A focus on the two primary methods of evaluating and identifying exceptional children; The Prereferral Team and the Response to intervention (RTI) Method

1. CURRENT PRACTICES
FOR MEETING THE
NEEDS OF
EXCEPTIONAL
LEARNERS
Prepared by:
Elaine Medina-Miranda, RN, RM, MAN

2. REVIEW!
2

3. IDEA
Individuals with
Disabilities Act
This act is the major
special education law.

4. DISABILITY
CATEGORIES
1. Autism
2. Communication disorders
3. Deaf-Blindness
4. Hearing impairments
5. Mental Retardation
6. Multiple disabilities
4

5. DISABILITY
CATEGORIES
7. Orthopedic Impairments
8. Other health impairments
9. Serious Emotional Disturbance
10. Specific learning disabilities
11. Traumatic brain injury
12. Visual impairments
5

6. MAJOR
PRINCIPLES
1. ZERO REJECT
2. NONDISCRIMINATORY TESTING
3. FREE AND APPROPRIATE
EDUCATION
4. LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT
5. DUE PROCESS
6. PARENT PARTICIPATION
6

7. ADDITION TO
THE ORIGINAL
LAW
7

8. 1. TRANSITION
SERVICES
Services intended to facilitate the
learners transition from school to
community, college, vocational
programs or employment.
The transition plan involves other
professionals. 8

9. 2. EARLY CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION
States are required to locate as
many young children as
possible, who may require
special education services.
9

10. OTHER INSTANCES OF
CLASSROOM DIVERSITY
1. Culturally and linguistically diverse
groups.
2. At-risk.
3. Gifted and talented.
10

11. IDENTIFICATIO
N
OF
EXCEPTIONAL
LEARNERS
Effective practices in
identifying students who
are exceptional learners.

12. THE CHILD STUDY
TEAM
Sometimes known as (CST), School
Building Level Committee (SBLC),
Pupil Personnel Team (PPT), or Pre-
referral Team, this team may be drawn
from the following staff members:

13. Child’s
Classroom
Teacher
Principal
School
Psychologist
Special
Education
Teacher
School Nurse
Social Worker
Speech/Language
Clinician
Guidance
Counselor
13

14. PREREFERRAL
STRATEGIES
Before a formal assessment of a student for
possible placement in special education
occurs, his or her teacher meet with the
Pre-referral team to discuss the natures of
the problem and what possible
modifications to instruction of the
classroom might be made.

15. THE CHILD STUDY TEAM MEETING
Once a referral is made,
personnel involved on the
team will gather as much
available information prior to
the meeting to better
understand the child.

16. INFORMATION
INCLUDE:
 Prior Academic
Achievement
 Prior Test Scores
 Group Standardized
Achievement Test
Results
 Attendance Records
 Prior Teacher
Reports
 Group IQ Test
Information
 Prior Teacher
Referrals
 Medical History in
the School Nurse’s
Office
 Student Work

17. PREREFERRAL
INTERVENTION
STRATEGIES
Team Meeting with Teachers
Parent Interviews
Medical Exam
Hearing Test
Vision Test
Classroom Management
Techniques

18. PREREFERRAL
INTERVENTION STRATEGIES
Consolidation of Program
Referral to Child Protective
Services
Informal Assessment
Techniques
Observation
Screening

19. PREREFERRAL
INTERVENTION STRATEGIES
Help Classes
Remedial Reading or Math
Services
In-School Counseling
Progress Reports
Disciplinary Action
Change of Program

20. BENEFITS OF THE
PREREFERRAL PROCESS
Provides a forum for teachers
and other team members—
including parents—to discuss
how to meet students’ needs.
Empowers general education
teachers with a variety of
strategies to better serve diverse
learners. 20

21. Prevents the overrepresentation of
students from a particular group
(e.g., English learners, students at
risk due to poor teaching) in special
education.
Improves communication between
parents and the school by involving
families in the process (e.g., parents
offer information, participate in
intervention development, become
members of the team). 21

22. Response to
Intervention

23. RTI PROCESS
What is it?
23

24. RTI IS…
the practice of
(1) providing high-quality
instruction/intervention matched to
student needs and
(2 ) using learning rates over
time and level of performance to
(3) make important educational
decisions
(NASDSE, 2006)
24

25. GOALS OF
RTI
 Prevention of academic/behavior problems
Attend to skill gaps early
Provide interventions/instruction early
Close skill gaps to prevent failure
 Determination of eligibility as a student with a
specific learning disability
Pattern of inadequate response to
interventions may result in referral to
special education
25

26. WHAT DOES RTI
IMPLEMENTATION LOOK
LIKE?
1. Students receive high quality, research-based
instruction by qualified staff in their general
education setting.
2. General education instructors and staff assume
an active role in students’ assessment in that
curriculum.
3. School staff conduct universal screening of
(a) academics and (b) behavior.
4. School staff implement specific, research-based
interventions to address the student’s
difficulties.
26

27. INTERVENTION
LEVELS
 Tiers include increasing levels of intensity
of interventions
Primary Instruction -- differentiated
curriculum and instruction for all
students
Secondary Interventions -- Targeted
interventions for students at-risk
Tertiary Interventions --
Strategic/Intense interventions for
students with intensive needs
27

28. 28
Primary Instruction
(~80%)
School-/Classroom-wide
Systems for All Students,
Staff and Settings
Secondary Intervention
(~15%)
Specialized Group
Systems for Students with
At Risk Performance
Tertiary Intervention (~5%)
Specialized Individualized
Systems for Students with
Intensive Needs
Continuum of School-Wide Instruction

29. PRIMARY
INSTRUCTION
 Expectation = 80% or more of students
successful with general education curriculum
and instruction.
 Assessment = Universal screenings for
academics and social/emotional growth
(behaviors).
 Intervention = Through differentiated
instructional practices.
 Roles and responsibilities = primarily the
general education teacher. 29

30. SECONDARY
INTERVENTION
 Expectation = 15% of students may be at risk and
in need of targeted interventions.
 Assessment = progress monitoring of student
response to specific intervention.
 Intervention = standard protocol treatment
intervention; evidence-based intervention.
 Roles and responsibilities = variety of personnel as
determined by the school.
30
..

31. TERTIARY
INTERVENTION
 Expectation = 5% of students may be at significant
risk and in need of intense interventions.
 Assessment = progress monitoring of student
response to specific intervention.
 Intervention = standard protocol treatment
intervention; evidence-based intervention; unique
intervention based on teacher expertise.
 Roles and responsibilities = variety of personnel as
determined by the school.
31

32. WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF
INTERVENTIONS?
1. Standard Treatment Protocol Interventions
 From scientific-based education research
1. Evidence-based Interventions
 From education research
1. Experiential-based Interventions
 From best practice with alike students
32

33. ADVANTAGES OF
RTI APPROACH
Provides instructional assistance in a timely
fashion (e.g., NOT a wait-to-fail model).
Helps ensure a student’s poor academic
performance is not due to poor instruction
or inappropriate curriculum.
Informs teacher and improves instruction
because assessment data are collected
and closely linked to interventions. 33

34. QUESTIONS?
CLARIFICATIO
NS?
34
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35. THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING! 35