The Behavioral Intervention Program (BIP), a project funded by the state of Georgia since 1991, provides community-based technical assistance to school systems for students with developmental disabilities and severe problem behaviors. The BIP's model of assistance embraces a proactive team approach to address the needs of identified students and is based on a functional perspective of behavior. Outcomes of the program have included reduced rates of impeding behavior, increased student learning of alternative behaviors, and decreased use of restrictive strategies in students' intervention plans. The success of this approach is attributed to collaborative team training, the availability of expertise in functional technology, the use of proactive interventions, and a focus on meaningful outcomes that enhance lifestyle changes for individuals served.
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