Behavioral Approach
Behavioral Approach
While the empirical evidence supporting the use of behavioral consultation is limited in the fields of EI/ECSE, justification for its use is well established in the fields of special education and school psychology (Gresham & Kendell, 1987; Noell, Witt, Gilbertson, Ranier, & Freeland, 1997; Sheridan, Welch, & Orme, 1996). Behavioral consultation is a systematic process that involves interactions between a consultant and a consultee on the behalf of a client. In contrast to a therapeutic consultative relationship, the relationship between a consultant and a consultee within a behavioral framework is problem-focused on behalf of a client (e.g., a child with a disability). Behavioral consultation generally involves different stages that include (a) entry, (b) problem identification, (c) planning, (d) intervention, and (e) evaluation (Friend & Cook, 2000). Behavioral consultation models can include expert or collaborative (Buysse et al., 1994), with a collaborative approach being favored by the early childhood community (Wesley, Buysse, & Skinner, 2001).
Implementing a consultative approach to Itinerant ECSE service delivery involves partnering Itinerant ECSE teachers and general ECE teachers who share responsibilities for the education of a young child with a disability. Instead of the Itinerant ECSE teacher spending time during a visit working with a child, the itinerant and her partner would spend the majority of their time together. Consultative activities may vary, however they would include issue-focused discussions (e.g., how can we get Emma to stay at the table during snack time), opportunities for the partner teacher to learn new skills through modeling or demonstration by the itinerant, as well as the joint sharing of informational resources. Common sense and available research would dictate, more common that when implemented appropriately, a consultative approach to itinerant service delivery would be far more effective and efficient than the direct service approach, assuming that the Itinerant ECSE teacher has the requisite ECSE background and experience (i.e., knowledge base) to provide consultation services.