High-Leverage Practices (HLPs) are a deceptively simple concept in the field of education. On the one hand it is amazing to have a list of key practices that all teachers should learn and be able to implement when teaching students of all backgrounds and ability levels, including those with disabilities. On the other, teaching is rarely simple,…

Data-based instruction (DBI) is a process of collecting and using student progress data to guide decision-making related to intervention intensity and individualization for students with learning disabilities (LD). However, effective DBI requires that teachers have a range of knowledge and skills across multiple domains. Past research has shown…

There is evidence that data-based decision-making (DBDM) can improve outcomes for a wide range of students. However, less is known about how special education teachers are trained to use data to inform instruction that targets academic progress for students with extensive support needs (ESN). The purpose of this systematic literature review was to…

How do young children learn, and what do educators need to know and do to teach them? Covering the full birth-8 early childhood age range, this introductory text delivers up-to-date answers through a unique lens: a deep focus on the neurological foundations of developmentally appropriate practices. Preservice and inservice educators will explore…

Partnerships between the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program and Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) program can support and improve outcomes for children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) and their families. Collaboration between these programs is specified in the IDEA Part C Regulations 34 CFR…

The purpose of this narrative synthesis of the curriculum-based measure (CBM) instructional utility literature is to deepen insight into the supports required to enrich teachers' instructional decision-making within curriculum-based measure-data-based individualization (CBM-DBI) in ways that enhance the learning outcomes of students with intensive…

Special education and related professionals often understand the importance of adhering to intervention procedures (i.e., fidelity), but may be less familiar with concepts of intervention intensity. In some cases, professionals may correctly apply an intervention, but with insufficient intensity. This can result in an intervention failing to…

Intervention dosage is an often-overlooked aspect of implementation fidelity. Tracking intervention dosage is critical for ensuring students with disabilities were present for and received the intervention for as many minutes as intended. Used in tandem with student performance data, intervention dosage can provide a clearer picture of…

Literacy is an essential life skill, and adolescents need strong literacy skills to succeed in secondary schools and beyond. Low literacy achievement in the middle grades puts students, particularly students with disabilities (SWD), at a disadvantage heading into high school and can lead to negative outcomes such as dropping out. The intention of…

Research conducted to date provides a limited understanding of the landscape of school-based screening practices across academic, behavioral, and health domains, thus providing an impetus for the current survey study. A total of 475 K-Grade 12 school building administrators representing 409 unique school districts across the United States…

Reported percentages of young children who engage in challenging behavior is estimated between 10% and 20%. This percentage is even greater for children with disabilities. Not surprisingly, when young children with challenging behavior do not receive services and supports early on, they can experience negative social and emotional outcomes long…

The effectiveness of a sight word intervention designed for Deaf students was investigated. Thirty students, grades 1-7, in an urban school for the Deaf received an 8-month intervention. A pretest/ posttest design using a teacher-designed instrument, the Cumulative Bedrock Literacy Sight Word Assessment, and the Test of Silent Word Reading Fluency…

Research conducted to date provides a limited understanding of the landscape of school-based screening practices across academic, behavioral, and health domains, thus providing impetus for the current survey study. A total of 475 K-12 school building administrators representing 409 unique school districts across the United States completed an…

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) recognizes the positive influence that a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework can have on improving the education of all children, the roles of special educators, and the special education system, by providing a structure to organize practices based on data, evidence and research. The MTSS…

Special education administrators at both the district and school level are serving in critical roles that uniquely position them to improve academic and behavioral outcomes of students with disabilities by ensuring the special education teachers under their supervision are prepared to deliver an evidence-based form of intensive…