Developing a Functional Behavioral Assessment and
Behavioral Intervention Plan
A Sequential Approach
Legal Requirements
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 1997 Amendments Requires Functional Behavioral Assessments Requires Behavioral Intervention Plan
• Changes to policy concerning Special Education 1999 Final Regulations
• School district personnel formal requirements Strategies for students with disabilities with significant
behavior problems
Legal Requirements Continued…• Must be conducted when a student:
Has a disability Demonstrate Severe Behavior difficulties Peers are at risk
• Requirement applies when: Serious disciplinary action Before or no more than 10 days
• Plan already in effect: Review plan Modify it Respond to behavior
What is Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)?• Process for collecting information:
Determine why problem behavior occurs Basis for development of BIP
• Process which looks at behavior: What Behavior accomplishes for the individual child Not the effects of the behavior on others.
• Assumes: Child attempts to adapt to specific situation
• Conducting an FBA: Gather information about the child’s behavior Useful function’s for the child
FBA aims to:
• Define behavior in specific, objective, and measurable terms.
• Determine what aspects of the environment or situation elicit the behavior
• Identify what consequences maintain the behavior.
Addressing the Underlying Motivation• Beyond Discipline
The need to address the roots of misbehavior
• Intrinsic motivation• Strong motivational dispositions • Related Patterns of misbehavior• Misbehavior
often reactive stemming from avoidance motivation protective reactions.
Motivation continued…
• Avoid situations where student can’t cope effectively
• Protect themselves• Misbehavior reflects efforts to cope and defend
against aversive experiences.
Intrinsic Motivational Theory
• Corrective intervention Steps are designed to reduce reactance enhance positive motivation Participation in an Intervention
• Intervention Identify and follow through
• Alternatives Producing greater feelings of self-determination Competence relatedness
• Please get into groups of 3.
• Fill out the worksheet within your group
• Discuss the Student’s behavior and possible disorder.
• What are some possible disorders and reasons why?
Legal Case: Dallas ISD2003• School district failed to demonstrate student’s
behavior problems• Before alternative Educational Program• Failure:
School didn’t prove behavior problems were not caused by disability
• Placement was inappropriate• Failed to provide FAPE
Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
• Disciplinary action must be voided
Considerations when developing FBA and BIP
• Skill Deficits vs. Performance Deficits
• Implementing Interventions• Student Supports of BIP
Including parents, guardians, family
• Reinforcement of Appropriate Student Behavior
References
• Buck, G. (2000). Developing Behavioral Intervention Plans: A Sequential Approach. In LD Online. Retrieved November 14, 2011, from http://www.ldonline.org/article/6031/
• Philpot, D. (2002). Texas Case Law. In Attorney at Law. Retrieved November 12, 2011, from http://www.dphilpotlaw.com/html/texas_case_law.html
• Malott, R. W, Whaley, D. L., & Malott, M. E. (1997). Elementary principles of behavior (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NU: Prentice Hall.
• CECP. Functional Behvior Assessment (2004). In Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice. Retrieved November 15, 2011, from http://cecpair.org/fba/
• Yell, M. L. (2000). The law and students with behavior disorders. In P. Gunther (Ed.), Effective practices for teachers of children with social/ emotional behavior disorders. Manuscript submitted for publication.