Using Functional Behavior Assessment to Match Task Difficulty for a 5th Grade Student: A Case Study

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.)