Assessing implementation of comprehensive treatment programs is a multifaceted process that should extend beyond measuring solely treatment fidelity. The purpose of this article is to describe and demonstrate a thorough process for assessing implementation and receipt of a comprehensive treatment program for students with autism spectrum disorders…

The effectiveness of Tier 2 interventions may depend on the variability of student skills within an intervention group. We investigated the effect of pretest variability within intervention groups using data from a large-scale study of ROOTS, a Tier 2 kindergarten mathematics intervention. Our research questions were as follows: Does mathematics…

Word problem-solving is one major area in mathematics that has been identified as being particularly challenging for students, specifically for those with learning disabilities (LDs) and emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). This study aims at evaluating the effects of a strategic math intervention with concept maps on the ability to solve…

In 2010, the Institute of Education Sciences commissioned a much-needed national evaluation of response to intervention (RTI). The evaluators defined their task very narrowly, asking "Does the use of universal screening, including a cut-point for designating students for more intensive Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions, increase children's…

We attempted to strengthen an evidence-based, peer-mediated, first-grade reading program (First Grade Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies [PALS]) by modestly revising its content and adding a repeated-reading (RR) component. In a cluster-randomized trial, we conducted a component analysis of the revised program by creating two versions of it.…

This study examines three preschool educators' perspectives and experiences implementing Spanish-English dual language bilingual education (DLBE) for young emergent multilinguals with disabilities (EMwDs) for the first time. Inclusive DLBE can provide both linguistic and disability-related support to EMwDs. However, several barriers, such as…

The report of the national response to intervention (RTI) evaluation study, conducted during 2011-2012, was released in November 2015. Anyone who has read the lengthy report can attest to its complexity and the design used in the study. Both these factors can influence the interpretation of the results from this evaluation. In this commentary, we…

This study examined the differential effects of Strategies for Reading Informational Text and Vocabulary Effectively (STRIVE) on the vocabulary, reading comprehension, and content learning among 4,757 fourth-grade students with and without disabilities. Schools were assigned to one of three conditions: researcher-supported professional development…

Many autistic children receive special education services via Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) that include specific educational goals and needs. Prior research has examined programming options available to support autistic students, but less is known about their educational needs across academic and developmental educational goals.…

The purpose of this study was to draw from self-determination and self-efficacy theories to evaluate psychological constructs (autonomous motivation, competency, and outcome expectancy) as mediators of the relationship between working alliance and engagement in transition-vocational rehabilitation (VR) services among African American students with…

Faith, spirituality, and religious involvement can promote stress-related coping for parents raising children with autism, yet little research has explored religious coping in Black parents raising children with autism. Given the high levels of religiosity and increased incidence of autism in Black families, the purpose of this qualitative study…

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of a teacher-implemented professional development program to increase the fidelity with which paraeducators use evidence-based practices (EBPs) in instruction for children with autism. Employing a modified multiple-probe design, investigators implemented the Autism Focused Intervention…

Summer reading programs are a form of extended school year services for students in special education. However, previous studies have not reported including high percentages of participants in special education, nor have studies sufficiently controlled for selection bias. This study combined propensity score weighting with partially clustered…

This essay provides a two-pronged critical assessment of a subset of the literature on racial disproportionality in special education: that which aims to estimate racial disparities among otherwise similar children. This body of research has shown that Black students are less likely than "comparable" White students to receive special…

Based on the 2015 evaluation of response-to-intervention (RTI) efforts and our own 2 decades of experience in supporting educators' implementation of RTI efforts, four recommendations are presented to advance effective implementation of tiered systems of intervention. We suggest that by (a) assessing readiness and capacity, (b) providing content…