1. Jeremy Fowler – Behavior Specialist Anne Corona – Behavior Specialist
4/1/2015
Data Collection
Please make sure you…
Have one handout
Have one raffle ticket upon entry (drop the duplicate in the bucket)!!
Jeremy Fowler – Behavior Specialist
Anne Corona – Behavior Specialist

2. First Orders of Business
Questions from last time
Don’t forget the question box is still in the back of the room
You will be handed a time sheet as you leave. You may also choose to get Professional Growth. You may only choose one or the other. You only have the option of TS or PG if you are here beyond your normal duty day.
We ask that you take the time to fill out evaluations for the module when the module concludes. We want to deliver quality and necessary Professional Development that will be useful in the classroom.

3. 4/1/2015
What is Behavior Data?
Behavior data is the product of measuring and recording actual behavior.

4. What is behavior data used for?
4/1/2015
What is behavior data used for?
Behavior data is used……
To develop IEP goals, and to update IEP goal progress
To inform the IEP team if the student requires a Behavior Intervention Plan
To establish a student’s need for intensive adult support, and to determine which times of the day intensive supports can be faded away
General assessment for an annual IEP, Triennial IEP, or initial assessment
To assist the team in determining the function of behavior when a student is receiving cumulative days of suspension (manifestation determination)

5. The Behavior Impeding Learning
Most often called the “target behavior”, one must describe the problematic behavior with clarity so that everyone understands what we are talking about.
The definition must be:
Clear – use simple words.
Measureable – One must be able to count it (frequency), record how long it lasts (duration), or take any other measure from it. Do not use words that are vague or up for perception.
Observable: Cannot be emotions or feelings. Must be able to be seen with the eye or heard with the ear.

6. Defining Target Behaviors
4/1/2015
Defining Target Behaviors

7. Video
Watch the video closely before breaking into your small groups. Get ready to define what the target behavior is after you watch the video.

8. Group Activity In your group:
4/1/2015
Group Activity
In your group:
Decide on who will be a note taker. Decide on who will be the speaker.
Come up with an operational definition of the target behavior.
Have a note taker write down your final definition.
Be ready to present in 5 minutes. Your speaker will be asked to present your definition.

9. Common Types of Data
Once you have your clearly defined target behavior, now you may move to recording data. Your IEP team should let you know what recording measure you should use, but as the potential data taker, you may want to advise the team that another measure is more sufficient once you begin collecting and recording.
ABC data (Antecedent Behavior Consequence)
Frequency data
Duration data
Latency Data

10. 4/1/2015
ABC Data
ABC Recording (antecedent, behavior, consequence) – During direct observation, the operationally defined target behavior is recorded along with the antecedent and consequence that followed/was the result of the behavior. Antecedents, behavior and consequences are often recorded in narrative form.
ABC data is most often taken during a Functional Behavior Assessment (student is receiving 10 or more cumulative days of suspension)
ABC data may also be taken when a student does a serious or extreme behavior that may result in staff or student injury
ABC data can also be taken before creating a Behavior Intervention Plan to understand why a student is showing an impeding behavior
ABC data helps us in general understand why a student is doing a behavior

11. Frequency Data
Frequency Recording – A simple counting of how many times a behavior occurs during a designated period of time. The number of occurrences of a behavior can be easily and unobtrusively recorded using a hand tally counter, making marks on masking tape applied to clothing or desk, transferring pennies from one pocket to another.
This is the most common form of data collection that paraprofessionals use.

12. Duration Data
Duration Recording – Records the total time or percent of time that a behavior occurs within a specified time period. Behavior is measured from the moment of onset until the moment it stops.
Duration is helpful because maybe a behavior occurs once per hour, but that behavior also happens for a 50 minutes of that hour.
For duration data one can use their phone, stopwatch, analog clock, timers, etc.

13. Latency Data
Latency data is the amount of time between the stimulus/antecedent and when the targeted behavior occurs.
Latency is rarely used, but helpful when the team wants to know if behaviors occurs close to or long after the negative stimulus occurs.
When you are recording latency, just like with duration, you need a way to keep track of time. Depending on your student, you may be keeping track of seconds, minutes, or hours. Vary your measuring device based on how far apart the stimulus and behaviors occur.
Stop watches and phones are good for seconds or a few minutes.
Timers and clocks are good for several minutes or hours.

14. A Little Bit About Computation
Every time you collect data you need to record for HOW LONG you were collecting that data. You must record the exact start and stop times. It is not good enough to just write down what day you collected the data. Data is always reported as a rate. You do not drive 65 miles on the freeway. You drive 65 miles per hour. Miles per hour is the rate. The intent of data collection for frequency, is to state how many times per hour, day, week, or month the behavior is occurring. We cannot create an average unless we know for how long you collected data. The intent of data collection for duration is to find out for what percentage of time the student is demonstrating the behavior such as minutes per hour, hours per day, days per week, etc. In order to come up with this calculation we need to know the start and stop times for the data collection.

15. Back to the Video
Please break off into small groups once again. Your presenters will assign you a measure.
Choose a data sheet
Each person will measure. One person will report the findings of the group.
As a group you will compare data and come up with a rate. Make sure your rate is reported as an average/rate.
The target behavior you will be measuring is:
Attempting to or actually assaulting staff by throwing objects at staff, punching staff, kicking staff, swinging arms at staff.

16. Wrap-up
Did you find any data variations among your group when you took the same data on the same incident?
Was the target behavior measurable?
Would you report to the teacher that perhaps the target behavior should encompass other behaviors that happened concurrently?
Any other findings?

17. Thank You!!
Please contact Anne or Jeremy if you have any questions down the road.