Behavior Support for Students with Disabilities

1. Behavior Support for Students with Disabilities

2. Unique alliance of people with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities. • National law and policy center dedicated to protecting and advancing disability civil and human rights. • VISION: a just world where all people live full and independent lives free of discrimination. • Disability rights are civil rights. • Information is power! Children with disabilities who have consistent, knowledgeable advocates are most likely to receive appropriate services & supports!

3. DREDF Children & Family Advocacy: • Parent Training and Information (PTI) Center for Alameda, Contra Costa & Yolo. • Foster Youth Resources for Education (FYRE) for Alameda County. • Class Action legal cases - systemic abuse. • Educate legislators and policy makers on issues (such as IDEA, ADA) affecting the rights of people with disabilities.

4. Course Objectives: • UNDERSTAND: • All behavior serves a function.All behavior is communication. • 6 Core Principles of Special Education (IDEA) law. • Cycle of Special Education. • Skills in advocating. • Options when parents & schools disagree.

5. Some Laws: That protect students with disabilities

6. NCLB • No Child Left Behind / 2002 • Federal Education Law. • ALL students with a focus on “under-served” students. • School accountability. Increase school performance/outcomes. • Highly-qualified teachers and paraprofessionals. • Ability to change school or obtain remediation if school fails to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).

7. FERPA • Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act • Federal Education Privacy Law. • ALL students. • Right to inspect and review “any and all” records the district keeps. Timeline in CA: 5 days • Right to request correction of records. • Right to consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in education records.

8. 504 • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act / 1973 • Federal Anti-Discrimination Law. • Protects ALL PEOPLE with a disability that impairs one or more major life activities (such as learning). • Prohibits discrimination in ANY program that receives Federal $$$$$. • Provides Accommodations to remove discriminatory barriers. • “504 Plan” removes barriers to learning and educational opportunity.

9. IDEA • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act / 1975 • Federal Education Law. • Student must fit at least 1 of 13 categories of disability, AND • ALSO needs specialized support and instruction to benefit from education. • Provides an “IEP”: special education plan - specialized instruction- supportive related services • “IEP” must be individualized to meet a student’s unique needs.

10. CA Hughes Bill • CaliforniaEducation Law. • Protects students with disabilities whose behavior is “serious” or “pervasively maladaptive.” • Student must have an IEP. • Requires a “type” of Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) called a Functional Analysis Assessment (FAA) • Requires a Behavioral Intervention Case Manager (BICM) • Requires a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)

11. Relationship of Protective Laws IDEA-eligible students are protected by ALL these laws just discussed. A Student with an IEP may also need accommodations to prevent discrimination. ALL students 504 eligible IDEA eligible

12. IDEA: 6 Core Principles • Appropriate Evaluation/Assessment • Free & Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) • Individualized Education Plan (IEP) • Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) • Parent (and student if appropriate) participation in the decision-making process • Procedural Safeguards

13. Cycle of Special Education Reason for Concern / Dx Review IEP annually, or if requested Request Assessment Implementation Assessment Plan:within 15 days Appropriate Placement: determined “Informed consent”:15 days for parent questions (if needed) “PLOP”, Goals, Individualized Instruction and Services: determined Assessment:60 days to complete IEP Meeting:within the 60 days

14. Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)To determine: - Function of behavior - Need for specialized support

15. Behavior is Information • Parent (or others) WRITE to request assessment. [DREDF has sample letters to request FBA or FAA] • Comprehensively assess “in all areas of suspected disability” • There is logic behind the behaviors of children. Our challenge is to understand its context. • TIP: If initial assessment, alsoask also for “504 assessment.”Saves precious time.

16. GOAL: Changing Behavior Teach or re-teach the behavior Provide Meaningful Incentives Provide Meaningful Consequences MEANINGFUL: having significance, meaning or purpose in the child’s life (from the child’s perspective)

17. MODELS: for Behavior If the MODEL for developing power resides in the powerful… – if what we learn about how to behave is by observing those who have power over us – then those in power MUST assume responsibility for modeling appropriate behaviors.

18. TOOLS: for Success thoughts feelings behaviors The child HAS a challenge…. What we must do? Give the child the tools to be successful! IF NOT, interventions are like Band-Aids on a dam that will burst eventually. unhappy discouraged frustrated concern empathy support encouragehelp • Teach academic skills • Teach behavioral skills • Same strategies as for other skills • Individualization (504, IEP, BIP) • Positive behaviors expected and taught • Positive behaviors reinforced • Negative behaviors receive instructive consequences

19. IDEA: the IEP Team will… “In the case of a child whose behavior impedes the child's learning or that of others, consider the use of positive behavioral interventions and supports, and other strategies to address that behavior” -- IDEA 2004 statute

20. What are POSITIVE Behavior Interventions? • An approach to supporting positive behavior skills • Children’s behavior can change if adults: • teach the behaviors we expect to see • model those behaviors • consistently recognize and reward the behaviors we want to see, when they occur • consistently enforce meaningful and instructive consequences for behaviors we want to eliminate

21. Behaviors are governed by consequences reinforced not reinforced Behaviors that result in desirable consequences for the child are likely to be retained or strengthened Behaviors that do not result in desirable consequences are discarded or weakened

22. BEHAVIOR: what do we know? Behaviors serve a FUNCTION and are based on a NEED. We want to substitute solutions (replacement behaviors). We DON’T want to shame or blame the child for trying to meet that need. • Classroom environment - seating - noise level - disruptions • Child-specific condition - medication - allergies - sickness - anxiety - fatigue • Setting events - peer issue - teacher interaction - new person(s) • Instruction/curriculum - work too hard - work too easy - transitions - directions - assignment - no choices

23. BEHAVIOR: what do we know? Challenging behaviors serve a FUNCTION: • To get something (power, attention, approval, sensory input) • To avoid (escape) something (teachers, class work, a situation) • To have control The FUNCTION of a behavior is not the problem.NEW behaviors that are taught should serve the same function!

24. BEHAVIOR: what do we know? Challenging behaviors have multiple causes. More than one need is often met through one behavior. Peer attention Teacher attention Behavior: Billy hits Power Avoidance Escape

25. BEHAVIOR: what do we know? • Just stopping a behavior does not lead to desired outcomes: • “If you stop swearing, you will have a job….” • “Finishing work will get you a friend……” • If we do not teach children what to do instead of what they are doing, they will continue to do what they do…AND GET BETTER AT IT! Problem behaviors are not moral failings of a child but are expressing and communicating a need of the child. Until we understand the need through effective assessment, the solution will not be evident.

26. A antecedent The consequence of a behavior affects whether it happens again B behavior C consequence We can manipulate antecedents in the environment to: > Increase positive behavior < Reduce misbehavior

27. A antecedent A cause, course, or event that influences the development of a behavior or behaviors: • Size of an environment • Number of people in it • Specific event, time of day, etc.

28. B behavior What one does in response to the event, cause or condition. Behavior (+ or -) fulfills a specific need for a child. Antecedent:The work is too hard. (I don’t want to do it) Behavior:I throw my chair.

29. What happens as a result of a behavior that affects whether it is likely to happen again. If the consequence of a behavior meets a need, the behavior is likely to be repeated. C consequence Antecedent: The work is too hard. Behavior: I throw my chair. Consequence: The teacher gets angry. I’m sent to the office and do not do the work. Did the behavior meet a need? What can we predict about this behavior?

30. Teach the behavior you expect • Begin with simple rules (2-5) • For example: Be respectful of others • Describe what the rules mean in specific terms • “Respect means speaking in a medium voice” • “Respect means hands/feet to yourself” • Provide instruction about what to do instead • State your expectations for behavior • Provide examples of expected behavior • Provide alternative ways to understand

31. Teach the behavior you expect • Discuss and model the expected behaviors: • At home and in the actual locations • Re-teach regularly • Be sure the expectation is positive: • “Once you have finished your chores, you may go to Mary’s house.” • NOT: “You cannot go to Mary’s house until the chores are finished…”

32. Teach children to self-manage behavior… Homework, school work, and chores: • Time management: • Define and teach routines the child will use • Provide a checklist of activities that child can mark off as completed • Begin on time (other tasks out of the way) • Have materials ready • Stay with the task until completed

33. Teach children to self-manage behavior… Homework, school work, and chores: • Attitude • Be respectful (demonstrate!) • Have materials ready for the work being addressed • Ask for help when needed

34. Provide meaningful positive incentives… • Teaching is not always enough to change behavior over the long haul. • Children need to be recognized and rewarded WHEN they are meeting the expectations established. • POSITIVE RECOGNITION(rewards, other reinforcements, praise) must occur more frequently than NEGATIVE RECOGNITIONAt least a 4 to 1 ratio!!!!!! • TIP: 10 pennies in your pocket

35. Assessment

36. Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) because… • We need to collect data on why a child has challenging behaviors. • Challenging behaviors generally occur in relationships between the child and the environment. • IEPs should include behavior goals andpositive behavior interventions. • 504 Plans should include positive behavior interventions. • Positive behavioral interventions should be based on Functional Behavioral Assessment.

37. Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) because… • Education decisions are to be driven by data, not opinion or belief systems. Where’s the DATA ?!!!

38. Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) when… • A child’s behaviors do not respond to the interventions used with all students, or • The team cannot provide data that supports why inappropriate behaviors occur, or • A child is repeatedly disciplined for behaviors that do not improve, then… • The team should request an FBA as part of initial or ongoing evaluation.

39. IDEA: A child who is removed from his/her educational placement shall… • Continue to receive services to participate in the general curriculum and work on meeting IEP goals, and • Receive an FBA, behavior interventions and modifications to address the behavior violation so that it does not recur. -from IDEA 2004 statute

40. Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) • NOT a list of misbehaviors, but an effort to determine why a behavior occurs. • helps the team to understand the purpose that a behavior serves for a child • guides decision-making • leads to intervention strategies • required for removals beyond 10 days • useful when behaviors have not responded to standard interventions

41. Functional Analysis Assessment (FAA) • FOR “SERIOUS” or “PERVASIVELY MALADAPTIVE” BEHAVIORAL CHALLENGES • Functional Analysis Assessment (FAA) is a type of Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA). • FAA is a highly prescribed process of data collection and analysis that is used to develop Positive Behavioral Intervention Plans (BIP). • The California law commonly known as the Hughes Bill, requires use of FAA to address serious behavior challenges.

42. Functional Analysis Assessment (FAA) • DEFINITION OF SERIOUS BEHAVIOR • in the California Education Code is behavior that is: • Assaultive • Self injurious • The cause of serious property damage, or • Other pervasive maladaptive behavior

43. Functional Analysis Assessment (FAA) • FAA must be supervised or conducted by a certified Behavior Intervention Case Manager (BICM) • The BICM must be authorized by the local Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) • The BICM must regularly review progress of the Positive Behavioral Intervention Plan (BIP) at intervals specified in the plan.

44. Behavioral Assessment: Typical steps • Identify the behavior of concern. • Where does it occur and not occur? • Antecedents (what happens beforehand)? • Is there a consistent pattern? Is it predictable? • What does the student “get” from it? (the reinforcer) • Possible reasons for the behavior? (hypothesis) • What replacement behaviors can be taught to the child that serve the same function?

45. Why POSITIVE interventions? • Required in IDEA • Builds positive relationships • Encourages new behaviors • Reinforces skills (maintenance) • Increases self-satisfaction and optimism among youth, parents, and teachers

46. Why POSITIVE interventions? • Teaching by itself does not change behavior • Behaviors take time to become habits • Children need positive reinforcement over time • Must be used more frequently than punishment MEANINGFUL consequences… • Help change and maintain behavior across time • Consequences must — • Be clearly stated and communicated • Be logical: bear a relationship to the behavior • Apply universally to all

47. The IEP

48. Building the IEP • Do the goals address: • academic support? • mental health needs? • behavioral needs? • Does the child need: • an FBA? an FAA? • related services? • a behavior intervention plan (BIP) or Behavior Support Plan (BSP)? • a crisis plan?       

49. Behavior Intervention BIP, PBI, BSP, etc.: A plan by any name should be positive and instructive, based on FBA and address— • Effective re-teaching of the expected behavior • Rewards and consequences that are personally meaningful to a child (no two plans are alike) • Opportunities to self-manage behaviors • Positive behaviors are not maintained over time only with mood rings and stickers • Self-management skills facilitate pro-social skills • Self-management skills lead to generalization

50. Intervention Considerations • Are changes needed in the classroom? (seating arrangement, instructional approach, grouping, curriculum…) • Will replacement behaviors be specifically taught and reinforced? • Do replacement behaviors serve the same function as the problem behaviors? • Is child able to perform desired replacement behaviors? • Will child receive as much reinforcement from using replacement behaviors as from using problem behaviors? • Will new behaviors be reinforced across environments? Will parents, teachers and others use similar reinforcement systems?