Managing Student Behavior in Middle School Special Education Classrooms: A Single-Subject Study of CW-FIT

Teachers have the responsibility of managing student classroom behavior. The positive effects of evidence-based classroom management methods, like Class-Wide Function-related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT), have been demonstrated in a variety of settings; however, research on the efficacy of CW-FIT in special education classrooms is scarce. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of CW-FIT in two middle school special education math classrooms. Teachers implemented CW-FIT by instructing students in classroom behavior expectations and using a group contingency involving the use of teams, a timer, praise, points, and group rewards. One teacher alternated between using an audible and inaudible timer, while the other used an audible timer. There was an increase in student on-task behavior and teacher praise when CW-FIT was implemented, with no significant difference in outcomes between conditions with an audible versus inaudible timer. Teachers and students indicated that they found the intervention to be socially valid.