Context Is Key: Using the Contextual Variable Analysis and Planning Tool to Improve Student Outcomes

Presenters

Corinne ShalavutaFollow
Shane T. SpikerFollow

First Presenter's Institution

Positive Behavior Supports, Corp.

First Presenter's Brief Biography

Corinne Shalavuta is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst out of the Savannah, Ga area. She graduated from Georgia Southern University with her Bachelor's in Special Education in 2012 and her Master's from the same institution and field in 2014. She subsequently taught for 6 years in various special education settings to include: self-contained, inclusion, and separate school for students with SEBD. Corinne started in the field of ABA in 2018 and has had experience serving individuals and supporting families for those from ages 2-15. Corinne's passions lie in dissemination of ABA to underserved communities as well as growing other professionals with the use of ABA principles and techniques. In her spare time, she enjoys reading a good murder mystery and hiking with her dogs.

Second Presenter's Institution

Positive Behavior Supports Corp.

Second Presenter’s Email Address

sspiker@teampbs.com

Second Presenter's Brief Biography

Shane T. Spiker is a BCBA in Ormond Beach, Florida. Shane received his MS of Psychology in 2012 and his second MS in applied Psychology in 2016. In May 2019, he graduated with his PhD in Clinical Psychology with a concentration on instructional design. He has been providing services in the field of ABA since 2010, with the majority of his experience with autistic learners and other disabilities. Shane specializes working with teens and adults with dangerous problem behavior, sexual behavior, and medically complex individuals in the home and community based setting. Primarily, Shane serves as the Clinical Training and Safety Director at PBS, Corp. Shane previously served as the Vice President of the Sexual Behavior: Research and Practice SIG through ABAI. He has written and published several articles related to behavior analysis and practice. Additionally, he serves as a co-instructor at Florida Institute of Technology, Arizona State University and Regis College, where he teaches graduate level coursework. He enjoys reading and appreciates a really good cup of coffee.

Document Type

Individual Presentation

Primary Strand

Social-Emotional Learning

Relevance to Primary Strand

The Contextual Variable Analysis and Planning Tool- School Version is an environmental checklist created to address variables in the classroom setting that directly impact student behavior and learning productivity. The measure is derived from the Positive Environment Checklist and contains variables that follow best practice in creating a positive learning environment in which all students can learn and be successful. In relation to PBIS strategy, this tool addresses variables relating to the following components: clarifying and teaching expected behavior, encouraging expected behavior, and effective classroom practices. The CVAPT can also be utilized as a monitoring system to track fidelity of best practices to create individualized plans for each classroom.

Alignment with School Improvement Plan Topics

Climate and Culture

Brief Program Description

The CVAPT is an environmental checklist that was created to identify and find solutions for classroom variables affecting student behavior and performance. It is a catalyst to improving classroom management strategies by monitoring and goal setting for best practices based on the principles for PBS (PBIS).

Summary

Contextual assessment is critical for designing relevant and individualized interventions. There are many tools that help assessors identify next steps to take, however there are few tools that account for enough of the variables needed to adequately address a concern. Further, once that tool is completed, it is incumbent upon the assessor to make recommendations with limited guidance from the original assessment. In this talk, the speakers will introduce the Contextual Variable Analysis Planning Tool (CVAPT) and a modified school version of the tool. The goal of this tool is to allow an assessor to critically evaluate which variables need to be adjusted within a treatment environment and make targeted, individualized changes through a planning element embedded within the CVAPT.

Evidence

The CVAPT was created based on evidence-based ABA and PBS methodologies used regularly to prevent problem behavior and improve socially-significant behavior. These include antecedent strategies such as: the use of visual schedules, setting expectations and rules with in-situ examples, appropriately delivering lessons based on student needs, classroom set up, etc.

The Positive Environment Checklist, and research conducted by Dr. Meme Heinemein, are the groundwork for the CVAPT’s creation. The practitioners that created this tool recognized the worth of addressing environmental barriers across settings they were serving due to these barriers causing an increase in problem behaviors and a decrease in client outcomes. To address these barriers and add a monitoring and planning component, the CVAPT and the CVAPT-School Version were created.

Some research currently being conducted utilizing the school-based tool include its use by BCBAs to improve metrics within the classroom settings they serve by conducting a baseline observation to gain insights as to variables to assist the teachers with development of best practice strategies. The tool is then used to create individualized classroom goals with monitoring of the goals across 3 months to ensure fidelity.

Some future expansions of how the authors would like to see the tool utilized include: its use as a school-wide monitoring tool for administrators to identify classroom management needs and create subsequent goals; Use as a self-monitoring tool to assist classroom teachers with initial set up and self-management in ensuring they are creating a positive learning environment. The team would like to see its regular use within the educational setting by educators to increase positive environments resulting in increased student outcomes.

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Brown, F., Anderson, J. L., & L., D. P. R. (2015). Individual positive behavior supports: A standards-based guide to practices in school and community settings. Paul H. Brookes Publishing.

Hieneman, M. (2015). Positive behavior support for individuals with behavior challenges. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 8(1), 101–108. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-015-0051-6

Hieneman, M., Dunlap, G., & Kincaid, D. (2005). Positive support strategies for students with behavioral disorders in general education settings. Psychology in the Schools, 42(8), 779–794. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.20112

Sugai, G., Horner, R. H., Dunlap, G., Hieneman, M., Lewis, T. J., Nelson, C. M., Scott, T., Liaupsin, C., Sailor, W., Turnbull, A. P., Turnbull, H. R., Wickham, D., Wilcox, B., & Ruef, M. (2000). Applying positive behavior support and functional behavioral assessment in schools. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 2(3), 131–143. https://doi.org/10.1177/109830070000200302

Learning Objective 1

Participants will be able to identify various elements of the CVAPT and how to conduct the assessment

Learning Objective 2

Participants will be able to identify key contextual variables as it pertains to their immediate treatment context

Learning Objective 3

Participants will be able to derive action items and recommendations based on the results of the completed CVAPT

Recommended Citation

Shalavuta, Corinne and Spiker, Shane T., "Context Is Key: Using the Contextual Variable Analysis and Planning Tool to Improve Student Outcomes" (2023). Southeast Conference on School Climate. 2.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/secsc/2023/2023/2

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.