Adapting self-management programs for classwide use - Acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness

The time-saving features of self-management as well as its demonstrated eff ectiveness at improving behavior make it an appealing strategy to promote i nclusion of students with disabilities. As such, if is surprising that rela tively few studies have investigated the classwide use of self-management p rograms in general education settings. This article is divided into two par ts. In Pail 1,we review the literature on acceptability and feasibility stu dies of programs to improve behavior to identify criteria seen as critical when judging the practicality and acceptability of an intervention. Part 2 describes the implementation and evaluation of a classwide peer-assisted se lf-management (CWPASM) program based on ifs feasibility, acceptability, and effects on classroom behavior. Present findings indicate that (a) after tr aining, the teacher and students were able to implement the procedures with a high degree of accuracy: (b) the teacher and students generally enjoyed CWPASM and found it acceptable and effective in improving behavior and clas sroom climate: (c) the teacher continued to use CWPASM procedures In subseq uent school years; and (d) the teacher provided informal training to one ad ditional teacher, who also expressed satisfaction with procedures and outco mes. In addition, data are reported on the time and resources required to t rain and implement CWPASM and the CWPASM effects on whole-group and targete d students' on-task behavior compared to those in a nontreatment classroom. Implications of these findings for practitioners and researchers are discu ssed.