Enhancing Effects of Check-in/Check-out with Function-Based Support

Functional behavior assessment and function-based support have increasingly been used in school settings in the past decade. This increased use has come under scrutiny from some experts who have argued in the past that function-based support has not yet been proven to be effective in typical school settings with students without severe disabilities. But recent research has demonstrated its effectiveness in general education settings, and current research is providing insight into procedures that can enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of functional behavior assessment and function-based support in typical school settings. In this article the authors provide six guidelines for effective functional behavior assessment and support in school settings.

This chapter explores the practical application of functional behavior assessments (FBAs) in school-based contexts, beginning with a background of FBAs and current challenges in its application. The authors present a case study of an FBA conducted within a public elementary school, highlighting key barriers and facilitators in the process as well as the critical link between successful FBAs and the development of effective behavior plans. This case illustrates three critical areas for improvement – enhanced FBA training for teachers and paraprofessionals, the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration and family engagement in the FBA process, and the integration of trauma-informed care into behavioral assessments – that can help educators not only address the underlying functions of challenging behavior but also create supportive, trauma-sensitive environments that promote student engagement and well-being. Together, these strategies enhance the utility and effectiveness of FBAs, leading to positive outcomes for both students and school staff.

Many active‐learning approaches have been shown to be effective across contexts; however, discrepant results raise challenging questions about specific implementations and their efficacies. Here, we present two studies that examine how different instructors implemented the same active‐learning approaches in large introductory biology courses (about 300 students) and what factors correlated with positive student outcomes. In the first study, we analyzed student outcomes in two sections of a course. The course was collaborative developed by two instructors (A and B), and the sections (A and B) shared all teaching material and had common exams. However, students in section A had more positive and equitable outcomes: Section A had higher learning gains measured by pre/post concept inventories (effect size = 0.89 vs. 0.72, p<0.05) and a higher completion rate (94% vs. 83%, p<0.01); completion rates are different for majority vs. underrepresented minority (URM) students only in section B (85% vs. 67%, p<0.05). In parallel, we dissected how the two instructors taught and triangulate their actions in the classrooms with their beliefs about teaching. Using COPUS, we found that in lectures with clicker questions, instructor A had significantly more two‐minute time intervals in which he answered questions (47% vs. 22%, p<0.05) or had extended discussions with students (20% vs. 0%, p<0.01). In lectures dedicated to small‐group problem solving, instructor A had more two‐minute time intervals in which he moved among groups (79% vs. 32%, p<0.01) and fewer two‐minute time intervals in which he waited at the podium (17% vs. 56%, p<0.01). Using an established interview protocol and coding scheme, we found that instructor A had an acquisition belief of teaching (i.e. helping students learn content), whereas instructor B had a transmission belief of teaching (i.e. disseminating information). These beliefs are consistent with the actions observed by COPUS and may provide an explanation for pedagogical decisions made either explicitly or implicitly by the two instructors. In the second study, we expanded our analysis to include a third instructor (C), who had a development belief of teaching (i.e. facilitating the discovery of knowledge by students in a constructivist manner), teaching a different course. We found that while instructor C has a mixed COPUS profile with elements similar to both instructors A and B, his group activities had a fundamentally different structure that guides students to make their own discoveries and formulate mental models. Together in these two studies, we examined how multiple people enacted the same curriculum, why they implemented active learning in specific but distinct manners, and what beliefs about teaching and actions in the classrooms correlated with positive student outcomes. From these results, we propose a new model to understand how and why faculty teach differently and what features of their teaching promote student success.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Effect of an intensive metabolic control lifestyle intervention in type-2 diabetes patients

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a virtual intensive reading intervention embedded with mindset training compared to typical reading instruction in a business-as-usual (BAU) condition delivered to fourth grade students with or at-risk for reading disabilities. After screening, the 59 participants were stratified and assigned randomly to condition. Highly trained interventionists delivered the intervention one-to-one with high fidelity and student engagement during the intensive intervention. Classroom teachers delivered the BAU. We examined the effects of the intervention on a variety of standardized timed and untimed measures of word reading and decoding, reading fluency, comprehension, and mindset. We addressed two research questions: What are the effects of intensive virtual reading intervention embedded with mindset training relative to a business-as-usual comparison (BAU) on the reading outcomes of fourth grade students with or at-risk for reading disabilities? Was initial mindset related to student response to intervention? Data analyses examined the main effect and moderation using linear mixed effects models. Significant differences in reading favored the virtual treatment condition for letter and word identification (g = 0.38). No other significant effects were observed. We note limitations in our study and offer directions for future research, including the need to explore additional moderators.

Examine friendship qualities (i.e., control, prosocial skills, positive affect, support, companionship, conflict, help, security, and closeness) and perceived self-efficacy in friendships of children with spina bifida (SB) and chosen peers over time through observed behaviors and self-report. Families of children with SB (aged 8-15) were asked to invite the child's "best friend" to participate in-home assessment visits; 127 friendship dyads were included in the current study. Mixed-effects models were used to examine children with SB and their peers across age on observed behaviors and self-reported data about their friendships. For observed behaviors, peers displayed more control (p = .002) and prosocial behaviors (p = .007) with age than youth with SB. Male peers displayed higher control in their interactions as they aged (p = .04); and males with SB maintained their level of prosocial behaviors with age, compared to an increase in prosocial behaviors with age for all other groups (p = .003). For self-reported data, there was no evidence to suggest significant differences in friendship qualities across age (ps ≥ .2), with the exception of increased help (p = .002). Female peers reported increases in companionship across age compared to the other groups (p = .04). Differing from previous examinations of social characteristics in SB, most longitudinal trends in friendship qualities did not differ for youth with SB compared to their peers. Promotion of this existing social strength may be a key intervention target for future strategies that promote positive outcomes for youth with SB.

This chapter outlines the development, significance, and relevance of applied behaviour analysis to the Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) field, with a focus on school education. This includes a discussion about the relevance of functional perspectives to all tiers of support, and the areas in need of further research. First, the authors define Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) and describe its theoretical and methodological principles. This clearly identifies the purpose and terminology of ABA within the Australian context. Second, they explain how ABA has been embodied in the general perspectives of PBS and acknowledge the development of PBS across diverse contexts. Third, they explain how ABA continues to be represented in Australian school-based initiatives and interventions that are aligned with evidence-based practice principles. Fourth, they define function-based support and discuss its evidence base. They briefly review the core features of School-wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS), including (a) the selection and use of practical interventions that are (b) delivered as part of a multi-tiered system of support and (c) promote improvements in the overall quality of life for individuals. They describe why a functional perspective to understanding behaviour is central to all tiers of SWPBS. Additionally, the key processes that are required for function-based support are briefly discussed, including collecting behavioural data, screening, monitoring, and evaluation. Fifth, they identify the points of congruence between a functional perspective and other extant approaches that address learning and behavioural support within Australian schools. This focuses on teaching and learning practices, and the measurements of learning. Sixth, they outline a pathway for expanding the use of function-based interventions in school settings in Australia, with reference to initiatives such as function-based ‘thinking’. They conclude the chapter with suggested areas for future research in Australia.

Given high rates of attrition among first-year college students (e.g., Walker et al., 2017), increasing student retention while reducing educational inequality is imperative for institutions of higher education. Academic advisors play a critical role in these efforts, as advising communications can have powerful effects on important student outcomes (e.g., Kyte et al., 2020). Across two experimental studies, we examined how small changes in language used in advising communications influence students’ thoughts and behavioral intentions (e.g., support, persistence, disclosure of learning disability/need for accommodation). Building on recent work supporting the effectiveness of advisor communication based in growth mindset and appreciative advising frameworks (Buchanan et al., 2022), we investigated the utility of advising micro-messages congruent with these frameworks on students. In Study 1, undergraduate students imagined receiving a message from an advisor regarding a challenging class that contained growth mindset micro-messages, appreciative advising micro-messages, or policy/resource information only. Participants then completed measures of student outcomes. Overall, when students saw either of the advising micro-messages (vs. only information), they experienced more positive student outcomes and reported being more willing/comfortable to disclose a learning disability to their advisor. In Study 2, we replicated the positive effects on student outcomes of Study 1 using a combined growth mindset and appreciative advising message. Messaging matters, especially as college campuses seek to foster and support their increasingly diverse student bodies. Our research suggests that subtle language used in advising can have a powerful influence on student affect and behavior.

The current study is a 1-year follow-up analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial of Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT) for toddlers with language delays. Outcomes and predictors of child language and parent intervention implementation were examined 6 and 12 months after the end of the intervention. Toddlers with language delays were recruited from the community, and 97 toddlers and parents were randomly assigned to receive usual community treatments or a 3-month EMT intervention with parent training. Multiple regression analyses were used to estimate the differences between groups at the 6- and 12-month follow-up periods. A subgroup of participants with receptive and expressive language delays was used in a post hoc moderator analysis of treatment outcomes. Children in the treatment arm did not differ from children in the control arm at 6- and 12-month follow-ups. However, post hoc analyses revealed that children with receptive-expressive language delays were persistently delayed relative to normative performance throughout the follow-up period. The immediate effects of the brief delivery of EMT were not sustained over the 1-year follow-up period. However, the short-term intervention may not have been sufficient for children with receptive-expressive delays to develop typical language abilities, suggesting they may need more intensive early intervention. Although this intervention may not be necessary for all children with primary language delays, future research should determine the extent to which children with receptive-expressive delays may benefit from more intensive intervention.

The relationship between public education expenditures and student outcomes remains an important concern for policy analysts, educational administrators, and the public at large. While previous studies have failed to identify a consistent relationship between public investments in education and positive student outcomes, most analyses have not accounted for the different educational goals associated with various instructional expenditure categories. This study builds on prior research by using Pennsylvania’s public school districts to test proposed improvements in model specification for the traditional education production function. Using longitudinal, fixed-effects models, a detailed disaggregation of instructional expenditures is undertaken in order to account for the likelihood that different instructional subcategories (i.e. regular programming, special education, and vocational instruction) influence student outcomes in varying ways. The results suggest that the impact of expenditures may be understated in previous studies based on a failure to account for these distinctions, particularly in the case of Mathematics education.

ABSTRACTSchool psychologists have the potential to improve students' reading skills by helping schools select evidence‐based programs and then supporting their implementation. Blended learning offers a flexible implementation format to address long‐standing challenges implementing and scaling reading programs in schools. The purpose of this study was to explore the unique implementation challenges associated with blended learning programs, how systems‐level consultation can be used to support implementation and foster intervention fidelity, and the extent to which intervention fidelity of a blended learning reading program was associated with student reading skills. This collective case study included qualitative and quantitative data from 20 schools, 666 educators, and 6208 students in the U.S. We employed mixed methods, which included inductive thematic analysis of 47 implementation plans and means difference testing to examine differences in educator engagement, student‐level intervention fidelity, and student outcomes across districts with varying levels of implementation supports. Results identified several challenges encountered throughout implementation and the types of strategies employed to address those challenges. Further, results suggested that there were greater levels of fidelity and more positive student outcomes in schools accessing systems‐level consultation to support implementation.

Quality school–family partnerships can promote positive student and family outcomes. However, rural schools face many obstacles in establishing and maintaining quality parent–teacher partnerships, including large geographic distances between families and schools. A state university has partnered with rural area schools to create the Parent–Teacher Leadership Academy (PTLA), a leadership training program that equips rural elementary school parents and teachers to impact school and student outcomes in a positive way. The purpose of this chapter is to highlight the need for school–university– community partnerships in rural areas, explain the structure of the PTLA and how it implements the parent–teacher partnership model, provide an example of the partnership model in action, and conclude with recommendations for universities that plan to implement similar training programs.

Clarke et al. (2014) provide a persuasive case for role of a theory-of-change model to guide nature of curriculum development work embodying both a theoretical and empirical knowledge foundation. They illuminate components of their model, which were used to design and test efficacy of a Tier 2 intervention for students who met their criteria for at-risk identification of mathematics difficulties. Their model of change is well grounded in research findings regarding effective instructional delivery practices for struggling students, as well as critical mathematical competencies related to foundational concepts and skills, which purportedly are necessary for later mathematics success. Unfortunately, as Clarke et al. (2014) aptly point out, findings from national assessments (e.g., The Nation's Report Card; National Assessment of Educational Progress, 2013) indicate an alarming rate of poor performance by students who continue to struggle with learning mathematical knowledge. Undoubtedly, a significant number of children demonstrate poor mathematics achievement (Swanson, 2006) that is persistent and pervasive, with long-term problems associated with mathematics difficulties (Geary, 2004; Griffin & Case, 1997). Recommendations from National Mathematics Advisory Panel (2008) and Frye et al. (2013) underscore importance of providing early intervention that uses effective instructional practices for at-risk students. For early mathematics interventions, research results are beginning to inform an understanding of types of instructional practices and intensity of interventions that contribute to mathematics performance. Thus, report by Clarke et al. (2014) offers field promising information about a multicomponent intervention for young children who are at risk for mathematics difficulties within a response-to-intervention (RtI) support system. The purpose of this commentary is to expand on theoretical implications underpinning Clarke et al. (2014) intervention study by elaborating on key findings and offering additional insights to situate study in terms of RtI, a theory of change, and future research. RtI Support System and Mathematics Difficulties Clarke et al. (2014) frame their intervention work within an RtI system of support. As such, RtI is operationalized through key components, including providing universal screening to all students to identify those who are most in need of preventative intervention, using validated interventions with high-quality levels of fidelity as part of tiered system of support, and conducting ongoing monitoring of student response to intensive instruction (Fuchs & Vaughn, 2012). Notably, Clarke et al. (2014) acknowledge call of National Mathematics Advisory Panel (2008) for the development and rigorous evaluation of mathematics curricula, which should be inclusive of domains of Common Core State Standards (2010) for mathematics (CCSSM). Clearly, availability of evidence-based practices and programs for a tiered mathematics support system is a critical component of RtI and requires more research attention from field. Clarke et al. (2014) indicate that, on basis of WWC [What Works Clearinghouse] standards for evaluating program effectiveness (p. X), only four programs could conceivably be integrated into an RtI framework for Tier 1 mathematics instruction; moreover, only two programs (i.e., Bryant, Bryant, Gersten, Scammacca, & Chavez, 2008; Fuchs et al., 2005) suitable for tiered instruction for first graders were identified. More recently, adding to this list of programs targeting Tier 2 first-grade students with mathematics difficulties is early numeracy intervention program (Bryant, Pfannenstiel, & Bryant, 2014). Evidence for this program is based on a pretest-posttest control group design; 139 students were randomly assigned to Tier 2 treatment group and 65 students to comparison group. …

This qualitative study investigated characteristics of student-teacher interactions during the new book introduction portion of Reading Recovery lessons. The new book introduction provides the student with background knowledge and story plot sufficient to render a successful first attempt reading the book that takes place directly after the introduction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of student-teacher interactions during the new book introduction portion of Reading Recovery lessons in order to describe the nature of these interactions and discover the relationships, if any exist, between the interactions and student performance. The study also searched for common themes in the function of teacher language when the student was successful in reading the new book. The theoretical framework for the study was socio-linguistic educational theory, literacy instruction for English-language learners, and Clay's theory about literacy learning. The study used the data collected on one student from each of nine Reading Recovery teachers in California who were teaching Spanish-dominant English-language learners. The data were collected from videotaped lessons, field notes of on-site observations by the researcher, and lesson documents. The constant comparison method (Creswell, 1998) was used during the data analysis to discover common themes and categories of the teaching-learning transactions. Teacher language was also defined by its teaching/learning function, using a rubric developed by Clay (1998). Successful student outcomes in reading the new book were measured by the Running Record of Oral Text Reading developed by Clay (2002). Using these positive student outcomes as a guide, the researcher found three major characteristics in the conversations: the interactions contained elements of successful learning conversations as described by Wells (1986); the teachers created an atmosphere of interactive ease or a feeling of comfort in the lesson; and the teachers delivered “comprehensible input” (Krashen, 1981) for English-language learners. The explanation for the most successful new book introductions relied on many interconnected characteristics. Teachers used both verbal and non-verbal interactions, concentrated heavily on the meaning of the book, and made good book choices. This study may inform the growing numbers of Reading Recovery teachers who teach English-language learners.

Implementation science examines the process of how programs are put into action to produce outcomes and represents an emerging approach for analyzing the utilization of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in school settings. When EBPs are implemented effectively, they result in positive student outcomes. The Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI) is an EBP shown to promote positive educational and postschool outcomes for students with disabilities; however, the process of implementing the SDLMI on a large scale poses significant challenges. We describe efforts to implement the SDLMI state-wide with transition-age students with intellectual and developmental disabilities through the lens of implementation science. Key factors and issues that need to be addressed in ongoing research and practice to further advance student outcomes are highlighted.