Functional Assessment and Behavior Plan

Charles is a special needs student with an IEP. He has spent the last four years in a
multi disabilities unit. Over those four years Charles had a paraprofessional at his
side, he could speak to his para and have her full attention at all times.
Transitioning to the general education setting has been hard for Charles. His
supports have been removed and he struggles daily adjusting to the rigorous
routine of the general education classroom. Charles is lacking skills related to
general classroom rules and procedures. Charles was not previously subjected to
the etiquette required inside the general education classroom. He was able to get
up and move as needed, and it was not required that he raise his hand when in
need.

Charles has trouble controlling his urges to speak with the teacher. He will call out
to her continually during instruction. His pleas for the teacher’s attention do not
stop unless the teacher addresses his concern. This affects Charles and his peers
academically. Class must stop so that Charles’ question can be addressed, the
lesson is interrupted, and everyone must be redirected, so the teacher may
resume. I would like to work with Charles on classroom etiquette so that he can
learn to raise his hand and wait patiently to be called on.

Target Behavior:
When Charles requires assistance from his teacher he continually calls out her
name.

Replacement Behavior:
Charles will request help with difficult tasks by sitting quietly and raising his
hand.

Behavioral Objective:
During whole group instruction, Charles will request help with difficult tasks by
sitting quietly and raising his hand for 6 out of 10 trials by the end of a 3-week
period.
A-B-C Data Results (at least 5 occurrences):

Antecedent: Behavior: Consequence:

Student looks frustrated.
Is having trouble with his
compter.
Student received an
achievement sticker on
his computer.
Student is holding a book
during independent
reading
Student is holding up
worksheet.
Student is carrying lunch
box to snack.
Calls out to teacher. “Mrs.
Stacey” x 4
Calls out to teacher. “Mrs.
Stacey” x 6
Calls out to teacher. “Mrs.
Stacey” x 3
Calls out to teacher. “Mrs.
Stacey” x 4
Calls out to teacher. “Mrs.
Stacey” x 4
Teacher responds to
student quickly. Student
calms down as teacher
addresses concerns.
Teacher responds after
first few calls. Student
continues to call out as
teacher approaches.
Student bounces up and
down and shows teacher
his achievement.
Teacher responds to
student immediately.
Student shows teacher a
dinosaur in his book.
Teacher nods. Student
smiles.
Teacher responds after
two calls. Student
continues to call out as
teacher approaches.
Teacher helps student
with math problem.
Student continues
working.
Teacher responds after
student approaches her.
Student asks teacher to
sit with him at snack.
Teacher asks student to
take a seat. Student
takes a seat.

Function of target behavior:

During whole group instruction, Charles calls out to his teacher repeatedly, to request help
with difficult tasks. (Positive Reinforcement-Attention)
 Intervention Components
Antecedent modifications:
To prevent the target behavior from occurring Charles should be moved to the front of the
classroom, giving Mrs. Stacey proximity control over Charles’ need to call out to her. Class
work should be reformatted for Charles so that his need for help with difficult tasks is
reduced.
A hierarchy of least to most prompting will be used to remind Charles of his target behavior.
A gestural prompt of a raised hand will be used as the first step. A verbal clue, “I can only
help those that raise their hands” will be used as the second step. For the third and final step
in the hierarchy, the teacher will increase proximity to the student and point to his I can
statement giving him a visual prompt.
To teach the replacement behavior Charles will participate in the reading of social stories that
address classroom etiquette regarding hand raising (See attached). Charles’ teacher will
explain the importance of hand raising to get his teachers attention. Charles and his teacher
will then take part in a role play situation that allows for teachable moments. Charles will
model the correct and incorrect behaviors so that the teacher can determine Charles’
understanding of the replacement behavior. Charles’ teacher will continue this exercise until
he has an adequate understanding of the appropriate behavior. Charles’ teacher will model
with the whole class the correct way to get the teachers attention by raising her hand when
she needs help or if she needs to ask a question. She will also ask other students to model
appropriate and inappropriate ways of getting the teachers attention. (Sitting quietly and
raising hands vs. yelling out to the teacher) Charles will take part in the development of an “I
Can” statement concerning sitting quietly and waiting to be addressed with his hand up.
Charles’ teacher will introduce token economy to him. She will explain that for every time
Charles’ raises his hand and waits patiently for the teacher to address him he will receive a
dinosaur token. She will tell Charles that once he receives ten dinosaurs and fills his chart he
will earn a prize. The teacher will give Charles an opportunity to look at the chart and tokens.
She will allow Charles to model hand raising and receive a token. Charles will practice placing
his token on the chart.

Positive reinforcement for the replacement behavior:

Charles will request help with difficult tasks by sitting quietly and raising his hand.
Differential Reinforcement of incompatible behavior (DRI) will be used to positively reinforce
hand raising and ignore calling out. Generalized and Social reinforcers will be used to
strengthen the replacement behavior. Verbal praise and tokens will be awarded for Charles
to earn computer time, trips to the prize box, lunch with the teacher, snack with the teacher,
or free time.
Reinforcement will be continuous until Charles has mastered the replacement behavior, at
that time, reinforcement will be adjusted and gradually faded out.
Charles will have a token chart placed on his desk. The teacher will write Charles’ “I can”
statement at the top. This chart will serve as a visual reminder of Charles’ goal. Charles will
receive a token when he raises his hand and waits quietly to be called on. Once he earns 10
stickers, Charles will be awarded a prize of his choice. (Computer time, trip to the prize box,
lunch with the teacher, snack with the teacher, or free time)

Extinction procedure for target behavior:

Charles will no longer receive teacher assistance when he calls out repeatedly asking for help.
Charles will only receive assistance when he sits quietly and raises his hand.

Data collection procedure:

Event Recording will be used collect data and monitor Charles’ target behavior. This data will
be collected over two days, during two periods: Math and ELA. The teacher will document
the number of times a behavior occurs using a tally mark. The teacher will also record the
time in which the behavior is being observed and will total the number of tally marks at the
end of each day. At the end of the observation period, the teacher will graph the data with
time (Sessions) on the X Axis and behavior (Frequency) on the Y Axis.

Attachments: Completed QABF and Completed Data chart with graph:

See BELOW
 Reflections

Discuss one thing you have learned about conducting a functional behavioral assessment or
developing a function-based intervention plan:

The most important thing I have learned from conducting a functional behavioral assessment
and developing a function-based intervention plan is that all behaviors occur for a reason.
You must determine the reason for the behavior in order to address the behavior. Behavior is
a tricky thing and the cause of the behavior is not always limited to one function. If your
intervention isn’t working you must not beat yourself up, step back and identify other causes
of function.

Discuss if or how your data showed that your intervention worked, or not. How could it have
been structured differently?

The data collected showed an improvement in the target behavior. Charles missed a few days
of school and on the day, he returned I saw an increase in the target behavior. Charles has
been doing very well and I am so proud of his progress. There are still a few slip ups which I
expect, but with continued intervention I suspect that Charles would be able to achieve
extinction. From this process I have learned that full support of the cooperating teacher is
necessary for an intervention to be successful. The teacher must understand the premise of
positive reinforcement and not expect to take away what a student has earned because of a
few mistakes.