1. Response to Intervention:
Illustrations of Possible Problems and Their Solutions
Jack S. Damico, Ph. D.
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette

2. INTRODUCTION
Over the past five years there has been a concerted push for a specific concept referred to as Response to Intervention
Many advantages over previous approaches to “assessments and interventions” are touted
Need to be wary of this for RTI can be a two-edged sword.

3. OBJECTIVES To give some background and history about RTI
A quick description of RTI
Discuss some of the Advantages
Discuss some of the Disadvantages – especially due to implementation
Suggest some solutions

4. A Brief History
The concepts behind TRI are actually constructivist in origin
Perhaps best seen from the perspective of Dynamic Assessment

5. Dynamic Assessment
Umbrella term- a heterogeneous range of approaches whose core is blending instruction into assessment.
Developed because of practical issues related to assessing the potential of and developing pedagogical strategies for children with special needs or inadequate educational experiences.

6. Dynamic Assessment Based on three assumptions:
Given diverse educational experiences, conventional assessment might not adequately capture the level of cognitive development
Psychologists and educators should be interested not in where children are now, but where they can be tomorrow with adequate educational intervention from now on.
There is little use in assessing for the sake of assessment

7. More History
Bateman (1965) concept of responsiveness (best way to educate students is by taking into account patterns of response and adjusting pedagogical strategies depending on these responses
1982 NAS: Addresses the disproportionate number of ethnic minority students identified for special

8. More History
Some roots in pre-referral intervention, curriculum-based measurement and reading recovery
Operationalized concept using more behavioristic assumptions in late 1990s (Fuchs & Fuchs)
Closely related to NCLB and Reading First and IDEIA 2004 to address problems with intelligence-achievement discrepancy and over-representation of CLD

9. More History In PL108-446 IDEIA 2004
Early identification of students experiencing academic problems
Moved away from use of tests to qualify student for SPED
“may use a student’s response to scientifically-based instruction as a part of the evaluation process”
The determination of LD is not tests but a process documenting sufficient measured responses to interventions
Identify and assist those who can benefit from differentiation and appropriate instruction in the classroom

10. PL IDEIA 2004
Must document appropriate instruction delivered by qualified personnel
Only a suggestion a multi-leveled early intervention approach
Concept was introduced in the presence of, not in place of, other methods to identify special education needs
Goal moved toward prevention
LEAs can us up to 15% of federal funds and up to 50% in additional funds through Title I activities for early identification and prevention services

11. Description of RTI
A multi-tiered system of instruction oriented to the prevention of long-term and debilitating academic failure
Prevention and more effective teaching in the context of regular education are key concepts
No specific assessment nor a general screening is required

12. Description of RTI
Provides an opportunity for general educational and special educational reform by infusing greater accountability for every student’s learning with a combination of research-based programs, validated practices, and demonstrably effective CBM for individualizing instruction

13. Description of RTI
Tier One (Primary Prevention): Instructional practices by a general educator in the classroom who should be able to conduct instruction independently and with competence.
Tier Two (Secondary Prevention): Time-limited run of small group instruction relying on a validated tutoring protocol that specifies instructional procedures, dictates duration and frequency and is usually conducted by paraprofessionals. Should be “empirically validated”

14. Description of RTI
Tier Three (Tertiary Prevention): Teachers establish clear, individual, ambitious year-end goals in instructional material that matches the student’s needs (so it may or may not be grade appropriate) and instruction is individualized with more intense version of the standard protocol originally and modifying it as needed (SPED).
There can be numerous tiers with Special Education typically the last tier.

15. Advantages of RTI
Increase the number of students who succeed in the framework of general education and decrease the number of students inappropriately referred top special education
Should avoid problems associated with process-deficit and discrepancy models
Should reduce waiting time for additional instructional support
Minimize testing and maximize instruction

16. Advantages of RTI Prevention is the ultimate goal
Will allow better monitoring of teaching practices in general and special education classes and this will improve teaching overall
Improve the quality and quantity of information about the educational progress and instructional needs of individual students
Prevention is the ultimate goal

17. Disadvantages of RTI Preoccupation with disability and Intervention
A lack of clarity in translating information obtained in the context of RTI into regulations for identifying children with special educational needs
Due to the lack of explicitness, the implementation is often problematic
Implementation oriented to a Behaviorist paradigm that tends to rely on elements of the process deficit and discrepancy models

18. Disadvantages of RTI
Characterizes science solely in terms of experimental and quasi-experimental methodologies that tend to create an unproductive divide between research and practice
Implementation Fidelity assumes that the results of experimental studies should be generalizable and transferable from one setting to another.

19. Disadvantages of RTI
So little attention is paid to well-developed research bases focusing on natural variability, complex social action, and constructivist approaches to learning and functioning.
Exclude most immediate conditions that support learners: teachers, classroom, school, cultural factors within which any instructional approach operates

20. Disadvantages of RTI
Instruction (at least with Tier II) should be “empirically-validated not just research principled”.
This provides a basis for two assumptions:
A student’s non-responsiveness to a validated instructional protocol is not due to poor instruction but rather to characteristics that reside within the student.
Students who do not benefit from secondary prevention demonstrate the need for non-standard instruction (special education).

21. Disadvantages of RTI
Doesn’t put enough emphasis on the individual character of responsive teaching
A focus (at least in Tier II) that “one size fits all”
So even though ELL students are often not included in studies the results are touted as applying across a wide array of student populations

22. Disadvantages of RTI
In reality more focused on placement/assessment considerations than overall focus on teaching.
Assumption that if microlevel progress monitoring measures of components, they will also be showing growth in more comprehensive measures or skills/proficiencies
Progress monitoring subverted by a screening format and/or discrete point and inauthentic tests
DIBELS PALS Texas Primary Reading Inventory

23. Disadvantages of RTI
In a rush for early identification, the focus has been placed on the student and not on the instruction – especially when screening systems are employed
Oriented to attributing difficulties to internal deficits or home environment
The primary focus on SLD and limits attention to other special considerations
English Language Learners and low SES

24. Solutions Recognize the role of inertial concepts
Innovative practices and reforms should, in fact, be innovative
An RTI model is not required to adhere to the rigid implementation suggested by the more behavioristic advocates. Schools remain free to select different practices for the three levels of the preventative system

25. Solutions
It is essential to find out what works with whom, by whom and in what contexts. Instruction is responsive to the children’s needs.
Must ensure at all levels that children have received culturally responsive, appropriate, quality instruction that is evidence based
Scientific and evidence-based can (and should) include qualitative and mixed-methods approaches that focus on complex social phenomena

26. Solutions
Not only look at classrooms, look also across multiple layers of impact
Schools also have the option of incorporating multiple interventions within any given level
Take a social/constructivist view rather than a behaviorist view

27. Solutions
Don’t use isolated evidence-based interventions that are de-contextualized
Focus on the instructional aspects and the teacher development model
Highlight the central role of the teacher
Employ well-researched strategies and procedures that mesh with this paradigm of human learning

28. Solutions
Employ strategies and Techniques that employ the major aspects of constructivist theory. That is, authentic tasks mediated when necessary by more proficient learners and the tasks are
Meaningful
Contextually embedded
Active engagement
Contrastive
Recurrent

29. Solutions When choosing Interventions, REMEMBER:
Tier One: Generalized and appropriate to entire class
Tier Two: Smaller groupings; more intensity and individualized attention, longer duration
Their Three: Individualized and often one-on-one

30. Solutions EXAMPLES Contingent teaching
Problem-solving in authentic learning contexts without the orientation to diagnostic practices and disability constructs
Reading Recovery
Balanced Literacy

31. Solutions EXAMPLES Guided Reading and Writing
Reading and Writing Workshop Formats
Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Support, Mediation and Strategies
Meaningful texts matching students abilities, skills, and experiences

32. Solutions EXAMPLES Increasing daily authentic reading /writing
Peer grouping and partner reading
Mini-lessons
Word Study
Re-teaching in small group work
Strategic Teaching

33. Solutions Employ authentic and comprehensive assessment and monitoring
Think horses not Zebras …when you see difficulty always first the possibility that they are not receiving adequate instruction

34. Solutions EXAMPLES Observational Survey of Literacy Achievement
Classroom Assessment Based on Standards
Running Records
Oral Miscue analysis
Observation
Reading Inventories

35. Solutions Use the Skills—Strategies- Outcome NEED:
Behaviors reflective of skills/strategies
Patterns in authentic activity/context
Pre-post Measurement Approach
Sampling Frame

36. Component Two: Targeting M-M Skills and Strategies
Think in Terms of Meaning-making Skills, Strategies, and Applications
Use your Descriptive Data to select Skills, Strategies, and Applications

37. Examples for the IEP
Organize class notes…..Outlining, Flowcharting, Ask what is important and topicalize with headings…..Notes useful for others, Improved scores on examinations.
Fluency in Writing….Ask: What do you want to say; talk it through first, Write information sentences & then paste them into a template, Write ideas & then revise for mechanics, write & use directive & evaluative phrases…. Longer written homework, more coherent and detailed essays, increased time-on-task when writing

38. Examples for the IEP
Improved reading of unknown words….Skip the unknown word and read to the end of the sentence and ask: what word would make sense, Put in a word that makes sense and go on, Employ onset/rime via analogy…. Increased fluency in reading, increased speed of reading, increased comprehension of reading passages.

39. Examples for the IEP
Reading for meaning….Ask: What does author want me to know, Use pre-initiation strategies, Ask while reading: Does this make sense, Focus on “what the author is saying NOT the sounds or words, Read faster, Listen to others read stories…..Increased reading comprehension scores, more relevant discussion in reading circles, More independent reading.

40. Examples for the IEP
Understanding class lectures….Listen for topic sentence & write down main point, use clarification strategies if you don’t follow, learn your teacher’s signaling cues, after lecture review notes with others, Ask at first of lecture what the teacher wants to get across, consult a brief chapter outline while listening….. Better notes in class, Improved participation in class discussions, Improved test scores.

41. Examples for the IEP
Increased verbal interactions with peers…. employ various initiation strategies, comment positively on what someone said and ask a relevant question, make eye contact when listening and comment, appropriately bring up topics of interest to others….Increased time-at-talk at recess, Longer individual conversations with others, increase in friendships.

42. Doris B. Hawthorne Center The University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Contact Information
Jack S. Damico, Ph.D.
Doris B. Hawthorne Center
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette
P.O. Box 43170
Lafayette, LA
USA