How to Measure Student Progress in an Individualized Educational/Education Plan?

When we work with individuals with disabilities, we measure their progress toward the goals set for them because this shapes our decisions regarding the treatment program. These behaviors may include behaviors we want to decrease, such as screaming, temper tantrums, or self-harm, or behaviors we want to increase, such as requesting, learning to read, and counting. At the beginning of the data collection stage, we will first put the target behavior in measurable terms. For example, when saying: "Fahad screams," here the target behavior is not clear! Whereas when saying: "Fahad screams continuously for 10 minutes," here the behavior has become clearer and more precise.

This formulation will help everyone who collects data know what to measure and what not to measure so that we can ensure the accuracy and reliability of our data. Then we measure the target behaviors using a variety of different methods. This will enable us to determine whether the procedures we have put in place are having the desired effect. We analyze the behavior and evaluate the program's effectiveness based on the data we collect; in our article, we review some data collection methods.

Examples of indirect behavior measurement:

- Frequency, which is the number of times the behavior occurs

When we wish to increase the occurrence of a desirable behavior, such as asking for help, we will begin counting the number of times the child asks for help during a writing task.

And when we wish to decrease the occurrence of an undesirable behavior, such as crying, we will begin counting the number of times the child cries.

This method is used if observation is consistent from time to time and if the opportunity available for the behavior to occur is equal from time to time.

- Rate, which is the student's frequency of the behavior in a specific period of time

When we wish to increase requesting behavior, for example: if the child wants to obtain their favorite biscuit and requests 15 times in 5 minutes, then the rate of their behavior is 15 ÷ 5 = 3 responses per minute, and if the child answers ten problems correctly within 5 minutes, then the rate of their behavior is 10 ÷ 5 = 2 responses in a single minute.

And when we wish to decrease an undesirable behavior, such as getting out of the chair, we will observe the behavior over 30 minutes; if the behavior occurs 10 times, then the rate of their behavior is 30 ÷ 10 = 3 times.

- Duration, which is the time a student spends engaged in a behavior.

For example, increasing a desirable behavior: the child reading a book for 10 minutes.

For example, decreasing an undesirable behavior: the child crying for 15 minutes.

Examples of direct behavior measurement:

These examples of direct measurement methods are used with specific types of behaviors; there are behaviors that may not fall under this type of measurement.

- Partial interval, which is measuring whether the behavior occurred or did not occur during specified intervals of time.

Example: You can divide the day into intervals such as 30 minutes; you can indicate on the data sheet if the problem behavior appeared at any time during these 30 minutes. The idea for them will be to have fewer and fewer intervals of problem behavior over time.

If the behavior occurs frequently and for a short duration, we use intervals such as seconds, and if the behavior does not occur frequently but occurs for a long duration, we use long intervals such as minutes.

- Whole interval, which is measuring whether the behavior occurred for an entire interval.

Example: Your child is facing difficulty staying on task when doing homework. You can begin the observation with 30 minutes and divide it into 5 time intervals, and you observe the interval in which the behavior occurs completely: does the behavior occur in 3 full intervals, two intervals, or does it not occur?

- Momentary time sampling recording, which is measuring behavior at specific moments.

Example: You want your child to tidy up toys, but you do not want to watch them the whole time. You look at them at specific moments at the appropriate time to see whether they are tidying up their toys or not. The observer records the occurrence or non-occurrence of the behavior only upon the completion of each time interval.

Originally published in Arabic. This English version was produced with AI-assisted translation; the Arabic original remains the reference.