Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)

(Lvl 3) (Cahill et al., 2014)

• AOTA’s sampling for within the early intervention and school based special interest section to determine OTs involvement in MTSS

• Questions were designed to examine practitioners’ involvement in MTSS and their attitudes towards it

• Many respondents (52.5%) reported they would like to become more involved in MTSS initiatives, but almost half (46.7%) felt their OT expertise was not sufficiently used in MTSS

• Lack of resources (e.g., time, finances, personnel) was identified as the biggest barrier to involvement in MTSS

• The results suggest that moving from a caseload model to a workload model may support increased participation by practitioners in MTSS initiatives

(Lvl 2) (Bazyk et al., 2009)

• The study investigated the effects of fully integrated occupational therapy services on fine motor and emergent literacy outcomes in kindergarteners with and without disabilities

• The study used a one-group pretest-posttest descriptive design with  37 kindergarten-age children

• Children without disabilities made statistically significant gains in all areas of fine motor and emergent literacy.

• Children with disabilities showed significant improvements in two of the fine motor assessments and three of the emergent literacy assessments.

(Lvl 5) (Smith & O’Brien, 2020)

• Describes the process for providing occupational therapy services in special education, including referral, evaluation, and intervention

• Provides several program examples to illustrate how occupational therapists can contribute to all tiers of MTSS

• Schools can use up to 15% of their special education funds for Early Intervening Services (EIS) for students in general education who need additional academic and behavioral support but are not eligible for special education

• Occupational therapists may need to transition from a caseload model to a workload model to effectively participate in MTSS

(Lvl 3) (Hintz & Fletcher, 2022)

• The study used a qualitative phenomenological approach to describe the lived experiences of teachers working with occupational therapists in an MTSS framework

• The study included 13 teachers from four different regions of the United States who had experience working with occupational therapists in an MTSS framework

• The study emphasized the value of collaboration between teachers and occupational therapists within the MTSS framework.

• Barriers identified included a lack of documentation and a lack of understanding among teachers regarding the scope and role of occupational therapists

• The study found a lack of documentation of services, suggesting a need for improved documentation practices by occupational therapists

A rubric is an assessment tool outlining criteria and performance levels of clients. It is used by OT's to track progress and assess performance. 

Data Collection 

(Lvl 5) (Bazyk, S. et al. n.d.)

• RTI implementation rubrics can be used to gather data for an entire classroom, school, and district

• OTs can use a multi-tiered approach within school systems to give each student individualized services meeting their specific needs.

• Each rubric is broken up into 4 growth stages; emerging, developing, operationalizing, and optimizing.

Variations

(Lvl 5) (RTI implementation rubric: School-level., n.d.). 

• Rubrics can cover any components needed for classroom and curriculum success, the 6 main components are as follows; problem-solving, curriculum and instruction, assessment, leadership, family and community partnering and positive school climate.

• Part of the rubric is a worksheet to grade how the process went and can be used as a resource for OTs during RTI leadership team and IEP meetings at the school. 

• Types of rubrics can vary, some commonly used rubrics include; handwriting, pencil grasps, fine motor coordination, visual perceptual skills, gross motor skills, levels of arousal, neuromuscular statuses, ADLs, sensory integration skills, and behavioral.

Implementation

(Lvl 5) (U.S. Office of Special Education Programs, 2019). 

• Rubrics integrated into the classroom can be used to support/define the following; classroom performance, performance expectations, and measure progress on goals. 

• Rubrics are easy to adapt and integrate into any classroom setting. 

• They can be used to measure any or all students' performance on classroom tasks.

Push in Activity and Rubric 

Example Writing Activity and Rubric

Example Rubric