Helping Students in Inclusive Settings Self-Manage Academic and Personal Behaviors Using Electronic

Performance Support Systems

Kevin J. MillerBuffalo State Collegemillerkj@buffalostate.edu

Buffalo State College PDS Retreat

October 1, 2010

KidTools Support System (KTSS)

• Electronic performance support software• Self-Management, Problem Solving,

Organizational and Planning Tools for Children • Provides easy-to-use templates• Includes research-based tools

• Behavior (KidTools)• Academic (KidSkills)• Secondary/Transition (Strategy Tools)

• Provides students/teachers guidance for use

Components of KidTools Support SystemKidTools Support System

KidSkills KidTools

eKidSkills

iKidSkills

KidSkills Resources

eKidTools

iKidTools

KidTools Resources

StrategyTools

Strategy Coach

StrategyTools Resources

StrategyTools

Developed for children ages 13-18

Developed for children ages 10-13

Developed for children ages 7-10

KTSS Research-based Tools

KidTools - behavioral self-controlself-management, problem solving, making plans and contracts

KidSkills - learning strategies for success organization, planning and learning strategies

Strategy Tools - secondary levelself-management, learning strategies, problem solving, and transition tools

Goals for Implementing KTSS

• Develop responsible, caring, independently functioning students.

• Learn positive behavior management strategies.

• Improve academic performance.

• Learn to self-evaluate performance and make necessary adjustments.

Pilot Test Data Collection

• Observed use with first, third, and fifth grade students

• Examined student record disks and artifacts created by students

• Interviewed four student-users• Interviewed three teacher-implementers• Analyzed content in messages of online

conference focusing on KidTools

Behavioral Benefits

• Children slowed down

• Observed changes in behavior– Hand raising, self-regulation and on-task,

increased focus and time on task, reduce negative interactions with peers

• “Allows children to think for themselves”

Academic and Social Benefits

• Fostered cooperation• Fostered communication skills• Improved academic grades• Assignments turned in on time• Reading improvement• Increased accuracy on reading

comprehension sheets

How to make KidTools

work for your students!

Information to Collect Prior to Using KidTools

Identify one behavior to decrease

• This is the behavior you want to stop.• This behavior needs to be observable and

measurable.• Assess why the child may be exhibiting the

behavior

Identify One Behavior to Increase

• This behavior should replace the behavior that is being decreased.

• This behavior should be a positive and socially accepted.

• This desired behavior should enable the student to get his needs met without having to perform the maladaptive or undesirable behavior

Identify Reinforcers for Student

• What will the student work for?

• A reinforcer is anything that increases behavior.

• Reinforcers are different for all people.

• Reinforcer surveys

• Reinforcer probing

Set Up a Schedule for Reinforcement

• Base the schedule on the students needs.

• Some students need immediate reinforcement. Choose a KidTool that provides immediate social reinforcer.

• Other students can delay gratification. Choose a KidTool that sets up a reinforcement schedule that is bi-daily, daily, weekly or increases slowly.

• Initially, you want the student to receive the reinforcer!!

Student Profiles

• Lower Intensity behavior problemsSevere aggression or self injurious behaviors should be addressed

immediately by a team of designated professions

• Student demonstrates the cognitive ability to understand the program and make the connection between the behaviors and the reinforcers.

• The behavior will not increase to the point of becoming too dangerous for the environment

(The behavior will get worse before it gets better.)

KidTools Case Examples

Fair Pair Countoon

Stop Think and Do plan

Point Sheets

Fair Pair Countoon with Student #1

• 3rd grade male student• Regular education classroom• Argues with the teacher about who to

work with or sit next to.• Demonstrates impulse control and anger

management difficulties• Was already attempting to remove

himself when he was frustrated

Fair Pair Countoon

Fair Pair Countoon Data

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Stop Think and Do Plan with Student #2

• Fifth Grade Male Student

• Diagnosis: ADD, no medicine as interventions

• Highly intelligent

• In foster care system

• Lot’s of movement, difficulty staying on task and poor organizational

Stop Think and Do Plan

Stop Think and Do Frequency Data

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Point Sheetswith Student #3

• Third Grade Male Student

• Grades are important

• Perfectionist

• Poor organizational skills

• Physically aggressive towards peers

• Able to identify signs of stress but could not remove self from the situation

Point Sheets

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Teachers Talk about Implementation

• Personal attention is a part of initial implementation

• Would be best to start at beginning of year and build KidTools into your system

• How you use it depends on children - some cannot be independent on program

• Plan to continue using it - in line with what we are doing only more attractive

Children Talk about KidTools

• KidTools is fun - it’s cool!• Like to pick stuff on the computer• Think it helps you be better - you pay

more attention to how you act• There might be games on there (to make

the program better) • Would tell other kids to do it…it’d be

terrific for you…and it just might work!

Teachers Talk about KidTools• Interested and intrigued in beginning

• Younger children became more interested and independent - looked forward to it

• Novelty effect with older children

• Most reported changes in behavior of children - slowed them down and helped them think before acting

• Tremendous potential - allows children to think for themselves

Checklist for KidTools Implementation

1. Administrator’s support

2. Acquire necessary equipment

3. Train students on recording system you plan to employ

4. Decide on cueing system

5. Identify behavior to decrease

6. Collect baseline on each student

Checklist for KidTools Implementation

7. Evaluate behavior w/students on a consistent basis

8. Decide and operationally define the specific replacement behavior to increase

9. Identify and individualize reinforcers10. Establish criteria and set up a schedule

for reinforcement11. Chart behaviors12. Monitor & alter as needed

Final Recommendations

• Observe and listen to children during design and development (participation)

• Gather feedback from children as users in their own settings (reactive)

• Offer initial orientation and support for teachers

• Focus on integration into total, positive system for children

Development Information

• KidTools Support System is funded in part by a grant from the

U.S. Department of Education

• Free downloads from web site

• Orientation and training materials on web site

• http://kidtools.org http://kidtools.org