News from Washington

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News from Washington

• Kristen D. Lauer, Ph.D.
• Research to Practice Division
• Office of Special Education Programs

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The Question
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OSEP LD Initiative

• Workgroup
• Commissioned papers
• LD Summit
• Researcher Roundtable
• Finding Common Ground Roundtable
• Funding the National Research Center on Learning
  Disabilities (NRCLD)
• Work with RRCs

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Commissioned Papers

• Learning Disabilities Historical
  Perspectives Hallahan Mercer
• Classification of Learning Disabilities An
  Evidence-Based Approach
• Fletcher et. al.
• Empirical and Theoretical Support for Direct
  Diagnosis of Learning Disabilities by Assessment
  of Intrinsic Processing Weaknesses
• Torgesen
• Learning Disabilities as Operationally Defined by
  Schools Siperstein
  McMillan
• Early Identification and Intervention for Young
  Children with Reading/Learning Disabilities Jenki
  ns O'Connor

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Commissioned Papers

• Is Learning Disabilities Just a Fancy Term for
  Low Achievement A Meta-analysis of Reading
  Differences Between Low Achievers With and
  Without the Label Fuchs et. al.
• Responsiveness to Intervention An Alternative
  Approach to the Identification of Learning
  Disabilities Gresham
• Discrepancy Models in the Identification of
  LD Kavale
• Judgments in Identifying and Teaching Children
  with Language-Based Reading Difficulties Wise
  Snyder

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Researcher Roundtable

• Concept of Learning Disabilities
• Based on converging evidence
• Disorders of learning and cognition
• Intrinsic to the individual
• Affect a narrow range of outcomes
• May occur in combination with other disabling
  conditions

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Researcher Roundtable

• IQ/Achievement Discrepancy
• Majority
• IQ/Achievement Discrepancy is neither necessary
  nor sufficient.
• IQ tests do not need to be given in most
  evaluations.
• Performance outside the ranges associated with
  mental retardation.
• Minority
• Aptitude/achievement discrepancy is appropriate
  but not sufficient to document underachievement.

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Researcher Roundtable

• Response to Intervention
• RtI is the most promising method of alternate
  identification.
• Scale up should be based on problem-solving
  models that use progress monitoring.
• Problem-solving models have been shown to be
  effective.

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Finding Common Ground Groups

• AHEAD
• ASHA
• DLD
• CLD
• LDA

• IDA
• IRA
• NASP
• NCLD

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Finding Common Ground Work
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Finding Common Ground Work

• Initial planning and response to white papers
• Two-day Roundtable meeting
• Developed draft consensus statements

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Finding Common Ground Work

• Nature of Specific Learning Disabilities
• Are valid and has converging evidence
• Are neurologically based and intrinsic to the
  individual
• Involve intra-individual differences in skills
  and abilities
• Persist across the life span
• Vary in manifestations and intensity

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Finding Common Ground Work

• Nature of Specific Learning Disabilities
• Can be in combination with other disabling
  conditions
• Are not due to other conditions
• Are evident across ethnic, cultural, language,
  and economic groups

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Finding Common Ground Work

• Identification
• Should include evaluation and problem-solving
  approach (based on a multi-tier model).
• General education must assume active
  responsibility.

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Finding Common Ground Work

• Eligibility
• The achievement-discrepancy formula should not be
  used.
• Eligibility evaluation should use multiple
  methods and sources of information.
• Decisions should be made through
  interdisciplinary team.
• Student may need different levels of service at
  different times.

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Finding Common Ground Work

• Interventions should be
• Scientifically-based or promising practices
• Intensive, iterative (recursive), explicit
• Monitored on an ongoing basis
• A continuum of intervention options
• Timely and matched
• Implemented consistently, with fidelity to its
  design, and at a sufficient level of intensity
  and duration
• Part of a coordinated general and special
  education system

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Finding Common Ground Work

• Professional Development should
• Increase staff and school capacity to implement
  effective interventions
• Ensure on-going professional learning and
  development
• Be structured to fit the way adults acquire
  knowledge, skills, and attitudes
• Be a system of pre-service and in-service
• Align agencies and structures that shape
  professional development

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National Research Center on Learning Disabilities
(NRCLD)

• Vanderbilt University and the University of
  Kansas
• Will
• Continue work begun under the LD Initiative
• Conduct research needed to improve results for
  children with learning disabilities
• Provide TA to states on LD issues

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Work with Regional Resource Centers (RRCs)

• Identify and recruit schools using RtI
• Document student outcomes and academic progress
• Compare outcomes
• Draw conclusions about effectiveness of RtI

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What is Meant by an RtI Model?

• Individual, comprehensive student-centered
  assessment model
• Sometimes referred to as a problem-solving model
• Focuses on applying a problem-solving framework

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The Core Concepts of an RtI Model

• High quality, research-based general education
  instruction
• An active role for general education instructors
  and staff
• Universal screening of academics and behavior
• Continuous progress monitoring and use of data
• Implementation and modification of interventions

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Looking AheadOther OSEP Investments

• Centers for Implementing K-3 Behavior and Reading
  Intervention
• Coordination Center for Implementing K-3 Behavior
  and Reading Intervention Models
• Research Institute on Progress Monitoring
• Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center on
  Progress Monitoring

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Resources

• www.NRCLD.org
• www.air.org/ldsummit/
• www.ld.org/advocacy/CommonGround.doc
• www.erlbaum.com
• IDENTIFICATION OF LEARNING DISABILITIES Research
  to PracticeAuthor Renee Bradley (ed.), Louis
  Danielson (ed.), and Daniel P. Hallahan
  (ed.)ISBN 0-8058-4448-1 Year
  2002Price 49.95

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Contact Information

• Ingrid Oxaal
• Ingrid.Oxaal_at_ed.gov
• (202) 205 - 2152
• Kristen Lauer
• Kristen.Lauer_at_ed.gov
• (202) 205 - 9569

• Renee Bradley
• Renee.Bradley_at_ed.gov
• (202) 358 - 2849

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Thank you!