A kindergarten student with a disability requires frequent prompts and cues to attend to instructions and remain within the proximity of the teacher and peers during classroom activities. After collecting baseline behavior data, the ARD committee plans to develop an intervention plan. Which source of data would best inform the ARD committee's development of an intervention plan?

• A. observing the student during specified time intervals and recording occurrences of the target behavior
• B. interviewing the teacher once about the behavior
• C. a single standardized achievement test
• D. parent survey only

Answer: (A)

The key idea is using systematic, objective data collected in the classroom to shape an effective behavior intervention. Direct, time-sampled observation of the student over instructional periods provides concrete information about how often the target behavior occurs, when it happens, and what seems to trigger or maintain it. This data lets the ARD committee see patterns—such as whether the behavior increases during transitions, when prompts are reduced, or in the presence of certain peers—so the intervention can be tailored (for example, adjusting prompts, proximity, or reinforcement strategies) and progress can be monitored over time.

A teacher interview can offer helpful context, but a single report is subjective and incomplete for pinpointing how to structure supports or measure change. A single standardized achievement test focuses on academics, not behavior. A parent survey provides another perspective but lacks in-class context and routine data. Overall, systematic observation with recorded occurrences gives the most reliable, actionable foundation for designing and evaluating the intervention plan.