The Effect of Grade-wide Positive Behavior Support on Class Participation Behavior of Elementary School Students with intellectual disabilities

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of grade-wide positive behavior support on the in-class participation behavior of elementary school students with intellectual disabilities. For this purpose, grade-wide positive behavior support was provided for third grade students, including two students with intellectual disabilities, in elementary school “S”. Grade-wide positive behavior support interventions were provided to all students, with universal support for all third-grade students, small group support for some, and individual support for two students with intellectual disabilities. A research hypothesis was established for the two intellectually disabled students based on their direct and indirect functional assessments as well as surveys and interviews of the parents and students. A plan for mediating medium and large elements of each student’s behavior was then established and applied. The class participation behavior of two students with intellectual disabilities was defined as class preparation behavior, task performing behavior, and attention-focused behavior. Measurements of class-participating behavior used a multiple probe designs across behaviors and proceeded to the baseline, intervention, and maintenance. The results of this study are as follows. The grade-wide positive behavior support clearly improved the class participation behavior of two elementary school students with intellectual disabilities (as measured by class preparation behavior, task performance behavior, and attention-focused behavior). When each behavior was considered in terms of averages, trend lines, non-overlapping ratios, and immediacy, a positive effect was shown for all class participation behaviors and the average of class participation behavior increased as well. Positive effects were also observed in the maintenance phase. Based on these results, it can be concluded that grade-wide positive behavior support is an effective intervention for improving the class participation behavior of elementary school students with intellectual disabilities.