Project Activities
The project iteratively developed and tested ibestt-ec across 4 years. In the first years, the research team solicited feedback from early childhood practitioners and families through focus groups and workshops and used their feedback to revise the existing technology. The revised intervention was “field tested” using usability testing to evaluate teacher fidelity of implementation in early childhood classrooms. In subsequent years, the team created professional development materials to support teachers in intervention implementation. In the final years, the research team assessed the promise of the intervention through a single-case design study.
Structured Abstract
Setting
The study took place in early childhood centers in urban and suburban areas of Washington state.
Sample
In the development phase, feedback on the intervention was gathered from approximately 15 to 20 early childhood educators, 10 content experts in behavior support and early learning, and 10 parents or caregivers of young children who have received behavior supports. Participants in the pilot study included two teacher-coach dyads working with a child with or at risk for behavior disorders and their parents.
The intervention, ibestt-ec, was developed based on an existing web-based technology designed for K-8 school settings. Modifications included adding a family component, improving the coaching structure, and tailoring practices for early childhood classrooms. The intervention is designed to promote the use of effective behavior supports by helping teams plan and document interventions, use data to make decisions, and coordinate communication among staff and families. The intervention coordinates each of the following steps in the behavior support process: (1) teachers and families agree to submit a request for assistance with child behavior and a coach (i.e., a teacher or behavior specialist within the school or district) is assigned to meet with the teacher and/or family member; (2) the coach, teacher, and family member collaboratively review the need and implement classroom-level strategies to address the behavior; (3) if classroom-level strategies are insufficient, a functional assessment is conducted; (4) teachers, coaches, and family members develop support plans based on the findings from the functional assessment; (5) the support plan is implemented and coaches provide feedback on implementation fidelity using the coaching protocol provided in ibestt-ec; (6) the child's response to the intervention is documented in ibestt-ec, progress is reviewed by coaches and ongoing support is provided, and interventions are revised to meet the child's needs. In addition, the intervention includes text- and video-based professional development resources on how to use the technology and design and implement behavior intervention plans.
Research design and methods
The project used an iterative, mixed-methods approach to develop and test ibestt-ec over the course of the study. During the initial years, the team gathered perspectives from stakeholders regarding key issues in individual student behavior support through workshops with early childhood practitioners and focus groups with families. In addition, the research team modified the existing software to fit the early childhood context. Then the modified tool was implemented by teachers to examine the usability and feasibility of the technology. Researchers observed classrooms and schools to check fidelity of teacher implementation of practices and school-wide implementation of tier 3 (intensive) intervention. Qualitative feedback was also obtained through surveys of teachers and content experts. The team developed professional development materials with content experts working with production experts to create the online content. Finally, the pilot study used a multiple-baseline single-case design with coach-teacher dyads to evaluate the effects of ibestt-ec on coach practice, teacher practice, and child outcomes.
Control condition
In the single-case design studies, each participant served as their own control.
Key measures
Qualitative data from focus groups and open-ended survey items were used to inform intervention revisions. To assess teacher outcomes, the research team used a screener to assess classroom quality and teacher implementation of practices. Child outcome measures included the Behavior Assessment System for Children–Second Edition and the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) Rating Scales. Researcher-developed measures assessed fidelity of coaching and teachers' intervention implementation. The Intervention Rating Profile—15, the Student Assistance Team Attitude Scale, and parent interviews were used to evaluate intervention acceptability.
Data analytic strategy
Qualitative data from focus groups and workshops were transcribed and analyzed to identify key themes and elements of the behavior support process. Ratings and assessments from the field test were summarized descriptively. For the single-case design studies, visual data were used to determine whether ibestt-ec demonstrates promise for improving teacher and child outcomes.
Key outcomes
The main findings of this project, as reported by the principal investigator, are as follows:
- Families should be partners in the development and implementation of individualized behavior support for young children.
- Online systems for coordinating and organizing behavior support information can help facilitate effective use of tools and strategies.
- ibestt-ec can help coordinate and implement the behavior support process for young children.
- There were insufficient direct replications within the pilot study to conclude a strong functional relation between the ibestt-ec intervention and increased fidelity of behavior support implementation by teachers. However, educators and families rated the intervention as effective, acceptable, and useful. The research team is continuing replications of the intervention beyond the funded performance period across additional coach-teacher dyads using nonconcurrent multiple-baseline designs, and these efforts should provide additional support for the study research questions.
People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Project contributors
Products and publications
Publications:
ERIC Citations: Find available citations in ERIC for this award here.
Select Publications:
Kelly, E. M., Harbin, S. G., Spaulding, S. A., Roberts, C. A., & Artman-Meeker, K. (2022). A qualitative examination of family and educator perspectives on early childhood behavior supports. Topics in Early Childhood Education, 42(2), 162-174. https://doi.org/10.1177/0271121420986868
Questions about this project?
To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.
