The Versatility of Paraprofessionals in Progams for Children with Behavioral Disorders

The employment of paraprofessionals in all areas of special education has increased substantially during the last decade. The purpose of this article is to focus attention on the versatility of these personnel in programs for behaviorally disordered students. Roles described relate to diagnosis, monitoring student progress, behavior management, instruction, classroom support, mainstreaming, use of community resources, and parent counseling. In addition, specific job assignments that should not be assigned to paraprofessionals in behavioral disorders are identified.