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Functional
Behavior Asesssment
A Functional Behavior
Assessment is required if a student is involved in a behavior
subject to disciplinary action that an IEP Team has determined
to be a manifestation of the student's disability.
Conducting a functional behavior assessment
is the first step in a functional behavior analysis. The
functional assessment (Form
No. 80.01 with IEP Addendum - 60.05. FORMAL IEP MEETING
REQUIRED) gathers information about when, where and why
challenging behavior occurs, so that effective interventions
can be designed and put into action.
While functional assessments have been used
for many years with students who have severe disabilities,
they have recently been found to be helpful in addressing
the inappropriate behavior of students with milder disabilities,
when their behaviors do not improve with the use of typical
school interventions.
IDEA mandates that if a student has behavior
that gets in the way of his or her learning, or that of
others, the IEP team must consider positive behavioral interventions,
strategies and supports to address that behavior. In addition,
prior to a student being removed from his or her current
educational placement because of inappropriate behavior
that are a manifestation of the student's disability, the
school must conduct a functional behavioral assessment of
the student and develop a behavioral intervention plan.
The functional behavior assessment includes:
- Identifying the behavior(s) that needs to change
It is important that IEP team members (including parents)
clearly define the problem behavior in terms of specific
observable actions. Often students may have more than
one challenging behavior. It is best to focus on those
behaviors than are destructive or disruptive, those
that threaten the health or life of the student or others,
interfere with learning, destroy property, or prevent
the student from participating in daily activities.
Limit your focus to one or two behaviors at a time.
- Gathering information about the behavior
This can be done through interviews with key team members
and observing the student in different settings over
time. (Please refer to Form 80.01 for the appropriate
questions to explore.)
- Developing a hypothesis (best guess) about the reason
for the behavior
Figuring out the purpose of problem behaviors is one
of the most important (and difficult!) steps in developing
a plan for changing behavior. One reason is that some
students may use one behavior for several different
purposes (for example, hitting to get attention and
to escape from a situation). Other students may use
different problem behaviors for the same purpose. When
we remember that many students have had years to develop
and practice their problem behaviors, it's not surprising
that their behavior can be so puzzling.
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Behavior
Intervention Plan
Developing a behavior intervention plan is
the second part of the functional behavior analysis process
to address behavior that gets in the way of his or her learning,
or that of others. The plan would spell out all the details
and routines of an intervention to change behavior (Form
80.02 with IEP Addendum - 60.05. FORMAL IEP MEETING
REQUIRED). The plan may include teaching new skills or changing
the circumstances surrounding the behavior. IEP Goals and
objectives pages may be used in addition to the structured
form.
The behavior intervention plan is conducted
in the context of an IEP team meeting, and thus, subject
to all the corresponding procedural requirements. The plan
includes who is responsible for the intervention and the
dates an evaluation is to be conducted. The behavior intervention
plan becomes a part of the IEP and it is suggested that
timelines for evaluation correspond to progress report dates
for the other goals and objectives contained in the student's
IEP.
Even though a functional assessment may take
more time initially, it can make a real difference for those
students for whom typical interventions have not been successful.
Developing an understanding of the cause of behavior may
be key to helping them learn new behavioral skills.
Please refer to the section on discipline
for guidelines as to when a functional behavior assessment
and behavior intervention plan are to be completed.
The Functional Behavior Assessment and Behavior
Intervention Plan are required to be completed as part of
the procedural safeguards in special education.
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