Special Topics in RTI: Special Education, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners,

Universal Design for Learning, Secondary Education, & Choosing Evidence Base

Practices

Name HereInstitutional Affiliation Here

Today’s Objectives• Understand the role of special education in the RTI model.• Understand what is meant by a continuum of supports.• Understand how you use a comprehensive data system.• Understand how data can be used to decide if a student can exit special education.• Understand how different types of behavioral data can be incorporated into the

decision making process.• Understand what assistive technology is and how it can be monitored using the RTI

model.• Understand the role of treatment integrity and basic method of measurement.• Understand how RTI and can work effectively for culturally or linguistically diverse

learners.• Understand universal design for learning and how it can be integrated into a

comprehensive RTI model.• Understand how comprehensive RTI could be implemented at the secondary level.• Understand how to select Evidence based Practices

Changing the Role of the Special Educator: Avoiding the Pitfall of Change

• What is the current role of the special education teacher today?

• Based on what we have learned about RTI, what might need to change?

Keeping the “Baby”

• While it is important not to waste time on ineffectual practices effective, RTI compels us to keep practices with a solid evidence base.

• We don’t have to “through the baby out with the bathwater”

The Special Educator and RTI: The Interventionist

• What does it mean to be an interventionist?

• How does that compare to other roles special educators assume?

• How comfortable are we with special educators as interventionist?

Continuum of Supports High Intensity Supports (e.g., behavior support plans, modifying the curriculum)

Low Intensity Supports (e.g., prompts, extra time on tests)

Reducing the Duel Discrepancy: Job of the Special Educator

Note: DI = Direct Instruction

Developing a Comprehensive Data System

• High Frequency Data Collection

• CBM• Academic and Social

Behavior• Connected to IEP Goals• What RTI methods of assessment

have we already learned about? What are we implementing? What do we still need to build a comprehensive data system?

Data Tracking Conditions on Graphs and in IEP objectives

Given one verbal prompt to focus her attention, Jennifer will read aloud randomly selected third grade level passages with 85 words correct per minute for three consecutive CBM probes by May 15 with data collected by the educational staff

Write the “on the condition” on the CBM data collection sheet (e.g., make a note of the prompt).Create an informal data sheet to compliment the CBM data collection sheet.Graph changes in conditions alongside student progress. Use phase lines ( a line in the graph marking where the change took place) to mark significant changes, as seen in Figure 6.2.Small tweaks (see chapter 3) should be noted with an arrow.

Data Tracking Conditions on Graphs and in IEP objectives

• Critical to a comprehensive RTI models is that we monitor students in deficit and non deficit areasCreate an informal data sheet to compliment the CBM data collection sheet.

Graph changes in conditions alongside student progress. Use phase lines ( a line in the graph marking where the change took place) to mark significant changes, as seen in Figure 6.2.Small tweaks (see chapter 3) should be noted with an arrow.

Data Tracking in all Domains: Keeping it Comprehensive

Avoid the “Sliding Effect”

• In the past we only kept track of IEP goals for mastery. •Keep track of all domains, even if the student has no deficit in the area.

• Monitoring of multiple domains permits educators to use the data to prevent further educational difficulties

•With a comprehensive approach we can avoid the “sliding effect”

New vs. Old Assessment

Comprehensive RTI• Student participates in

schoolwide monitoring

• Ongoing progress monitoring across domains

• Uses validated progress monitoring when available

Traditional Special Education• IEP team and Special

Education Teacher are responsible for monitoring

• Annual assessment of strengths and weaknesses

• Informal measures for progress monitoring

New vs. Old Assessment

Comprehensive RTI• Focus on prevention and IEP

Goals

• Teacher makes instructional adjustments based on empirically valid CBM data

• Student data is compared to classroom and district data

Traditional Special Education• IEP Benchmarks and Goals

• Criterion referenced testing is based on short term objectives matched to a logical instructional sequence

• Student data is based on national norms, or not normed at all

Finding an Exit Strategy

• RTI may present the opportunity for exit from special education

• Be conservative in your decision making• Base all exits from special education on the data• There is no empirically validated “right” time • Use a trial period in general educationSuggested criteria: Student makes progress at the rate and level of typical

peers with minimal supports for 6 weeks Student then tries to without supports for 8 weeks

Exiting Special Education

Social Behavioral Competency

• Functional Behavior Assessment• Measures of Academic Engaged Time• Daily Behavioral Report Cards

There can be a connection between AET and Student Progress

Make the Social Behavior and Academic Connection in your Data

Making it work for you

Brainstorm

In small groups brainstorm how what social behavior and academic data you can track together.

Think of these things:What data do you have?What data can you get?Do you have form or data system to integrate academic and social behavior data? If not, what might it look like?Who needs to keep track of the data?

Finding The Function

Possible RTI Solutions for Escaping Functions

• Escaping Tasks: provide 1:1 intervention to improve skill

• Escaping Attention: provide opportunity to learn independently

• Escaping Sensory Stimulation: consider sensory/ medical/mental health solutions

Possible RTI Solutions for Obtain functions

• Obtain activities or objects: provide opportunity to earn activity for successful learning

• Obtain attention: provide opportunity for social attention during instruction or contingent on success

• Obtain sensory stimulation: consider sensory/ medical / mental health solutions

Assistive Technology and RTI

• Assistive technology (AT) must be considered by the IEP Team according to Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA)

• Assistive technology is employed with the goal of providing compensatory support to a student.

• It can be the use of low-tech (e.g., symbols to help students communicate) or high tech (e.g., computer programs) to provide compensatory support

What is Compensatory Support?

• In the simplest form a wheel chair is a compensatory support permitting a student who cannot walk to be mobile.

• Other types of AT that students may need in order to compensate for learning or behavioral disabilities

• Devices/ programs that assist in writing, communication devices, and computer devices that help people follow step by step instructions etc.

Compensatory Affect of AT

Treatment Integrity

Monitoring Treatment Integrity

Steps in Intervention

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Component Integrity

Student Checked in With the Teacher

100

Teacher Rated Behavioral Expectation

80

Teacher gave positive and constructive feedback

80

Teacher Check out with student with an encouragement

100

Daily Intervention Integrity

100 75 75 100 100

How can we monitor treatment integrity in our school?How can we monitor treatment integrity in our school?

Tier I Practices for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners in RTI

Universal For All Students

•high expectations •equity practices•additive views of language• rich and challenging curriculum•qualified teachers• focus on student strengths & build resilience• community outreach •collaboration with families•fidelity to practice

Tier 1

Targeted Students At-RISK

•Ongoing Diagnostic Assessment•Re-teach•monitor progress•build on prior knowledge•use small groups•use prescriptive teaching•teach skills, subject, concepts•provide instruction that is meaningful and comprehensible•alternative programs designed to meet the needs of CLD students•fidelity to practice

Tier III Practices for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners in RTI•Intensive progress monitoring•collaboration with families•community outreach •consider social behavior competency and support in a cultural context•intensive work with families providing external agency support when neededproviding culturally responsive•instruction in the classroom and for intensive service delivery•Use CLD expertise on problem solving team•Alternative programs designed to meet the needs of CLD students.

Intensive Interventions

Develop a plan to address CLD Students’ needs at all three levels.

UDL: Representation and the RTI Connection

UDL Principle Tier I Tier II Tier III Representation: Providding options for perception, language and symbols, comprehension

Core Curriculum provides options for visual input Displaying information in multiple formats building in choices Permitting cross-linguistic understanding Provide key concepts using non-symbolic language

Deliver targeted intervention to providing multiple inputs Let students have access to examples that define vocabulary and symbols Ensure targeted curriculum provides opportunities to use organizational devices, activities that use background knowledge in the core curriculum

Specially design multiple options in learning sequence that activate prior knowledge of the learner Specially design multiple options that support for decoding or mathematical notation. Specially design options that highlight critical features, big ideas, and relationships

UDL: Expression and the RTI Connection

UDL Principle Tier I Tier II Tier III Expression: Providding options for physical action, expressive skills and fluency, executive function

Permit different physical options to navigate core curriculum (e.g., interacting with reading program using voice, stick, or switch) Use computer aided design to assist in problem solving Involve students in self-monitoring and goal setting related to their benchmarks

Permit students in targeted interventions to use writing software or outline tools to express answers Permit student in targeted interventions to have multiple means of compositions to support learning goal (e.g. use video) In targeted interventions when using a computer provide alternatives to mouse control (e.g., change internal settings, use a touch screen)

Use an assistive technology device to support writing Use specially designed procedural checklists to support students in accomplishing tasks. Use specially designed think-a-loud strategies to support processing

UDL: Engagement and the RTI Connection

UDL Principle Tier I Tier II Tier III Engagement: Providing options for recruiting interest, sustaining effort, self-regulation

Allow for student interested to drive part of the core curriculum Connect goals and objectives to student goals Have all classes set personal achievement goals

Focus students attention before engaging in instruction on a targeted skill Permit students to collaborate as part of a targeted intervention Permit students to self-assess their progress during the targeted intervention

Provide choices in work sequence to decrease behavior problems Vary level of support providing prompts when needed and independence when possible Provide specially designed coping strategy options as support for difficult school situations. Vary the strategy by situational need.

Divide into groups with different groups assigned aTier by grade level. Brainstorm ideas to insure that there are multiplemeans of representation, expression, and engagement at each Tier. Starta plan for integrating UDL and RTI into the curriculum.

Secondary Education: Literacy

Figure 6.12 Overview of The CLC Multi-Tiered framework for literacy. (Adapted from McPeak, L., Trygg, L., Minadakis, A., & Diana, P. (2007).

Tier Effective Practice Skill Focus Example of Practices/ Programs

Tier I Content and Strategy Instruction

Proficiency and high end skills that insuring post

graduate options/Consistent use of successful strategies that promote educational

success

Course Mapping Concept Diagrams Interactive Study Guides

Tier II Intensive Strategy Instruction

Mastery of specific strategies across curriculum to facilitate

success in identified risk areas

Mnemonics Test Taking Strategies Reciprocal Instruction

Tier III Basic skill instruction/ Therapeutic Intervention

Focus on basics literacy skills with intensive Support and/ or underpinning of language

related to content

Corrective Reading Program

Failure Free Reading Program

Secondary Practices for Our School: What is in place?Tier Effective Practice Skill Focus Example of Practices/

Programs- What is the Evidence for it?

Tier I

Tier II

Tier III

In groups identify effective practices, skill focus,And the evidence for the practices in your school.Use this as a starting point to identify evidence based practices.

Secondary Assessment Tools for Reading

Assessment Purpose Publisher/ Secondary Grade Levels

READING Analytical Reading Inventory Screening/ Progress monitoring:

Listening Comprehension Decoding Phonics Fluency

Prentice Hall/ 6-12

Developmental Reading Assessment

Screening Fluency, Comprehension, Phonics

Pearson Learning Group/6-8

Lexia Comprehensive Reading Test

Screening /Diagnostic/ Progress Monitoring Decoding, fluency, phonics, comprehension

Lexia Learning Systems/ 6-12

Maze Screening Reading fluency

AIMS WEB READING CBM/ 6-8

Test of Reading Comprehension Screening Comprehension, vocabulary in content areas

Pro-Ed Publishing/ 6-12- upper age limit is 17

The Critical Reading Inventory Screening/ Progress Monitoring Comprehension and decoding

Pearson Education-Prentice Hall/ 6-12

Test of Silent Word Reading Fluency (TOSWF)

Screening/ Progress Monitoring Silent word fluency, decoding

Pro-Ed Publishing/ 6-12- upper age limit is 17

Secondary Math Assessment Tools

MATH Math Concepts and Application Screening/Progress Monitoring

Targets math related concepts and application

System to Enhance Educational Performance (STEEP)/6-12

Math Computation Fluency Screening/Progress Monitoring Targets computation skills

System to Enhance Educational Performance (STEEP)/6-12

AIMS WEB Math Concepts and Applications (M-CAP)

Screening/ Progress Monitoring Data and Statistics, Algebra, Number Sense, Operations, Pattern and Relationships, Measurement, Geometry

Pearson /6-8

Secondary Social Behavior Assessment Tools

Assessment Purpose Publisher/ Secondary Grade Levels

Behavior Office Discipline Referral Tracking

Informal Screening and Non-specific progress monitoring

Various programs available, example Schoolwide Information Systems (SWIS)

Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders

Screening Internalizing and

Externalizing Behavior Problems

Sopris West/Some support for validity with grades 6-8

Student Risk Screening Scale Screening Externalizing Behavior

Problems

Drummond; Author/6-12

The Behavior Assessment Scale for Children Two (BASC-2)

Screening Externalizing and

Internalizing Behavior Problems

Pearson/6-12

Social Skills Improvement System

Screening Externalizing and

Internalizing Behavior Problems

Pearson/6-12

Daily Behavior Report Cards Progress Monitoring Often used with computer or

web-based data tracking systems to monitor progress of students who need targeted or

intensive interventions

Informal, Programs Vary/6-12 Schoolwide Information System (SWIS)/ University of Oregon And Check, Connect, & Expect / University of Washington are two tracking programs.

In Search of Evidence: Validating our Practice

1. Consider the rigor of the experiment, randomized experimental design is a gold standard.

2. Consider replication, group design and single subject design should be replicated by different researchers.

3. Consider the measures employed in a study. The measures used should be reliable and valid.

4. Consult experts in research design.

Validating our Practice continued:

5. If you do use a consultant, they should be able to explain to you why an intervention is useful or not for your population of students and at each Tier.

6. Not all interventions are going to work for all students. You will need to select multiple programs.

7. Because it is on the internet, does not mean it is effective. The internet can be powerful tool in finding interventions. However, there are also many unproven educational practices on the internet.

In Search of Evidence: Validating our Practice

What works Clearing House: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/

Other resources:. Council for Exceptional Children http://www.cec.sped.org

National Association of School Psychologists

http://www.nasponline.org/

The National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center

http://www.nectac.org/topics/evbased/evbased.asp

The Center for Evidence Base Practices

http://www.evidencebasedpractices.org/

Florida Center for Reading Research

http://www.fcrr.org/

Questions