Category: Special education

Steps to completing a Functional Behavior Assessment:
Behavior- Identify a behavior that you want to reduce for yourself (FBA only targets behavior reduction, not skill acquisition). You are not allowed to use another person/pet for this project. It is self-directed. Make sure the behavior is not a one you are uncomfortable talking about (as students are encouraged to discuss their FBA progress on FBA). Pick behaviors from general category such as eating, hair twirling, nail biting, frequent texting, drinking too much coffee, using curse words, teasing friends, getting off-task. If you have any doubt on which behavior to target, please check with your instructor.
Define- Operationally define the behavior using guidelines from your text book.
Data collection- Identify a measurement system. Plan for data to be collected few times a week. As we all are busy, I would recommend against a daily data collection, unless you are using permanent products (e.g., number of empty coffee cups at the end of work day, number of texts sent to XYZ, amount of coffee consumed). If you are doing direct measurement of behavior in real-time (e.g., nail biting), keep the session length no more than 30-45 minutes. You can use a paper-system, smartphones, or another creative approach (e.g., putting coins from one jar to another every time you used a curse word). Adapt the technical knowledge of data collection to your practical setting. If you are targeting cursing while driving, paper pen would not be feasible. It may be better to record yourself during driving and then come home and code that audio clip for frequency count. Make sure the measurement system matches the dimension of the behavior. If you have any doubt, please confirm the data collection system with your instructor.
Self-interview- Simulate an interview with yourself to figure out the various contingencies that may be in play with this target behavior.
Scatterplot- Figure out when are you most likely to engage in that behavior and direct your data collection during that time frame.
ABC data- Complete these observations to determine the function of the behavior. Even though a frequency count is derived from these observations, do not use the number from ABC observations for baseline. Those should come using the data collection system identified previously.
Problem behavior pathway- Now that you have all these various sources of information, complete this FBA blueprint to visually demonstrate what is happening. Fill in the boxes with relevant information as if you will need to use this form to explain to client’s family how the behavior is being maintained.
Hypothesis- Once you are done with the pathway, you will be able to confidently list a statement informing the function of this behavior.
Competing behavior pathway- Now you will complete this form to use as a blueprint for a function-based treatment. This will visually explain to the reader, what contingencies will be different during treatment. It will list the antecedents, replacement behavior and how it will be maintained, and consequences for the target behavior so that it is no longer reinforced. This form will serve as your behavior change proposal. This will allow your instructor to see what you are proposing as the intervention for the target behavior. Make sure that the replacement behavior matches the function of the behavior.
Once you have data collected from baseline (at least 5 data points), graph using excel. Please follow the graphing guidelines presented in various modules and also follow the various articles and graphing resources provided to help you create graphs.

Early Childhood Special Education Diagnostic Assessment / SPE /
Philosophy of Assessment Essay
Candidates will compose their philosophy of assessment so that they may have it available for administrators as well as parents. Include what has been learned in this course.

This paper encourages you to engage critically with the world around you to better understand various societal impacts on people with disabilities. You will choose a specific community you are a part of (for example: work, the university, family, a sports team, etc.) and describe how this community could learn from the 4 references provided ( two linked bellow and 2 linked in files) reference link 1: https://youtu.be/n_sw6Hjtfg8?si=6ubfkIv0yHVu5fWo
reference link 2: https://youtu.be/8K9Gg164Bsw?si=kIH-Z0t4YKyWYSvB

Assignment 5
For Assignment 5, you will be viewing a series of videos and reading articles on modifications to curriculum by several authors. The authors discuss the importance of inclusion and diversity in curriculum development. The videos and articles are located on your Blackboard account as well as most are also on Youtube.com.
Dr. James Stanfield provides vital information on the employment of inclusive strategies in the classroom. He describes the advantages of the inclusive model and how an educator can create an inclusive climate in the classroom. The link to his materials is: https://stanfield.com/11-strategies-promote-inclusion-in-the-classroom/
In addition, here are several useful articles regarding how teachers should deal with children of various backgrounds. These articles can be found in your Blackboard account and/or Youtube.com as indicated.
Castro, Q. “Twelve Tips All Educators Must Know about Educating African American and Latino Students,” The Huff Post, December 6, 2017.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/twelve-tips-all-educators_b_4533419
Penna, R. “Understanding Your Community: The New Arab-American Student,” On-Target, New Jersey Association of School Administrators, February/March 2012.
Penna, R. “Understanding Your Community: The New Indian-American Student,” On-Target, New Jersey Association of School Administrators, December 2011/January 2012.
Penna, R. “Understanding Your Community: The New Chinese-American Student,” On-Target, New Jersey Association of School Administrators, October/November 2011.
“Accommodations and Modifications for Students with Disabilities” is a video which deals with the modifications and accommodations that students with special needs require to follow a district’s curriculum. For students with disabilities, the right teaching strategies and techniques can be as important to school success as appropriate IEP goals. The educational supports are similar, but they are not the same in all cases.

For Consideration:
After reading the above articles, how should educators insure that all children, regardless of ability level, race or national origin, are provided with the best opportunities to learn?
What steps, do you as a school administrator, take to insure the inclusion of all students into the fabric of your school?
What differences in instruction must be considered when dealing with children who come from different cultures?
As a building principal, how can you insure that student evaluations will insure that learning styles are taken into account?
As an educational leader, how do you involve the parents of children from foreign backgrounds into your school?
Describe the differences between accommodations and modifications.

St. Peter, C. C., Byrd, J. D., Pence, S. T., & Foreman, A. P. (2016). Effects of treatment‐integrity failures on a response‐cost procedure. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 49(2), 308-328.
Jowett Hirst, E. S., Dozier, C. L., & Payne, S. W. (2016). Efficacy of and preference for reinforcement and response cost in token economies. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 49(2), 329-345.
Lerman, D. C., & Vorndran, C. M. (2002). On the status of knowledge for using punishment: Implications for treating behavior disorders. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 35(4), 431-464.
Hester, P. P., Hendrickson, J. M., & Gable, R. A. (2009). Forty years later—The value of praise, ignoring, and rules for preschoolers at risk for behavior disorders. Education & Treatment of Children, 32(4), 513-535.
Pokorski, E. A., & Barton, E. E. (2021). A Systematic Review of the Ethics of Punishment-Based Procedures for Young Children With Disabilities. Remedial and Special Education, 42(4), 262-275.
+ find two outside articles, and answer the same questions

Over the course of the term, you are required to spend 15 clock hours in one or more Early Childhood Special Education settings. You will develop two questions you want to explore and answer by spending time observing students with disabilities and those who work with them and by reading a corresponding professional development book and/or professional, peer-reviewed journals. Be sure to use APA style when citing your sources.
To complete this project, you will:
Due in Module 2, but your questions might change or be refined!
Formulate 2 questions, one about being an early childhood special education teacher and one about the early childhood intervention setting you want to work in. Collect information (data) to address your question by spending time observing/working with children with disabilities and interviewing teachers, administrators, and/or parents of children with disabilities.
Locate and read one professional development book or a minimum of three professional, peer-reviewed journal articles on your topic
Report and explain (make sense of) the information/data
‘Answer’ your question(s).
There is no minimum word count, but make sure to offer clear detailed information based on your learning.
PSA: (Questions is attached )

Because lessons do not stop when a student leaves the classroom, purposeful collaboration with other teachers, staff, and families can help reinforce and expand the student’s knowledge and skills. Whenever possible, teachers should try to engage families in ways that encourage them to have their child practice the math skills at home. Having both the teacher and parents/guardians on the same page helps to support the student.
Read the case study to inform the assignment.
Case Study: Fiona
Grade: 9th
Age: 14
It is the beginning of the second semester, and Fiona is having a great deal of difficulty in her mainstream algebra class. Prior to this year, she was receiving instruction in the resource setting. At her eighth grade transition IEP meeting, her parents expressed their wishes that Fiona be in the mainstream algebra class, despite her special education teacher explaining that low reading comprehension negatively affects the understanding of math concepts. Fiona understands basic concepts of algebra but has not mastered the skills needed to move to the higher-level concepts her class is now working on. Currently, her math performance has been measured two years below grade level and her reading performance one year below grade level. Fiona’s general education math teacher has spoken with her parents about the possible need for additional support, and her parents have agreed to help at home, as they do not want her being pulled out for resource at this time.
The following goals have been identified by the special education teacher collaborating with the general education math teacher for Fiona:
Simplify addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division equations [e.g., (2x + 6) + (4x + 7) = 6x + 13].
Solve expressions with variables (e.g., 3x = -24).
Write and solve the algebraic equation in a real-life word problem.
Part 1: Strategies
As the special education teacher, select two researched-based instructional strategies that could be used to help Fiona meet her identified goals.
Instructional strategies should include:
Explicitly teaching related vocabulary
The use of the concrete-representational-abstract strategies
Graphic organizers
Mnemonic devices
The use of assistive technology
In 250-500 words, summarize the recommended instructional strategies, rationalizing their appropriateness for Fiona’s goals and ability to help motivate Fiona to meet her goals. Include specific tips for implementation.
Part 2: 3 Day Unit Plan
Design a comprehensive mathematics unit plan based on the goals identified for Fiona. Outline three sequenced lesson plans, using the “3 Day Unit Plan Template.”
Your unit plan must include:
Appropriate augmentative and alternative communication systems and assistive technology to make the lesson content more accessible.
Integration of both formative and summative assessments to demonstrate mastery and support the generalization of learning for the student.
Integration of an appropriate ELA writing standard related to Fiona’s third identified goal.
Part 3: Home Connection
In 250-500 words, explain how you plan to involve Fiona’s parents in meeting her goals. Include a specific at-home activity to help in her continued success.
While APA format is not required for the body of this assignment, sold academic writing is expected, and in-text citations and references should be presented using APA documentation guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.
Support your choices in Parts 1 and 3 with 1-2 scholarly resources.
This benchmark assignment assesses the following programmatic competencies and professional standards:
MEd in Special Education ITL/NITL 
MEd in Special Education (Nevada)
3.1:  Understand the central concepts, structures of the discipline, and tools of inquiry of the content areas taught, organize this knowledge, integrate cross-disciplinary skills, and develop meaningful learning progressions for individuals with disabilities. [CEC 3.1, ICSI.3.K1, ICSI.3.K2, ICSI.3.K3, ICSI.3.S1, IGC.5.K3; InTASC 4(a), 5(c); GCU Mission Critical1, GCU Mission Critical 2, GCU Mission Critical 4]
3.2:  Understand and use general and specialized content knowledge for teaching across curricular content areas to individualize learning for individuals with disabilities. [CEC 3.2, ICSI.3.K2, ICSI.3.K3, ICSI.5.S15; InTASC 4(b), 5(c), 8(n); GCU Mission Critical 1, GCU Mission Critical 2, GCU Mission Critical 4]
3.3:   Modify general and specialized curricula to make them accessible to individuals with disabilities. [CEC 3.3, ICSI.1.K3, ICSI.3.K2, ICSI.3.K3, ICSI.5.S15, ICSI.5.S21, IGC.5.S23, IGC.5.S24; InTASC 1(a); GCU Mission Critical 1, GCU Mission Critical 2, GCU Mission Critical 4, GCU Mission Critical 5]      
5.6:  Teach to mastery and promote generalization of learning. [CEC 5.6, ICSI.5.S16, ICSI.5.S18; InTASC 8(s); MC1, MC2, MC4]

Assistive Technology Paper Assignment Instructions
1.  You will choose 3 peer-reviewed
research articles related to assistive technology and        augmentative/alternative
technology to write a paper distinguishing between the varying    use of assistive
and augmented/alternative technologies.
2.  You will differentiate between the use
of each in terms of services and how these are            addressed on an IEP. 
3.  Additionally, you will report on 1 current issue in the field of special
education related to assistive technology and augmentative/alternative
technology based on the findings in the literature. 
4.  Finally, you will offer
recommendations based on the research to resolve the issue.
All articles must be
current (5 years or less). The 3-4-page paper will include a title page,
abstract, and reference page (not included in the page count). A minimum of 6
citations       must be included and must be paraphrased and/or summarized. Include current
APA format headings for organization.

There are various methods and tools that can be used to improve the accessibility of curriculum for students with disabilities. Augmentative and alternative communication devices as well as other assistive technologies are often used for this purpose. It is important for teachers to understand the options that are available, and that they advocate for students to be provided with the best possible tools to assist them.
Part 1: Measurement Data Lesson Plan
Select a 1-5 grade level, a corresponding Arizona or other state standard based on the Measurement and Data domain, and a group of 3-4 students from the “Class Profile” who would benefit from the use of augmentative and/or alternative communication devices or other forms of assistive technology.
With your identified learning target and small group in mind, complete a lesson plan, using the “COE Lesson Plan Template,” that specifies applicable assistive technology and includes differentiated activities to facilitate students making measurement comparisons, and
Using models of measuring units; or
Using measuring instruments; or
Representing and interpreting the data.
Part 2: Communication Device Rationale
In addition to your completed lesson plan, justify your augmentative and/or alternative communication devices or other forms of assistive technology choices in a 250-500 word rationale.
Support your choices with 2-3 scholarly resources.
Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.

Ch 1-2
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After reading the article Scruggs and Mastropieri’s (2017) “Making Inclusion Work with Co-Teaching” from Teaching Exceptional Children, and Chapters 1 and 2 of Knackendoffel, Dettmer, and Thurston (2017), respond to the following prompts. Initial 1+page   Respond to 1 peer with 1+ paragraph   For both the initial post AND the reply to a peer, you may type/paste text, upload a document, or do the discussion assignment in any format that you would prefer: written discussion, powerpoint/slides, poster, audio or video recording, Prezi, or other.
What challenges do consultation and collaboration present?
Using Scruggs and Mastropieri (2017), what suggestions or brainstorming ideas do you have as a next step for the teachers in this article?  (Don’t worry if you are unsure – this is before you have learned the core content – more for me to see the background knowledge you bring to the course – just write what comes to mind for you)
In Scruggs and Mastropieri (2017), what would help these teachers to be successful?  What strengths would you bring to this situation as the special ed teacher?  As the gen ed teacher?
What factors motivate educators to collaborate in teams?  Do you see some of these factors as more viable reasons than others?  Describe why the educators you work with in your placement/job collaborate or consult in teams.
Using the roles listed in figure 1.2 (Knackendoffel, Dettmer, & Thurston, 2017, p.15) and the chart in the Ch 1 powerpoint (slide 15), describe one collaborative relationship in your placement/job.  Be sure to name the consultant, consultee, and client, and describe.
What is the difference between a professional perspective and a personal preference?  Provide an example of each.
Using Knackendoffel, Dettmer, and Thurston (2017), Describe some of your own professional perspectives and personal preferences (use prompts in Activity 2.4 (pp.57-58) and Activity 2.5 (p.61).  How might these create challenges and opportunities in collaborating in your placement/job?