Combining Ecobehavioral Assessment, Functional Assessment, and Response to Intervention to Promote More Effective Classroom Instruction

Abstract

In this article, the authors discuss ways ecobehavioral assessment (EBA) has contributed to greater understanding of students’ response to instructional intervention and its relationship to academic learning and achievement. EBA represents a proven effective way to conduct a contextual analysis of the instructional environments, teacher and student interactions, student engagement, and specific teaching practices that promote learning. It mirrors much of the current thinking regarding functional assessment of academic behavior and response to intervention (RTI). With EBA, school personnel are able to examine various aspects of the classroom environment and instruction to determine how best to increase students’ positive response to instruction and, in turn, improve academic achievement. The authors argue that incorporating elements of EBA into the RTI model yields a more complete picture by allowing observers to identify the ecological and educational factors that promote or inhibit student academic gains. That knowledge can easily be incorporated into multitiered prevention and intervention programs in schools.