Use and Implementation of Preference Assessments by Special Educators

Abstract

Stimulus preference assessments are used to identify preferred stimuli that can be utilized to increase responding (DeLeon & Iwata, 1996) and may be important in special education settings. Researchers have extensively evaluated preference assessments (e.g., Fisher et al., 1992; Graff & Ciccone, 2002; Graff & Karsten, 2012a) and trained various professionals in preference assessment methodology (e.g., Higgins et al., 2017; Lavie & Sturmey, 2002; Pence et al., 2012); however, preference assessments appear to be uncommon in special education (Graff & Karsten, 2012b). Additionally, there is limited research training special educators to collect and analyze preference assessment data and implement the results in a subsequent teaching session. The purposes of this study were to identify current preference assessment practices of special educators and to evaluate the effects of remote BST on training special educators to conduct an MSWO, collect and analyze the data, and implement the results in brief teaching sessions. Our results suggest few special educators implement preference assessments and remote BST was effective for all three special educators in acquiring MSWO skills.