2010). NHT requires little preparation time while ensuring active student participation and positive academic and behavioral outcomes. To date, there have been four NHT studies conducted (Haydon et al., 2010; Maheady et al., 2006; Maheady, Mallette, Harper, & Sacca, 1991; Maheady, Michielli-Pendl, Mallette, & Harper, 2002). In the Haydon et al. (2010) study, an individual reward system was used in the incentive condition. The authors investigated the use of providing the Numbered Heads Together + Incentives (NHT+I) condition as an alternative to NHT without rewards. Results of the study indicated improvement in social and academic behavior in favor of the NHT+I strategy. The present study systematically replicates and extends the Haydon et al. (2010) study by (a) working with students identified with EBD in a self-contained classroom, (b) investigating the use of a preference assessment in the NHT+I condition, and (c) working in a new content domain (math). The study involved four student participants and took place over a 2-month period during math instruction in a self-contained classroom for students with EBD, which was located within an urban middle school (Grades 6-8) in a Midwestern city. An alternating treatment design (Alberto & Troutman, 2009) was used to compare the effectiveness of the two NHT conditions and the baseline condition. The purpose of this study was to further investigate the NHT intervention with and without incentives on the percentage of on-task behavior and quiz scores for 4 students with EBD. In terms of on-task behavior, there was an increase of an overall mean score of 17.4% during the NHT+I condition over the NHT condition. In terms of overall quiz scores, all 4 students scored a higher mean percentage on daily quizzes during the NHT+I condition in comparison with the NHT condition. The findings give some evidence that the use of preference assessments may supplement effective instructional practices in self-contained classrooms for students with EBD (DeLeon & Iwata, 1996; Fisher et al., 1992). Finally, the high rate of student on-task behavior is noteworthy, as research indicates that students with EBD exhibit high percentages of off-task behavior in classrooms (Wehby, Symons, & Shores, 1995).

This article aimed to review the literature and examine and compare the effects of choral and individual responding. Six studies met inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Participants in the study comprise students with various disabilities, male and female, and between pre-K and 12th grade. Results indicate a generally positive relationship between using choral responding versus individual responding on student variables such as active student responding, on-task behavior, and correct responses. Recommendations for practice include using choral responding during whole-group instruction. Because of the small number of studies results of this review should be viewed as preliminary.

We used an AB design with a control condition to examine the effects of an academic strategy on a student with a learning disability during a 5th grade math class. During baseline the student had high rates of disruptive behavior, low percentages of intervals of on-task behavior, and low percentages of correct responses. An antecedent-based intervention was developed to target the student's escape-maintained behavior during independent seatwork. The intervention consisted of matching task difficulty with the student's level of performance based on his success in a special education resource room. During intervention the targeted student demonstrated lower rates of disruptive behavior, higher levels of on-task behavior, and higher percentages of correct responses. The student's positive results were compared to his performance in a special education resource room. A discussion on study limitations, implications, and future research directions is included. (Contains 3 figures.)

The authors used an alternating treatments design to compare the effects of a worksheet condition and an iPad condition on math fluency and active academic engagement during a high school math class in an alternative school setting. Following group instruction, the three participants engaged in independent seatwork either by completing problems on a worksheet or completing problems presented on an iPad. Based on visual analyses, students solved more math problems correctly in less time and demonstrated higher levels of active engagement in the iPad condition as compared to the worksheet condition. Social validity assessments indicated that the teacher and three students preferred the iPad condition to the worksheet condition during the math lessons. A discussion on study limitations, implications, and future research directions is included. (Contains 1 table and 2 figures.)

Effective instruction is a key component of successful classroom management and includes practices that maximize the likelihood of student participation, active responding, and correct responding while minimizing errors. Researchers have established the connection between effective instruction and (a) increases in desired student behaviors, including classroom participation, on-task behavior, and academic performance, and (b) decreases in undesired student behaviors. One effective instructional strategy is providing high rates of opportunities to respond (OTRs). An OTR is an instructional strategy (e.g., asking a yes/no question) that promotes student responding. In general, research has shown that increasing the rates of OTRs in a classroom leads to positive outcomes for students, including increases in desired social behavior, decreases in undesired social behavior, and increases in academic performance. Despite these positive findings, descriptive studies have demonstrated that not all students receive equal chances of OTRs. In particular, students with or at risk for developing emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) receive fewer OTRs than their peers.(Contains 3 figures.)

Managing students' disruptive behavior in the classroom can be a time-consuming task and greatly reduces the amount of time teachers spend on instruction. Although there are several research-validated classroom management strategies, teachers are more likely to adopt strategies that are less time-consuming than strategies that take more time or require a great deal of teacher preparation. This article highlights behavior-specific praise (BSP), a simple strategy that teachers can use across all grade levels. The article presents eight easy-to-use strategies for teachers to increase their use of praise statements. Increasing teacher praise will not only decrease disruptive behaviors but also create a positive learning environment. (Contains 2 figures.)

Despite the national emphasis on assessment and accountability for student learning, it is unclear whether day treatment and residential schools are participating in current reform efforts. On average, responding principals reported that 87% of students participated in state assessments. Although 80% of schools use local education agency or state assessment accommodation guidelines, 76% reported that for students with emotional and behavioral disorders and learning disabilities, assessment accommodations were used during classroom instruction "to a great extent." Most principals reported that there is no method for holding their school accountable and 45% did not know whether their school made adequate yearly progress. (Contains 3 tables.)

Disrespect is an ambiguous term that has been shown to be predictive of emotional exhaustion and burnout of teachers. This study examined 120 rural teachers' definition of disrespect. Seventeen different definitions of disrespect emerged from the data. Implications of identifying these definitions are discussed as well as how researchers can continue to support teachers to effectively addressing these behaviors.

One simple and naturalistic strategy shown to have positive effects on both academic and behavioral outcomes is teachers' use of praise statements. Praise statements can be broadly categorized as general praise and behavior-specific praise (BSP). In a general praise statement, a teacher delivers verbal praise without describing the behavior for which the students are praised. Statements such as "good job" or "nice work" are examples of general praise statements. In a BSP statement, a teacher approves (rewards) a specific academic or social behavior with a verbal comment, the praise statement (i.e., "Joe, I like the way you solved the division problem"). BSP is effective when it is delivered contingently: immediately following the desired behavior. Using praise statements allows teachers to provide feedback on the specific student behavior they are trying to reinforce. In addition, teachers' use of praise is effective in providing encouragement, building self-esteem, and promoting positive teacher-student relationships. In order to demonstrate that BSP can be effective with older students, the purpose of this study was to teach two first-year math teachers about the use of BSP and to assess the effects of this training on rates of teacher reprimands and student disruptive behavior in two eighth-grade general education classrooms. In addition, to increase the probability of the teachers using BSP during their daily lessons, the authors used a relatively low-tech method (MotivAider[R] device) to increase the teachers' rate of BSP. The authors found that the two teachers were able to respond in positive and proactive ways to disruptive classroom behaviors that interfered with their instruction. Although teacher praise is an important instructional strategy that is relatively simple to implement, there is strong evidence that it is underused in classrooms. Finding strategies to remind teachers to deliver BSP during hectic teaching schedules is important, and if used correctly and consistently, it can have a significant positive impact on student participation, classroom atmosphere, and teacher-student interactions especially for teachers who instruct in stressful environments. (Contains 2 figures.)

Previous research has demonstrated that Numbered Heads Together, a cooperative learning strategy, is more effective than traditional teacher-led instruction in academic areas such as social studies and science. The current study compared the effects of two types of Numbered Heads Together strategies with a baseline condition during 7th grade language arts lessons. Results indicated that three students with various disabilities had higher percent intervals of on-task behavior and daily quiz scores during either Heads Together condition. Teacher satisfaction ratings suggested that Heads Together was easy to implement, and all three students preferred this strategy to baseline instruction. A discussion of study limitations, implications, and future research directions is included.

This study focused on school-level approaches to assessment and accountability policies and practices. A national random sample of 131 (34.22%) principals from juvenile correctional schools for committed youth (JC) responded to a mail and on-line survey. No statistically significant differences existed between respondent and nonrespondent schools. Results indicated that the majority of students with or without disabilities in JC schools participated in state assessments. The most common basis of school policies for assessment accommodations was state accommodation guidelines. For most JC schools there was no process for accountability for student participation and performance on state assessments. Almost half of principals did not know if their school made Adequate Yearly Progress. Other salient results, implications, and recommendations for future research are presented. (Contains 4 tables.)

An alternating treatments design was used to investigate the effects of three types of opportunities to respond (i.e., individual, choral, and mixed responding) on sight words and syllable practice in six elementary students with behavioral problems. During the mixed responding condition, five out of six students demonstrated a lower rate of disruptive behavior, and four out of six students had fewer intervals of off-task behavior. Results of the three types of opportunities to respond on participants' active student responding were less clear. A discussion of limitations, implications, and future research directions is included. (Contains 4 tables and 3 figures.)

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of combining milieu therapy and functional communication training (FCT) to replace aberrant behavior with functional communicative skills in 3 male preschool or elementary aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Study activities were conducted in the natural environments of the participants and parents acted as change agents. A concurrent multiple baseline design across participants was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the modified milieu therapy intervention. Results indicate that aberrant behavior decreased concurrent with an increase in total percentage of communication responses (PCR). The children maintained communication and low rates of aberrant behavior, and generalized their communication from the home to the classroom. A discussion of limitations and future research directions is included.

The number of young children who demonstrate chronic problem behaviors placing them at high risk for the future development of emotional and behavioral disorders is increasing. These children's problem behaviors often exist prior to entering school and become apparent as they interact with their parents at home. In fact, researchers have suggested that children who demonstrate chronic problem behaviors and their parents often end up developing well-established negative interaction patterns that can evolve into coercive relationships and persist upon entry into school. This article describes an ecological classroom-based approach, which emphasizes changing teacher--student interaction patterns as a means for preventing and possibly ameliorating coercive interaction patterns demonstrated by young children and their teachers. First, a brief overview of current service delivery models and intervention programs addressing young children's behavioral excesses is presented. Next, a description of the ecological classroom-based intervention model for addressing the behavioral needs of these children is described. This section includes the theoretical frameworks on which the model is based and an overview of model components. Additionally, the application of the model to a school-wide systems approach is explored. Finally, future research directions are discussed. (Contains 1 figure.)

Despite evidence from previous studies that support using Social Stories[TM] for problem behaviors, research conducted with more rigorous controls is needed to examine whether or not Social Stories constitute an evidence-based practice.This study employed an ABABCBC single-subject design comparing a Social Story presented in two formats across three elementary-age students with autism. Interpretation of the results documents a decrease in the frequency of problem behavior for each participant. Outcomes were slightly better for the PowerPoint[TM] format than for the paper format. Results were maintained in the training setting and were generalized to another setting with a single verbal prompt. Teachers reported that the PowerPoint format was easily implemented, and students indicated that they liked the computer-assisted format. (Contains 2 tables and 3 figures.)

The term "literacy" is often used synonymously with reading and writing. However, literacy entails more than reading and writing. Literacy involves communicating with others and includes listening, viewing, following, and reading directions and interacting with friends and colleagues. The literacy skills and abilities are essential for all learners. Unfortunately, students with disabilities, including those with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), often demonstrate complex social communication and cognitive differences that influence both the quantity and quality of instruction they receive. Recently, however, literacy instruction for students with ASD is receiving more and more attention. In this article, the authors present three different reading profiles they observed in their study of how students with autism approach text. Reading profiles are used to discuss important instructional considerations, including setting the context for learning and establishing meaning-based literacy instruction that facilitates the reading comprehension of students on the spectrum. Before specifically discussing reading comprehension instruction, the authors first discuss general instructional techniques that promote engagement and learning in many academic activities, including literacy and language arts instruction. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)

Many teachers face behaviors such as talking out, disrespectful comments, general classroom disorder, and even verbal abuse on a daily basis. Students who create these disruptions in classroom settings interrupt the flow of instruction and affect the behaviors of other students, creating a chaotic environment. Because students with or at risk for emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) are often off task and disruptive during instructional time, teachers need alternative teaching strategies to generate task engagement and encourage appropriate behaviors. The purpose of this article is to present four instructional strategies that researchers have shown to be generally effective in increasing teacher rates of giving students opportunities to respond. This article provides a description of the strategy, an explanation of why the strategy works, a guideline on how to implement the strategy, potential roadblocks and solutions to implementing the strategy, and a presentation of a case study on successful implementation. (Contains 1 figure.)