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Direct Observation and Behavior Analysis Technologies Serving Education, Applied Science, and Business Concerns
BEST Product and Service Pricing
Core Data Collection and Data Analysis Product
BEST (Behavioral Evaluation Strategy and Taxonomy). We are proud to offer THE STANDARD for computer-based direct observation tools. Introducing BEST, a comprehensive and user-friendly real-time collection and analysis package. The BEST software tools are designed to facilitate direct observations in a wide variety of field-based, clinical, and experimental settings; either live or from videotape. Developed by Educational Consulting, Inc. ( www.skware.com ), the BEST tools enable the collection and analysis of behavioral, quantitative, and qualitative data in a user friendly environment; while also providing compatibility and portability to a variety of other statistical and graphics packages. BEST tools are ideal for a variety of research, evaluation, and laboratory-based instructional activities.
Pricing:
1. Individual unit-$499.00, additional units $100.00 ea.
2. Site license(5 units/free upgrades)-$999.00, additional units $100.00 ea.
3. University license-$2,000.00 per annum renewable.
A user-friendly platform for all your direct observation needs. Ideal for:
Field-based educational and clinical observations where immediate data representation and feedback is necessary.
Individualized and large-group observational laboratory experiences in settings designed for recognition and evaluation tasks.
Applied and experimental research with a direct observation component.
Comprehensive and user-friendly features include:
Behavioral, quantitative, and qualitative data collection with a push of a button.
Wide range of sophisticated analyses including descriptive and predictive statistics.
Qualitative memo-noting, and a variety of graphic and sequential analyses representations.
Adaptable and portable features include:
Completely compatible with a wide variety of statistical and graphics packages.
User customizable to specific data collection and analysis needs.
Immediate data-based feedback capability in field settings or as an ongoing evaluation tool.
Built in reliability application for staff training and interobserver comparisons.
Data file merging and sorting functions for compiling purposes.
General Features:
Create your own category system to meet your specific observational needs.
Store multiple observation systems for particular applications.
Record the start and stop times of multiple events as they naturally occur, providing a variety of descriptive statistics.
Record narrative field notes in concert with behavioral and quantitative data.
Record information live or synchronized with video tape at almost any location.
Qualitatively, quantitatively, and sequentially represent and analyze observational data.
Provide staff training and ensure reliability of data collection.
Interface with other software programs for multi-tasking and remote site use.
Ensure compatibility with a range of hardware, including Windows CE hand-held computers for data collection in the field.
Data Collection Capabilities:
Record and categorize data using complex multiple event observation systems.
Use numerical and narrative notations to further delineate event types.
Record multiple events simultaneously as they actually occur in time.
Take advantage of a user friendly screen representation when collecting data.
Facilitate the data collection process with multiple means of recording, including press and hold keys, toggle keys for turning on and off, and remote key access.
Pause feature for entering and exiting the same data collection episode at time of exit.
Edit data collection efforts on the fly and view data records as they are collected.
Automatic recording of response frequency, rates, percentage of total experimental time, shortest and longest event occurrences, event occurrence spans, duration, intervals, time samples, latency, inter-response time, and discrete trials.
Multi-task when collecting data by assigning keys to perform additional functions, such as starting another software application.
Take advantage of PalmPilot and MicroSoft CE hand-held compatibility when collecting data in particular field settings.
Data Analysis Features:
Identify frequency, total and mean duration, standard deviations, rate, and experimental time percentages of each category system event in tabular and graphic formats.
Identify time-based information for each category system event, including first and last event occurrence, time-spans between events, longest and shortest event occurrences, and related means and standard deviations.
Search for keywords and memos in narrative notations and represent narrative data within and across data files.
Process and compare multiple data files across one another, and across multiple recorded events and measurement types.
Conduct a variety of reliability analysis functions among data files including simple frequency, point-by-point, and Cohen's kappa.
Conduct sequential analyses of the time-based connections among events documented in terms of frequency, conditional probability, and statistical significance (Z score transformations).
Merge and time-sort multiple data files enabling comprehensive observational description from videotape.
Perform event subgrouping routines to allow a separate analysis of subgroups of events within all program applications.
Represent data with a host of sophisticated graphing applications for individual data files and for multiple data files across event and measurement type.
Graphically analyze mean, standard deviation, and regression across multiple data files and multiple events and measures.
Print, save, and clipboard/paste data representations into other statistical analysis and graphics editing software packages.
New Applications
BESTPCC -- Place the BEST data collection platform on any Windows CE hand-held hardware unit. Ideal for field work in settings where a laptop is too cumbersome. Contains all of the features of the standard BEST collection software and is completely compatible with the BEST analysis software applications.
Pricing:
Introductory pricing of $150.00 per unit.
BESTvideo - Ensure accurate video synchronization through use of the BESTvideo support product. Through digital imagery, this application synchronizes videotape illustrations of observational settings with the BEST data collection platform. Provides a heightened level of accuracy in data collection and resultant analysis when working from video-based and digitized images of experimental and evaluative settings of interest.
Pricing:
Introductory pricing of $150.00 per unit.
BESTexternal -- Use the BEST data collection software to perform a variety of data collection tasks in laboratory environments without the presence of data collection personnel. This external data collection software provides the capacity to collect a variety of laboratory-based data by hard-wiring the BEST data collection unit to external stimuli. Ideal for animal research, pharmaceutical drug trials, and other applications where data must be collected over time in a controlled environment without an investigator present. Comes with necessary connective hardware.
Pricing:
Introductory pricing of $750.00 per unit.
New Methodology Textbook
The following textbook, compatible with the BEST line of software products will be available in soft and hard cover version is now available. Designed in introductory fashion and complete with application illustrations from coding system construction, to reliability and staff training, to data collection and a variety of analysis and graphic data illustration techniques, this textbook walks the reader through state-of-the-art contemporary direct observation and behavior analysis techniques.
Pricing and Contact:
Cost: $49.95. Orders may be placed directly through Sage/Scolari Publications (2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, 805 499-0721):
Sharpe, T. L. & Koperwas, J. (2003). Behavior and sequential analyses: Principles and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
On-Site Training Seminars
For small to large group users who would like on-site education and training in software use specific to particular research and development, evaluation, or instructional applications; the development staff at Educational Consulting, Inc. offer a wide variety of on-site workshop options. For travel and accommodation support, and nominal workshop fees, you can ensure complete staff training in all the application features of BEST, and receive software at a significant discount as a function of workshop participation numbers.
Pricing:
For additional information and cost estimates for your group, contact: Tom Sharpe, Director, Educational Consulting, Inc., 702 895-3634 (university), 702 839-2648 (consulting), sharpe@unlv.edu sharpe@unlv.nevada.edu
