The U.S. Department of Education (Department) is committed to supporting State educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and partners in ensuring that schools and preschool programs have additional tools to foster safe, inclusive learning environments that increase students' engagement and sense of well-being. The Office of…

In fall 2014, the Council for Exceptional Children's (CEC) Board of Directors approved a proposal from the Professional Standards and Practice Committee (PSPC) to develop a set of high-leverage practices (HLPs) for special education teachers. The CEEDAR Center at the University of Florida, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's…

The fundamental intent of special education is to provide instruction to meet each child's unique needs. "Life Journey through Autism: Navigating the Special Education System" offers information, tools, and tips that will help parents become an even more effective advocate for their children. Many teachers, administrators, and school…

This article outlines a three-step process to help teachers determine whether or not the function of a student's stereotypical behavior is sensory-based and if so, how to select and monitor an appropriate sensory intervention to promote instructional engagement. In particular, characteristics of students who are seeking to gain sensory input in…

The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to describe current instructional policies and practices in a one-day treatment center in North Carolina for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). The following research questions guided the study: (1) What are the curriculum policies, practices, and philosophies of day…

This study looks at the utilization of assessments on developing behavior intervention plans (BIPs) and their use in designing actual implementation for the children (elementary through high school) labeled EBD in a mid-sized district in eastern Washington. Files were reviewed to determine the types of assessments used, FBA components addressed,…

The application of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) procedures for the purposes of developing interventions for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (E/BD) has received considerable attention since the 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The purpose of this paper is to review the…

Argues that using functional behavioral assessment (FBA) to identify individual factors that may be contributing to a student's behavior problem and building a positive behavioral-intervention plan will produce effective disciplinary practices. Components of successful implementation of FBA and overarching challenges to the use of FBA are…

This study describes the Behavioral Assessment and Technology Support Systems (BATSS) group who have been conducting functional analyses of disruptive behavior in children with emotional/behavioral disorders for 24 months in two school districts. Functional analysis outcomes and intervention data are presented on 3 male elementary school students.…

This article discusses the promise and practice of functional assessment, provides a critical review of the existing experimental literature in the area of emotional and behavioral disorders (E/BD), and presents a research agenda that will lead to more informed decisions regarding the use of functional assessment in the schools. (Contains…

The 15 chapters in this book address behavioral approaches to the assessment of youth with emotional and/or behavioral disorders. Chapters have the following titles and authors: (1) "Behavioral Assessment: An Overview" (Catherine Stanger); (2) "Legal and Ethical Issues in the Educational Assessment and Programming for Youth with…

A study explored the use of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) to develop an intervention plan for a third-grader with learning disabilities who exhibited high rates of problem behaviors during reading instruction. Results provide preliminary evidence to support the use of FBA to influence instructional planning. (Contains references.)…

A study investigated the use of functional assessment for the transition difficulties of an 11-year-old girl with multiple disabilities who engaged in flopping to the ground during transitions. Assessment information led to the scheduling of a period for interaction immediately following problematic transitions and resulted in reduced rates of…

This article summarizes articles related to functional assessment and its applications for individuals with problem behaviors. The research indicates functional assessment procedures have been established as a standard assessment tool that identifies environmental variables related to problem behaviors with links to the development of effective…

Treatment integrity, a measure of how accurately a treatment is carried out, is integral to the concept of effective behavioral analysis and intervention. This study sought to correlate teachers' perceptions of the functional behavior assessment and behavior intervention process (FBA/BIP) with their confidence that the process is an effective and…