The aim of this module is to develop advanced understanding of the design and implementation of positive strategies to improve the behavioural and psychological functioning of vulnerable populations, and their support by carers and others.
Topics will include:
Approaches to increasing the frequency of behaviour
Approaches to developing new behaviour
Using assessment information to inform intervention planning
Design of behaviour support plans, instructional strategies and appropriately prosthetic environmental arrangements
Precision teaching, direct instruction and group contingencies
Barriers to implementation
Procedural reliability
Generalisation and maintenance
Total contact hours: 45
Private study hours: 155
Total study hours: 200
MSc in Applied Behaviour Analysis (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities)
Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Behaviour Analysis (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities)
Post Graduate Certificate in Applied Behaviour Analysis (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities)
MSc in Positive Behaviour Support (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities)
Main assessment methods
Coursework – assignment (report) 1 (2500 words) – 50%
Examination (2 hours) or coursework - assignment 2 (report) (2500 words) – 50%
There are alternative assignments for students taking the practice and research pathways through their programme (see relevant programme specifications). Students taking the practice pathway will be completing assignments with a child or adult with intellectual/developmental disabilities. As such, academic staff supervising the practice pathway have a duty of care to ensure that students' work is professionally appropriate to the needs of the child/adult. Accordingly, tutors will consider when marking coursework assignment 1 if the quality of the proposed intervention is sufficient to allow them to move onto the second assignment. If thought not to be so, the tutor will support the student to immediately address the concern(s). If these can be addressed adequately and quickly the student will move on to the second assignment. If not the student will be required to either suspend their study or transfer to the research pathway (where they will sit a 2h exam instead). The student will only be allowed to continue with the practice pathway for the rest of the programme with the approval of their tutor. NB These issues are independent of whether work has been passed or failed. If the module is failed then work will need to be resubmitted in the normal way following the next Board of Examiners.
Reassessment methods
Like-for-like.
Bailey, J. S., & Burch, M. R. (2010, 2nd Ed). Ethics for behavior analysts: a practical guide to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board guidelines for responsible conduct. London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Brown, F., Anderson, J.L. and Dr Pry, R.L. (2015). Individual Positive Behaviour Support: a standards-based guide to use in school and community settings. Baltimore: Brookes.
Cooper, J.O., Heron, T.E., Heward, W.L. (2007, 2nd Ed.) Applied Behaviour Analysis. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill-Prentice Hall.
Emerson, E., & Einfeld, S. L. (2011). Challenging behaviour (3rd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Kubina, R. M., & Yurich, K. K. L. (2012). The precision teaching book. Lemont, PA: Greatness Achieved Publishing Company.
Rehfeldt, R. A., & Barnes-Holmes, Y. (2009). Derived relational responding applications for learners with autism and other developmental disabilities: A progressive guide to change. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.
Sulzer-Azaroff, B., & Mayer, G. R. (1991). Behavior analysis for lasting change. Belmont, Ca: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.
See the library reading list for this module (Canterbury)
The intended subject specific learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
8.1 Describe and discuss at an advanced level the relationship between functional assessment/analysis and the development of behaviour
analytic interventions.
8.2 Describe and discuss at an advanced level a range of approaches to develop new behaviour/increase existing behaviour including:
prompting; shaping; chaining; modelling; incidental teaching; discrimination training; precision teaching.
8.3 Describe and critically evaluate the processes by which functionally-based behavioural interventions to develop new behaviour and/or
increase the occurrence of existing behaviours may be designed, implemented and evaluated.
8.4 Describe and discuss in depth approaches to reducing and replacing challenging behaviour from a range including: antecedent
manipulations; functional communication training; differential reinforcement; non-contingent reinforcement; extinction; punishment;
contingency contracts and token systems; self-management.
8.5 Describe and critically evaluate the processes by which functionally-based behavioural interventions to reduce and replace challenging
behaviour may be designed, implemented and evaluated.
8.6 Describe and discuss at an advanced level maintenance and generalisation of behavioural intervention including issues of systems
support.
The intended generic learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
9.1 Effectively integrate complex knowledge from different sources, including published work and personal experience
9.2 Demonstrate the ability to understand, and communicate in writing, complex, abstract concepts.
9.3 Show a capacity to effectively prioritise the demands of work and study.
9.4 Use information technology to a high level (word processing, email, Moodle, e-journals and other online resources).
9.5 Develop an in-depth plan for intervention with the behaviour of an individual with intellectual and developmental disabilities, requiring the
identification, definition and solution of difficult problems.
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