How can educators know if interventions are effective?
Page 8: Implementation and Progress Monitoring
Developing a BIP is a critical step in promoting positive behavior change, but such change requires much more than just a written plan. The effectiveness of any intervention depends on how well it is carried out over time. Consistent implementation of the BIP and intentional monitoring of the student’s response are essential for maximizing the impact of interventions and supporting the student’s evolving needs and long-term success.
Implementing the BIP
Once the BIP has been developed and all educators involved with the student have been trained in its procedures, the team begins implementation. As educators implement the interventions outlined in the plan, they should keep several things in mind.
- The plan should be consistently followed every day and in all settings.
- A student’s interfering behavior will sometimes get worse before it gets better. This is a normal part of the process as the student adjusts to the interventions and learns that the target behavior is no longer an effective way to have their needs met. Even if progress is not immediately evident, educators should stick with the plan for the specified period of time.
- Environmental factors (e.g., a new seating plan, changes in routine, the enrollment of a new student) can impact the effectiveness of the interventions.
- Interventions might not work as expected when critical elements are changed or omitted. Therefore, teams should continually evaluate implementation fidelity, the degree to which each intervention is being implemented as it was designed. Implementation fidelity issues should be addressed before changes to the BIP are considered.
Monitoring Student Progress
Every BIP should include a plan for progress monitoring to evaluate student behavior, monitor the effectiveness of behavioral supports and interventions, and make changes in response. Progress monitoring could involve collecting data on the student’s engagement in the target behavior, their use of the replacement behavior, or both. To facilitate consistent and accurate data collection, the behavior being monitored must be defined in terms that are:
- Observable: Details what the behavior looks and sounds like, not what the student might be thinking or feeling
- Measurable: Describes the behavior in such a way that it can be counted or timed
- Actively Stated: Specifies what the student does rather than what they fail to do
Did You Know?
Although data collection should occur during consistent time periods to allow for comparison over time, it might not be needed throughout the entire school day. For example, if a behavior occurs primarily during independent activities, progress monitoring data might be gathered only during those periods of the day.
Before implementing an intervention, baseline data must be collected to capture the typical nature (or baseline) of the student’s behavior. This usually requires collecting data for a minimum of one to two weeks. Once an intervention is put in place, regular progress monitoring—typically occurring at least once per day—should follow the same data collection procedures. This allows the team to compare the intervention data and the baseline data to determine whether the intervention has been effective.
baseline data
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It is important to select a progress monitoring method that is appropriate for the behavior and feasible in the classroom. Below are three common methods for collecting progress monitoring data for behavior.
Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) is a method of data collection in which an educator regularly rates a student’s behavior on a continuum. At the conclusion of designated time periods (e.g., a lesson, lunch, a class period), the educator documents a score for the behavior using a predetermined scale. This rating is based on the educator’s best estimate of the target’s or replacement behavior’s occurrence. Most often, they estimate the percentage of time the student was engaged in the behavior. Ratings can be recorded on paper forms, computerized systems, or mobile apps. When the behavior is clearly defined and observers are trained to use the rating scale consistently, DBR is a quick and reliable way to measure changes in behavior over time. Below is an example of a DBR rating form.
Scatterplot recording is a visual method used to analyze behavioral patterns over time. In this approach, the school day is divided into equal time intervals and the educator records whether a given behavior (i.e., target behavior, replacement behavior) occurred during each interval. The data are typically presented in a table format that lists time intervals in the first column, activities in the second column, days in subsequent columns, and percentage of intervals in which the behavior occurred in the last column. Behavior occurrences are marked in the corresponding cells. This method is most effective for easily observable, high-intensity behaviors, such as loud vocalizations or physical actions, that occur sporadically throughout the school day. Below is an example of a scatterplot recording form.
Systematic direct observations require an observer to precisely measure how often a target or replacement behavior occurs or how long it lasts. Data can be captured using one of the following four methods.
- Frequency or event recording—documenting the number of times a behavior occurs within a given period of time (e.g., the number of times a student calls out during a one-hour lesson).
Frequency or Event Recording Form - Interval recording—documenting whether a behavior occurred during brief intervals (e.g., the number of one-minute intervals in which the student was out of their seat for any portion of time).
Interval Recording Form - Duration recording—documenting how long a student engages in a behavior (e.g., time spent on task during independent work).
Duration Recording Form - Latency recording—documenting the amount of time that elapses between when a direction or prompt is given and when the student complies (e.g., time between giving a student an assignment and the student beginning to work).
Latency Recording Form
When done well, systematic direct observation provides the most accurate numerical data on the occurrence of a behavior. However, it is also the most difficult to conduct in the classroom because it typically requires a dedicated observer to measure and record data while the educator goes about their usual instruction.
For Your Information
Regardless of the specific method of data collection that is chosen, progress monitoring data are easiest to interpret when graphed. Graphs can be visually analyzed for patterns in the timing, amount, or consistency of the behavior. Additionally, they support communication and shared understanding among educators, families, and students. Whenever possible, data should be shared with the student. Educators might consider teaching the student to graph their own data to help them see their progress over time.
In this interview, Michael Bruebach shares tips on how to easily collect progress monitoring data (time: 2:08).
Transcript: Michael Bruebach
My first year we had so many wonderful, great goals for students and we wanted all this data to see if students were making progress with these goals or if we were supporting them enough. I felt like I was one person and could not by any stretch of the imagination keep track of all this data. And I was feeling like I had to create these massive data sheets and stage all these scenarios where a student is able to exercise their skill or demonstrate their replacement behavior. That was something that I saw how easy it was for these replacement behaviors to naturally occur. And if I just kept my eye out, I wasn’t having to set the table for these things. It was just something that would happen during the school day. And that was just communication I had with more experienced teachers, and sometimes I think that can answer the feasibility question. If things feel overwhelming, there’s a person in the school building who has probably had that same feeling and can be a resource.
Additionally, some really good advice that I had from a professor was sometimes a data sheet may just be a Post-it note. As long as I have some note of what the behavior is, then I can either mark those occurrences as successful or unsuccessful with just a check mark or some other little notation on my Post-it note. I then have some written record that I can look back at the end of the day and put into my formal data sheet. But during the day, it’s very realistic that I’m not going to have access to a computer or have my full data sheet in front of me. And so that was one of the best pieces of advice.
Returning to the Challenge
Implementation: After agreeing upon the appropriate antecedent-based and reinforcement-based interventions, DJ’s team documents these in a written BIP. Once all educators have been trained in the interventions and procedures, they are ready to begin implementation. A simplified version of DJ’s BIP is provided below.
DJ’s Behavioral Intervention Plan
Monitoring: In the final stage of developing DJ’s BIP, his team decided to use DBR to collect data on DJ’s use of the replacement behavior. At the end of each instructional period, the teacher estimates the percentage of time DJ used the replacement behavior instead of engaging in off-task actions or conversation, then marks it on a recording form. After collecting baseline data for two weeks, the team begins implementing the interventions and continues to collect DBR data to monitor DJ’s progress. Below is a sample of DJ’s DBR data for one day.
DJ’s Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) Recording Form
Implementation: Once Presley’s team determines necessary skill-based, antecedent-based, and reinforcement-based interventions, they document these in a written BIP. After all educators have been trained in the interventions and procedures, they are ready to begin implementation. A simplified version of Presley’s BIP is provided below.
Presley’s Behavioral Intervention Plan
Monitoring: For Presley’s progress monitoring plan, the team decided to record occurrences of the target behavior on a scatterplot form with the day separated into 15-minute increments. Scatterplots will be analyzed for total occurrences as well as patterns in activities and times of day during which Presley exhibits the target behavior. After collecting baseline data for one week, the team begins implementing the interventions and continues to record scatterplot data to monitor Presley’s progress. Below is a sample of Presley’s scatterplot data for one week.
