Behavioural Support in Australia

Abstract

In the present Australian context, behavioural support for students with SEN is filtering through government and nongovernment educational systems as the complexity and number of students with problem behaviours in schools have increased. Historically, models for managing problem behaviour progressed from ABA-based behaviour modification for individual students with significant disabilities to more positive and ethical approaches. In the 1990s, the Americans LaVigna and Willis from IABA introduced professional audiences across the country to comprehensive training in individualised interventions for students with severe and challenging problem behaviours. Their multi-element intervention planning was based on detailed data gathering, functional behaviour assessment, and nonaversive procedures. This initiative gave rise to capacity building within several Australian universities that prepare specialist teachers for intensive behavioural assessment and intervention. Subsequently, visits by American leaders of the school-wide behavioural support movement such as Sugai and Lewis presented the multi-tiered whole-school approach to education department staff in several states and later to special education audiences at national conferences. Over the past decade, many Australian education systems and schools have adopted the school-wide model, adapted it to their local contexts, and rebadged it as Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL). Some clusters of schools are starting to cooperate to share the administrative tasks and training activities. Development has been hindered by the absence of large-scale federal funding and national and state legislation, as provided in the USA.