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| Going Beyond Initial Implementation: A Discussion of Possible Features that Foster Sustainability of Effective Practices |
| Sunday, May 27, 2007 |
| 10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
| America's Cup C |
| Area: EDC/OBM; Domain: Service Delivery |
| Chair: Teri Lewis (Oregon State University) |
| Discussant: Mack D. Burke (Texas A&M University) |
| Abstract: Schools are expected to increase academic skills of their students within a socially supportive and a safe environment (e.g., Lewis & Sugai, 1999; Taylor-Greene et al., 1997). However, schools are experiencing reductions in resources that impact availability of personnel and materials and increase class size. One response is for schools to adopt a systems approach to addressing discipline that utilizes data for efficient identification of student needs, practices that facilitate effective support for students, and systems that enable staff to implement changes with fidelity and sustainability. The purpose of this article is to discuss the characteristics that enable intervention implementation to sustain overtime. The first presentation will provide a conceptual framework for sustainability. The other two presentations will present features of an existing state-wide model and then how these might be applied to create a system to support the students with the most intense behavioral needs. |
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| Some Emerging Characteristics of Sustainable Practices. |
| RANDY KEYWORTH (Wing Institute), Ronnie Detrich (Wing Institute), John E. States (Wing Institute) |
| Abstract: In recent years it has become common for behavior analysts intervening at systems levels to speak about developing sustainable programs. To date, there has not been much research addressing issues of sustainability. In part, some of the difficulty with conducting research on sustainable practices is that we have no common operational definition for sustainability. It seems that we all know it when we see even if we cannot define it. The function of this paper will be to offer some defining features of sustainable programs. The features will be drawn from the research literature and from the analysis of cultural practices. Some of the defining features of sustainable practices are: (1) practices that maintain over time (2) practices that are multigenerational (3) practices that are operated with existing financial and staffing resources. The requirements that behavior maintain over time and are multigenerational are similar to characteristics of a cultural practice. It will be suggested in this paper that an analysis of cultural practices may assist behavior analysts design sustainable systems in educational and other service settings. |
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| Building an Infrastructure to Support Large-Scale Sustained Implementation. |
| SUSAN BARRETT (Sheppard Pratt Health System), Teri Lewis (Oregon State University) |
| Abstract: Schools are continually being asked to “do more with less,” (OSEP, 2000). New district, state, and federal initiatives are presented to schools annually. At the same time resources to implement these initiatives are strained or diminishing. Schools cannot afford to create and maintain individual school programs for each new initiative that is presented to them. Similarly, schools must not work harder and longer. Instead, they must look for “sameness” or overlapping targets and practices so resources (e.g., materials, personnel, time) are used effectively and efficiently. The purpose of this article is to describe a model for adopting and sustaining proactive school-wide discipline at a statewide level that illustrates implementation across the nine key features identified by Sugai et al. (2005). First, the management structure at the state, region and school level will be presented, including training and on-going technical assistance. Second, outcomes from current implementation efforts will be presented. Finally, issues around expansion and sustainability as well as lessons learned will be discussed. |
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| Scaling up Function-Based Support: A Model for Sustaining Effective Practices. |
| CARIE L. ENGLISH (University of South Florida), Cynthia M. Anderson (University of Oregon), Teri Lewis (Oregon State University), Monica Bounds (Bethel School District ) |
| Abstract: Functional assessment and functionally-derived interventions have been demonstrated to be effective for decreasing problem behavior and increasing pro-social skills. To date however, most demonstrations of successful implementation have been conducted by trained researchers or clinicians or by parents or educators under close supervision of trained behavior analysts. While such methods of implementation result in important changes for the individuals receiving services, they are not effective for building capacity for implementation of function-based approaches within a larger system, such as a school or school district. In this presentation we delineate a model for building capacity for successful implementation of function-based support across an entire school district. We delineate methods for identifying individuals who will receive training, strategies for training, and methods used for evaluating outcomes. A focus is on ensuring that the system is effective, efficient, and sustainable. |
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