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Abstract
The principles of Applied Behavior Analysis and Special Education are more alike than different, yet special education teachers encounter difficulties finding fieldwork supervision to meet the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s requirements. Special education teachers spend much of their time consulting with general education teachers to support and change student behavior, observing students in classrooms to identify target behaviors, collecting data to identify the underlying function of behavior to develop high-quality functional behavior assessments, and creating behavior intervention plans using evidence-based practices to promote socially significant behavior for students with challenging behaviors in the school setting. While most Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA) work in clinics, opportunities exist for special education teachers to develop and hone their behavior analytic skills while completing their fieldwork in classrooms and schools supporting teachers and students with disabilities, providing a pipeline to evidence-based behavior analytic practices in schools that can effectively change behavior, and adds highly qualified practitioners to the field. This article explores the unique challenge of conceptualizing BCBA supervision in the classroom setting.
Author Bios
Dr. Kathleen (Kathy) M. Randolph, BCBA-D, is an assistant professor at Texas State University and a board-certified behavior analyst at the doctoral level. With over 20 years of public school experience, she has taught in various special education settings and served as an administrator. Her research focuses on supporting teachers in implementing evidence-based classroom management practices to promote inclusive environments for students with challenging behavior using iCoaching.
Dr. Larry B. Fisher is an Assistant Professor in the Special Education program at Western Carolina University. He was a Nationally Board-Certified classroom teacher who taught for thirteen years across
the continuum of services. His research interests include antecedent-based interventions based on the principles of applied behavior analysis for addressing challenging classroom behaviors, teaching communication skills to students with complex communication needs, and teacher evaluation tools for teachers of students with significant disabilities.
Recommended Citation
Randolph, Kathleen M. and Fisher, Larry
(2025)
"Supporting Special Education Teachers Pursuing Board Certification in Behavior Analysis with Quality Supervision,"
The Journal of Case Learning and Exceptional Learners: Vol. 0:
Iss.
1, Article 8.
https://doi.org/10.20429/jclel.2024.000108
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/jclel/vol0/iss1/8
Special Education and Applied Behavior Analysis Certification Requirements
Figure 2.docx (14 kB)
Unrestricted Hours for Special Education Teachers
Figure 3.docx (275 kB)
Example of Supervisee Tracking Document
Figure 4.docx (18 kB)
Group Supervision Agenda Example
