Randy Lee Williams

A comparison of textual and echoic prompts on the acquisition of intraverbal behavior in a six-year-old boy with autism.

A comparison of textual and echoic prompts was conducted to determine which form of prompts was more effective for teaching intraverbal behavior to a 6-year-old boy with autism. A multiple baseline design across three sets of questions measured (a) the number of full-sentence target answers, (b) partial answers that made sense, and (c) partial answers that did not make sense, or no response, to direct questions asked. A fading procedure using either scripted textual or scripted echoic prompts was employed to evoke the child’s correct answers. Although both forms of prompts were effective, results indicated that textual prompts were much more effective. These findings suggest that textual prompts may be effective in teaching complex skills to children with autism.

Behavioral training for teachers in special education: the Gonzaga University program

The Gonzaga Universitys behaviorally based Department of Special Education offers an undergraduate major in special education for the completion of a Bachelor of Education degree, as well as a Master of Education in Special Education. The basic behavioral, data-based model, philosophy, and courses are outlined at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Outcome data gathered from the programs consumers indicated high levels of student and employer satisfaction with the program, the faculty, and the curricular content. The manner in which the program is viewed as compatible with state and national accrediting bodies is discussed. Copyright

The Effects of a Direct Instruction Flashcard System on Multiplication Fact Mastery by Two High School Students with ADHD and ODD.

ABSTRACT The purpose of the present research is to compare the effects of a Direct Instruction flashcard procedure on the mastery of multiplication facts by two high school students with attention deficit hyper-activity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Both students were enrolled in a separate high school for students with behavior disabilities. The effectiveness of the Direct Instruction flashcard procedure was evaluated across three different sets of math problems using a multiple baseline design. In addition, the effectiveness of various ratios of mastered to unmastered facts was examined. The overall outcomes indicate a large increase in correct responding by both of the participants during the Direct Instruction Flashcard System. An intermediate ratio of mastered to unmastered facts was correlated with fewer trials to mastery for each participant. The applicability of employing Direct Instruction flash card procedures was discussed and directions for future research were posed.

The Token Economy

The essential parts of a token economy include only a few basic components (Kazdin, 1977) that are found in most behavioral interventions in the schools. Token systems include (a) tokens themselves, (b) determination of target behaviors, (c) specification of rules for how tokens are earned or lost, (d) specification of back-up consequences and their cost, and (e) method for exchanging tokens for back-up consequences (Kazdin, 1977; McLaughlin, 1975; K. D. O’Leary & Drabman, 1971).

Effects of a Breakfast Program on On-Task Behaviors of Vocational High School Students.

Abstract The purpose of this research was to determine if an in-school breakfast program could increase on-task behaviors of 18 high school students. The effects of the in-school breakfast program were examined in a vocational and an academic setting. A multiple-baseline design across settings and students was employed to assess the effects of the in-class breakfast program. Results indicated that an in-school breakfast program was effective in increasing on-task behaviors in both settings. Questionnaires administered to students before and after implementation of the in-school breakfast program indicate positive change toward breakfast by those who participated. These outcomes indicate that an in-school breakfast program may positively influence on-task behaviors of high school students in a vocational setting and an academic setting.

Classroom procedures for remediating behavior disorders

Numerous effective interventions for the control of behavior problems in the classroom have been developed. These have included relatively simple strategies such as providing contingent attention for appropriate behaviors and social reprimands or timeout for inappropriate behavior. Behavior control procedures have grown in sophistication to involve more complex systems such as token economies, skill straining strategies, peer interventions, and self-control procedures. Each technique has proved effective in improving classroom behavior, however, the combination of multiple techniques has had the most powerful effects on students. The ultimate goal of remediating complex behavior disorders such that appropriate behavior generalizes across new settings and events will require more comprehensive programs and continued analysis of new and promising practices.

The NCATE Process and Behaviorally-Based Special Education

The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) has long sought to identify effective programs for teacher preparation in this country. Recently, the Council has revised its standards to be more rigorous and demanding. This revision presents new and challenging standards for the accreditation of programs preparing educators. The most problematic but most important of these new standards is the requirement of a well-articulated knowledge base supporting a programs content and processes. Development of the knowledge base statement involves the articulation of the programs philosophy, theme, model, goals, objectives, primary research base, wisdom of practice, and evaluation procedures. A behavioral model serves well in meeting these requirements, particularly since behavioral applications in education are well researched and the approach is compatible with the emphasis on specific goals and objectives and evaluation of effectiveness. Effective educational methods are available and are mostly behavioral. The articulation of the NCATE knowledge base encourages education faculty, traditionally nonbehavioral, to examine the effectiveness of their programs and to demonstrate research and professional support for content and instructional methods. A behavioral knowledge base statement appropriate for NCATE is demonstrated through examples drawn from Gonzaga Universitys knowledge base for special education.

The Effects of Active and Violent Play Activities on Brief Functional Analysis Outcomes

In the current investigation, the effects of violent and nonviolent active play activities on the results obtained within a brief functional analysis format were evaluated. A treatment procedure for the child was also carried out. The results indicated that aberrant behavior was displayed when the child was denied access to active play activities within the tangible functional analysis condition. Thus, it appears that for this child that active play served as a primary form of tangible reinforcement.

Treatment of behavior disorders by parents and in the home

Childrens behavior disorders are particularly stressful on families. Such behavior disorders may result from coercive family interactions and at the same time contribute to family dysfunction. This unfortunate cycle often results in child abuse, later delinquency, and continued use of aggression and violence in later life. Training parents to use effective behavior control procedures can prevent future and more serious behavior problems. Behavioral procedures that have been effectively applied by parents in the home include differential attention, timeout, token economies, daily report card systems, and contingency contracting. Siblings have also been effective in treating behavior disorders as have the behavior disordered children themselves. A variety of parent training programs have been implemented with individuals and groups. Parent training appears to be most effective when provided early in the childs life, when follow-up assistance is provided and gradually reduced, and when parents use self-management procedures to plan, rearrange, and monitor their own parenting environment.

The effects of structured free-time on request compliance and On-Task behavior of a preadolescent with ADHD

ABSTRACT The purpose of this research was to determine the effectiveness of a structured free-time contingency for a 12 year old male with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). A multiple baseline design was employed to evaluate the impact of the free-time procedures on attention to task and compliance. The student earned five minutes of free-time for each third of the observations he was task compliant. The child also earned one minute of free-time for each observation during which he was on-task. Free-time consisted of completing jobs for the teacher such as cleaning the chalkboard, decorating the resource room, making signs, organizing tapes, or playing educational games on the computer. The overall outcome indicates increases in compliance and on-task behavior during the structured free-time condition. These procedures were effective and easy to implement in a special education resource room setting for 16 weeks.