Problem Solving

Learning Disabilities: A Contemporary Journal 6(2), 61-75, 2008

Copyright @ by LDW 2008

Long-Term Results of a Problem-Solving Approach to Response to Intervention: Discussion and Implications
Karen J. Carney1 and Gilbert S. Stiefel
Eastern Michigan University

Two general models exist for implementing Response to Intervention (RtI) for struggling students, the standard protocol model and the problem-solving model. This study examined the long-term outcomes of one example of the problem-solving method, the Instructional Support Team (IST), in a field setting. Academic records of 32 students were reviewed to describe their educational outcomes 3.5 school years after their initial referral to IST. Use of this model resulted in an expansion of existing services for students, a permanent intermediate stratum for students at risk. Neither level of program support (Tier I, II, or III) at the end of the study, nor risk for school failure, was predicted based on student gender or reason for referral. Implications are discussed.

Keywords: Response to Intervention, Problem-Solving Model, Instructional Support Team.

L

egislative changes contained in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEIA 2004) reflect a transformation in perspective regarding identification of and services provided to children deemed “at risk” or with specific learning disabilities. At the core of these changes is the notion that outcome evaluation of evidence-based, multi-tiered interventions should comprise part of the overall assessment process. While these changes, referred to as Response to Intervention (RtI), have come to schools through federal legislation, it has been left to educators and researchers to interpret and investigate the best means of operationalizing this intent to ensure that student difficulties do not stem from instructional deficiencies. The purpose of this study was to contribute to the evidence on the long-term effectiveness of... [continues]

Read full essay