TOM SHARPE, M.S., Ed.D., BCBA-D, ESE Educational Consulting, Inc. Behavior Basics, Inc.

1. Software tools for direct observation: Hands on learning of the BEST tools for BCBAs, clinical practitioners, and faculty researchers. TOM SHARPE, M.S., Ed.D., BCBA-D, ESE Educational Consulting, Inc. Behavior Basics, Inc. Karin Torsiello, MS, BCBA Behavior Basics, Inc. Secrets of Modern Parenting, Inc.

2. The Non-Application Challenge:Research Data Non-Use in Professional Practice The traditional SRC Skinnerian lens may be too narrow for meaningful, functional analysis driven, application in interactive settings. • There is simply too much data from too many methodological sources to absorb. • There is a wealth of “bad” data; with the “good” data ignored or distrusted as a result. • Positivism and objectivity (e.g., ABA methods) have, until recently, been pushed aside by a relativist and constructivist epistemology. • Landrum, 1997; Sharpe & Koperwas, 2003

3. An Appealing Strategy Toward Increasing Data Use • Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) • --- Repeated measures over periods of time, facilitating trend analysis • --- Treatment exposure to all participants using alternative design strategies to • control for internal validity concerns • --- Rigorous data reliability and treatment fidelity procedures • --- Multiple method compatibility (e.g., ABAQualitative Methods) • --- User friendly data analysis techniques yielding immediate application • Some Important Features • --- Based on positivism and universal truth theory of science • --- Emphasis on reliable direct observation • --- Emphasis on testability and quantitative measurement • --- Encourages careful and systematic replication • --- Private events are verbally reported through social validation • Sharpe & Koperwas, 2003; Sharpe & Delprato, 2005

4. Lineal Mechanics Rule Governed Demonstration Limited Variables Context Free Causal Connects Focus on Behavior Characteristics Field Theory Contingency Managed Discovery Multiple Variables Context-Bound and Ecologically Valid Conditional Probabilities Focus on Transactional (Time-Based Functional) Characteristics Unpacking ABA Through Behavior Systems Analysis (SBA):An Old+New Collaboration

5. ABA Compatible Trends with Mainstream Education/Social Science:A Marketing Polemic(They Don’t Say What They Mean, But?) • Emphasis on procedural fidelity (i.e., treatment implementation accuracy) issues are receiving increasing attention. Complex human interaction is being more thoroughly and functionally described. • Ecological description (i.e., setting events) is becoming a central concern. • Emphasis is being placed on the scientific understanding of time-based transactional relationships among caregiver and clientele. • Interest is in developing behavioral interactions for effective therapeutic practice and for developing predictive knowledge from which to choose in specific situations. • In education, performance- and competency-based measures (i.e., behavior) are being prioritized from a daily teacher, caregiver, and student practice perspective.

6. The Old: SRC How does behavior ‘A’ effect behavior ‘B’…how can we make related causal assumptions across these isolated discrete variables…how can we stipulate a theoretically context-free relationship? Demonstration 1-n 1-n 1-n The New: SRC How do participants stimulate or respond to particular therapeutic situations over time ... and were the particular actions effective in terms of the probability of altering certain behaviors toward desired outcomes – within and outside of the primary training setting? Discovery The Questions as Related to Methodological Capability

7. Computer Technology Really HelpsKahng & Iwata, JABA, 1998, 31(2); Sharpe, 2005, Encyclopedia of Behavior Modification and Cognitive Behavior Therapy • BEST System (7.0 & 7.1) -- Sharpe & Koperwas • Behavior Observer System -- Martin • DATACAP -- Emerson & Adrian • Data Collection Assistant -- Saunders • Direct Observation Data System -- Johnson • Ecobehavioral Assessment -- Greenwood • Event-PC -- Ha

8. Computer Technology Really Helps - Continued - • The Observer -- Noldus Information Tech. • Multi-Option Observation System -- Tapp • Observational Data Acquisition -- Hetrick • Observational Data Collection -- Oliver • Portable Computer Systems -- Williams • Professional Behavior Evaluation -- Ricketts • Virtual Behavior Analyst -- Winston

9. Lineal Mechanics Number Rate Duration Percent Discrete Recording Interval Recording Time Sampling Systems Theory First, Last, Longest, Shortest, Span Inter-Response Time Conditional Probability Multiple, Overlapping Event Recording Recording in Real Time Combining Measurement Capabilities for more Complete Descriptive Capture

10. Exploring Additional Measurement Lenses • Complexity: The number of different behaviors and events necessary to complete description of behavior transactions. • Rhythm: Regularity of behavior transactions with the probability of temporal occurrence the main analysis. • Coherence: Actual versus possible number of different behavioral transactions, determining the predictability of the total behavior-event system. • Velocity: Rate of behavior change. • Fluency: Correlation among rhythm, coherence, and velocity.

11. A Professional and Scientific Challenge • Overcoming the mainstream education and therapy provision mischaracterization of the analysis of behavior as a mechanistic, linear, rule-governed, exclusionary, and largely technocratic enterprise. • Presenting the applied analysis of behavior as compatible with contemporary performance- and outcomes-based education and therapy provision reform initiatives. • Operating from a framework of more complete analysis through: • --- Linguistic description (talk about what occurs) • --- Topographic representation (represent what occurs) • --- Transactional modeling (quantify what occurs) • of complex interactive settings.

12. Again, Computer Technology Really Helps! • More complete and readily understandable data descriptions. • New and alternative data lens capabilities. • Immediacy of data-driven goal-directed feedback. • Immediacy of across therapy episode comparisons. • Facilitates multiple form data collection. • Facilitates multiple method data analysis. • Increased data management capability for long-range client and agency portfolio construction. • Facilitates data-support of professional training methods. • Encourages new and alternative educational experiences designed for more effective professional preparation.

13. Implications That Direct our Behavior Systems Efforts • Increasing Innovation in Data Collection and Analysis Techniques for more Effective and Meaningful Functional Analyses for Client Education and Treatment Planning. • Facilitating Laboratory Simulation Activities for Professional Training • Demonstrating that Data Matter a Great Deal in Professional Practice Decision-Making through Feedback and Goal-Setting Experiences in Applied Professional Settings • Basing Professional Practice on the Need to Know Rather than the Need to Believe • Documenting and Disseminating More Meaningful and More Relevant Professional Practices for Therapeutic Benefit

14. What are our Ongoing Applications? • Establish select Professional Development Site relationships with public, private, and non-traditional education, therapy provision, and behavior services agencies. • Logically sequence academic professional preparation program coursework to include data driven guided practice and closely supervised observation, professional assisting, and professional practice activities connected to each core training course. • Develop and implement a collaboratively applied research agenda to include subject-matter content and professional implementation components, and to be sensitive to caregiver and clientele behavior, and professional skills content characteristics. • Collect quantitative behavioral data to determine immediate and long-range effects of professional practice within and across a variety of professional settings. • Establish a data-driven technology of effective professional practice by establishing a professional preparation  professional practice  research & development feedback loop, with each activity informing and improving upon the others.

15. Toward A Residency-Based, Deliberate Practice, Research-Bonded, Behavioral Approach to Professional Education and Client Services Provision

16. Some Notes That Go To OurCore Philosophy • 1. It is the daily practices and related interactions of caregiver and clientele that matter most to an effective therapeutic environment. • 2. Most daily practices (i.e., behavior and setting events) may be strongly correlated with long-term measures of skill acquisition and learning. • 3. We want to know RIGHT NOW how effective a particular educational environment may be, and if not optimal, FIX IT, in the near and long term.

17. Some Short-Term Professional Services Training Data Illustrating How a Behavior Systems Analysis Lens Operates

21. Some Long-Term Professional Skills Training Data Illustrating Behavior Systems Training Effects When Used as a Long-Term Feedback Plus Goal-Setting Instrument

27. Some Long-Term Positive Social Behavior Systems Data Illustrating Behavior Systems as a Method for Documenting Effects of Innovative K-12 Curricula

33. Collection Platforms Obs. System Construction Keyboarding Collection Methods Multi-Tasking for Experimental Research Video Synchronization and File Merging Functions On-Line Data Viewing Pause and Editing Capabilities Ease of Use Analysis Platforms Discrete Measures Time-Based Measures Sequential Data Sophisticated Behavior Graph + Statistical Capabilities Individual- or Across-Data File Analyses Reliability Analysis for Staff Training and Interobserver Agreement Windows Applications Compatibility - Lets Look at the BEST Data Tools -