The action research will be based on the off-task behavior of two 3rd grade students. In the attachments, you can find a template that must be used to follow each step of your intervention. The litera

Statement of Focus

Answer the following questions honestly. No one will read your responses. Doing so will contribute to an effective area of focus.

  1. What area of ESE or Education do you feel YOU can change or improve? Please think of this in light of your proposed action research focus this term.

We can change the task refusal behaviors of a student with special needs by reducing them and increasing the client’s compliance with non-preferred demands and activities.

  1. Why is this change particularly meaningful to YOU as an educator?

That change is particularly meaningful to us as behavior analysts and future educators because client’s task refusal reduces possibilities of learning, independence, acquisition of skills, and has a negative social impact.

  1. What do other educators or professionals tell you when YOU discuss this topic with them?

Other behavior analysts tell us that the task refusal is a maladaptive behavior commonly showed by students with special needs. They indicate that this behavior limits the opportunities of students to learn and become independent performing his Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and reach academic’s progress to be placed at school in the least restrictive environment. They indicate that as behavior analysts we can change those behaviors, and therefore provide the students with more opportunities to learn and achieve his academic goals.


  1. How is the desired outcome a part of YOUR educational philosophy?

As behavior analysts and future educators, we advocate for the inclusion of students with special needs in society. Changing task refusal behaviors, we provide them the opportunity to have a place in school and society.

  1. Describe the situation with your student/group of students that you want to change by implicitly focusing on: (What is the problem you would like to improve)

Who? What? When? Where? How?

Who? We want to change a specific maladaptive behavior showed by a student with special needs.

What? We want to change specifically the task refusal behaviors showed by a student with special needs.

When? The change is projected to be accomplished within 6 months.

Where? We expect that task refusal behaviors will decrease in all settings in which the student interacts: home, school, and community.

How? We will implement antecedent and consequence strategies and interventions to reduce the task refusal behavior of the student. Also, we will teach replacement skills (e.g. on task-sitting skill, following instructions) and the student will acquire desired behaviors and reduce the task refusal behaviors.