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Models and Classroom Instruction
Five Steps for Implementation

Individualized Positive Behavioral Support plans are as unique and varied as the individuals that they are designed to assist. Ideally, the plan is multi-contextual and therefore implemented in each environment that the individual interacts with such as home, school, or work. While the specific behavioral interventions vary from individual to individual, some important general features recommended by the Research and Training Center on Positive Behavioral Support (http://www.strepos.uoregon.edu/stweb/pbs/indes/html) help to define the process of implementation for individual students. Briefly, these components include:

1. Goal Setting and Vision Sharing

The first step of implementation includes the setting of goals and the sharing of vision regarding the individual with a disability. To the extent possible the student him/herself should be involved in this process. The stage provides a forum for all stakeholders or those working and living with the child on a daily basis to develop a plan that has social and ecological validity. Such planning is important in increasing the likelihood that an individual's quality of life will be improved and in maintaining desired behavior of a longer period of time.

2. Conducting a Functional Assessment of Behavior

Critical to positive outcomes is a link between the positive support plan and an assessment of the individual's behavior. Unlike traditional assessment approaches, functional assessment does not focus on "a search for individual pathology." Instead, functional assessment attempts to define and analyze deficiencies in an individual's environment that serve to maintain problematic behavior. Once this goal is accomplished, individualized interventions can be developed to change these environments and to produce desirable behavior.

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3. Developing A Comprehensive Intervention Plan

• The positive behavior support team should work together to develop interventions that will prevent the onset of problematic behaviors. Such a plan would include:

  Adapting the Environment

  Research has shown that changes in the environment such as adapting instructional techniques, subject curriculum, daily routines, and classroom rules can have significant impact on behavior. These changes can prevent problems by eliminating situations that often trigger the onset of or maintain problematic behavior.

  Teaching and Praising Desirable Behavior

  The second piece of the positive behavior support plan includes techniques to develop desirable behaviors. Direct teaching of social, communication, and self-management skills is often effective in providing the individual alternatives to problematic behaviors. Once these skills have been developed and they are successful in meeting the individual's needs (such as gaining teacher attention), there is no longer a need to use the undesirable behavior. Once these new behaviors are displayed it is important that teachers, parents and others reinforce and praise these new patterns of behavior so that they will continue in the future.

  Developing Emergency or Crisis Plans

  In reality, there will be times when problematic behaviors will reoccur. It may be that these times are infrequent and unpredictable. However, the school or the family should be prepared for the most problematic behaviors or situations that might occur by developing an "emergency" plan to deal with such situations. The more specific the plan the better because during a state of confusion and high stress professionals' own behavior can be counterproductive. Therefore, it is important that all involved with the student know exactly what to do and when to do it. Practicing such scenarios can insure that the best decisions will be made under the real circumstances.

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  4. Implement the Plan

During this stage the interventions that have been developed are actually put into place. It is likely that a team of individuals will be involved in implementation and that all components will be gradually adopted.

5. Monitor the Plan

Over the course of time it is likely that the initial plan will change. It is important that the plan be monitored to determine whether it is successful in meeting the students needs. Appropriate changes will be necessary when needs are not being met and when needs are met. It is important that interventions remain on going and sensitive to the most pressing needs. In addition, in order to maintain previous gains it is likely that positive behavior supports will need to continue in some fashion over extended periods of time.

 

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