FMHI Expands the Knowledge of PBS Internationally

A collaborative partnership between FMHI and Kongju National University (KNU) in South Korea has provided increased opportunities for DARES staff to expand the knowledge of positive behavior support (PBS) internationally.

As part of the agreement, which included accepting two graduate students from KNU and providing workshops to students and professionals in Korea, Drs. Lise Fox and Kwang-Sun Blair traveled to KNU in May. They provided four 3-hour workshops to about 200 students and professionals from the Department of Special Education, presenting on the framework for multilevel PBS, the teaching pyramid model, and its applications to program-wide and individualized intensive intervention.

“ The KNU faculty, students and professionals are interested in adapting the model to Korean schools that support children with disabilities and challenging behavior in inclusive settings,” said Lise Fox.

In Korea, currently about 60% of students with disabilities are receiving educational services in regular classroom environments. Problem behaviors of students with disabilities, in particular students with severe disabilities, have been found to be one of the most significant challenges in educational settings, and methods of managing problem behavior have been found to be the first priority for in-service training educators.

“ Developing a culturally relevant PBS model would be an important task for them,” added Fox. “One of our collaboration goals is to disseminate our PBS research products and knowledge to researchers and professionals in Korea. We hope to help them develop and disseminate a culturally appropriate PBS model.”

The visiting graduate students will also be a great source to share what they have learned upon their return home. Miae Lee and Hyun-Ju Park have been participating in research, workshops, training, seminars and conferences, greatly expanding their knowledge of PBS.

“We were cordially welcomed by the faculty and by the university president and deans,” said Kwang-Sun Blair. “KNU President Kim expressed a desire to expand the collaborative program to include other colleges and departments within USF, and offered suggestions, such as introducing student and faculty exchange programs. The special education department faculty expressed interest in collaborative research.”

President Kim also suggested that if any of the USF faculty would be interested in coming to Korea to learn about Korean culture and do collaborative research on their sabbatical year, he would offer classes to teach, free housing on campus, and a stipend.

“It would be a great opportunity for faculty members who are interested in Asian culture to expand their international collaborative work,” said Blair. For additional information, contact Kwan Sun Blair at kblair@fmhi.usf.edu or 813- 974-2129.