Rural Special Education Quarterly

This study examined the perceptions of general and special education teachers regarding the effectiveness of intervention teams in rural elementary schools. The passage of IDEIA 2004 brought considerable support for the use of the Response to Intervention (RtI) process providing research-based interventions to students who are struggling. Response to Intervention emphasizes the use of multidisciplinary teams to problem solve and identify instructional interventions that will address educational deficits and curtail the need for special education services. This process presents a challenge for rural schools to develop effective team practices with limited resources and staff. The researcher surveyed general and special education teachers to examine perceptions of team membership practices and effectiveness based on quality indicators of effective intervention team practices as identified in literature. The study indicated the majority of rural schools represented by the teachers surveyed were implementing the team process. The findings identified team practices, such as problem-solving, teacher support, developing interventions, and implementing interventions, as more effective than ineffective. Quantitative results indicated special education teachers reported a higher degree of knowledge of intervention practices and the team process than general education teachers reported. In addition, the special education teachers reported a higher rate of student referrals to the team for intervention than general education teachers reported. The findings suggest the need for rural schools to consider ongoing professional development for both general and special education teachers regarding effective team intervention team practices in order to refine the process.

Response to Intervention (RtI) is a framework schools can use to organize curriculum, instruction, and assessment so all students are screened on a regular basis and those who are at-risk for not meeting standards are provided with appropriate interventions (Batsche, Kavale, & Kovaleski, 2006). This paper explored the quantitative findings from a survey of RtI implementation in one New England state. The researchers used an online platform to design a Likert style survey with 34 closed item responses as well as five qualitative questions. The survey was administered to all principals in the state and had a response rate of 62.4%. Self-reports of “full” or “partial” implementation suggested that about 75% of schools were implementing RtI; however, the results also indicated a lack of consistency across districts. Study findings pointed to the need for additional research and clarity around fidelity of implementation with RtI, specifically with regard to what practices or procedures must be in place to qualify as “full implementation” of the RtI framework. The study offers a number of recommendations for policy and practice including the need for more research and educator training about the framework.

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of six state-wide policies and procedures used in the family assessment process within early intervention services. This qualitative study examined the administrative understanding of the family assessment federal regulations, state policies and procedures, and local implementation from the perspective of the Part C coordinator in the state, using in-depth interviews that included six state Part C coordinators. Based on the findings of this study, two broad conclusions are offered, and recommendations are made for early interventionists in rural settings, Part C coordinators, and researchers in the area of family assessment.

Ten at-risk students in a rural high school completed a social skills program based on metacognitive strategies and aligned with social and emotional learning principles. The intervention's primary goal was to stimulate the development of metacognitive strategies for internal locus of control in the students, rather than attempting to change their social behavior through external controls. The students completed Behavior Assessment Scale for Children – 2^nd Edition (BASC-2), and their teachers also completed a BASC-2 for each student, both pre- and post-intervention. Using the ratings, the results indicated positive changes in the students' behavior and attitude, social interactions, and academics.