Behavior Intervention Specialist
Overview
The Certificate of Graduate Study Program for Behavior Intervention Specialist prepares candidates to implement assessments and interventions for the challenging behaviors of students with a range of disabilities, ages 3-21, in regular education or special settings. Candidates completing the certificate program will have met the LBS II Content Area Standards for Behavior Intervention Specialist (28.350). Emphases in the program include translating research into practice, collaborating with professionals and families, conducting functional behavior assessment in school and home settings, and designing programs for students with serious emotional and behavioral disorders.
Requirements
Behavior Intervention Specialist Specialization Requirements
Clinical Experience
All candidates will complete a minimum of 20 hours of clinical experience as part of the course requirements for TLSE 593. The purpose of the clinical experience is to provide the opportunity for candidates to conduct a needs assessment and develop a professional development project in the specialist area in which they are completing a CGS. Candidates must complete their field experience in a culturally diverse setting, as defined by NCATE.
We anticipate that most candidates pursuing certification as Behavior Intervention Specialists will be actively employed special education teachers. Such candidates may complete their clinical experience in their district if it meets criteria as a diverse setting. In circumstances where a setting does not meet such criteria, the candidate will be required to complete the clinical and professional development project in an alternate site that does meet NCATE criteria.
During the clinical the candidate will be supervised and supported by the instructor for TLSE 593 and the coordinator for the certificate of graduate study program. Dr. Ed Cancio is the coordinator for the Behavior Intervention Specialist program. The cooperating school will designate a liaison to collaborate with the NIU faculty to support and advise the candidate in designing and conducting a needs assessment, and in developing a professional development plan based on the assessment data. The school liaison will contribute to the assessment of candidate's work, as will any additional staff who are involved in supporting the candidate's work in the school.
Assessment
Candidates will be assessed throughout their CGS programs for competency on the appropriate LBS II Content Area Standards and will submit a summative portfolio at the completion of TLSE 593.
Program Assessments and Transition Points
The following table summarizes assessments for major points in the program:
STAGES
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| Admittance into free-standing CGS program |
Progress in Program:Pre-Clinical |
Enrollment in TLSE 593 with clinicalexperience |
Completion of program |
- Hold LBS I, DHH, Vision, or Speech & Language certification
- 3.0 GPA in last two years of undergraduate coursework
- One or more years of teaching experience
- Two letters of recommendations citing successful teaching, positive dispositions, and potential for success in advanced practices
- Application letter citing examples of positive dispositions)
- Passed Basic Skills Test
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- Meet or exceed requirements on all standards-based assessments included in courses and listed in standards matrices.
- Meet disposition requirements as indicated by scores on assessment checklist after 15 credit hours of coursework.
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- Meet or exceed requirements on all standards-based assessments included
- Submit written agreement from school district to complete clinical hours and professional development project
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- Meet LBS II Content Area Standards for Behavior Intervention Specialist (28.350), as evidence by meeting or exceeding requirements on all standards-based assessments included in courses.
- Meet disposition requirements as indicated by scores on assessment checklist at conclusion of TLSE 593.
- Receive “proficient” ratings on submitted portfolio
- Successful completion of content test for LBS II: Behavior Intervention Specialist (156) (and APT if not completed previously).
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Products in Professional Portfolio for Behavior Intervention Specialist
- Literature synthesis – Candidates will be required to locate, interpret, and synthesize multiple sources of electronic and textual research and information and generate recommendations for practice based on findings.
- Position paper – Candidates will be required to generate a position paper in which they assert an opinion regarding a current issue related to the implementation of assessments and interventions for the challenging behaviors of students with a range of disabilities, ages 3-21.
- Additional standards-based assessments included in coursework :
- Case study analyses will be used for both knowledge and performance standards.
Case study analysis may involve analysis of published cases, cases provided by schools (with necessary permission), or from candidate contact with a student, family, and instructional team. Candidates will analyze case study information provided by the instructor, or will construct a case study by contacting a student, family, or teacher.
- Functional assessment project will be used to assess knowledge and performancestandards related to assessment, data collection and analysis, and development of interventions in home and school settings.
- Essay exams will be used to assess knowledge and performance standards. Exams will require synthesis and application of information in responding to problems or scenarios.
- Action research projects will be used to assess performance standards. Candidates will develop and implement a research project in a school setting.
- Professional Development Project – Candidates will complete a minimum of 20 hours of clinical experience while enrolled in their final course, TLSE 593. The focus of the clinical experience will be completion of a professional development project that requires selection of a current issue or topic in the Behavior Intervention Specialist area, implementation of assessment to determine professional development needs for a classroom, school, or district, and development of a proposal for professional development activities that includes required resources, schedule for implementation, and plan for assessing outcomes for professional development. Candidates will obtain the necessary information for the project through observations, interviews, surveys, and collaboration with district personnel and parent community during the 20-hour (minimum) clinical experience. The professional development project will be submitted within the professional portfolio.
Coordinator
Jesse Johnson, Associate Professor
Additional Information
