FCT Implementing Paper

Results of implementing FCT
Functional communication training teaches an individual a form of communication that serves the same purpose as the present interfering behavior. The specific communicative response is taught to the individual. This response in then used by the student when making a request or asking for attention. The communicative response in turn replaces the challenging behavior (Durand & Moskowitz, 2015). The individual who is expressing a challenging behavior will learn an appropriate way to express themselves instead of acting out using a tantrum, screaming or in some case self-injury (Durand & Merges, 2001).
Challenges to implementing FCT
There have been substantial amounts of evidence supporting the success of FCT as an intervention for reducing challenging behaviors (Carr & Durand, 1985). Even with all the evidence supporting FCT as an EBS, full implementation may not be taking place. One reason may be that the educational staff and parents lack confidence when it comes to following through with implementation. This can be a result of minimal training with the practice. The educational staff and parents may question if the student can be successful or capable of change (Durand & Moskowitz, 2015). These concerns may deter a teacher or parents from deciding to

implement or continue the process of implementing FCT.
Another challenge teachers may face is finding the time needed to successfully go through all the steps of FCT with fidelity.

The first step is conducting a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) which is a necessary part of the process. The FBA will help the teacher identify the problem behavior. Observing the student throughout the day and collecting data is also part of the FBA process. A staff member may help with data collection but it is the teacher’s responsibility to make sure the staff member is trained and is collecting data with fidelity. Keeping track of observations and collecting efficient data can be a demanding process for some teachers and

staff.
Selecting a communicative response that will take the place of the challenging behavior exhibited by the student may take some trial and error. The communicative response needs to be individualized for the student and easy for them to use. The teacher and staff may collaborate on the most appropriate communicative response for the student. A student may use one of the following to assist them with a communication response: a picture card, verbal statement, assistive technology or another type of augmentative system Walker & Snell’s work (as cited in Durand & Moskowitz, 2015). If the communicative response it too difficult for the student to use they can resort back to using the challenging behavior. Another aspect of FCT is not giving the student attention when they display the challenging behavior. As a teacher this may be difficult. The teacher must make sure the individual exhibiting the challenging behavior is safe while also looking after the other students. A natural instinct may be to give the student attention when they display the challenging behavior but when implementing FCT the teacher should not do so.