Classroom Behaviors of LD, Seriously Emotionally Disturbed, and Average Children: A Sequential Analysis

Abstract

The regular classroom behaviors of LD, seriously emotionally disturbed, and average children were observed via a system that permitted sequential analysis of the data. A minimum of 80 minutes of classroom observational data was collected on each of 52 children. A lag sequential analysis was subsequently performed to determine regularities and differences in the sequential ordering of behaviors across time. The results revealed that the teachers behaved differentially toward the handicapped but not the average children. When the handicapped children were engaged in schoolwork, the teachers tended not to interact with them. However, when the handicapped students were not on task, the teachers tended to interact with them. These findings were not evident in the summary level analysis of the data. Lag sequential analysis appears to enhance our understanding of the organization of behavior within the classroom setting.