Students sometimes engage in challenging behaviors that require teachers to select and design appropriate behavior management interventions. Teachers may choose from various evidence-based intervention strategies when addressing students' challenging behaviors. Reinforcement-based strategies are preferred due to their desirable long-term outcomes.…

Functional communication training (FCT) is an evidence-based intervention that has been widely used and implemented to reduce problem behavior and teach replacement behavior in a variety of settings. Specific procedures have been researched and documented to ensure correct implementation. Functional communication training can be broken into three…

Many students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) engage in challenging behavior on a daily basis. Such behaviors can have negative impacts on students, teachers, and families. In an effort to support students with EBD, this article provides general and special education teachers with a five-step process for teaching replacement…

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) generally have behavior support plans that are based on a functional behavioral assessment. This article provides educators practical guidelines for conducting a "multiple stimulus without replacement" (MSWO) preference assessment to rank order preferred activities that will align…

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a widely studied and often used approach to working with human behavior. However, there are numerous myths surrounding what ABA is, who is it for, and how it is implemented. The purpose of this article is to identify, explain origins of, and dispel seven common myths about ABA.

When dealing with children who exhibit challenging behaviors there are no known interventions that work for all students or at all times. Thus, intervention for these students is often implemented in a trial and error manner. This article provides a logic for considering probability as a factor in selecting strategies. Understanding that some…

Check-in/check-out (CICO) is a resource-efficient, mentor-based, Tier 2 intervention. Various problem behaviors of students with and without disabilities across traditional and alternative school settings have been impacted positively by CICO. Not all students respond to the traditional, five-step approach, however. This article provides an…

With federal mandates to develop and implement programs for students with disabilities who have behavior problems that impede their educational performance, school personnel are faced with increasing responsibility for developing individualized interventions. Developing interventions that appropriately, effectively, and efficiently address the…

This article points out the demonstrated effectiveness of behavioral interventions across a broad spectrum of school populations. The article discusses the following aspects of applying reinforcement techniques in the classroom: commonly used behavioral terminology, reinforcer selection, critical application factors, advantages and disadvantages,…

The following stages in planning a token economy with students having behavior problems are discussed: (1) identifying target behaviors; (2) specifying and selecting reinforcers; (3) identifying token types and schedules; (4) planning token distribution and redemption; (5) initiating and implementing the token economy system; and (6) planning…