In this article, we describe and evaluate the extent to which recent changes to state-level policy are related to seclusion and restraint in schools and detail what components of comprehensive restraint and seclusion policy are indicated. We examined state policy documents and coded them for the presence of specific characteristics related to…

During the past two decades, scholars, educators, and special interest organizations, including advocacy groups, have critically examined and debated the ethical and legal use of aversive interventions with individuals with disabilities. These interventions comprise a broad spectrum of behavior management techniques including but not at all…

Overall, pretest-posttest results indicated statistically significant pretest beginning program compared to posttest ending program percentage of behavioral improvement for on task, following directions, and positive interactions outcomes improvement for individual students who completed the elementary grades pro-social cognitive behavioral skills…

Over the past several years, allegations of abuse and death related to seclusion and restraint, media coverage of these events, subsequent federal investigations, and Congressional hearings about this topic have resulted in increased pressure on Congress to pass legislation to address the use of seclusion and restraint in the school setting.…

The article describes the procedures and variables involved in planning, implementing, and evaluating timeout with exceptional students. Among steps considered are defining the target behavior operationally, analyzing situations, and determining type of timeout and supervision. (CL)

Timeout, a behavior reduction technique used with handicapped and nonhandicapped persons, is defined; its parameters (including warning, duration, and timeout schedule) are reviewed; and its procedural aspects (including preconditions and concurrent interventions) are considered. Five basic types are placed along a continuum of restrictiveness.…

Ten papers contributed by school psychologists or university educators working with school psychology programs review psychological theory and research on behavioral strategies for psychological intervention. Following an overview on the effective use of behavior modification in the school, nine behavior change methods are examined in terms of…

Of 673 special education teachers responding to the survey, over 55 percent reported that behavior modification was not their major system of classroom management. Responses are broken down by categorical title of classroom for experiences with positive reinforcement, time out, negative reinforcement, contingency contracting, response cost,…

Inadequacies of the basic literature on punishment may limit its application in public school settings with mildly and moderately handicapped students. A large research void exists concerning such basic issues as how the timing, scheduling, type, and intensity of punishment affects children's behaviors in applied settings. (SEW)

Eight behavioral management terms/concepts commonly encountered in the special education literature are defined and discussed in terms of commonly occurring confusions. They are positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment, extinction, differential reinforcement of other behavior, timeout, response cost, and overcorrection. (DB)

Litigation and the issues surrounding the use of behavioral procedures to handicapped persons are reviewed. Attention is directed to the use of aversive techniques, e.g., corporal punishment, electric shock, timeout, and restraint. (SEW)