Project 2

School-Based Classification and Prevention of Reading Disabilities

Two multi-year studies will be carried out in this project. The focus of the first study is prediction and prevention of reading disability. To what extent can a kindergarten assessment be used to identify individuals at risk for developing reading disability? What is the optimal combination of predictors for doing so? This specific aim will be addressed by means of a longitudinal study of two cohorts of kindergarten children, totaling 720 in al, who will administered measures of emergent literacy and whose growth in reading and reading-related skills will be measured. To examine the role of effectiveness of early reading instruction in preventing the occurrence of reading disability or at least minimizing the severity with which it is expressed, a program for providing tier 1 support for teachers will be provided to half of the participating classrooms. The psychometric characteristics of measures of growth will be examined, and compared to the psychometric characteristics of measures of status. The relation between reliability and number of measurement points for measures will be examined. Whether measures of growth make contributions to prediction of reading that are independent of measures of status will be assessed by using both kinds of measures in a predictive validity study.

In the second study, the fundamental assumption of response to intervention (RTI) models that observing response to effective instruction is required for accurate identification will be tested by two manipulations in an RTI model. In the first manipulation, a traditional RTI model will be compared to two versions of a proactive model in which assignment to levels of intervention is done immediately on the basis of an initial assessment instead of waiting to observe inadequate response to instruction. In the second manipulation, provision of additional support will be based on either achievement level alone, or on a combination of achievement level and rate of growth, to determine whether measures of growth provide useful information that is not provided by measures of achievement level. Finally, to the extent that observing response to effective instruction is required for accurate identification of individuals who need intervention, the outcome of an RTI model (i.e., who ultimately is provided tier one, two, or three levels of support) should not be predictable on the basis of a screening battery administered prior to beginning the RTI study. This prediction will be tested by attempting to predict the outcome of RTI study two from scores on a screening battery.

Project 2

School-Based Classification and Prevention of Reading Disabilities

Dr. Stephanie Al Otaiba

Dr. Carol MacDonald Connor




	Home Our Research Publications Resources Reading Registry FCRR Sharepoint Contact Us A Florida State University Center			Project 2 School-Based Classification and Prevention of Reading Disabilities Dr. Stephanie Al Otaiba Dr. Carol MacDonald Connor Two multi-year studies will be carried out in this project. The focus of the first study is prediction and prevention of reading disability. To what extent can a kindergarten assessment be used to identify individuals at risk for developing reading disability? What is the optimal combination of predictors for doing so? This specific aim will be addressed by means of a longitudinal study of two cohorts of kindergarten children, totaling 720 in al, who will administered measures of emergent literacy and whose growth in reading and reading-related skills will be measured. To examine the role of effectiveness of early reading instruction in preventing the occurrence of reading disability or at least minimizing the severity with which it is expressed, a program for providing tier 1 support for teachers will be provided to half of the participating classrooms. The psychometric characteristics of measures of growth will be examined, and compared to the psychometric characteristics of measures of status. The relation between reliability and number of measurement points for measures will be examined. Whether measures of growth make contributions to prediction of reading that are independent of measures of status will be assessed by using both kinds of measures in a predictive validity study. In the second study, the fundamental assumption of response to intervention (RTI) models that observing response to effective instruction is required for accurate identification will be tested by two manipulations in an RTI model. In the first manipulation, a traditional RTI model will be compared to two versions of a proactive model in which assignment to levels of intervention is done immediately on the basis of an initial assessment instead of waiting to observe inadequate response to instruction. In the second manipulation, provision of additional support will be based on either achievement level alone, or on a combination of achievement level and rate of growth, to determine whether measures of growth provide useful information that is not provided by measures of achievement level. Finally, to the extent that observing response to effective instruction is required for accurate identification of individuals who need intervention, the outcome of an RTI model (i.e., who ultimately is provided tier one, two, or three levels of support) should not be predictable on the basis of a screening battery administered prior to beginning the RTI study. This prediction will be tested by attempting to predict the outcome of RTI study two from scores on a screening battery.