Effective FBAs and BIPs

Presenters:Behavior Intervention Team

When Do I Have To Conduct an FBA?

The Notice of Procedural Safeguards January, 2012 states:› If a students conduct is a manifestation of his or her

disability, the ARD committee must: conduct a functional behavioral assessment (FBA), unless it conducted one before the behavior that resulted in the change of placement occurred, and implement a behavioral intervention plan (BIP) for the child.

› If the students conduct is NOT a manifestation of his or her disability, then the student must receive, as appropriate, an FBA, behavioral intervention services, and modifications that are designed to address the behavior so that it does not recur.

› When a student has been removed from their general placement for more than 10 school days for misbehavior.

Legal Framework: IDEA 2004

Current Thinking Past Practice The DifferenceStudents may require behavior support.

Student may require behavior management.

Behavior support implies addressing environment, teaching strategies, teaching new behaviors, and using positive reinforcement strategies; Behavior management implies focus on consequences, whether positive or negative.

Legal Framework: IDEA 2004

Current Thinking Past Practice The DifferenceBehavior support plans should focus on understanding “why” the behavior occurred (function) then focus on teaching/eliciting an alternative behavior that meets the student’s needs in alternative, more acceptable ways.

Behavior management plans focused on specifying the consequences of misbehavior, and to some extent, the consequences of acceptable behavior.

Past practice rarely attempted to understand the reasons a maladaptive behavior occurred; Current practice, by understanding the behavior and teaching alternatives or changing environmental conditions, plans to seek permanently change the way a student seeks to get needs met.

Legal Framework: IDEA 2004

Current Thinking Past Practice The DifferenceAntecedents are critical in changing behavior.

Focus: What can we actively do (teach/structure environment) to change the behavior?

Consequences were attempted to be made so compelling that the student would stop a behavior.

Focus: What must the student do to avoid or to get something we provide?

Consequence-based plans: For many students, neither a strong enough punishment, nor a strong enough reinforcer can be found to change the behavior.

Antecedent-based plans: Can result in changing environmental conditions and student skills for lasting change.

Legal Framework: IDEA 2004

Current Thinking Past Practice The DifferencePhilosophy: Positive behavior needs to be taught (modeled, shaped, cured) in a supportive environment.

Philosophy: Problem behavior needs to be controlled or eliminated. Positive behavior is to be expected regardless of the environment.

Controlling Behavior: Becoming increasingly more difficult in todays classrooms.

Teaching Behavior: Has the potentiol for lasting change.

Determining a Need for FBA•Examine previous interventions

• Evidence-based practices• Implemented with fidelity

•Examine behavior• Serious• Persistent• Chronic• Threat to safety of student or others

FBA Principles All behavior serves a purpose Most behaviors are learned Function is more important than form

when developing interventions Context, not form, determines how the

behavior is perceived

Define the Behavior Describe what the behavior “looks” like

› Use exact quotes› Describe body movement/gestures› Resist interpreting or embellishing› Use verbs, not adjectives

Describe the sequence of events Explain what did or did not happen

Operationalize the Behavior•Use terms that are

• Measurable • Observable

•Describe only the behavior you observe•Use specific, non-evaluative descriptions.

Operational Definitions Vague

› Uncooperative› Self-injurious› Self-stimming› Aggressive › Disrespectful› Belligerent

Operational› Throwing materials› Bangs head on wall› Flapping hands› Hits others with hands› Calls others profane

names› Responding with the

following profanities when asked to complete a task: _____________

ActivityEach group will:•Give 3 vague descriptors•Give 3 operational behaviors

Collecting Data Critical Data to Collect

› Antecedent› Consequence conditions› Relevant reinforcers/consequences› Intervention history› Resources› Baseline data› Competencies (academic & behavior)› Replacement behaviors

Antecedents Events that happen immediately before

the challenging behavior› Examples:

Demands Non-preferred activity Working with peers Working alone Teacher attending to another student

Consequences Events that happen immediately after

the behavior that are contingent on the behavior.› Examples

Escape from work Peer attention Reprimand from teacher

ABCs of BehaviorAntecedent Behavior Consequence

Large group activity Yells and makes off subject comments

Teacher gives mild reprimand

ABC Data Leads to ABC Interventions

Antecedent focused› Events associated with challenging

behavior manipulated before behavior is exhibited.

Behavior focused› Behavior function directly addressed

Consequence focused› Intervention consequences implemented

after behavior is exhibitied

Relevant Reinforcers IdentifiedInterview the student, parent, and other teachers to determine the types of reinforcers that have been effective with him/her in the past.

Intervention History Pervious Interventions Effectiveness Hypothesized reason for outcome

Available Resources Staff Family Peers Student Other

Baseline Data Naturally occurring

› Frequency› Duration› Intensity of the behavior

Baseline data is very important

Data Collection M

ethodsDirect M

ethodsIndirect M

ethods

Observation Scatterplot ABC Observation

Objective Data

Review of records› Office referrals› Eligibility folders

Interviews Rating scales

Subjective Data

Analyzing the Behavior Are there situations that seem to set off the

problem behavior? Where to the problems tend to occur? When do the problems tend to occur? Are there situations in which the problems

seem less prevalent? How often do the problem behaviors occur? How long does the behavior last? What seem to be maintaining the behavior?

Developing a Hypothesis Leads to plausible interventions

› Appropriate replacement behaviors› Functionally equivalent

Hypothesis Statement:› Related to functions› Statement Includes

Behavior Conditions– setting and antecedents Purpose -- Function

FBA Summary1. You MUST have parental consent.

• Use the Consent/Notice of Assessment in the Special Education Manager. • Ideally, obtaining consent should be an ARD committee decision.

2. Begin data collection (10 Days minimum of Baseline Data). • Identify no more than two specific target behaviors

• Examples: spitting, hitting to cause bodily harm, sleeping, cussing• Data sources should include at least one of the following: Frequency,

duration, latency. • When behavior occurs, conduct an ABC Analysis

• This will help to identify the function and any possible “triggers”3. Analyze Baseline Data

• Graph the base line data.• Look for any patterns in the data

• Determine the Present Level of Functioning Performance• This is CRUCIAL for developing the BIP

4. Determine the function of the behavior.• What is Little Johnny getting out of this behavior?• Behavior always has a purpose.

5. Develop a hypothesis.6. Develop a draft BIP to take to ARD just in case the ARD committee

determines the baseline data warrants a BIP.

Keys to BIP Development1. Determine who is responsible for what2. Develop your annual goal

• Make it reasonable• Do not set the goal for 100%...there is no such thing when it

pertains to behavior• Remember that a BIP is not a discipline plan…the student

code of conduct is the discipline plan• Use your PLFP to determine the goal

3. Identify positive reinforcers and strategies to increase positive behavior

4. The objectives should work towards meeting the annual goal in progression.• Strategies and interventions should be outlined in

the BIP that will increase or decrease the target behavior.

Points To Remember An FBA is an assessment, you must have notice

and consent› Must be data driven, not based off of strictly discipline

referrals Your draft BIP must have a Present Level of

Functioning Performance › This comes from your base line data

Once an ARD committee develops a BIP, you must continue data collection to show whether the student is meeting his/her objectives and goal› Remember…this is all data (think numbers) driven