Arizona Positive Behavior Support


ON-LINE GRADUATE CERTIFICATE in POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT (PBS)

For those who Support People with Disabilities and Behavior or Learning Challenges

How to apply

Graduate Certificate - This 15-credit graduate certificate through Northern Arizona University (NAU) prepares students to serve as behavioral consultants to parents, teachers, direct care staff or others who support children or adults with disabilities and challenging behavior.

The PBS Certificate is a sequence of on-line courses that focuses on understanding the challenging behavior of people with developmental disabilities or low incidence disabilities (with a stronger focus on autism spectrum disorders - ASD). The primary means to understand those behaviors comes through a behaviorally-based functional assessment process and an academic-based instructional assessment process. It is through understanding the function of the behavior and the individual's learning style, that certificate candidates will use the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) to teach and support people who present challenges. Certificate candidates will also learn ways to empathize with those they support and advocate for improvements in their lives, which are necessary if behavior change is to last. This program places a high value on inclusion in school and community, on self-determination, and on avoidance of restrictive and coercive behavioral strategies.

The PBS Certificate program has been approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. This means that if a certificate candidates completes our coursework and obtains the necessary supervised experience (see www.bacb.com), then s/he may apply to take the national examination to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Please note, however, that simply passing these courses will not guarantee that the certificate candidate will pass the exam. All candidates will be given a sufficient foundation and a number of valuable resources. If they take advantage of these, and put the personal time in to prepare for the exam, they should do well.

Throughout the courses, certificate candidates will need access to children or adults with developmental disabilities (including  ASD) and those who know them best (parents, teachers, staff, etc) in order to conduct assessments and implement interventions. Because these are long-distance courses and instructors cannot travel to observe, certificate candidates will be required to submit videotapes of themselves conducting different instructional and behavioral interventions. Therefore, certificate candidates will need informed consent from the person and/or parents or guardians

All classes of the PBS Graduate Certificate are available as on-line classes, and are intended to prepare students for several professional roles:

  1. Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) - Recognized by the national Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Requires all 5 classes, a Master's degree, additional supervision beyond the Hab, B – Masters (below), and passing of a national examination.
  2. Habilitation, Behavioral - Masters (Hab, B - Masters) - Recognized by the Department of Economic Security/Division of Developmental Disabilities (DES/DDD). Requires all 5 classes, a Master's degree, and supervised experience..
  3. Behavior Support Specialist (BSS) - Recognized by the Arizona Department of Education/Exceptional Student Services (ADE/ESS). Requires only 3 of the 5 classes (DIS 519, DIS 529, DIS 539)

What is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)? back to list

  • The Board Certified Behavior Analyst is a practitioner who may work as an employee or independent contractor for an organization. The BCBA conducts functional behavioral assessments and interprets the results from a behavior analysis perspective. The BCBA designs and supervises behavior interventions to help someone improve their behavior or their learning challenges. The BCBA teaches others to carry out ethical and effective behavior analytic interventions based on published research and designs and delivers instruction in behavior analysis. For detailed information on the requirements, professional standards and other details about the BCBA please go to www.bacb.com.
  • The Graduate Certificate in PBS was designed to meet the specific educational requirements by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, and is an authorized university program. The emphasis of our coursework is on the respectful and non-coercive use of behavioral technology to improve the lives and behavior of people with disabilities. In order to take the examination to become a BCBA, the certificate student must have a master's degree and must have obtained supervision from another BCBA. For a detailed explanation of how to become certified go to: www.bacb.com.

What is a Habilitation, Behavioral - Masters (Hab, B - Masters)? back to list

  • The Hab, B - Masters is an expanded Habilitation service code through DES/DDD designed to help people with developmental disabilities and behavior challenges remain in their homes and their communities. The Hab, B - Masters is a professional with extensive training and experience in the use of positive behavior support. The Hab, B - Masters may conduct functional assessments, develop positive behavior support plans, demonstrate and train team members to implement the plans, monitor, and troubleshoot. The Hab, B - Masters may also supervise those individuals serving as Hab, B - Bachelors implement and mentor/model the implementation of the plans for families and other team members (including direct habilitation staff).
  • In addition, the Hab, B - Masters conducts the necessary assessments and develops positive behavior support plans or skill development plans for children receiving behavioral habilitation or applied behavior analysis (ABA), the Hab, B - Masters can also conduct on-site coaching and supervision of those direct habilitation providers responsible for implementing the plan on a daily basis.
  • The Graduate Certificate in PBS meets the specific educational requirements by DES/DDD. However, in order to become a Hab, B - Masters, the certificate student must also complete additional training and supervision. For service specifications see Qualified Vendor Agency information on the DES/DDD website www.de.state.az.us/ddd/ .

TO APPLY FOR NAU's GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT (all 5 classes)

What is a Behavior Support Specialist - BSS? back to list

The BSS is a recognition by the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports of Arizona (PBISAZ), that a the student has completed three graduate courses designed to prepare educators to:

  1. Understand the principles of effective teaching and behavior change,
  2. Conduct functional behavioral assessments (FBAs) to discover how those principles impact various (K-12) students,
  3. Design behavior support plans to help those students improve their behavior, and
  4. Serve as an effective consultant to teams challenged by the behavior of a given K-12 student.

PBISAZ is an ADE/ESS - funded program where schools and districts receive training and technical support from Arizona's three universities (NAU, ASU, UA) on how to improve their school-wide discipline practices. Note that because this option only requires 3 of the 5 courses (DIS 519, DIS 529, DIS 539), it does NOT result in a NAU Graduate Certificate on your transcripts.

If you are planning to complete the three BSS courses only, please follow the instructions below for applying and registering for classes:

TO APPLY FOR NAU'S BEHAVIOR SUPPORT SPECIALIST PROGRAM ONLY (3 of the 5 classes)

Courses required for completion of the NAU Graduate Certificate in PBS.

Following each course title below is the semester in which they are it is currently offered. How long it takes to complete the entire program of studies depends on when certificate candidates start the program, whether the person has the necessary prerequisite courses or experience for ESE 554 and ESE 581, and how many classes s/he can take at one time. Some people have been able to start in the spring and finish by the end of the following fall (1 year). Others have taken longer.

At the end of each course' brief description (below) are the prerequisites. Pay close attention because even though our PBS Certificate is only 5 courses, if certificate candidates have not had equivalent training or background in low incidence disabilities and autism spectrum disorders, the candidate will need to also take some prerequisites. Certificate candidates should check with Dr. Susan.Marks@nau.edu to see if any or all of the prerequisites for ESE 554 and ESE 581 can be waived.

Because the tuition can vary each year, and differs depending on how many courses certificate candidates take at one time, whether the candidate is in-state or out-of-state, please go to http://home.nau.edu/bursar/ and select “Tuition and Fees” to learn more about tuition and fees.

Finally, there are currently stipends available for Arizona students who are who are working to obtain their Masters (M.Ed.) in Special Education and full teacher certification in Low Incidence Disabilities (LID)(sometimes called severe disabilities), with an emphasis on Positive Behavior Support (PBS). For more information, please go to new PBS-CARES link.

  • DIS 519 Introduction to Positive Behavior Support (3 credits) - (Fall and Spring on-line)

    This course covers an introduction to Positive Behavior Support (PBS) for persons with disabilities. PBS incorporates both

    1. the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) such as reinforcement, shaping, prompting, fading, and objective measurement of behavior over time; with
    2. the principles of self-determination, quality of life, person-centered planning, and the ethics of behavior change.

    The course consists of on-line lessons, readings, self-assessment quizzes, group discussions with the instructor, and a number of brief videotaped presentations and examples. Throughout the course students will be guided through the process of conducting person-centered and functional behavioral assessments for the purpose of developing positive behavior support strategies. All students will be required to incorporate what they learn into assessment and intervention strategies for someone they support (e.g., student, group home resident, brother, daughter, etc). This means that you MUST have access to such a person and his/her caregivers throughout the semester.

    • Prerequisites: None

  • ESE 554 Methods in Special Education Low-Incidence Disabilities (3 credits) ( Fall - online, Spring - face to face weekend format over 8 weeks)

    The purpose of this course is to provide students with knowledge about specific applications, methods, and strategies for teaching students with low incidence and severe disabilities (e.g., mental retardation, autism, developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injury, sensory impairments, and multiple disabilities). Students will learn specific strategies for teaching communication skills, managing sensory and motor disabilities, providing for health and medical needs, teaching self care, home and community skills, teaching academic skills, developing appropriate student learning supports, and implementing effective inclusion practices (including task analysis, prompting, reinforcement, errorless learning, fading, chaining, monitoring progress, etc.). This course is included in the PBS certificate program based on the belief that effective instruction prevents many problems.

    Prerequisites: ESE 380 Introduction to Special Education, ESE 548 Survey of Special Education, and or ESE 434/634 or an equivalent introduction to exceptionalities course. You may be able to waive the above prerequisites if you are applying for the PBS Certificate program ONLY (NOT working towards a M.Ed. in Special Education), AND you have previous experience working with people who have severe (low incidence) disabilities. In order to determine if your experience is sufficient, send an email to daniel.davidson@nau.edu with "ESE 554 Prerequisites" in the subject line, AND provide a detailed explanation of your experience in the body of the text.

  • DIS 529 Advanced Applications of Positive Behavior Support (3 credits) (Spring and Summer On-line)

This course is a follow-up to DIS 519 Introduction to Positive Behavior Support and is designed to build on students' knowledge through problem-based learning and hands-on demonstrations. After a brief review of the main principles and applications learned previously, students will be assigned to small groups where they will work together to solve several case examples of children/adults with disabilities and challenging behavior. Students must select the FBA strategies needed and translate the results into practical solutions. A standard problem-solving format will be provided, and all group projects will follow the same format. Throughout the course, new content not previously covered, will be made available via on line readings. All students will be expected to submit a video of themselves demonstrating a procedure (e.g., shaping, fading, chaining, discrimination training) Group projects will be graded, as will individual student participation.

Prerequisites: DIS 519 Introduction to Positive Behavior Support

  • ESE 581 Methods in Special Education Autism Spectrum Disorders (3 credits) ) (Fall and Spring On-line)

    This course builds on ESE 554 and will cover the range of program and instructional options for designing a comprehensive educational program for students who have Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The course will include programs and interventions to address sensory, motor, academic, communication, social, and transition needs. It is advised that individuals enrolling in this course have already completed a basic course in methods for teaching students with low incidence disabilities (e.g., ASD, severe disabilities, etc.) AND have either taken an introductory course on ASD or have experience with this student population.

    Prerequisites: ESE 554 Methods in Special Education Low-Incidence Disabilities, ESE 580 Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorders, or instructor approval.You may be able to waive ESE 580 if you are applying for the PBS Certificate program ONLY (NOT working towards a M.Ed. in Special Education), AND you have previous experience working with people who have ASD. In order to determine if your experience is sufficient, send an email to daniel.davidson@nau.edu with "ESE 581 Prerequisites" in the subject line, AND provide a detailed explanation of your experience in the body of the text.

  • DIS 539 Consultation and Collaboration in Positive Behavior Support (3 credits) (Summer and Fall)

This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to consult and work collaboratively with teams responsible for the education, habilitation, care and support, of person's with behavior and/or learning challenges. This course builds on previous knowledge of effective teaching and behavior change strategies, and adds to that knowledge the skills needed to help teams develop, implement and evaluate, positive behavior support (PBS) plans for those individuals who are hard to reach and hard to teach. Students are assumed to have basic and advanced information about conducting functional behavioral assessments (FBAs), developing/implementing PBS plans, and teaching methods for people with severe or low incidence disabilities. This course will require students to use their knowledge of PBS as team facilitators, leaders and mentors to others. In addition to more advanced PBS problem-solving, students will learn about the various missions of different service systems in Arizona often supporting individuals who are hard to reach/teach. They will learn about what are often competing contingencies among team members and how to use that knowledge to help them find common ground. Finally students will learn about effective evidence-based approaches to helping schools make systemic changes in their discipline strategies, student behavior and overall climate.

Prerequisites: DIS 529 Advanced Applications of Positive Behavior Support.

A Note about Sequence Of Coursework

  1. You must take ESE 554 before you take ESE 581
  2. You must take DIS 519 before DIS 529, and 529 before DIS 539
  3. You may take ESE 554 or 581 while taking any of the DIS courses

TO APPLY FOR NAU's GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT (all 5 classes) back to top

You may take courses in the PBS Graduate Certificate Program if you have completed your undergraduate degree.

To apply for the PBS Graduate Certificate Program, follow these steps. There is a $50 fee.

  1. Start at http://home.nau.edu/gradcol/
  2. Select "Apply Now" which will take you to http://home.nau.edu/gradcol/apply.asp
  3. Select " To apply online: click here."
  4. Follow the Three-step online application process.
    1. For Method of Search, choose “Program” and Positive Behavior Support Certificate
    2. Then select "Positive Behavior Support Certificate (Online)"
  5. Be sure to save your work as you complete the application

WHEN TO APPLY

In order to register for graduate courses you must be accepted as either a NAU graduate student. Registration for new students typically begins about three months prior to the fall term and about six weeks prior to the spring term (see http://home.nau.edu/registrar/). You must register as early as you can before classes fill up.

All application materials (including transcripts and letters of recommendation) must be received No later than:

  • 1   November 15 (for Spring Term)
  • 2   May 15 (for Fall Term)

TO APPLY FOR NAU'S BEHAVIOR SUPPORT SPECIALIST PROGRAM ONLY (3 of the 5 classes) back to top

You may take courses in the BSS Program if you have completed your undergraduate degree.

To apply for the BSS Program, follow these steps. There is a $25 fee.

  1. Start at http://home.nau.edu/gradcol/
  2. Select "Apply Now" which will take you to http://home.nau.edu/gradcol/apply.asp
  3. Select " To apply online: click here."
  4. Follow the Three-step online application process.
    1. For Method of Search, choose “Non-degree, Personal Enrichment”
    2. Then select " Non-degree, Personal Enrichment (Online)"
  5. Be sure to save your work as you complete the application
  6. Then email daniel.davidson@nau.edu with “BSS Coursework” in the Subject line and the following information in the text:
    1. Name
    2. Email address (including new NAU address)
    3. NAU Student ID #
    4. School and District in which you work

WHEN TO APPLY

In order to register for graduate courses you must be accepted as either a NAU non-degree graduate student. Registration for new students typically begins about three months prior to the fall term and about six weeks prior to the spring term (see http://home.nau.edu/registrar/). You must register as early as you can before classes fill up.

  • 3   November 15 (for Spring Term)
  • 4   May 15 (for Fall Term)

WHEN TO BEGIN

You may begin your program of studies in either the fall or spring terms. No introductory courses are available in summer.