Collaboration for Effective Educator
Development, Accountability and Reform
Content Enhancement Module on Evidence-Based Behavioral Interventions:
Part 5 (Intensive Intervention)
H325A120003
Part 5:
Intensive Intervention
Data-Based Individualization
Functional Assessment of Behavior
Function-Based Interventions
Classroom Culture and Wraparound
Services
Documenting Intervention and
Evaluation
Case Study: Supporting Ryan With DBI
Restraint and Seclusion
Additional Resources
Note
Part 5 of this module uses content and
resources from
The National Center on Intensive
Intervention (NCII)
www.intensiveintervention.org
OSEP Technical Assistance Center on
Positive Behavioral Interventions and
Supports (PBIS) www.pbis.org
The Evidence Based Interventions
(EBI) Network http://ebi.missouri.edu/
Intensive Intervention
Intensive behavioral interventions
Are designed to address severe
and persistent learning or behavior
difficulties
Should be
– Driven by data
– Characterized by increased
intensity and individualization
CONTINUUM OF
SCHOOL-WIDE
INSTRUCTIONAL &
POSITIVE BEHAVIOR
SUPPORT
~5%
(PBIS.org)
~15%
Universal:
School-/ClassroomWide Systems for
All Students,
Staff, & Settings
~80% of Students
Individual/Intensive:
Specialized
Individualized
Systems for Students
with High-Risk Behavior
Supplemental:
Specialized Systems for
Students with At-Risk
Behavior
Who Needs Intensive
Behavioral Intervention?
Students with disabilities who are
not making adequate progress with
current services
Students who present with very
high-intensity or high-frequency
behavior problems
Students who have not responded
to supplemental interventions
delivered with fidelity (within a
multi-tiered system of supports)
Data-Based Individualization
Data-Based
Individualization (DBI)
DBI is a systematic method for using data
to determine when and how to intensify
intervention.
Its origins lie in data-based program
modification/experimental teaching.
It was first developed at the University of
Minnesota (Deno & Mirkin, 1977).
It has since been expanded upon by
others (Capizzi & Fuchs, 2005; Fuchs,
Deno, & Mirkin, 1984; Fuchs, Fuchs, &
Hamlett, 1989).
DBI Is a Process
It is not a single intervention
program or strategy.
It is not a one-time fix.
It is an ongoing process that
consists of intervention and
assessment, adjusted over time.
NCII DBI Process Graphic
National
Center on
Intensive
Intervention
(NCII)
http://www.in
tensiveinterv
ention.org/
Before Beginning DBI
Before you begin DBI, take the following
steps:
Identify a supplemental intervention
that is appropriate to the student’s
needs.
Deliver the intervention with fidelity.
Provide the intervention long enough
for the student to respond.
Progress monitor to determine the
student’s response to the supplemental
intervention.
Functional Assessment of
Behavior
Hypothesize the Function
of Behavior
Identify target
behavior(s)
Monitor student
progress and
plan
implementation
Hypothesize
function of
behavior(s)
Develop
function-based
behavior
intervention plan
Diagnostic Assessment
14
Functional Assessment
of Behavior
Problem-solving process used to
develop hypotheses about what
predicts (antecedents) and
maintains (consequences) behavior
Often called functional behavioral
assessment (FBA)
Types of Functional
Assessment
Indirect assessments (rating
scales, questionnaires, etc.)
Observational descriptive
assessments (observe student
behavior, identify consistent
antecedents and consequences)
Functional analysis (experimental
manipulation of environmental
variables)
(Hanley, 2012)
Efficiency is Key!
Use the simplest possible form of
functional assessment and
– Start the intervention as soon as
possible
– Use staff time efficiently
Intervention and progress
monitoring will allow you to test
your hypothesis. You can then
revisit the intervention if necessary.
Reminder: Common Reasons
Students Misbehave
The student cannot perform the
expected behavior because
– He/she has not learned the behavior
– He/she has not generalized the
behavior
The student’s inappropriate behavior has
been reinforced
– Positively (i.e., they have gained
something)
– Negatively (i.e., they have avoided or
escaped something)
Indirect Functional
Assessment
Indirect functional assessment, the
simplest form of functional assessment,
may not require specialist support.
At the problem-solving team meeting,
review information from
– Record review
– Indirect assessments
You may need more than one meeting
to identify a target behavior and then
hypothesize its function.
Record Review
Attendance
Health history/sensory screening
Academic records
Behavior records
Effectiveness of past services or
interventions (academic and
behavioral)
Team Problem Solving
Why is the behavior happening?
– What settings or antecedents predict
the problem behavior?
– Can the student perform the expected
behavior?
– What consequences seem to maintain
the problem behavior?
The team may use indirect
assessment completed before or
during meeting.
Examples of Indirect
Assessments
Questionnaires
Semi-structured interviews
Quick Case Study: Bob’s
Target Behavior Questionnaire
Mrs. Jenkin has asked to meet with
the behavior problem-solving team to
come up with strategies to reduce
Bob’s hair-pulling behaviors. She has
already completed the Target
Behavior Questionnaire.
Handout #14: Bob’s Target Behavior
Questionnaire
Bob’s Problem-Solving
Team Meeting
The team compared the information from
the questionnaire with a record review
and confirmed that Bob’s misbehavior is
limited to interactions with Judy.
The team agreed that hair pulling is the
highest priority and will be the target
behavior to reduce through intervention.
The team created an ABC hypothesis
statement based on indirect
assessment.
Practice: Bob’s ABC
Hypothesis
Hypothesis Statement
When [Antecedent] occurs, the
student [problem Behavior] in order to
[Consequence (function)].
Example
When Bob is assigned to a group
with Judy, he pulls her hair in order to
escape working with her.
Functional Assessment
Interview
A more detailed indirect
assessment
Target behavior must already be
identified
Conducted by the problem-solving
team or experienced staff, with
information provided by the teacher
Sample Functional
Assessment Interview
Identify the desired outcomes.
Define the target behavior(s).
Identify the typical antecedent and
consequent events.
Review the schedule.
Summarize the information.
Handout #14: Functional
Assessment Interview
Observational
Descriptive Assessments
These assessments
Are repeated, direct observations
Offer a more formal analysis of the ABCs
Examine the frequency of the
antecedents and consequences that
typically accompany the problem
behavior
(Hanley, 2012)
Look for
– Variations in the setting or time of day
– Whether multiple antecedents or
consequences maintain one behavior
Using Observational Data
Observational data offer a stronger
hypothesis, but collecting these data
requires a more intensive process than
indirect methods of assessment. The
process
Is more time consuming (because it
requires repeated observations)
Often requires an external observer
Requires training to collect and
interpret the direct observation data
Functional Analysis
Experimentally manipulates
environmental variables thought to
influence behavior
Confirms which antecedents or
consequences maintain the
problem behavior
Requires a specialist, is very time
intensive, and should only be used
when needed
(Hanley, 2012)
What if There Are Multiple
Likely Functions?
Start with a function that suggests
an easy solution.
Easier solutions are more likely to
be implemented correctly and
consistently (Gresham, 1989).
If the intervention does not work,
test a different function with a
different intervention.
Source: Evidence Based Intervention Network (http://ebi.missouri.edu)/
Function-based
Interventions
Develop an Intervention Plan
Based on the Function of Behavior
Identify target
behavior(s)
Monitor student
progress and
plan
implementation
Hypothesize
function of
behavior(s)
Develop
function-based
behavior
intervention plan
Linking Hypothesis to
Intervention
The intervention should address the
identified function of the behavior.
Select or adapt evidence-based
interventions or strategies that are a
match for the
–
–
–
–
Function
Student’s characteristics
Setting
Interventionist preferences/ skills
What student characteristics might impact
intervention selection?
Using Functional Assessment:
Competing Behavior Pathway
Setting Event
Triggering
Antecedent
Desired Behavior
Maintaining
Consequence
Problem Behavior
Maintaining
Consequence
Function
Alternative
Behavior
(Horner, 2004)
Handout #15: Function-Based Behavior
Intervention Plan
Intervention Adaptation
36
Function-Based
Adaptations
If functional assessment suggests
that the supplemental intervention
may still be an appropriate match,
consider adapting that intervention
rather than starting from scratch.
How Can the Supplemental
Intervention Be Adapted?
Does the student need
More time for the intervention to
work?
A higher dose of the intervention?
Academic support?
Skill instruction?
A motivational component?
Check-in/Check-out
Example
Function-Based
Intervention Strategies
 Strategies are organized by the type of
reinforcement maintaining the behavior.
 Negatively reinforced behaviors allow the
student to escape or avoid something (e.g.,
a task or a particular environment).
 Positively reinforced behaviors allow the
student to gain something (e.g., attention, a
desired object, the opportunity to do a
preferred activity, sensory stimulation).
Handout #16: Function-Based
Intervention Strategies
Select an Intensive, EvidenceBased Intervention (EBI)
Reminder: EBIs are treatments that
rigorous outcome evaluations have
proven are effective.
This does not mean they will be
effective for every student in every
situation.
This is why we monitor progress.
Source: Evidence Based Intervention Network (http://ebi.missouri.edu)/
NCII Behavioral
Interventions Tools Chart
http://www.intensiveintervention.org
/chart/behavioral-intervention-chart
Intervention developers submitted
studies as evidence
Studies were reviewed in terms of
–
–
–
–
–
Participants
Design
Fidelity of Implementation
Outcome measures
Effect size/ results
EBI Network: Interventions for Helping
the Student Perform the Expected
Behavior
Acquisition Interventions:
– The student needs help learning the
appropriate behavior.
– http://ebi.missouri.edu/?cat=10
Generalization Interventions:
– The student needs help doing the
behavior at a new time or in a new
setting or manner.
– http://ebi.missouri.edu/?cat=15
Source: Evidence Based Intervention Network (http://ebi.missouri.edu)/
EBI Network: Proficiency
Interventions
Negative reinforcement:
– The student escapes or avoids something
(e.g., an academic or social task) when he or
she engages in the behavior.
– http://ebi.missouri.edu/?cat=30
Positive reinforcement:
– The student gains something (e.g., attention)
when he or she engages in the behavior.
– http://ebi.missouri.edu/?cat=29
Source: Evidence Based Intervention Network (http://ebi.missouri.edu)/
NCII Examples of EBIs
For attention-motivated behaviors:
– Check In Check Out (CICO; see Part
3)
– Non-contingent reinforcement (NCR)
For escape-motivated behaviors:
– Antecedent modification
– Instructional match (“Can’t do”—
prerequisite skills)
Handout #8: Examples of Evidence-Based
Interventions
Source: Evidence Based Intervention Network (http://ebi.missouri.edu)/
What Is Non-Contingent
Reinforcement (NCR)?
A powerful method to reduce
attention-seeking problem behavior
Gives the student frequent access
to a reinforcer so that he or she is
no longer motivated to exhibit
disruptive behavior to obtain that
same reinforcer (i.e., saturates the
environment with the reinforcer
before the behavior occurs)
Source: Evidence Based Intervention Network (http://ebi.missouri.edu)/
Who Might Benefit From
NCR?
Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/familymwr/4919451795/;
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en
NCR was originally studied with severely
autistic students but is effective across
students and behaviors. It uses the individual’s
preferred reinforcer.
Practice: NCR
Example: A student consistently
engages in disruptive behaviors to
get attention during story time.
Possible solution: The teacher will
provide appropriate attention prior
to the student “asking” for attention
by exhibiting the “problem behavior”
(e.g., the student sits with the
teacher while she reads the book).
Critical Components for
Success
Identify the function of the problem
behavior.
– NCR is for attention-seeking
behavior.
Schedule NCR to minimize problem
behavior.
– NCR is most effective with a
heavy dose of reinforcement
early in the day.
Critical Components for
Success
Ignore problem behavior after the
schedule is initiated.
Slowly fade NCR as the problem
behavior declines.
Note: NCR is good teaching
practice, so it should never be
“stopped.”
What Is Antecedent
Modification?
Alter antecedents to escapemotivated behavior to
Decrease inappropriate behaviors
Increase appropriate behaviors
(e.g., increase engagement in the
task the student is avoiding)
Source: Evidence Based Intervention Network (http://ebi.missouri.edu)/
How Is Escape Maintaining
the Problem Behavior?
The student does not have to do
something when he or she exhibits
the problem behavior.
The problem behavior is “working”
for the student by allowing him or
her to escape something that he or
she does not want to do (or cannot
do).
Source: Evidence Based Intervention Network (http://ebi.missouri.edu)/
Example: Escape
Behavior
A student wants to escape a nonpreferred activity, such as
mathematics or physical education.
Every time the teacher announces
the start of a specific activity, the
student starts engaging in disruptive
behaviors (e.g., runs away, shouts
out, pretends to sleep).
Strategies to Make the
Task Less Punishing
Help the student perform the task by
– Preteaching the skills or content
– Teaching/modeling how to perform the task
step by step
Address motivation:
– Allow students to choose the task or the
sequence of tasks they will complete.
– Modify the task to increase engagement.
When teaching the task, remember that some
students may need explicit instruction and
repeated practice in multiple settings.
Critical Components for
Success
Provide positive reinforcement
(e.g., praise) for engaging in the
activity.
Initially, reinforce appropriate
behaviors in shorter intervals (e.g.,
change the schedule of
reinforcement or task demand).
Source: Evidence Based Intervention Network (http://ebi.missouri.edu)/
Instructional Match
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/charlottel/154443920/;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dno1967b/8703319368/; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Source: Evidence Based Intervention Network (http://ebi.missouri.edu)/
When Do We Use
Instructional Match?
Instructional match is used to address
escape behavior related to academic
tasks that are simply “too hard.”
For example, a student might not
be successful because the
instructional materials are too
difficult, or because he or she does
not have the prerequisite skills.
Source: Evidence Based Intervention Network (http://ebi.missouri.edu)/
Characteristics of
Instructional Match
Students who are failing academically
are frustrated and often act out.
Instructional mismatch may reflect that
– The student lacks knowledge or skills in the
subject
– The student lacks the skills needed to
complete the task
– The student is struggling with the pace or
duration of the task
Students with attention difficulties may struggle
with certain tasks even if they have the basic
skills.
Cycle of Learned
Helplessness
Repeated
failure
Focus on
limitations
Learned
helplessness
Source: Seligman & Maier (1967)
Student
expects to
fail
Generalized
failure
Ways to Improve
Instructional Match
Preteach content or skills.
Reduce the difficulty of the task.
Break down tasks into smaller,
more manageable subtasks.
Use curriculum-based
measurement (CBM) to determine
the appropriate instructional level.
Source: Evidence Based Intervention Network (http://ebi.missouri.edu)/
Resources for Determining
Instructional Level
 Center on Response to Intervention
http://www.rti4success.org/
– Training modules on academic assessment
– Screening tools chart
http://www.rti4success.org/resources/toolscharts/screening-tools-chart
 National Center on Intensive Intervention
– Using Academic Progress Monitoring for Individualized
Instructional Planning (DBI Training Series Module 2)
http://www.intensiveintervention.org/resource/usingacademic-progress-monitoring-individualizedinstructional-planning-dbi-training
– Progress monitoring tools chart
http://www.intensiveintervention.org/chart/progressmonitoring
Practice: Instructional
(Mis)Match
1. Doing addition problems without
being able to count
2. Journal writing without being able
to form two- or three-word
sentences
3. Drawing without fine motor skills
(such as pencil grip)
Critical Components for
Success
Accurately assess the student’s current
level of ability.
Match curriculum and teaching
materials to the student’s instructional
level.
Match the task demands to the
student’s current skill levels to ensure
success.
Differentiate instruction whenever
possible and appropriate.
Source: Evidence Based Intervention Network (http://ebi.missouri.edu)/
Classroom Culture and
Wraparound Services
Considering Additional
Supports
Classroom culture. Teachers
support student behavior and the
impact of the intervention.
Wraparound. Students with
intensive behavioral issues often
have other needs that require
services beyond those provided by
the school alone.
At All Levels of Support:
Consider Classroom Culture
Is the classroom focused on
positives for guidelines, rewards,
and consequences?
Do instructional practices group
together students who are likely to
support or complement each other’s
problem behavior?
Are there mechanisms in the
classroom that allow students to feel
as though they are being heard?
Classroom Culture
What are student and teacher
perceptions of fairness?
Is the classroom focused on
student similarities or differences?
Is group problem solving part of
classroom activities?
Are social skills directly taught as
part of the classroom curriculum?
Wraparound
“Wraparound is both a philosophy of
care and a defined process for
developing a plan of care for an
individual youth and his/her family
(Burns & Goldman, 1999).
Wraparound supports students and
their families by proactively organizing
and blending natural supports,
interagency services, PBS, and
academic interventions as needed.”
(Eber et al., 2009)
Wraparound Planning
This involves
Building constructive relationships
and support networks for students
Including families, educators, and
caregivers
Incorporating community-based
agencies
Emphasizing full and active
partnerships with families
The Wraparound Team
 Creates, implements, and monitors an
individualized plan using a collaborative
process driven by the perspective of the family
 Develops a plan that includes a mix of
professional supports, natural supports, and
community supports
 Bases the plan on the strengths and culture of
the youth and their family
 Ensures that the process is driven by the needs
of the family rather than the services that are
available or reimbursable
(VanDenBerg, Burns, & Burchard, 2008)
Discussion
Think of a student that you know
who needed more support than a
single function-based intervention
strategy implemented at school.
Did this student need support from
the broader community (i.e.,
wraparound)?
How could changes in classroom
culture enhance other supports?
Documenting Intervention
and Evaluation
What Should Intensive
Intervention Plans Include?
A description of what the intervention
will look like (i.e., steps or procedures)
Information about what materials
and/or resources are needed and
whether these are available within
existing resources
Information on roles and
responsibilities with respect to
intervention implementation (i.e., who
will prepare any needed materials and
run the intervention)
Source: Evidence Based Intervention Network (http://ebi.missouri.edu)/
What Should Intensive
Intervention Plans Include?
The intervention schedule
Information about context (where and
with whom)
Details about how the intervention and
its outcomes will be monitored and
analyzed:
– Who collects what measures? When?
– What are our decision rules? What
criterion are we comparing student
outcomes against?
Source: Evidence Based Intervention Network (http://ebi.missouri.edu)/
Considerations for
Behavioral Goals
Behavioral interventions should
Reduce problem behaviors that
interfere with school success
Increase behaviors that contribute
to
– Participation in school and the
community
– Interpersonal relationships
– Independence
Plan for Fidelity of
Implementation
Teaching
Coaching and feedback
Scripts for adults to follow
Data collection
Follow-up support meetings
Follow-up data evaluation
Implementing and
Monitoring Outcomes
Determine the plan and who is
responsible for executing the plan
at each step.
Identify training and resources.
Monitor the plan.
Use a cycle of support.
Evaluate the Plan
Identify target
behavior(s)
Monitor student
progress and
plan
implementation
Hypothesize
function of
behavior(s)
Develop
function-based
behavior
intervention plan
Data-Based Decisions
Were the goals of the support plan
achieved?
Was the plan implemented
consistently and with integrity?
Is more assessment needed?
How should the plan be modified?
Is the Plan Working?
Compare baseline data to the
student’s current performance
during the intervention.
Has the intervention made a
difference?
If you have seen an improvement,
is it enough to meet the student’s
goals or decision rules for
responsiveness?
If the Plan Is Working…
Continue to implement your
interventions until you feel they are
no longer needed or no longer
working.
When the student meets his or her
goals, consider
– Simplifying the plan to make it
more efficient
– Fading or terminating the plan
If You Terminate the
Plan…
Continue to collect data to
determine whether any positive
effects are maintained following
plan termination.
If behavior worsens, provide the
student with more support.
What if the Plan Is Not
Working?
Ask the following questions:
Is the progress monitoring tool
sensitive to change?
Was the intervention implemented
with fidelity?
Was the student engaged in the
intervention?
Is the intervention a match for the
student’s needs?
Case Study: Supporting
Ryan With DBI
NCII Sample Behavioral Progression (Ryan)
*CEEDAR and NCII do not endorse products. We use Check In Check
Out (CICO) for illustrative purposes only.
Intensify the Intervention
If appropriate, begin by intensifying the
supplemental intervention.
Possible ways to intensify include
– Providing the intervention more often
– Providing longer intervention sessions
– Increasing reinforcement
Progress monitor the student’s response
to intensified intervention before moving
to diagnostic assessment.
Intensifying Ryan’s CICO
More frequent check-ins
Increased reinforcement for
meeting goals:
– More frequent reinforcement
– More student choice in terms of the
reinforcer used
Ryan: Informal
Hypothesis Meeting
Because Ryan was not responding
to CICO, the team met to review
progress monitoring data.
NCII Sample Behavioral Progression: Ryan
Ryan’s CICO Data
The team’s review of the CICO
cards shows he struggles to earn
points for “Be Respectful.”
Teachers note he often disrupts
class with both verbal (yelling out)
and physical (throwing pencils,
touching peers) outbursts.
Ryan: Team Hypothesis
Ryan will benefit from social skills
instruction in appropriate ways to get
attention from others, as well as
instruction and monitoring in goals
specific to his needs.
We will come back to this hypothesis
when we talk about adaptations in the
next section.
Ryan: Adapting CICO
Ryan’s Modified CICO
Card
Adaptation: Ryan will join a social skills
group that works on showing respect
through language and physical interaction.
GOALS
Be Safe
Be Respectful
Work Hard
TOTAL
Period Period Period
1
2
3
Lunch
Recess
Period Period
4
5
Keep hands and
feet to yourself.
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
Use strategies to
cool down.
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
Use kind words.
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
Give others space.
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
Ask for help when
you need it.
Follow directions
the first time.
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
0 1 2
Ryan’s Progress
Monitoring Data
Ryan's Modified CICO Points
100
3
80
70
2
60
ODRs
ODRs
% Total CICO Points
90
50
40
1
30
% Total CICO Points
20
10
CICO Goal
0
0
21-Jan
22-Jan
23-Jan
24-Jan
25-Jan
26-Jan
27-Jan
28-Jan
29-Jan
30-Jan
Ryan: Functional Assessment
to Plan Intensive Intervention
Ryan’s Functional
Assessment
Teacher and parent interviews
Direct observations
Gain peer
attention
• Pushing peers
while in line
• Pulling peers’ hair
during lessons
• Yelling out
Avoid/escape a
difficult task, gain
peer attention
• Hiding under the
desk
• Running out of
class
Ryan’s Behavior
Intervention Plan
Explicitly teach positive replacement
behaviors with examples, a rationale,
modeling, and practice with feedback:
– Initiating contact with peers
– Appropriately making requests for
assistance
Continue check-ins with modified goals,
providing
– Increased opportunity for practice and
prompting
– Reinforcement for appropriate behavior
Ryan’s Progress
Monitoring Plan
The team continues tracking ODRs
and modified CICO card points.
The teacher continues completing
daily DBRs that record
– Disruptive behavior
– Academic engagement
– Appropriate requests for
assistance
Ryan’s DBR: Appropriate
Requests for Assistance
Definition: Ryan asks his teacher or a
peer (during an appropriate group work
situation) for help with an assigned task
in a non-disruptive manner.
Examples: Ryan raises his hand and is
acknowledged by the teacher before
asking a question during classwide
instruction or asking for help during
independent seatwork.
Ryan’s DBR: Appropriate
Requests for Assistance
Non-examples: Ryan calls out for help
when it is inappropriate to speak out and
without being acknowledged. Ryan tries
to copy a peer’s work.
Anchors/scale: Of all the times Ryan
appears to need help with a task, the
estimated percentage of times he asks
for help appropriately.
Ryan’s Data After Six Weeks of
Receiving the New Intervention
ODRs decreased; none in the last
two weeks
Met CICO points goal on 90
percent of the days
Teachers reported that Ryan was
making progress in his social
interactions
Ryan’s DBR Data
Standard DBR behaviors reached
typical class levels:
– 80 percent for academic
engagement
– 10 percent for disruptive behavior
Ryan’s requests for assistance
were appropriate 70 percent of the
time (compared to 10 percent of the
time before the intervention was
implemented).
Next Steps for Ryan
The team
Determined that Ryan continues to
need this level of support to be
successful
Will continue to implement the
intervention plan with no changes
Will continue collecting and
evaluating data
In Summary
DBI is a process that consists of ongoing
assessment, intervention, evaluation,
and adjustment to maximize student
outcomes.
Intensive interventions will not look the
same for every student. They are
individualized based on a student’s
unique needs.
Students requiring intensive intervention
are likely to need it for a significant
amount of time.
Things to Remember
DBI is intense—relatively few
students should require it (3 to 5
percent of the school population).
Academic and behavior supports
do not exist in isolation.
Do not make too many intervention
adaptations at the same time.
Restraint and Seclusion
Restraint and Seclusion
Extreme measures that should only
be used
When a student’s behavior risks
harm to his or her self or others.
By trained, qualified staff.
U.S. Government Accountability Office
(GAO) Report on Restraint and
Seclusion (2009)
State regulations governing the use of
restraint and seclusion in public and
private schools varies widely
No reliable national data on when and
how often restraint and seclusion are
being used in schools, or on the extent
of abuse resulting from the use of these
practices in educational settings.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-09719T
Additional US GAO
Findings
Several hundred cases of alleged
abuse, including deaths that were
related to the use of restraint and
seclusion of children in public and
private schools, were documented.
Problems with untrained or poorly
trained staff were often related to
many instances of alleged restraint
and seclusion abuse.
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Civil Rights (OCR)
Provides operational definitions of:
Physical Restraint
Mechanical Restraint
Seclusion
Source:
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr
/whatsnew.html.
OCR Definition of
Physical Restraint
Physical restraint is “physical force
that immobilizes or reduces the ability
of a student to move his or her torso,
arms, legs, or head freely.”
OCR Definition of
Mechanical Restraint
Mechanical restraint is “the use of
any device or equipment to restrict a
student’s freedom of movement.”
OCR Definition of
Seclusion
Seclusion is “the involuntary
confinement of a student alone in a
room or area from which the student
is physically prevented from leaving.”
U.S. Office of Department
of Education
Fifteen principles for using restraint
and seclusion in schools
http://www2.ed.gov/policy/seclusion/i
ndex.html
Highlights of Restraint
and Seclusion Principles
 Prevent the need for use of restraint and
seclusion through positive behavioral strategies
and other supports that address the underlying
cause of behavior
 Schools should never use mechanical restraints
 Physical restraint and seclusion are only used,
by those trained in their safe use, in cases of
imminent danger of serious physical harm to
self or others
 Every instance is monitored and reported to
parents, who are informed of relevant policies
and laws
Additional Resources
NCII DBI Resources
Data-Based Individualization: A
Framework for Intensive Intervention
http://www.intensiveintervention.org/sites/defaul
t/files/DBI%20a%20Framework%20for%20Inte
nsive%20Intervention.pdf
Introduction to Data-Based
Individualization (DBI): Considerations
for Implementation in Academics and
Behavior (DBI Training Series Module 1)
http://www.intensiveintervention.org/resource/in
troduction-data-based-individualization
NCII Behavior Modules
Using FBA for Diagnostic Assessment in
Behavior (DBI Training Series Module 6)
http://www.intensiveintervention.org/resource/using-fbadiagnostic-assessment-behavior-dbi-training-seriesmodule-6
Designing and Delivering Intensive
Intervention in Behavior (DBI Training
Series Module 8)
http://www.intensiveintervention.org/resource/designingand-delivering-intensive-intervention-behavior-dbitraining-series-module-8