Intro to Special Education Chapter 8 Outline

I. Orientation

II. Terms and Definitions

A. The Federal Definition

1. At the present time, the definition in IDEA uses the term emotional disturbance, meaning a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree, and which adversely affects educational performance.

2. The five major criteria used for identification are:

a. An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, and health factors.

b. An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers.

c. Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances.

d. A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.

e. A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.

B. Measures of Behavior. Behaviors differ along the following dimensions:

1. Rate: How often the behavior occurs in a given time period.

2. Intensity: The strength or magnitude of the behavior.

3. Duration: The length of time it takes for a behavior to occur.

4. Age-appropriateness: Whether the behavior is typical for a given age occurs before it is expected, or persists as the child gets older.

III. Classifying Behavioral Disorders

A. The DSM-IV-TR is the classification system of the American Psychiatric Association used for individuals with behavioral and emotional disorders.

B. Educational classification systems are based on groupings of a more general nature. One of the more common and straight forward systems is Achenbach and Edelbrock: 1. Externalizing behaviors (also called aggressive or acting out behaviors) are those that are expressed overtly and appear to be directed toward others or the environment.

2. Internalizing behaviors are self-directed: examples are withdrawal, avoidance, compulsiveness, or depression.

C. Classification and the teacher.

1. The externalizing/internalizing classification system may be useful for the teacher who needs to describe problem behaviors in the classroom.

2. Teachers may not recognize the behaviors along the internalizing dimension, since they do not disrupt the classroom.

D. Prevalence

1. The reported prevalence rates are thought to be far lower than the true number of students with behavioral disorders.

2. A large number of students with behavioral and emotional disorders are not being identified and receiving services.

IV. Causes of Behavioral Disorders. While we may sometimes be able to identify factors or situations that may contribute to behavior disorders, in most cases these are difficult to pinpoint.

A. Environmental factors focus on the child’s interactions with people and things external; examples are family, cultural, and school factors.

B. Physiological factors focus on the biology or psychology of the child; examples are specific syndromes or genetic factors.

V. Characteristics of Students with Behavior Disorders

A. School achievement: Most children with behavioral and emotional disorders are in the average range of intelligence, but do not do well in school.

B. Social adjustment problems are at the core of behavioral and emotional disorders by definition. These problems lead some students into trouble with the law.

C. Language and communication: Behavior is a form of communication, and it may be used by some students with behavioral and emotional disorders as a substitute for language when they lack the skills required to express themselves appropriately. Inappropriate behavior does not necessarily mean that a student has poor language skills.

D. Severe disorders 1. Severe emotional or behavioral disorders may be externalizing or internalizing in nature, but may be marked by severe behaviors that are intended to hurt others or themselves. Other children in this category may be so withdrawn as to resist a semblance of normal social interaction.

2. Childhood schizophrenia is characterized by disorders of speech and language, in the ability to relate to other people and the environment, and by emotional disorders.

E. Families

1. Families sometimes focus all their attention on the child with behavioral disorders; some families may try to ignore the problems.

2. Because a child’s behavior is often taken as a reflection of parenting skill, some parents may feel embarrassed or guilty.

3. Teachers may provide tips, techniques, consequences and reinforcement systems to help parents establish consistent behavior strategies. Parents and the schools: Close alliances and good communication between parents of students with behavioral disorders and school personnel is necessary to make behavior interventions consistent and effective.

VI. Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) refers to a disorder that affects an individual’s ability to attend to or focus on tasks, and may involve high levels of motoric activity.

A. Assessment and diagnosis of ADHD is usually done by a physician. Methods include interviews with the child, parents, and teachers, as well as behavior checklists. About 60 to 80 percent of students with ADHD have an additional diagnosis such as learning disabilities or behavioral disorders.

B. Characteristics

1. Characteristics of ADHD vary, but may include inattention, forgetfulness, disorganization, and distractibility.

2. Attention deficits can eventually lead to learning deficits because of the difficulty attending to material long enough to learn and practice it.

3. The behavior of students who exhibit impulsivity/hyperactivity symptoms reflects high and constant levels of activity.

C. Educational programs for students with ADHD

1. Educational strategies for students with ADHD focus on the development of attention, organization, self-management, and behavior management. 2. Students with ADHD need structure, consistency and clear consequences for behavior and often benefit from many of the teaching strategies described for students with learning disabilities and behavior disorders.

3. Medication with psychostimulants prescribed by a physician is frequently part of treatment for students with ADHD.

VII. Assessment for Identification

A. Screening:

1. Identifying and assessing behavior disorders is difficult because of the ambiguity of the definition and the subjectivity involved in judging appropriateness of behavior.

2. There is a reluctance to label a young child as having a behavioral or emotional disorder because so much variation exists as to what behaviors or emotional reactions are developmentally appropriate.

3. Early intervention appears to be critical, particularly for aggressive and noncompliant behaviors.

4. Screening begins with teacher observation and may involve use of behavior rating scales or multiple-gating screening tools. Screening is conducted to identify children who exhibit behaviors that interfere with their classroom performance and academic achievement.

a. Teachers must be aware that personal bias can influence teacher

assessment of students.

b. Observation should be conducted in a number of different settings, by several different people, and over a period of time; cultural differences and family expectations should be considered in drawing conclusions.

B. Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)

1. PBIS are an integrated system of assessments and interventions that focus on developing coordinated, school-based change and incorporate consistent positive interventions to create an environment that supports and recognizes appropriate behavior.

2. A three-tiered model of intervention, much like the RTI model discussed in chapter 2, will have primary, secondary and tertiary prevention strategies and are designed to create school environments that clearly identify, teach and support appropriate behavior while addressing the development of preventable behavior problems.

3. Tertiary prevention strategies will include the development of a Behavioral Intervention Plan (BIP) that is developed from a student’s functional behavioral assessment (FBA).

C. Assessment for Instruction

1. A functional behavioral assessment (FBA) should be administered to students with behavior problems, in order to identify strategies that are positive and replacement behaviors that can serve the same function as the problem behaviors.

2. The information from the FBA will serve as the basis for a behavior intervention plan (BIP).

3. The BIP should contain positive, behavior support strategies designed to teach and reinforce appropriate behavior.

4. The BIP becomes a part of student’s IEP and reflects both behavioral goals and interventions.

VIII. Teaching Strategies and Accommodations

A. Curriculum focus: The curriculum for students with behavioral and emotional disorders must address academic as well as behavioral needs.

1. Although the range of program options is available to students with behavioral and emotional disorders, segregated classes and programs have persisted in many school districts because of the aggressive nature of the behavior of some students.

2. Most children with behavior disorders are now responsible for performing and succeeding in the general education curriculum.

3. It is crucial that special and general educators work together to identify social skills or behaviors targeted for instruction, and to consistently carry out planned interventions.

4. Academic Programming has sometimes been neglected for students in this group. Research now indicates that the same methods used with students with learning disabilities (e.g. strategy instruction, direct instruction) are helpful for students with behavior disorders.

B. Behavior change interventions 1. Behavioral goals for students with behavior and emotional disorders must be individualized to meet each student’s needs; however, more general interventions designed to prevent behavior disorders may take place at the class or building level.

2. Three common curriculum goals are:

a. Addressing inappropriate behaviors that appear deliberate, like stealing or using obscenities, involves focusing on consequences, decision making, and judgment.

b. Developing appropriate cognitions. Interpreting events realistically and determining socially appropriate responses are important skills that can be taught through self-management instruction.

c. Teaching new behaviors involves replacing inappropriate behaviors with newly taught appropriate behaviors.

C. Discipline in the schools

1. Students with behavioral and emotional disorders cannot be punished for their disability. In other words, if a child’s behavior is considered to be related to his or her disability, the child should not be punished for it.

a. A school review called a manifestation determination must be held to determine whether the behavior is related to the student’s disability.

b. If the behavior is not related to the disability, the student can be punished (suspended, time out, expelled) as other students would be.

2. Students with behavioral and emotional disorders must have a specific behavior intervention plan that includes disciplinary procedures in their IEPs.

a. Any disciplinary actions that involve a change of placement are limited to 10 days, with the exception of the possession of firearms or drugs at school or during school functions.