eCoaching in Rural Schools: Effects on Literacy Planning and Instruction for Students With Extensive Support Needs

Abstract

Literacy is the ability to read, write, speak, and listen in a way that facilitates effective communication. For students with extensive support needs (ESN), acquiring literacy skills is challenging because these students often need accommodations, modifications, and multiple layers of support to learn and practice literacy. These challenges are often exacerbated in rural locations due to a lack of resources and access to professionals. Additionally, the literature base available to assist educators is lacking, and many special education teachers rely on professional development to acquire new strategies (e.g., Modified Anchor-Read-Apply). Using an ABA single-subject research design, the authors investigated the impact of eCoaching on a special education teacher’s use of the Modified Anchor-Read-Apply strategy to teach literacy and the impact on three students’ interactive reading practices. Results indicated that the special education teacher was able to use the strategy with fidelity, enabling both teacher and students to increase their interactive reading practices.