Good qualtity data collection to address a child's behaviors in school is one of the most stubborn issues that I confront. Often no data is collected, data is collected in a format that is not useful (e.g. simple hash marks with no context), or it is not generated across settings and disciplines. In the event that it is initially created in a useful format and all the other issues are also addressed (not a frequent occurrance), the data is rarely updated to determine the effectiveness of the plan whether a BIP or a sensory diet.
Mary Block, who is a school and clincially-based occupational therapist (see brief biography below), has designed an elegant online solution to these issues of data collection and updating data for FBAs, BIPs and sensory plans. The product is entitled Student Occupational Time Line which is trademarked under the acronym of SOTL. This product is designed expressly (but not exclusively) for the school setting.
SOTL allows data input from multiple informants, across settings and over time. It takes much of the drudge and effort out of the process of data collection, and also allows for tabulation and analysis all to the benefit of the child and the staff working with him or her. [The continuation of this post with the exception of the concluding paragraph was written by Mary Block.]
Mary Block, M.S., O.T.R./L. [[email protected]] practices within her private clinic, School-Ready Therapy, and works as a school occupational therapist. Additionally Ms. Block holds Sensory Integration and Practice Test (SIPT), Therapeutic Listening, and Samonas certification as well as broad exposure to assistive technology training. She has lectured at professional conventions and has had the honor of having CE and other articles published by The American Occupational Therapy Association's publication, OT Practice, and ADVANCE for Occupational Therapy Practitioners. Ms. Block has the good fortune to be working with an inspired team to create The Student Occupational Time Line, an Internet accessible assessment and planning tool for children with sensory modulation disorders.
The Student Occupational Time Line (SOTL) provides both a text and visual overview of daily student-on-task school performance. It forms a foundation for discerning personal, contextual, and temporal events that may contribute to dysfunctional behaviors of those students with Asperger's syndrome, autism, or sensory processing and modulation disorders.
The tool is designed for professionals who work with children in school
settings ranging from early childhood or preschool programs through
high school levels. It is easy to use; a paper and pencil checklist
combines with Internet data entry. Two new additions are being
developed: one to support clinicians in scrutinizing a child's
performance on an hourly basis and to the other to facilitate parent's
and clinician's consideration of the effectiveness or generalization of
therapy in home and community settings.
OVERVIEW of
SOTL Long Form [Download SOTL case study.doc]
: Information obtained from the online worksheet includes:
1. A temporal and contextual understanding of a student's regulation
concerns affecting performance throughout the school day in response to
the following factors:
A. Antecedents to the school day.
B. Performance/participation expectations combined with coping with physical, hormonal, cognitive, and/or sensory impairments.
C. Fatigue prompted by stress inherent in the school setting.
D. Difficulty with scheduled transitions, curricular changes, or unexpected breaks in school routine
2. The student's use of inappropriate strategies that undermine his/her ability to meet academic challenges.
3. The success or failure of intervention implemented by teacher, team, and parents.
4. Activities, tools, or modifications to prevent student breakdown and enhance future performance.
5. Patterns of use and prediction of need for an aide in the classroom.
Widespread use of SOTL will allow staff and families to address behaviors and regulatory issues that are sometimes dangerous and frequently interfering with a child's education. Innovations are not the strong suit of the schools. So in large part, it will fall to parents and more dynamic school personnel to introduce SOTL, preferrably on a proactive basis and not when a student is already in a crisis.
Great blog Charlie!
Posted by: George | March 14, 2006 at 04:13 PM