ORIGINAL PAPER Using a High Probability Command Sequence to Increase Classroom Compliance: The Role of Behavioral Momentum Phillip J. Belfiore Æ Sarah Pulley Basile Æ David L. Lee Published online: 6 October 2007 Ó Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2007 Abstract One of the most problematic behaviors in children with developmental disabilities is noncompliance. Although behavioral research has provided strategies to impact noncompliance, oftentimes the methodologies are consequent techniques, which may not be conducive to implementation by the classroom teacher. In this teacher-designed and implemented study, a sequence of high-probability instruc- tional commands preceded the targeted low-probability command, in an attempt to increase compliance to the low-probability command. Results, discussed within the body of behavioral momentum research, showed an increase in compliance to low- probability classroom commands for a seven year-old student with moderate mental retardation and Down Syndrome. Results are discussed as (a) an effective, ante- cedent approach to classroom compliance and (b) re-connecting the gap between applied behavioral research and experimentally controlled classroom practice. Keywords Command compliance Á Behavioral momentum Á Down syndrome developmental disabilities Á High-probability command sequence Noncompliance is one of the most problematic behaviors in students with developmental disabilities, as well as one of the more pervasive problems in the general school setting (Lee et al. 2004; Mace et al. 1988). Noncompliance may be defined as (a) the failure to initiate an assigned task or demand in a timely manner P. J. Belfiore (&) Department of Education, Mercyhurst College, Erie, PA 16546, USA e-mail: pbelfiore@mercyhurst.edu S. P. Basile Millcreek Township School District, Erie, PA, USA D. L. Lee The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA 123 J Behav Educ (2008) 17:160–171 DOI 10.1007/s10864-007-9054-x