DCAP:

Instructional Support Intervention Process

• mastery of basic academic and social skills

• functioning in small group/whole class activities

• peer relations and teacher/adult relations

• strengths/weaknesses

• MCAS analysis

• Benchmark assessment analysis

• Systematic observation of student

• Student work products

• Teacher reports

• Anecdotal records

• Curriculum-based assessment

• Interview with the student and family

• Review of the school history/record

• Family interview

• proficiency in oral/written tasks in English and the primary language of the home

• understands directions in English

• primary language of casual conversation

• experience with different types of learning tasks

• child and parent attitude toward primary language

• student comfort with school culture

• ACCESS for ELs assessments

• Language assessment by assessor fluent in student’s primary language

• English proficiency assessment

• Family interview/home visit

• Interview with student

• Student work products

• Classroom observation

• Teacher reports

• Diagnostic teaching

• family trauma/crisis

• physical care

• involvement of outside agencies

• employment

• Family interview/home visit

• Interview with student

• Interview with others with assessment information

• clear teacher expectations

• opportunities for multisensory input/output

• a range of instructional materials offered

• effective behavior management

• strength-based instructional approach

• prompt teacher feedback

• ongoing assessment

• uses assessment to guide instruction

• Systematic observation of settings in which the student has difficulty and success

• Student work products

• Anecdotal records

• Teacher reports

• Curriculum-based assessment

• Formal/informal test results

• Consultation with parents on effective ways to learn or demonstrate learning

  • Data Gathering in General Education

  • Critical to the process of offering effective instructional support is the gathering of information about the learning environment, instructional practices, and the individual student. Data collection prior to making adaptations to the general education program might include analysis of performance on local benchmarking assessments, classroom curriculum tasks and materials, examples of oral and written directions for tasks, observation of classroom activities, performance on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) and consultation with teachers and other professionals. Data about the student prior to making adaptations include information about the student’s cultural and linguistic background, areas of competence, areas of need, student records, examples of classroom work, and ongoing communication with student and family members.

The Instructional Support Intervention Process

  • A strong instructional support intervention system enables school practitioners to identify which aspects of the student’s educational environment must be changed to ensure learning in general education. Table 1 provides an outline of the support process in the general education classroom. Table 2 provides an outline of the Student Study & Support Team process, again as utilized in the general education setting. Lastly,

  • Table 3 provides a list of possible assessment directions to assist in determining appropriate instructional support services. The instructional support system should consist of ongoing systemic efforts to accommodate all students’ learning needs within the general education classroom


Involvement of Parents in the Process

  • Instructional support is most effective when parents are involved. Parental input is valuable when gathering information about the student. Parental support and reinforcement of instructional strategies in the home environment increases the effectiveness of any instructional support.


Professional Development for Staff

  • Changes in the certification and recertification requirements and in the requirements for the district professional development plan require that all educators, both special educators, and general educators and paraprofessionals, receive training to build capacity for a more responsive general education program. The required training emphasizes analyzing and accommodating the diverse learning needs of all students and methods of collaboration among teachers, paraprofessionals, and other staff to enhance the ability to be responsive to all students in the general education classroom.


District Accommodation Plan

  • The changes in the Massachusetts Special Education Laws require school districts to implement Curriculum Accommodation Plans (CAPs) to help ensure all efforts have been made to meet students’ needs in general education.

The plan should encompass efforts as follows:

  • Analysis of diverse learning styles within the general classroom

  • Accommodations to meet the needs of the diverse learning styles within a general education class

  • Provision of appropriate services and supports within the general education classroom

  • Services to address the needs of children whose behavior may interfere with learning

  • Encouragement of parental involvement in their child’s education

  • Encouragement of teacher mentoring and collaboration

  • Assistance to general education staff through professional development and collaboration.

TABLE 1: Instructional Support Flow Chart

TABLE 2: Student Support Team Process

TABLE 3: Questions That May Help Guide the Assessment of Student Instructional Needs

This District Curriculum Accommodation Plan (DCAP) details procedures, interventions, and supports available and implemented within the individual schools of the district. The DCAP is directly connected to procedures created to strengthen and improve the general education program for the benefit of all students.


The DCAP is intended to address various strategies at each level including:

• Accommodations to address various students’ learning needs, including students who are identified as at-risk, Title 1, special education, gifted and talented, English Language Learners, and those requiring social, emotional, and behavioral supports.

• Support services that are available to students through the general education programs, including interventions to address the needs of students whose behavior or emotional well-being may interfere with learning.

• Direct and systematic instruction for struggling students across content areas


What is in Quabbin Regional School’s DCAP?

Quabbin’s DCAP is a comprehensive plan that includes the following components:

• Staff are able to provide individual accommodations to students on an as-needed basis and specific to the content of a situation. This document includes curriculum accommodation for elementary, middle, and high school. The DCAP includes suggestions for accommodating concerns regarding academic progress as well as strategies and interventions designed to resolve social and behavioral issues. While it lists best practices, sample strategies, and other actions teachers and collaborating staff may select for individual students, however, the DCAP is not meant to be a definitive list of possible accommodations.

• Building-based intervention teams meet consistently to review student data, and determine the appropriate interventions and accommodations to meet the students’. The Team may include various school specialists who can provide important information and expertise to the general education teachers. Families are often an important part of the process as well. Establishing home/school connections is a strategy that is often implemented as a result of a referral to the team.

• Our schools employ the services of many specialists for the purpose of assisting students who need extra support. Careful assessment and intervention takes place, and collaboration with the general education teacher is an important component of the success of the plan. For example, intervention specialists may work with selected students but also model effective lessons for teachers to use with their entire class.

• Ongoing academic support is available at the building level. The goal of these supports is to increase the skills and confidence of our students so they can successfully apply their knowledge to the classroom and real-life situations.


Response to Intervention

is a three-tiered system of instruction for all students in which there is a greater level of intervention provided. See the chart below.

Resources, Structures, and Support Services for all Quabbin Students

The accommodations listed below may be implemented for any student, as needed, to support academic achievement. These accommodations are general education interventions available to all students whenever appropriate (this does not imply that all accommodations are appropriate for every student). It should also be considered that the goal is to grow students into resilient and self-sufficient learners; empower not enable. This is not intended to be an inclusive list but only a sampling of interventions that may be discussed at Intervention (elementary level) and SSST meetings and should be considered as integral to effective instruction for all students.

Resources, Structures and Support Services at Quabbin Regional High School

The following resources, structures and support services have been designed to meet the diverse learning needs of students specifically at Quabbin High School. Additionally, the building-based Response to Instruction Support Team provides a systematic and collaborative approach to identifying and addressing individual student needs.

• Support from content area teacher (Flex-Block and other times arranged with teacher)

• Small group instruction

• Computer-assisted instruction

• Variety of options for accomplishing work and assessments

• Different choices for evidencing knowledge

Resources, Structures and Support Services at Quabbin Elementary Schools

The following resources, structures and support services have been designed to meet the diverse learning needs of our elementary school students. Additionally, the building-based SSST structure provides a systematic and collaborative approach to identifying and addressing individual student needs.

• Lunch groups

• Conferencing with families as needed

• Targeted reading and math intervention

Understanding the Response to Intervention Support Team (RIST)

Adapted from MTSS documents


Goals of the Team Process


School intervention teams have many names and advocates such as; School Assistance Team (SAT) (Chalfant & Pysh), Student/Staff Support Team (SST), (Phillips & McCullough), Student Intervention Team (SIT), and Problem-Solving Team or Mainstream Assistance Team (Fuchs & Fuchs). For our purposes at Quabbin, the acronym RIST is used to reference a school-level intervention team, utilizing the Response to Intervention model. The RtI model emphasizes that early intervention for struggling students is a function of the general education program and not of special education. The RIST is a school-based problem-solving team composed primarily of general educators who provide support to teachers to improve the quality of the general education program and reduce the underachievement of students. One might think of the RIST as a “think-tank”, a peer support group, or a forum for structured and routine focus on addressing student needs. The intervention team offers a systematic process to successfully close the gap through which students have traditionally fallen. The team is not a “new” service, but rather a clear mechanism to upgrade the school’s ability to respond effectively to student needs.

The RIST should not be viewed as a gatekeeper to the special education process. The primary function is routine, structured problem-solving in conjunction with teachers requesting assistance, and the resolution of student-centered problems. Teams work effectively with other teachers and staff members, analyze student problems, and design interventions powerful enough to affect the desired change. The functions and services the teams provide vary with the needs of the individual schools.

The Support Team has a vital role in creating a high achieving school as expressed in the following goals:

1) enable teachers to teach students more effectively,

2) enable students to acquire academic and social competencies, achieve standards, become independent learners for life, and

3) create a collaborative culture among all staff.


Overview of the Process

The process begins when a teacher makes a request for assistance. A member of the SSST(guidance) is identified to meet with the teacher to review and clarify the problem and, in some cases, conduct a classroom observation (admin). When a student case is presented at the SSST meeting, the team focuses on brainstorming, evaluating, and selecting high probability interventions and creating an action plan. An implementation period of a sufficient length of time follows with support provided to the teacher to assist with the interventions. The team reconvenes for a follow-up meeting to review the outcomes and determine the next steps. The problem-solving process continues until the intervention(s) is successful or until a determination is made that a more in-depth evaluation is required.


The Continuum of Intervention Services

School teams often become caught up in their distinct functions and have difficulty seeing how they can work in synchronization with other teams or services. The SST is viewed within the context of a continuum of intervention services. These services extend across programs that begin with the individual classroom teacher, progress through several sources of assistance within the general education program. On one end of the continuum, when it becomes apparent that a student is not responding to standard teaching or behavior management techniques, the classroom teacher identifies and implements different strategies independently or with the assistance of colleagues and/or parents. If outcomes are still unsatisfactory, then a request for assistance from the SST is an appropriate next step. The team works closely with the teacher to develop and implement strategically selected interventions, meets as needed, and draws upon school, district, or community expertise as beneficial to effect change. If the student is not making the desired changes, it may be necessary to make a referral to other specialists. As services move along the continuum in search of problem resolution, the process grows in the intensity, duration, and frequency of interventions along with an increased emphasis on monitoring student progress.


Intervention Continuum Individual Teacher Intervention

Teacher implements different approaches or strategies independently or in collaboration with colleagues and/or parents. Increased Resources for Interventions- The teacher requests assistance from the SST. The team engages in problem-solving to assist the teacher in developing and implementing strategic interventions. The team may draw upon school, district, and community expertise if needed. The team may ask for assistance from specialists in areas such as reading instruction, ESL, and SPED. While underscoring the general education ownership of this team, it is equally important to emphasize that the SST cannot be a substitute for special education services. When a student is not benefiting from interventions and the SST Team or an individual suspects the presence of a disability, the team can fill out a referral to Special Education.

DCAP Checklist PK-6

Assessment

  • Allow extra time if needed

  • Provide alternate forms of assessment (ex. oral project-based, performance-based)

  • Provide reference tools

  • Teach test-taking strategies and study skills

  • Use alternate settings for assessments


Assistive Technology

  • Allow access to computer labs

  • Allow access to low assistive technology tools (ex. line markers, highlighter, whisper phones, alternate lined paper, slant boards, alternate pencil grips)

  • Incorporate appropriate software

  • Offer research assistance

  • Provide calculators

  • Tape-record lessons

  • Use of AlphaSmart/word processing software, computational aides

  • Use of books on tape

  • Utilize listening centers


Behavioral/Social-Emotional

  • Access to the guidance counselor

  • Access to Board Certified Behavior Analyst

  • Access to social skills groups (ex. lunch bunch groups, friendship groups, etc.)

  • Allow opportunity for an emotional break (ex. “break chair”)

  • Create clear, consistent limits for behavioral expectations

  • Provide whole class and individual behavioral plans (ex. positive reinforcement, rewards, and incentives, contracts, etc.)

  • Teach self-monitoring techniques

  • Use of transitional cues


Health/Medical:

(Used in the event of temporary health or medical issues and/or when a 504 is not necessary)

  • Access to nurse’s office and bathroom

  • Clearance to leave class 2-3 minutes early

  • Extra chair/pillow to elevate extremities

  • Permission to carry a water bottle

  • Preferred seating

  • Providing 2nd set of books

  • Storing and allowing snacks

  • Student Escort

  • Use of Elevator

  • Wearing a hat or scarf

Instructional

  • Allow buddy checks

  • Change of worksheet format

  • Highlight visually and orally critical material

  • Identify students’ learning styles

  • Provide choice of activities based on learning styles

  • Provide copies of notes

  • Provide copies of partial notes with fill-ins

  • Provide effective study guides

  • Provide mnemonic devices

  • Provide opportunities to dictate to teacher or recorder/scribe

  • Provide reference guides (ex. word walls, charts, etc.)

  • Provide wait time

  • Share and review exemplars/rubrics

  • Use of graphic organizers and templates


Organizational

  • Allow additional time for organization/packing

  • Allow opportunity for various organizational structures (ex. magazine bin, folders for each subject, binder)

  • Break tasks into smaller chunks

  • Provide homework/assignment agenda book and/or logs

  • Provide organizational strategies (ex. timers, verbal, and/or visual cues, transition cues)

  • Provide visual schedules

  • Use of checklists/cues

  • Use of daily agendas on board


Physical/Structural

  • Allow for sensory/movement breaks

  • Allow for various learning positions (ex. standing to do work instead of sitting, focus ball seat, wiggle cushion, etc.)

  • Define work and play areas in the classroom (ex. Study carrels, rest areas, etc.)

  • Provide strategic seating

  • Provide stress-release activities

  • Reduce/minimize distractions

  • Use of physical/auditory aids

  • Use study corral

  • Use of various pencil grips and writing utensils

DCAP Checklist 7-8

Assessment

  • Allow limited oral testing

  • Extended time

  • Provide alternate forms of assessments, e.g., oral, project-based, performance-based

  • Provide varied assignments

  • Teach test-taking strategies

  • Use of alternate settings for assessments


Behavioral/Social/Emotional

  • Cue student for change of behavior

  • Develop strategies for behavior modification, e.g., charts, contracts, checklists, behavior plans incentives, rewards

  • Establish clear routines/expectations

  • Use transition cues prior to any changes in established routines

  • Use diverse classroom management strategies

  • Provide breaks as needed

  • Set clearly defined standards

  • Access to professional personnel, i.e., counselor, nurse, etc. (see attached list of resources)


Health/Medical:

(Used in the event of temporary health or medical issues and/or when a 504 is not necessary)

  • Access to nurse’s office and bathroom

  • Clearance to leave class 2-3 minutes early

  • Extra chair/pillow to elevate extremities

  • Permission to carry a water bottle

  • Preferred seating

  • Providing 2nd set of books

  • Storing and allowing snacks

  • Student Escort

  • Use of Elevator

  • Wearing a hat or scarf



Instructional/Assistive Technology

  • Accept computer-processed or typed assignments

  • Assistive technology e.g., word processor, AlphaSmarts, software

  • Books on tape

  • Emphasize points within written text/material

  • Include study skill strategies

  • Incorporate reading strategies

  • Models or examples of end products

  • Offer before or after school support

  • Offer calculators when appropriate

  • Offer the use of graphic organizers

  • Provide assistance & direction with work

  • Provide a copy of class notes

  • Provide a copy of the projected material

  • Provide enlarged copies of handouts

  • Provide manipulatives

  • Provide study guides

  • Provide visual and transition cues

  • Provide wait time

  • Vary teaching strategies


Organizational

  • Design long term assignment timelines

  • Establish clear routines

  • Use cognitive context strategies: essential questions & mastery objectives, activators & summarizers

  • Use time management tools, e.g., daily planner, assignment sheet, calendar, timers, and agendas


Physical/Structural

  • Allow alternate workspaces, such as study carrel or dividers

  • Allow for movement & sensory breaks

  • Experiment with the use of space

  • Limit distractions (auditory & visual)

  • Offer flexible student groupings

  • Provide strategic seating

  • Use visual, auditory & transitional aides

  • Use transition cues prior to changes in physical space


Assessment:

  • Allow students to elaborate orally on tests and quizzes

  • Provide an alternate setting when needed

  • Provide extended time

  • Teach test-taking strategies

  • Track progress of student’s goals

  • Use multiple formative assessments that lead toward summative assessments

  • Use a variety of assessments (collaborative, independent, objective, authentic, etc.)


Behavioral/Social/Emotional:

  • Access school specialists (counselor, nurse, admin, social worker; psychologists) when needed

  • Complete weekly progress reports

  • Meet with admin, teacher, guidance to discuss strategies

  • Provide escorts /virtual escorts

  • Schedule daily check-in

  • Set goals

  • Use effective classroom management strategies (verbal and non-verbal cueing), …

  • Use routines – class rules; expectations (to parents and kids) consistency


Communication:

  • Communicate expectations/syllabi to parents and students

  • Complete weekly progress reports

  • Discuss concerns with guidance counselors and administrators

  • Maintain teacher websites with up-to-date information

  • Phone calls to parents

  • Schedule a daily check-in


Health/Medical:

(Used in the event of temporary health or medical issues and/or when a 504 is not necessary)

  • Access to nurse’s office and bathroom

  • Clearance to leave class 2-3 minutes early

  • Extra chair/pillow to elevate extremities

  • Parking close to the building – HS only

  • Permission to carry a water bottle

  • Preferred seating

  • Providing 2nd set of books

  • Storing and allowing snacks

  • Student Escort

  • Use of Elevator

  • Wearing a hat or scarf


Instructional:

  • Build on prior knowledge

  • Checklists for long-term assignments

  • Graphic organizers

  • Notes – PowerPoint, skeleton format, or guided notes

Instructional: (Cont’d)

  • Offer after school support

  • Provide exemplars & rubrics for projects, essays, lab reports, etc.

  • Provide manipulatives

  • Provide rubrics for assignments

  • Provide study guides

  • Teach study skill strategies

  • Teacher Web sites list homework and long-term assignments with due dates, and dates for quizzes, tests, and exams

  • Use of collaborative opportunities (structured group work)

  • Use of a variety of instructional techniques (questioning style, wait time, randomized student selection, advanced notice)

  • Use technology resources (Eno boards, smart boards, and laptop carts)

  • Use the library for research

  • Vary teaching strategies (student-centered v. teacher-centered, inquiry-based, constructivist, and reflective approaches)


Organizational:

  • Clearly post (in student-friendly language) and refer to a detailed agenda, homework assignment, essential questions, and mastery objectives

  • Establish clear classroom routines

  • Maintain up-to-date teacher Web sites

  • Monitor student use of an agenda book

  • Provide teacher notes - how to write notes

  • Use activators, transition activities, and summarizers

  • Use graphic organizers


Physical/Structural:

  • Limit distractions

  • Movement during 87 min class – transitions (2-3/lesson)

  • Offer flexible grouping

  • Organize room – grouping; a variety of settings; tables v. desks

  • Provide strategic seating

  • Use visual, auditory, and transitional aides

  • Visual aides – whiteboards, smart boards


(A meeting with administration and building specialists should occur before many of these resources can be implemented)

  • Alpha smart

  • Books on tape, CD ROM, mp3 format

  • Calculators where appropriate

  • Carbon notebooks

  • CD ROM assistive software

  • Color overlays i.e.: screens

  • Graphic organizers

  • Hearing aid tool (FM trainers)

  • Magnifiers

  • Optilec

  • Scanner

  • Scribes

  • Slantboards

  • Visual aids

  • Whiteboards with contrasting markers

DCAP Checklist 9-12

Assessment:

  • Allow students to elaborate orally on tests and quizzes

  • Provide an alternate setting when needed

  • Provide extended time

  • Teach test-taking strategies

  • Track progress of student’s goals

  • Use multiple formative assessments that lead toward summative assessments

  • Use a variety of assessments (collaborative, independent, objective, authentic, etc.)


Behavioral/Social/Emotional:

  • Access school specialists (counselor, nurse, admin, social worker; psychologists) when needed

  • Complete weekly progress reports

  • Meet with admin, teacher, guidance to discuss strategies

  • Provide escorts /virtual escorts

  • Schedule daily check-in

  • Set goals

  • Use effective classroom management strategies (verbal and non-verbal cueing), …

  • Use routines – class rules; expectations (to parents and kids) consistency


Communication:

  • Communicate expectations/syllabi to parents and students

  • Complete weekly progress reports

  • Discuss concerns with guidance counselors and administrators

  • Maintain teacher websites with up-to-date information

  • Phone calls to parents

  • Schedule a daily check-in


Health/Medical:

(Used in the event of temporary health or medical issues and/or when a 504 is not necessary)

  • Access to nurse’s office and bathroom

  • Clearance to leave class 2-3 minutes early

  • Extra chair/pillow to elevate extremities

  • Parking close to the building – HS only

  • Permission to carry a water bottle

  • Preferred seating

  • Providing 2nd set of books

  • Storing and allowing snacks

  • Student Escort

  • Use of Elevator

  • Wearing a hat or scarf


Instructional:

  • Build on prior knowledge

  • Checklists for long-term assignments

  • Graphic organizers

  • Notes – PowerPoint, skeleton format, or guided notes

Instructional: (Cont’d)

  • Offer after school support

  • Provide exemplars & rubrics for projects, essays, lab reports, etc.

  • Provide manipulatives

  • Provide rubrics for assignments

  • Provide study guides

  • Teach study skill strategies

  • Teacher Web sites list homework and long-term assignments with due dates, and dates for quizzes, tests, and exams

  • Use of collaborative opportunities (structured group work)

  • Use of a variety of instructional techniques (questioning style, wait time, randomized student selection, advanced notice)

  • Use technology resources (Eno boards, smart boards, and laptop carts)

  • Use the library for research

  • Vary teaching strategies (student-centered v. teacher-centered, inquiry-based, constructivist, and reflective approaches)


Organizational:

  • Clearly post (in student-friendly language) and refer to a detailed agenda, homework assignment, essential questions, and mastery objectives

  • Establish clear classroom routines

  • Maintain up-to-date teacher Web sites

  • Monitor student use of an agenda book

  • Provide teacher notes - how to write notes

  • Use activators, transition activities, and summarizers

  • Use graphic organizers


Physical/Structural:

  • Limit distractions

  • Movement during 87 min class – transitions (2-3/lesson)

  • Offer flexible grouping

  • Organize room – grouping; a variety of settings; tables v. desks

  • Provide strategic seating

  • Use visual, auditory, and transitional aides

  • Visual aides – whiteboards, smart boards


(A meeting with administration and building specialists should occur before many of these resources can be implemented)

  • Alpha smart

  • Books on tape, CD ROM, mp3 format

  • Calculators where appropriate

  • Carbon notebooks

  • CD ROM assistive software

  • Color overlays i.e.: screens

  • Graphic organizers

  • Hearing aid tool (FM trainers)

  • Magnifiers

  • Optilec

  • Scanner

  • Scribes

  • Slantboards

  • Visual aids

  • Whiteboards with contrasting markers


Glossary of Terms:


Accommodation: an adjustment to instruction or the environment that allows the student to access the curriculum as delivered in the general education environment. The assumption is that the student can participate in the general education curriculum with these adjustments to allow him or her to access the instruction.

Intervention: a way of providing instruction and support used for any student as part of the general education program. Intervention is available to all students as part of the process of presenting instruction that meets the varying needs of students within the classroom. It is the various instructional approaches used by all educators to support all students in the classroom.

Modification: a modification is a change in the instruction or environment that will allow a student who otherwise could not participate in the classroom to access the curriculum. The assumption is that the student’s educational needs are such that he or she cannot access the curriculum without individualized, substantial changes in the instruction, expectations, or environment.