How to Develop Successful Visual Behavior Systems

November 16, 2010 by  

Most of the requests I receive for individual student consultation are the result of a student’s demonstration of challenging behavior.  Although there are many strategies for addressing challenging behaviors in schools, the use of visual behavior systems can be an effective and easy to implement tool in both the special education and inclusive education settings.

A key component to the successful development and implementation of a visual behavior system is the interest of the student in the system itself.  The foundation for developing successful, student-engaged visual behavior systems is two-fold:

  1. Incorporate the student’s passion into the visual design of the system
  2. Allow the student to participate in the creation of the system

The below examples demonstrate how these strategies can be incorporated into the development of a visual behavior system.  The first visual was created just last week for a young student who has a specific interest in the PBS Kids show “Super Why” and the second was created about a year ago for an older student who had a specific interest in archery.  In the first  example, the visual was designed by simply importing “Super Why” pictures into Mayer Johnson’s Boardmaker software program.  In the second example, I suggested the bullseye design based on the student’s passion for archery and then the student designed and created the visual with the assistance of his classroom teacher.

In both designs, contextually appropriate  behaviors are  reinforced through a variety of activity-based reinforcers.

Visual Behavior System - "Super Why"

Visual Behavior System - Archery Theme

Filed under: Inclusive Education, Special Education
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Comments

One Response to “How to Develop Successful Visual Behavior Systems”

  1. Leith on April 16th, 2011 7:53 am

    Fantastic some the visual systems- we have developed what we think is a very tight visual system of negotiating behavior and consequence please have a look and pass on your opinions or ideas.
    http://www.studentbehaviorsystems.com

    Levels of behavior

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