The Syllabus is similar to the syllabus for a course. It is your primary reference for information regarding the module. The online capability of the module allows you to access information directly from Levels II and III of the module, but selected elements of those levels also appear in the syllabus to give you a single source for key information. You may find it helpful to have a hard copy of the syllabus available for reference.

There are eights major goals for this module. Upon completion of this module, you should be able to do the following:

1. Describe how the three lessons in this module fit within a positive behavioral support plan.



2. Explain how each lesson relates to functional assessment.



3. Discuss why social skills education is important in today's schools.



4. Explain why it is important to consider generalization strategies when planning social skills instruction.



5. Define an escalating sequence of problem behavior.



6. Describe how Coercion Theory relates to crisis management.



7. Explain why environmental strategies can be useful when a student's behavior is maintained by physiological influences.



8. Describe the kinds of intervention strategies that are available when supporting a student who engages in problem behavior maintained by physiological factors.

The Content Outlines are specific to lessons in this module. They allow you to preview the content to be covered in each lesson and to note how the content for the several lessons combines at the module level to meet the goals for the module. You will also find that the Content Outlines will serve as a useful review feature. Later when you have completed the module and wish to review what was covered in the individual lessons you can return to the Content Outlines.

1. Social Skills
   1. Importance of social skills education
      1. Teachers are experiencing an increase in diversity
      2. Students and families are experiencing social challenges
         
         1. Vocational training
         2. Social welfare
         3. Mental health
         4. Medical assistance
      3. Students benefit from social skills instruction
         
         1. Promotes positive relationships
         2. Ensures success in adulthood
         3. Inclusive settings are important for social skills development
      4. Social skills education can be taught three ways
         
         1. Individualized
         2. School-wide
         3. Embedded in classroom curriculum
   2. Strategies for embedding social skills
      1. Take advantage of natural opportunities to teach social skills
      2. Teach classroom conversational skills
      3. Use role plays that are meaningful and engaging
      4. School-wide curricula exist to teach social skills
         
         1. Empathy
         2. Problem solving
         3. Impulse control
         4. Anger management
      5. Communicate with others about social skills strategies
   3. Individualize social skills to address a student's needs
      1. Problem solving steps
         
         1. What is the problem
         2. Why does the problem exist
         3. What should be done to address the problem
         4. Did the interventions work and what should be done next
      2. Functional Assessment
         
         1. Identify events that predict and maintain problem behavior
         2. Provide information used to modify the environment
         3. Use information to teach new skills
   4. Guidelines for designing social skills curriculum
      1. Designing social skills curriculum
         
         1. Clearly identify behaviors you want to increase
         2. Embed instruction in the natural environment
         3. Become familiar with different types of social skills instruction
         4. Use the parts that are appropriate for your students
         5. Avoid situations where a student may be embarrassed or singled out
         6. Identify specific routines and scenarios where support is needed
         7. Observe the student in various settings to assess whether she has the social skill but uses it sporadically
      2. Plan for generalization
         
         1. The new skill must be as easy and efficient as the problem behavior
         2. Identify all of the settings where you would like to see a student use new skills
         3. List all of the people the student may encounter
         4. Provide examples of when it is not appropriate to use new skill
2. Crisis Prevention
   1. Crisis prevention plan
      1. Purpose is to prevent serious injury
      2. Based on functional assessment
         
         1. Setting events
         2. Antecedents
         3. Function of behavior
      3. Relationship to positive behavioral support
   2. Escalating sequence of behaviors
      1. Behaviors occurring from lower to higher intensity
      2. Intervening early in sequence
      3. Redirecting student before or after crisis
      4. Early intervention benefits
   3. Coercion theory
      1. Definition
      2. Relationship to escalating sequence of problem behavior
      3. Avoiding power struggles
      4. Interrupting coercive interaction patterns
   4. Procedures for managing crises
      1. Ignoring
         
         1. Paying attention to the student
         2. Ignoring the behavior
         3. Redirecting
         4. Early intervention
         5. Alternative activities
         6. Changing the way requests are made
      2. Removal and protection
         
         1. Staying out of reach
         2. Removing other individuals
         3. Using proximity
         4. Blocking access
      3. Restraint
         
         1. Using only to avoid physical harm
         2. Reducing amount of time restraint is used
         3. Following guidelines and documentation
         4. Building systematic review process
         5. Protective equipment opentag
            1. closetag short-term strategy
            2. closetag transition planning
   5. Responding to crises
      1. Early intervention
      2. Being aware of physical environment
      3. Observing student's emotional and physiological state
      4. Paying attention to your nonverbal cues
      5. Avoiding situations that trigger crises
   6. Written crisis prevention plans
      1. Procedures
      2. Summary page
      3. Factors to include
   7. Support strategies
      1. Rotating schedules
      2. Training and support systems
      3. Opportunities for practice
3. Physiological Influences
   1. Introduction to physiological influences
      1. Most common functions of problem behavior
         
         1. Obtain attention
         2. Escape/avoid
         3. Obtain items or activities
      2. Many problem behaviors are not socially maintained
         
         1. Physiological factors can influence problem behavior
         2. Medical and behavioral collaboration is important
   2. Types of physiological factors influencing problem behavior
      1. Theories
         
         1. Setting events
         2. Respondent learning and arousal
         3. Sensory
         4. Homeostatic
         5. Organic
      2. Examples
         
         1. Illness
         2. Painful experiences
         3. Sleep disturbance
         4. Medication side effects
         5. Medication interactions
         6. Nutrition and hunger
         7. Addiction and drugs
   3. Identifying physiological influences from functional assessment data
      1. Identify the last time a routine medical exam occurred
      2. Behavior that occurs in absence of social interaction
      3. Behavior that continues for long periods
      4. Student learns that behavior affects environment
      5. Behavior maintained by multiple functions
      6. Collecting data to confirm setting events
   4. Intervention strategies
      1. Two types of intervention approaches
         
         1. Medical
         2. Behavioral
      2. Psychotropic medication
         
         1. Produces changes in emotions and behavior
         2. Acts on neurotransmitters
         3. Concerns of overuse exist
         4. Show mixed results in research studies
      3. Interventions related to medication
         
         1. Reschedule medication times
         2. Change dosage levels
         3. Alter food intake or nutrition
         4. Create a medical notebook to enhance communication
      4. Examples of setting event strategies
         
         1. Change school schedule
         2. Temporarily decrease amount of work expected
         3. Make changes in the environment
         4. Initiate relaxation routine
      5. Addressing behavior associated with sensory stimulation
         
         1. Create an enriched environment
         2. Provide opportunities to escape over stimulation
      6. Examples of environmental strategies
         
         1. Remove nonedible items
         2. Reduce tempting situations involving food
         3. Schedule a snack at key time periods
      7. Additional interventions
         
         1. Communication training
         2. Social skills
         3. Relaxation
         4. Exercise
      8. Interventions across home and school
         
         1. Strategies to encourage sleep through the night
         2. Communication log
         3. Letting student sleep at school
         4. Keeping the student awake at school
         5. Decrease the presentation of antecedents
         6. Starting instruction with preferred activities
   5. Summary
      1. Closer communication between medical and educational professionals is needed
      2. Attention to student's health can avoid problem behavior
      3. Environmental interventions are just as important as medical