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This mixed methods study explored elementary and secondary educators' perceptions of their school district's responsiveness to intervention (RTI) initiative. Teachers and administrators were surveyed regarding (a) the perceived feasibility and effectiveness of educational practices that are inherent within RTI models, (b) perceived knowledge of basic RTI concepts, and (c) perceived preparedness to implement specific components of RTI within their district. A majority of respondents reported that educational practices common to RTI models (e.g., progress monitoring, evidence-based instruction) were both feasible for the classroom and effectively implemented at their school. In addition, most understood the basic principles of RTI. However, responses indicated that educators need more specific guidance about how to implement. Lack of understanding of RTI and need for guidance for implementation were particularly pronounced at the high school level. Findings from the current study are consistent with the existing RTI literature. We conclude with recommendations for professional development of RTI and implications for practice specifically at the secondary level.

With 8 million students in Grades 4-12 struggling to read on grade level, effective comprehension instruction is a top priority for middle and high school teachers. This teacher-friendly supplemental textbook fully prepares current and future educators to help all students \"read to learn\". With a strong emphasis on teaching a wide variety of struggling readers, this concise introductory text gives educators research-based knowledge on reading comprehension and the practical instructional techniques they need to explicitly teach comprehension skills. The ideal foundational text on comprehension - and a great resource for in-service educators - this accessible volume equips teachers with the critical background knowledge they need to strengthen every reader's confidence and competence. Get Teachers Ready To: Understand why some students struggle with comprehension Improve the comprehension skills of students with learning disabilities and English language learners Promote language development - the foundation of reading comprehension Understand how basic reading skills affect comprehension and are addressed at the secondary level Modify texts and provide accommodations when necessary Identify pitfalls to common instructional practices and plan ways to differentiate for a wide range of learners Explicitly teach key vocabulary words students need to know to be better readers Help students connect new information to their existing knowledge as they read Teach students how to read strategically and monitor their own comprehension Get students motivated and engaged

This article provides a snapshot of how all 50 states are progressing with the development and implementation of response-to-intervention (RtI) models 1 year after the final regulations for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act were passed. Data were collected through a review of existing state department of education Web sites and conversations with representatives in each state department of education. Information related to RtI model type, implementation status, professional development, criteria for eligibility, and specific features of individual state RtI models are presented. Findings indicate that most states are in some phase of RtI development, although approaches vary widely throughout the country. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Decreasing the well-documented research-to-practice gap in special education is thought to partially depend on practitioner access to quality evidence-based interventions. Practitioner journals are one such resource for obtaining this information. The current study is a systematic review of articles published over the last 25 years (1990-2014) in a prominent special education practitioner journal, Intervention in School and Clinic. Findings from review of 925 articles showed that 64% focused specifically on information related to students with learning disabilities (LD) or other mild disabilities. Forty-three percent of articles focused on educational practices based on intervention research for students with LD or other mild disabilities. Another 32% focused on information relevant for teachers of these students including strategies for managing other non-instructional teaching responsibilities, practices in general education settings, and changes in special education law and policy. Overall, this journal provides a wide range of resources for teachers of students with LD.

Because high stakes are now attached to standardized assessments of student progress, policy makers, administrators, practitioners, and parents must understand how to most effectively and accurately measure the performance of all students, including students with learning disabilities (LD). To accomplish this, test accommodations are provided on an individual basis that are intended to mediate the impact of a student's disability. The purpose of this article was to examine policy and guidelines related to accommodations among states and to review research related to the effectiveness of accommodations for students with LD. Findings showed that there continues to be large variability among states regarding allowed testing accommodations and that although there has been an increase in research conducted related to the effectiveness of accommodations for students with LD in the past decade, empirical evidence remains sparse and findings are often inconclusive. Implications are discussed.

In this exploratory study, students in four co-taught high school chemistry classes were randomly assigned to a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) treatment or a comparison condition. Each co-teaching team taught one comparison and treatment class. UDL principles were operationalized for treatment: (a) a self-management strategy (using a mnemonic, IDEAS) for the multi-step mole conversion process; (b) multi-media lessons with narration, visuals, and animations; (c) procedural facilitators with IDEAS for conversion support; and (d) student workbooks mirroring video content and containing scaffolded practice problems. All students completed a pre-test, post-test, and a 4-week delayed post-test. There were no significant differences between conditions; however, there was an interaction effect between students with and without disabilities for post-tests. Social validity indicated students found IDEAS helpful. Implications for future research include continued focus on disaggregated learning outcomes for students with and without disabilities for UDL interventions, and refinements for UDL interventions that benefit students with and without disabilities.

This investigation compared quantitative outcomes associated with classwide peer tutoring using differentiated hands-on activities vs. teacher-directed instruction for students with mild disabilities in inclusive 8th-grade science classes. Thirteen classes of 213 students (109 males; 104 females), of whom 44 were classified with disabilities, participated in 12-week sessions in a randomized field trial design. Experimental classes received units of differentiated, peer-mediated, hands-on instruction, while control classes received traditional science instruction. Results indicate that collaborative hands-on activities statistically facilitate learning of middle school science content on posttests and on state high-stakes tests for all students and that students enjoyed using the activities. Implications for practice indicate use of supplemental peer mediated hands-on activities may provide necessary review and practice for students with disabilities. Future research would help uncover additional critical instructional variables.

This journal analysis identifies types of articles published in 11 highly visible journals relevant to special education from 1988 through 2006 paying particular attention to intervention research. It was concluded that (a) research articles represent the largest category of articles published across all journals, (b) the proportion of intervention research studies published (15.9%) is disappointingly small, (c) academic intervention research is conducted more frequently than social intervention research, (d) reading intervention research represents the largest area of academic intervention research, and (e) intervention research employing preschool and elementary students with disabilities is published more frequently than research with middle and secondary students. Findings are discussed with respect to implications for research, practice, and policy in special education.

The 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) for reading comprehension performance indicated that there were no significant changes from 2009 for 4th and 8th graders although scores were slightly higher in 2011 for students from lower-income families and for White, Black, and Hispanic students (National Center for Education Statistics, 2011). Topics covered in the blueprint include how to (a) effectively use assessments and screening measures to evaluate student's oral, written language, and reading skills, (b) plan effective strategies to build student's oral language development, written language, and reading proficiency, (c) provide explicit, systematic phonics instruction, and (d) teach students how to use writing and reading skills effectively to promote students' knowledge (see http://www. va.nesinc.com/PDFS/VE_fld001_testblueprint.pdf ).

A fundamental problem for many struggling readers, their parents, and their teachers is that there are few benchmarks to guide decision making about assistive technological supports when the nature of a disability is cognitive (e.g., specific learning disability, SLD) rather than physical. However, resources such as the National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials' Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) Navigator can help with decisions regarding assistive technology (AT) options that may be beneficial in educational settings. Reading and comprehending are cognitive processes; the education field has been caught unprepared to address issues of using technology to compensate for cognitive impairments, and teachers may be unaware of how technology can help students who face difficulties in reading. This article discusses how free computer programs can be used to make text more accessible to students who struggle in the area of reading, including students with SLD. (Contains 4 figures and 1 table.)