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Module: RTI (Part 1): An Overview
Wrap Up

rti model Response to Intervention, or RTI, has the potential to improve the education of struggling readers. When used to provide early intervening services, RTI:
  • Ensures that all students receive high-quality instruction in the general education classroom
  • Promotes immediate intervention as soon as students' reading problems are revealed
  • Curtails the development of substantial reading difficulties
  • Reduces inappropriate referrals for and placements in special education

When used as an alternative to the IQ-achievement discrepancy model for identifying students with learning disabilities, RTI:

  • Ensures that struggling readers have received high-quality instruction before referrals to special education are made
  • Uses classroom data, rather than subjective observations, to make decisions about whether students should be referred for an evaluation for special education services
  • Delivers services as soon as students begin to struggle

Click on the movie below to hear Doug Fuchs review the basic process used to implement an RTI approach.

(Time: 2:07)


View Transcript

Think back to your initial responses to the following questions. After working through the resources in this module, do you still agree with your Initial Thoughts? If not, what aspects of your answers would you change?

  1. What procedures do you think Rosa Parks Elementary is using to provide services to struggling students? Why are school personnel dissatisfied with this process?

  2. What approaches are available to schools to help struggling readers and to efficiently identify students who need special education services?

  3. What other information might a school find helpful when choosing which approach to adopt?

  4. What steps might the S-Team propose to help its struggling readers?

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