Theses and Dissertations
Date of Award
2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice
Advisor
Davaa Ulzii
Committee Member
Faheema Abdool-Ghany
Committee Member
Kimberly Durham
Keywords
applied behavior analysis, behavior skills training, functional goals, individualized education plans, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IEP goals, multiple probe design, professional development, quality of life, single-subject research, social validity, special education, teacher behavior, teacher training, visual analysis
Abstract
This applied dissertation sought to assess the effectiveness of a behavior skills training (BST) protocol in improving teacher behaviors for writing high-quality individualized education plan (IEP) goals that target quality-of-life (QoL) domains. High-quality IEP goals that target both academic and functional repertoires are required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004) and are essential for students with disabilities to achieve meaningful outcomes. BST is an effective intervention for teaching a variety of skills. No prior research has explicitly examined the application of BST for teacher professional development in writing IEP goals.
This single-subject study used a time-lagged multiple probe across four participants to evaluate the effects of BST on teachers’ goal-writing behaviors. BST consisted of asynchronous instruction and modeling through a pre-recorded presentation, followed by in-person rehearsal with feedback. Throughout the BST, the researcher used hypothetical student vignettes to elicit probe data and provide rehearsal opportunities. In addition to assessing teacher behaviors related to hypothetical student vignettes, the researcher collected examples of real-world IEP goals written by teachers during pre- and postintervention probes. All IEP goals were scored using the Revised IEP/IFST Goals and Objectives Rating Instrument.
Visual analysis of the data and calculation of the Percentage of Nonoverlapping Data were used to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. Results indicated that BST was effective in increasing teacher behaviors related to writing high-quality IEP goals, as measured by hypothetical vignettes, for three of four participants. Additionally, the BST intervention was effective in increasing teacher behaviors related to writing real-world IEP goals for three of four participants. In a social validity survey administered after all research components were complete, all participants rated the BST intervention as highly effective and acceptable. The findings of this study should be of interest to special education administrators and consulting behavior analysts. Future research should address the limitations of this study and build on its results by expanding the BST intervention beyond IEP goal writing.
NSUWorks Citation
Emilia Endean. 2026. The Effectiveness of Behavioral Skills Training in Enhancing Teachers’ Ability to Write Specific, Measurable, and Individualized IEP Goals Targeting Quality-Of-Life Skills. Doctoral dissertation. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. (1187)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/fse_etd/1187.