The Impact of RTI on Learning Disabilities Identification

IDEA, 2004 Learning Disabilities The new IDEA allows the use of a process that determines if a child responds to scientific, research-based interventions in determining learning disabilities … Rhode Island guidance expects teams to use this process. The new IDEA prohibits teams from being required to consider a severe discrepancy between achievement and ability … Rhode Island guidance allows teams to make an additional finding on discrepancy between ability and achievement, after making the learning disability determination based on response to intervention.

Special Education Decision Making Prerequisites to determining that a student has a learning disability Student must have been provided with learning experiences appropriate for the childs age and ability levels and thus the determining factor for the eligibility determination is not lack of instruction in reading or math. Rhode Island Regulations Governing the Education of Children with Disabilities, 2000

Curriculum, Instruction and Environment Evidence is gathered to record results of successive interventions and to inform new participants in the Expanding Circle of Support Assessments to monitor progress Documentation of differentiated strategies and fidelity of successive interventions Environmental conditions that support or hinder the students learning

Expand the Circle of Support to Consider Special Education? In spite of successive research based interventions, is the student no longer making progress toward Grade Level Expectations? …or … Is the students progress dependent on a level of support that cannot be maintained over time in general education? IF YES…SPECIAL EDUCATION PROCESS BEGINS

Evaluation Team Consideration of Referral The team of parents and qualified school personnel answers three questions: 1.Have interventions of appropriate type, progression and intensity been implemented with fidelity? No Consult on additional interventions Yes Question 2

Evaluation Team Consideration of Referral 2.Given students response to interventions, do we suspect that the student might have a disability? No Consult and continue supports within general education Yes Question 3

Evaluation Team Consideration of Referral 3.Are there questions remaining before we can decide if theres a disability, and what evidence do we need to answer those questions? rate of learning? gaps? intensity of instructional need? If yes … conduct relevant comprehensive evaluation

New Direction: To determine a learning disability using Response to Intervention model Questions from the interim guidance document 1. Does the evidence from a variety of sources of converging data indicate that the students needs are greater than 90% to 95% of age appropriate peers? RATE Is the student's learning rate slower, even with high quality interventions? AND GAP Is the student's performance significantly lower? and/or Within a students own performance is there a marked gap in different areas?

Additionally… 2. After careful review, can we rule out any other possible primary causes for this students distinct needs? –Exclusionary conditions –Other considerations If the answer to the first two questions is Yes, the team needs to answer the third question: 3. Does the student require special education and related services in order to meet his/her needs? That is … –Is the instructional intensity needed for the student to make progress greater than 90%-95% of the student's age appropriate peers? If the answer to all three questions is Yes, the team may determine that the student has a learning disability and requires special education supports and services.

Consider Severe Discrepancy? A choice … To do so: First, make the learning disability determination based on evidence of the students response to intervention. Answer the question – does the child have average or above average ability? Consider the degree of discrepancy between the students ability and achievement. Document the findings.

Questions… Ina S. Woolman, Rhode Island Department of Education, Office of Special Populations,