TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• Rationale for Developing Positive Behavioral Interventions
• Overview of Functional Behavioral Assessment
• Addressing Student Problem Behavior is a Team Effort
• A Method for Developing, Implementing and Monitoring a Positive Behavioral Intervention Plan

7. Develop and Implement Behavioral Intervention Plan

• Elements of a Behavioral Intervention Plan
• Strategies to Address Different Functions of a Student's Behavior
• Skill Deficits and Performance Deficits
• Selecting and Implementing Interventions
• Student Supports as Part of the Behavioral Intervention Plan
• Reinforcement of Appropriate Student Behavior
• Special Considerations

8. Monitor Faithfulness of the Implementation of the Plan
9. Evaluate Effectiveness of the Behavioral Intervention Plan
10. Modify the Behavioral Intervention Plan

• Obstacles to Effective Functional Behavioral Assessment and Behavioral Intervention Plans and Supports
• Conclusion
• Additional Information on Functional Behavioral Assessment and Positive Behavioral Intervention Plans
• Appendix A:
  Functional Assessment/Behavioral Intervention Checklist
• Appendix B:
  Positive Behavioral Intervention Plan Planning Form
• Appendix C:
  Forced-Choice Reinforcement Menu
• Appendix D:
  Sample Crisis/Emergency Plan
• Other Available Resources

Selecting and Implementing Interventions

As we have stated frequently in our discussion of creating behavioral intervention plans, IEP teams draw upon information collected through the functional assessment process to develop individualized plans. Once this information has been analyzed and a number of possible interventions have been identified, the IEP team needs to select options for the behavioral intervention plan and consider the most effective method of implementation.

Guidelines for Selecting Intervention Options

Once some ideas about positive behavioral interventions have been generated for a student’s behavioral intervention plan, IEP teams should consider the following questions:

• Which intervention aligns with the function of the behavior?
• Which intervention is appropriate given the student’s need and current levels of performance?
• Which intervention directly teaches the target behavior?
• Which is the "least intrusive" and "least complex" intervention likely to produce positive changes in student behavior?
• Which aligned intervention (or combination of interventions) is most likely to positively change student behavior quickly and easily?
• Which aligned intervention (or combination of interventions) is least likely to produce negative side effects?
• Which intervention has evidence of effectiveness with the targeted behavior?
• Which intervention is most acceptable to the team member(s) responsible for implementing the plan?
• Which intervention is most likely to be acceptable to the targeted student?
• Which intervention is most likely to promote a replacement behavior that will occur and be reinforced in the natural environment?
• For which intervention is there the most system-wide support?

Answering these questions should yield a decision regarding which intervention(s) to adopt.

Putting Interventions into Routine Contexts

Members of IEP teams have learned that incorporating interventions into daily instruction is an effective way to: 1) teach students appropriate behavior before problems arise; and 2) promote replacement behaviors. A technique known as curricular integration is useful when teaching a range of academic and nonacademic skills to students. The concept of curricular integration is based on the premise that a skill is more likely to be learned when taught in the context in which it is to be used. The technique involves integrating positive strategies for changing problem behavior into the existing classroom curriculum. For instance, teaching social skills and problem solving strategies might be incorporated into a history lesson by means of a group activity designed to solve historic problems in non-violent ways (e.g., Boston Tea Party). Well-structured cooperative learning lessons create opportunities to teach and reinforce a wide range of behavioral objectives while also addressing academic objectives.