Definition:

• Interventions are targeted strategies or programs implemented to address specific learning or behavioral needs of students, with the goal of improving their academic or social-emotional outcomes (Hawthorne,2023).

Applicable Students:

• All students can benefit from interventions. Tiered systems of support, such as Response to Intervention (RTI), use a multi-tiered approach to provide increasingly intensive interventions to students who need them.

Examples:

• Small-group instruction for reading fluency.

• Behavioral contracts to improve on-task behavior.

• Providing explicit instruction in study skills.

Resource:

• "Effective Interventions in Education: Types and Examples" High Speed Training

• Summary: Explains different type of interventions, how to implement them, and support for planning effective interventions.

• Link: Interventions in Education | Importance, Types & Strategies

HLP/EBP:

• HLP11-Identify and prioritize long- and short-term learning goals.

• Summary: Provides meaning access to learning and success in general education (McLeskey et al., 2017).

• Response to intervention (RTI)

• Summary: Assistance for academic and behaviorally struggling students by providing supports to help them succeed (Hanson, n.d.).

• Link: Best Practices in Special Ed: Evidence-Based Strategies

  Link: #17129 CEC High-Leverage Practices

Definition:

• Differentiation adjusts instruction to meet the diverse learning needs of a group of students in the classroom. Whereas individualized instruction is targeting the needs of one student. This can involve varying the content, process, or product of learning (Osewalt, n.d.).

Applicable Students:

• All students can benefit from differentiated instruction. Groups are formed to meet the needs of those students.

  
  

Examples:

Providing different reading levels, offering multiple texts on the same topic, using graphic organizers.

Using tiered assignments.

Allowing students to demonstrate their learning in different ways (e.g., presentations, essays, projects).

Resource:

• "Differentiation strategies: a teacher's guide"

• Summary: Explains differentiation in the classroom and provides ideas, examples, and tips on the best ways differentiate in the classroom.

• Link: https://www.structural-learning.com/post/differentiation-strategies-a-teachers-guide

HLP/EBP:

• HLP17-Use flexible grouping.

• Summary: Creating groups based on learning goals and levels to accommodate learning differences.

• Link: #17129 CEC High-Leverage Practices

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Definition:

• Accommodations change the learning environment or delivery of instruction that do not alter the curriculum or significantly reduce learning expectations. They help students with disabilities access the general education curriculum (Inclusive Schools Network, 2022).

Applicable Students:

• Accommodations can be made for any student including students with disabilities who have been identified through the special education process and have accommodations listed in their Individualized Education Program (IEP).

Examples:

• Extended time for assignments and tests.

• Breaks

• Visual aids

Resource:

• "Accommodations in the Classroom: A Guide to Making Them Real"

• Summary: This resource provides practical guidance on implementing effective accommodations in the classroom.

• Link: https://inclusiveschools.org/resource/accommodations-in-the-classroom-a-guide-to-making-them-real/

  
  

HLP/EBP:

HLP19- Use assistive and instructional technologies.

• Summary: Any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve ¹ the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. ²  

• Link: #17129 CEC High-Leverage Practices

Definition:

• Adaptations are changes made to the methods, materials or learning environment to accommodation the learning needs of a student. Adaptions differentiate instruction with careful consideration of how the curriculum and the student's individual learning needs intersect (Mastropieri et al., 2024).

Applicable Students:

• Students with significant cognitive disabilities, such as students with intellectual disability, who require modification or substantial support to access the general education curriculum.

• Students that need accommodations that do not modify the general education curriculum.

Examples:

• Reading and writing assistance

• Sign language instruction

• Activity orientated instruction

Resource:

• "Adapting Curriculum for Students with Special Needs"

• Summary: This resource provides strategies for adapting curriculum to meet the needs of students with significant disabilities.

• Link: https://www.naset.org/publications/naset-survival-guides/adapting-curriculum-for-students-with-special-needs

HLP/EBP:

• HLP13-Adapt curriculum tasks and materials for specific learning goals.

• Summary: Teachers customize instruction by assessing student needs and modifying materials and tasks. This includes selecting appropriate resources, using technology, and adapting assignments. They focus on essential content, meaningful activities, and clear success criteria.

• Link: #17129 CEC High-Leverage Practices

Definition:

• Changes to what a student is expected to learn, which differs from the general education curriculum.

Applicable Students:

• Students with significant cognitive or physical disabilities who require substantial changes to the curriculum.

• Examples:

• Completing alternative assignments.

• Grading based on modified standards.

• Altered assignments with lower reading levels and simplified vocabulary.

• Resource:

• "Modifications for Students with Disabilities A Resource Document"

• Summary: Explains when modifications are to be used and highlights some examples of ways to use them.

• Link: https://peatc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Modifications-for-Students-with-IEPs-Resource-Document.pdf

HLP/EBP:

• HLP13-Adapt curriculum tasks and materials for specific learning goals.

• Summary: By evaluating individual student needs, teachers adjust curriculum and tasks to facilitate learning. They do this through resource selection, technology integration, and assignment modifications (e.g., highlighting, simplifying, reducing). Teachers carefully plan content, task relevance, and success measures.

• Link: https://highleveragepractices.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/Instructionfinal.pdf?_gl=1*fgr37z*_ga*MTcwODY0NjU5OS4xNjc4ODkyNjE0*_ga_L4ZFTNESGT*MTY4OTM1MzEzMy41NS4xLjE2ODkzNTM0ODMuNjAuMC4w

Definition:

• SDI is the process of adjusting instruction to meet a student's unique disability-related needs, allowing them to access the general curriculum and achieve the same educational standards (Mastropieri et al., 2024).

Applicable Students:

• Students with disabilities who have IEPs.

Examples:

• Direct, explicit instruction.

• Multi-sensory teaching methods.

• Individualized learning plans.

Resource:

• "Understanding SDI in Special Education: A Comprehensive Guide"

• Summary: Explains SDI, its role in special education, and provides way to differentiate instruction.

• Link: https://special-education-journey.com/understanding-sdi-in-special-education-a-comprehensive-guide/

HLP/EBP:

• HLP14- Teach cognitive and metacognitive strategies to support learning and independence.

• Summary: By explicitly teaching cognitive and metacognitive strategies, teachers empower students to take control of their learning. This includes developing skills in memory, attention, problem-solving, organization, and self-reflection. These strategies are taught within regular lessons, enabling students to monitor their progress toward goals and make adjustments to improve their learning outcomes.

• Link: https://highleveragepractices.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/Instructionfinal.pdf?_gl=1*fgr37z*_ga*MTcwODY0NjU5OS4xNjc4ODkyNjE0*_ga_L4ZFTNESGT*MTY4OTM1MzEzMy41NS4xLjE2ODkzNTM0ODMuNjAuMC4w