It is a singular pleasure to introduce this issue of AJSE with a special section on addressing behaviours of concern. Our first paper comes from George Sugai and his colleagues, and both reprises and extends the excellent material George shared with us at the 2015 National Conference in Fremantle. As you read this paper, note the focus on key principles for capacity building in complex systems of support and consider the direct implications for your work in schools and jurisdictions. Our second paper is contributed by Hank Bohanon and colleagues and articulates how these principles and related aspects of implementation science underpin school improvement in secondary settings and the various ways this can occur to ensure a comprehensive approach to positive behaviour support.

Implementation of multi-tiered systems of support is occurring within and across a number of countries with an increased recent focus on the development of local system capacity to maintain high levels of practice implementation fidelity. The purpose of this paper is to describe the importance of local capacity development in the high fidelity and sustained implementation of empirically supported practices within a multi-tiered system of support. After we describe the rationale for, and descriptions of, capacity development and multi-tiered systems of support, we (a) present a framework for the development of implementation capacity, (b) emphasise guiding concepts and principles, and (c) use positive behavioural interventions and supports as an example of a capacity development framework. We conclude with implications and recommendations.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the integration of tiered interventions and supports in secondary schools, sometimes referred to as multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). The interventions include academic, behavioural, social, and emotional supports for all students. A description of the connections across specific MTSS systems, datasets, and practices is discussed. The article addresses the implementation of MTSS through the lens of school improvement and implementation science. A case example of a school implementing MTSS is provided to highlight the strengths and challenges of MTSS in secondary settings.

Preservice teacher education courses provide an opportunity for the development of knowledge, skills, and confidence in classroom and behaviour management. This study reports the change in classroom management sense of efficacy (CMSE) of a small cohort of Australian preservice primary teachers at 4 time points (precoursework, preprofessional experience, postprofessional experience, and postcoursework), during a semester-long course focused on managing challenging behaviours in the inclusive classroom. CMSE increased between the time points, significantly so, pre–post course. The sources of efficacy information available and the learning activities completed during each intervening time point are explored as possible explanations for the changes in CMSE reported. Issues in measuring preservice teachers’ efficacy related to coursework are discussed.

Schooling transitions are often challenging experiences for students with intellectual disability and/or autism spectrum disorder (ID/ASD), their families, and their teachers. Transition processes, particularly planning, can facilitate successful transitions from primary to secondary schools, and to postschool settings. Bronfenbrenner's ecological model served as a theoretical framework to examine parents’ and teachers’ experiences with transitions for students with ID/ASD attending special schools. The authors interviewed 14 carers and 13 teachers of students with ID/ASD attending special government schools in New South Wales. The interviews were analysed using content analysis. The findings of this small-scale Australian study indicate that although transition practices varied widely by school, both parents and teachers perceived that more can be done to support students with ID/ASD during these times. School–home collaboration and access to information about postschool settings were areas that were emphasised by both groups. Furthermore, the lack of student involvement in transition meetings was of great concern, given that student-focused planning is a well-established evidence-based transition practice. The processes that are implemented to support students with ID/ASD require closer scrutiny, as results revealed inconsistencies in transition planning across schools, and both parents and teachers suggested ways to strengthen transition processes.

The purpose of this research was to investigate factors that influence professionals’ guidance of parents of children with hearing loss regarding spoken language multilingualism and spoken language choice. Sixteen professionals who provide services to children and young people with hearing loss completed an online survey, rating the importance of a range of potential influences on the guidance they provide to parents. These participants were invited to comment on the importance of these influences. Participants included teachers of the deaf, speech-language pathologists, special education teachers, psychologists, auditory-verbal therapists, Auslan interpreters, and curriculum coordinators. All participants had experience working with multilingual families and reported that they would sometimes or always recommend multilingualism for children with hearing loss, with fewer reporting that they would sometimes recommend monolingualism. Professionals placed greater importance on factors relating to family and community considerations (e.g., family language models, communication within the family, community engagement), and less importance on organisational policy and children's characteristics. This research provides an initial insight into the factors that professionals consider when guiding parents around spoken language and spoken language multilingualism decision-making for their children with hearing loss.