College of Education & Health Professions

Capstone Project Overview

The M.Ed. in Special Education Applied Behavior Analysis requires the completion of a capstone project in SPED 6341 Applications of Single Case Research Design in School and Clinic. The capstone project prepares students to become practitioner researchers by developing the skills required to conduct a behavior change program using single-subject research methodology or completing a case study of a participant with an in-depth description and analysis of behavioral programming.

The capstone project is conducted while students are enrolled in SPED 6341. However, students must start the process in the semesters prior to taking SPED 6341. The timeline below outlines the tasks students should complete before they are approved to enroll in SPED 6341. Prior to enrollment in SPED 6341, students are required to present a proposal for their project to their Capstone Committee for approval. If students plan to publish or present their results to professional organizations students must apply to UHV’s Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects for approval of their project. Once their proposal is approved, students conduct their capstone project in the semester they are enrolled in SPED 6341.

Capstone Project Suggested Timeline

Note this timeline will vary depending on how many semester credit hours students take each semester, whether they start the program in Fall, Summer or Spring and what type of project they decide to pursue. This is a general timeline with the behavior change program option as the focus, but the timeline applies to the case study option as well.

1. Decide on a topic by the end of your first semester.
   1. Students develop a behavior change program based on direct or systematic replication research using single case research design methodology.
   2. Think of experiences you have with client/student behavior and areas of interest.
   3. Consider the sites where you will be able to conduct your capstone project. For example in the clinic or school where you work and are supervised by a BCBA. Begin to formulate your research question.
2. Choose a Supervising Faculty Member and an additional member to make up your Capstone Project Committee (by the end of your second semester).
   1. A supervising faculty member is any faculty who are members of the Core SPED ABA faculty. These are the full-time faculty who hold the BCBA credential.
   2. The supervising faculty member will assist students as they formulate ideas for their research proposal.
   3. The additional member is someone outside the SPED ABA program area who has relevant expertise. This can be full-time faculty who teach in the special education program, or faculty from other programs and colleges at the university, or someone with experience in ABA from a clinic or school where the student works such as the BCBA supervisor on site.
3. Collect and review relevant research from behavior analytic research and begin to write up your review, complete CITI training if necessary (start in second semester and complete in third semester).
   1. Students begin their preliminary review of relevant research. Students may work on their research review and proposal in SPED 6333, SPED 6337 and SPED 6339 as a component of the course requirements.
   2. Meet regularly with supervising faculty as you write and revise your literature review.
   3. Begin to formulate ideas for the purpose of your capstone project based on your review of relevant research and availability of potential subject(s).
   4. Complete the CITI training on the protection of human subjects if you think you might want to publish or present your project. 
4. Complete research proposal and submit to Capstone Project Committee for approval. Submit application to the UHV Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects if applicable. (complete by end of fourth semester).
   1. Your final capstone project (excluding the proposal) must be something you can complete within three months and should represent a contribution to the research in applied behavior analysis.
   2. Meet regularly with supervising faculty as you write and revise your proposal.
   3. Complete proposal and submit it to your Capstone Committee for approval prior to enrolling in SPED 6341. See Appendix A for the Proposal Template for the Behavior Change Program option. See Appendix B for the Proposal Template for the Case Study option.
   4. If you plan to publish or present your capstone project, apply to the UHV Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects (CPHS). For the UHV CPHS application include a copy of your CITI certificate.
5. Conduct Research and write up results (Final Semester, enroll in SPED 6341)
   1. Upon approval of the CPHS if necessary, and after obtaining informed consent from the participants begin your capstone project.
   2. Check in with your supervising faculty member as you collect your data. Follow the syllabus in SPED 6341 for check in with instructor.
   3. Complete capstone project and write up your results under faculty supervision. Details for completed research reports for the project options can be found in the syllabus for SPED 6341.
   4. Submit completed capstone project to Capstone Project Committee.
   5. Meet with committee to review your paper. 
   6. Present your paper at the UHV Virtual ABA Symposium