Ecobehavioral analysis has received recent attention as a sophisticated and appropriate methodology for studying educational settings. While the literature contains several examples of its application in regular education settings, the use of ecobehavioral analysis in special education settings is considerably more novel and has received relatively less attention. This paper describes an ecobehavioral coding system (CISSAR-SPED) designed for use in special education settings serving students with autism and developmental disabilities. Pilot data samples are presented that illustrate the potential utility of the CISSAR-SPED code in special education research. The data represent both molar and molecular descriptions of special education settings and temporally related student behavior. The discussion considers the implications of these data in terms of assessing the impact of ecological variables on student response and how ecobehavioral data may be used to improve instructional practices within special education settings.
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