The central roles of science in the field of remedial and special education are to (a) identify basic laws of nature and (b) apply those laws in the design of practices that achieve socially valued outcomes. The scientific process is designed to allow demonstration of specific (typically positive) outcomes, and to assist in the attribution of…

Effective behavior support is achieved through designing supportive environments. However, it is common to overlook the context of implementation when designing support for individuals. This lack of attention to the broader context (e.g., behavior of peers, school resources, capacity of family members to use recommended strategies) may lead to…

Supporting the full range of students with behavioral challenges requires that schools build the capacity to implement evidence-based behavioral interventions. Fortunately, a substantive body of research documents behavioral interventions are available to both decrease problem behavior and enhance prosocial skills. To date, however, this…

The authors discuss how to use economic techniques to evaluate educational programs and show how to apply basic cost analysis to implementation of school-wide positive behavior support (SWPBS). A description of cost analysis concepts used for economic program evaluation is provided, emphasizing the suitability of these concepts for evaluating…

This case study demonstrates the use of functional assessment with a 17-year-old student with severe intellectual disabilities. The case focuses on the importance of identifying setting events associated with problem behaviors and, when these events occur, making appropriate scheduling or programing changes to prevent difficult situations from…

A functional analysis of the aggressive behaviors of a 14-year-old boy with moderate mental retardation found that aggression occurred during instruction on difficult tasks. Researchers taught both a high-efficiency/low-effort and a low-efficiency/high-effort response using communication devices. The high-effort response was used regularly, was…

A case study of a sixth-grade boy with traumatic brain injury and behavior problems illustrates the use of an in-school action team to provide behavioral support. The team included special and regular educators, parents, a vice principal, and a member of a school-wide team with behavioral expertise. (CR)