Individualized Supports for Students with Problem Behaviors

Linda M. Bambara, PhD, received her doctorate in special education from Vanderbilt University with an emphasis in severe disabilities. She is currently Professor of Special Education at Lehigh University and Executive Director of Lehigh Support for Community Living, a university-affiliated program that supports adults with disabilities to live in their communities. For more than 15 years, Dr. Bambara has actively promoted positive behavior supports for school-age children and adults with developmental disabilities, through research, advocacy, and consulting. Her other interests include enhancing self-management, self-determination, and community participation for people with severe disabilities. Dr. Bambara has published numerous articles and book chapters in these areas, including two books on positive behavior support. She serves on five editorial boards of professional journals in developmental disabilities, including the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, and is the past editor-in-chief of Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, formerly the Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps (JASH). Lee Kern, PhD, received her doctorate in special education from the University of South Florida and is currently Professor of Special Education at Lehigh University. Dr. Kern has worked in special education for more than 20 years as a classroom teacher, behavior specialist, and consultant. Her research interests focus on severe challenging behavior, functional assessment, and curricular interventions, primarily with individuals with social, emotional, and behavioral needs. She has published numerous articles and book chapters in these areas and has received several grants from the U.S. Department of Education and the National Institute of Mental Health to research strategies to address children's behavioral challenges. Dr. Kern is currently Associate Editor of Education and Treatment of Children, Journal of Behavioral Education, and Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, and serves on the editorial boards of five educational journals.