Addressing Both Skill and Performance Deficits

Some student problems are so severe they require a combination of techniques and supports. For example, if the student finds it difficult to control his or her anger, she or he may need to be taught certaiin skills, including the following:

recognize the physical signs that he or she is becoming angry,

use relaxation skills,

apply problem-solving skills, and

practice communication skills.

and have the added support of:

the school counselor,

the school psychologist, and

curricular or environmental modifications.

In addition, the student may need to be provided with external rewards for appropriately dealing with anger.

Many professionals and professional organizations agree that it is usually ineffective and often unethical to use aversive techniques to control behaviors, except in very extreme cases, such as situations in which:

	the child’s behavior severely endangers her or his safety or the safety of others,
	every possible positive intervention has been tried for an appropriate length of time and found ineffective, and
	the behavior of the student severely limits his or her learning or socialization, or that of others.

It is important for IEP teams to consider all positive interventions before they consider punishment as an option. Punishment often makes behavior worse. Further, punishment seeks to control the symptom of the problem and does not address the function of the behavior.

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