Midterm Assignment, Functional Communication Training Plan
EDUU 696, Selecting and Implementing Interventions for Behavior Change in Applied Behavior Analysis
Identification of Behavior and FBA Data
The subsequent information is taken directly from the Functional Behavior Assessment and Functional Analysis Assessment completed for AI in July and August.
AI’s Functional Behavior Assessment revealed that his behaviors of concern are causing him to miss a substantial amount of classroom instruction. The behaviors occur daily and are of great concern to his teacher and the paraprofessionals. The findings of the Functional Behavioral Analysis and Functional Assessment Observations yielded information regarding the function of AI’s behavior to be escape. Direct measurements were conducted in the classroom and throughout the school setting. These measurements consisted to antecedent-behavior consequence (A-B-C) data collection, conditional probabilities of antecedent and consequence conditions, interval recordings of target behaviors, and clinical observation notes. During these observations, AI displayed the behaviors of work refusal, physical aggression, and property destruction. Work refusal includes any instance of refusal to comply with teacher or paraprofessionals requests to complete an assignment or participate in class. Aggression includes any instance of hitting, pushing, or scratching or any combination of these behaviors. Property destruction includes the destruction or attempt to destroy school property by throwing, swiping, kicking, tipping, or tearing it. The behavior is not the time it takes him in preparation to gather materials to complete the assignment and typical play behavior with classmates.
Replacement Behavior
It is observed that AI’s behavior typically progresses from work refusal to physical aggression, and then to property destruction as a way to escape any non-preferred activity. For instance, when AI is asked to complete an academic assignment, he will first refuse to begin the assignment. When school staff continue to prompt him to begin the assignment, his behaviors become more severe. This is especially true if the prompts happen in quick succession. A replacement behavior for AI’s work refusal will be a functional communication response to request a break from the assignment and staff prompts. This will give AI a suitable way to ask for time and space when he is overwhelmed or feeling frustrated by demands. The functional communication response that will be used is a break card. This card will be placed on the top corner of AI’s desk. When he points to the card, he will be allowed three minutes of no prompting to complete the assignment and will be allowed to sit quietly at his desk. After three minutes, AI will be prompted to begin his assignment. For example, AI is asked to complete a reading assignment and refuses to begin, he is then prompted once by school staff. AI then points to the break card located on the top right corner of his desk, at which time staff times three minutes for him to sit quietly before another prompt is given. AI will be given one break card per assignment. The use of break cards will be shaped to AI verbally requesting a break in an appropriate manor.
Data Collection
AI was observed in the classroom and throughout the school building on three separate occasions to collect baseline data. This data revealed that AI’s behavior occurred frequently throughout the school day and would often become severe enough for him to be removed from the classroom environment.
AI was taught the replacement behavior over the course of two days, and intervention data was gathered on day three through six for a total of six data collection points. The graph below represents the baseline data and intervention data for AI:
When analyzing the baseline and intervention data it is clear that the trend of the intervention data is showing a behavior change for AI when the functional communication response is in place. From the onset of the intervention, AI responded positively. He required very few reminders to use the break card and responded well when prompted to begin the assignment after the three minutes. School staff used the intervention at every instance of an assignment presented to AI during the time of data collection. Not only did AI’s work refusal decrease, but there were also no instances of physical aggression or property destruction.
Environment
In preparation for implementing the intervention of the use of the break card, a card with the word “break” on it was created and fastened to the top right corner of AI’s desk. The card was purposely made in AI’s favorite colors and large enough for staff to see from any point in the room. AI was allowed opportunities to practice using the break during the first two days for any non-preferred activity, not just academic assignments. This allowed him plenty of opportunities to practice using the card before implementation. An example of this is when AI was asked to transition to specials or related services. Since these activities can cause refusal and physical aggression, he was able to use the break card to allow him three extra minutes to transition to the next activity.
Planning for Generalization
AI is educated in a self-contained classroom throughout most of the school day. He does have two teachers and three different paraprofessionals that rotate in the room throughout the day. AI will be taught to use the break card will all five staff members present in the classroom. He will also be given opportunities to use the break card in specials, related services and the cafeteria. Using the break card in all of these environments will help with generalization. Each staff member across all areas will be urged to use the same procedure and reinforcement when AI uses the card to request a break. The use of the card will ultimately be shaped into AI verbally requesting a break in an appropriate manor to any staff member he comes in contact with. The use of this intervention will also be explained and encouraged for his parents to use when he is asked to perform a non-preferred activity at home.
Errorless Learning
AI will be prompted immediately to request the break card when an assignment is presented. When the intervention is first implemented staff will wait 30 seconds for AI to begin his assignment, if he does not begin the assignment after 30 seconds, school staff will point to the card on his desk to prompt him to use the card. For example, AI is presented with a math assignment an says “I don’t want to” the teacher will wait 30 seconds for him to begin with no verbal prompts and then point to the card. Once AI points to the card, AI will be verbally praised for his behavior.
Plan for Extinction
When AI displays work refusal behavior immediately following a request to complete an assignment, teachers are instructed not to verbally prompt him or make reference to the assignment in any other way. The teacher and paraprofessional will only reinforce the behavior of using the break card. For example, if AI is presented with a reading assignment and does not pick up the book to open to the requested page, he will be ignored. After 30 seconds, staff will prompt him to use the break card by pointing to the card on the desk and walking away. AI’s work refusal behavior was formerly reinforced by staff through constant prompting and reference to the assignment.
Reinforcement
The function of AI’s work refusal behavior is escape. When AI’s work refusal decreased there were no instances of physical aggression or property destruction. Therefore, the replacement behavior must be consistently reinforced. Staff should allow the full three minutes at the beginning of the intervention and be sure not to prompt him in any fashion during that time. This includes giving him physical space. The amount of time between the use of the break card and start of the assignment will be faded.
Shaping
At the implementation of the intervention, AI will be given the ability to use the break card with every assignment and given the full three minutes before any prompting occurs. At the onset, staff may need to remind him to use the card by pointing to the card, physically placing their hand on the card, or verbally saying “point to the card.” For example, if AI looks at the break card he will be reinforced. AI will then need to continue to be prompted to point to the card. He will then be reinforced once he points to the card. In the last step, he will need to physically touch the break card to receive the reinforcement.
Fading Prompts
AI will first be prompted by school staff through the use of physical touch and verbal cues. These prompts will be faded as AI demonstrates that he is able to appropriately use the break card when assignments are presented to him. For example, when AI is given a science worksheet to complete and does not touch the break card, classroom staff will stand by him and touch the break card until he mimics that behavior. The staff will then fade that prompt by pointing to the card from a distance. The last step in fading the prompts will be a verbal que of “AI please touch the break card on your desk.”
Fading Reinforcement
In order to fade reinforcement, AI will be given less time in between the request to use the break card and the time in which he will begin the assignment. As previously stated, AI will be given three minutes of no verbal prompting or physical presence of school staff around his desk once the break card is requested. As the replacement behavior is used successfully, the amount of time in between the request to use the break card and beginning the assignment will be shortened. Each week of school 30 seconds will be taken off of that time until AI is able to begin the assignment within 30 seconds of the request. For example, on week three of the intervention AI will begin the assignment within 2 minutes of requesting the break card.
Monitoring
AI’s progress will be monitored by teacher and paraprofessionals that are with him throughout the school day. Data will be collected on his progress of requesting the break card and the start of the assignment. This data will be analyzed and graphs will be created to easily see his progress. The skill will be considered mastered when AI independently requests the break card and begins the assignment within 30 seconds of the request at every instance of an assignment presented. Interventions will take place if AI is not able to maintain the schedule of latency or stops using the break card. A new FBA will be conducted once the skill is mastered.
Frequency of Work Refusal
Baseline Data Observation 1 Observation2 Observation 3 Observation 4 Observation5 Observation6 6 5 6 4 6 7 Intervention Data Observation 1 Observation2 Observation 3 Observation 4 Observation5 Observation6 2 3 2 2 1 1 Column1 Observation 1 Observation2 Observation 3 Observation 4 Observation5 Observation6
Collepals.com Plagiarism Free Papers
Are you looking for custom essay writing service or even dissertation writing services? Just request for our write my paper service, and we'll match you with the best essay writer in your subject! With an exceptional team of professional academic experts in a wide range of subjects, we can guarantee you an unrivaled quality of custom-written papers.
Get ZERO PLAGIARISM, HUMAN WRITTEN ESSAYS
Why Hire Collepals.com writers to do your paper?
Quality- We are experienced and have access to ample research materials.
We write plagiarism Free Content
Confidential- We never share or sell your personal information to third parties.
Support-Chat with us today! We are always waiting to answer all your questions.
