Our hypothesis was that the use of the iPod Touches would improve the students’ ability to take ownership of their behavioral plans, improving their overall rates of positive behaviors and assisting them to generalize positive behaviors to all school settings.

1. 1 3 5
2 4
Ten iPods
We put ten iPod touches into the hands of ten
students with behavioral challenges. What
could possibly go wrong?
7 9
6 8 10

2. Who and why?
5 Behavior Support Team Members
3 Middle Schools
2 Years: Middle schoolers don’t want like to look
different…
…unless they think it’s cool.

3. Hypothesis:
Our hypothesis was that the use of the iPod
Touches would improve the students’ ability
to take ownership of their behavioral plans,
improving their overall rates of positive
behaviors and assisting them to generalize
positive behaviors to all school settings.

4. Expected Challenges
• iPods lost, broken, or stolen.
• Teachers resistant to kids using the iPods.
• Kids playing games, using the internet
inappropriately, or texting during class.

5. Unexpected Challenges
• Learning to use the technology (note: Young
interns are invaluable.)
• Finding a suitable app: Middle schoolers are
not usually motivated by stars and smilies.

6. More Unexpected Challenges
• Difficulty gaining parent and teacher
permission and buy-in.
• The learning curve for teachers was
sometimes steep (I thought I was the only
one).
• Issues with passwords, passcodes,
protections, and internet access.

7. A Suitable App: Google Docs

8. Checking In:

9. Selecting Students
• Past experiences with paper trackers.
• Interest in technology.
• Need.
• Known to behavior team members.
• Willingness to complete baseline data and
work with a behavior team consultant.

10. Results: Unexpected
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

11. Completion Rates
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

12. Before and After
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20% Totals
ipod
10% Linear (Totals)
0%

13. How it’s used…
• Collect behavior data from classroom
teachers.
• Listen to Pandora and ignore annoying
students.
• Look cool.
• Calculator.
• Reminder alarms.

14. Our first iPod was assigned in November…
1
Our first theft occurred in December…
2

15. In January we learned how to track stolen
iPods.
3
When a second theft occurred in February, the
iPod was recovered within one hour.

16. February Update
• 2 Students using the iPod successfully.
• 2 did not use it successfully.

17. Phase II:
• Put iPods in the hands of teachers and let
them experiment.
• Teachers identify a student.
• Focus on students transitioning from one
program to another. (i.e. 5th-6th)

18. Currently, eight iPods are in use by
students grades 5-8.
1
3 5
4
7 9
6 8

19. One is on loan to a speech path to trial as a
possible communication device for a middle
school student.
10

20. Currently, eight iPods are in use by
students grades 5-8.
Self-rating /
Daily Behavior Agreement with
Student Fidelity Rate percentage Teachers Taper Tracker? Maintenance
AS Low Low / Erratic Low N/A N/A
DH Low High High N/A N/A
MB Low High High Yes Yes
JD High High High Not yet Not yet
CJP High High N/A Not yet Not yet
SH High High High Not yet Not yet
JT N/A
OGD High High High Not yet Not Yet
LMP N/A

21. Suggestions…
• Allow time to experiment with the technology
before implementation.
• Encourage peer tech support.
• Provide frequent mini-trainings.