ABA-Informed IEPs

Description

Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of a number of interventions grounded in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for students with a variety of learning and behavioral needs. However, ABA in schools has often been confused with insurance-covered ABA services outside of school and without consideration to a school’s legal obligation to provide FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education) in the LRE (Least Restrictive Environment). This session will highlight key areas of the IEP in which school-based ABA can be embedded while still ensuring the student’s right to FAPE in the LRE. The primary components of the IEP will also be outlined within a whiteboard facilitation framework to enhance collaborative decisions regarding a student’s educational needs, goals and services including ABA.

About the Speakers

Kelly Rogers is a school psychologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Currently, she works as the Special Education Coordinator at Char-Em ISD. Prior to that, she worked with the Autism Education Center from 2001 as a contractor, and then full-time from 2003 until March 2020. Kelly has extensive experience and expertise on topics related to evaluation for special education eligibility, positive behavioral interventions and supports and ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis), IEP development and implementation, and guiding principles for establishing effective programs for students on the autism spectrum. She also contributes to the development of systems of support for students with ASD as they transition to employment settings, including the utilization of tools, checklists, and resources that improve the process of transition.

Stephanie Dyer joined the START Project full-time in 2022, after contracting with START since 2008. Stephanie’s role at START includes content development and training in behavior, coaching, FAPE in the LRE, inclusive practices, and education-based evaluations and developing EPLI Trainers of START Content. Working to create equitable and inclusive systems is a passion for Stephanie and forms the foundation of her work. Previously, Stephanie worked with the MiMTSS Technical Assistance Center for 10 years, primarily focusing on implementation of PBIS, including the intensification of behavioral interventions and FBA/BIP. A school psychologist and BCBA, Stephanie has worked in several districts and ISDs in Michigan throughout her career. Her favorite quote is, “To know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded.”

Gina Sanderson is a school psychologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). She has worked with the START Project as a contracted state-wide presenter and content developer since 2008, specializing in the areas of Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS), Asperger Syndrome, and Self-Management. With over 20 years of experience working with school-based teams supporting students with complex educational needs, Gina currently works for the Lenawee Intermediate School District as an Autism Consultant and provider of Practical Functional Assessment and Skills Based Treatment (PFA-SBT) for students with severe problem behavior.