This article advocates the use of functional behavioral assessments (FBAs) and behavior intervention plans (BIPs) in the development of Individualized Family Service Plans for children with or at risk of developing behavioral disorders. It describes the FBA and BIP processes and proposes a parent collaborative model for assessment and…

A study evaluated the effectiveness of a collaborative model for making grading adaptations. Parents, students, general educators, and special educators collaborated to develop and implement personalized grading plans for four middle school students. All participants perceived the process to be more fair and effective than adaptations used…

GoodSport is an after-school program for grades 3-6 that uses traditional and nontraditional sports, adventure activities, reading, writing, and group discussion to promote character development in the areas of teamwork, perseverance, responsibility, respect, and fair play. Two sample activities involving group discussion and problem solving are…

A study investigated how positive behavior support was experienced and understood by team members (n=19) from four residential, community-based teams who achieved positive outcomes for adults with severe challenging behaviors. Findings from the study depict an overall culture of support consisting of interrelated layers of social context.…

Compares the perceptions of first year British college students, third year students, and staff on the teaching, practice, and assessment of personal transferable skills within a geography program. Reveals that the staff and students agree that personal transferable skills should be taught but finds a variety of discrepancies among the three…

Adults participating in a Los Angeles "school family" network will be engaged for the next several years in the Annenberg Challenge--a national reform initiative aimed at improving student performance. Participation offers opportunities to develop a coherent K-12 education plan, access extra resources, and pursue collaborative…

This article describes a collaborative prosocial skills program. Steps of the intervention include forming teams of educators, targeting necessary prosocial skills, developing an instructional plan, determining the setting and collaborative roles, delivery instruction, and providing opportunities for student practice, reinforcement, and…

This study evaluated data from 73 educational team members who used an updated version of the Vermont Interdependent Services Team Approach (VISTA) to assist them in planning support services for 11 students with multiple disabilities in general education classes. The changes were perceived positively, especially the overall quality, practicality,…

College agriculture students (n=90) were grouped into cooperative learning teams based on learning style: field dependent, field independent, field neutral, or mixed. Teams with heterogeneous learning styles did not perform better than homogeneous teams, nor did they have higher levels of satisfaction with team activities or higher attendance. (SK)

A survey of 138 Australian therapists providing services to students with severe disabilities found their role perception was consistent with a contemporary functional approach and that practices associated with a collaborative team approach received both a higher level of agreement and reported implementation than practices not associated with…

This article highlights the SUN team, a Colorado collaborative inclusion team which resulted in enhanced classroom and school practices and programming for students with significant educational needs. It describes the collaborative program development and design, outcomes during and after the intervention, and benefits at the district-level…

The importance of communication skills for students with the most significant disabilities is highlighted. Specific attention is paid to the need to recognize and understand unconventional means of communication. Ideas for augmenting the student's communicative efforts are provided, and the critical importance of team collaboration is emphasized.…

This article describes the Effective Academic and Behavioral Intervention and Supports (EABIS) program, a comprehensive inservice professional development program that provides direct support to schools as they engage in a team-based problem solving process of self-evaluation, implementation of systems change, and selection of prevention-based…

Describes the use of electronic field trips in a fourth grade classroom that used "Journeys to Wilderness Canyons", a four-part learning experience that meets national science standards. Discusses the video segments, the Web site, guidelines to evaluate instructional media, and team efforts. (LRW)

When working on tasks or projects, teams typically go through four phases: initiation, creation, elaboration, and completion. Each phase is explained, and two examples illustrate how the model is used after an orienteering exercise to help corporate management teams understand their way of functioning and identify strengths and development points.…