Individualizing instruction is a time-consuming aspect of classroom practice. Testing multiple interventions, and monitoring each to see which is most effective for a student can be prohibitively time consuming. However, Brief Experimental Analysis (BEA) is an assessment procedure that can be used to quickly identify an intervention that is likely…

Data-based individualization (DBI) is a framework that allows educators to make timely and informed decisions about student progress in academics or behavior. In this article, we focus on the DBI framework as applied to math intervention within a tiered support model for students experiencing math difficulty. We review how DBI starts with an…

The process of analyzing student data to determine an appropriate instructional decision is crucial for student academic growth. This article details how teachers can make data-driven decisions to carefully design writing instruction. Steps are presented for teachers to follow throughout the data driven decision-making process in order to meet…

To best support students with low vision in the general education classroom, special education teachers can facilitate use of several adaptations including: (a) attention to curriculum access (e.g. text magnifiers), (b) mechanisms for promoting social connectedness, (c) managing physical space, and (d) effective instructional techniques. This…

Students with disabilities represent an increasing percentage of students in general education classrooms. Yet, in early elementary grades, they may not see themselves represented in picture books. Teachers face many challenges in this issue, including choosing and evaluating books. In this article, we provide six questions to guide teachers'…

The IDEA requires schools to evaluate and provide services to students who have a mental health issue that is deemed an educational disability or a mental health issue that is comorbid with an educational disability. Etscheidt and colleagues (this issue) propose a six component approach to securing school-based mental health services for students…

The purpose of this article is to assist general and special educators in identifying and implementing effective academic programming in the general education environment for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Throughout this article, the authors attempt to demonstrate how students with ASD can successfully receive instruction in a…

Proficiency in mathematics involves the seamless synchronization of conceptual understanding, procedural knowledge, computational fluency, and problem solving (NMAP, 2008). Clearly, fluency with mathematics facts is one element embedded within mathematical proficiency and important for students with disabilities to develop. As more and more…

Although the instructional strategy described in this article can be used to support all learners, the purpose of this article is to address the needs of students with learning disabilities, who are often several grade levels behind in reading comprehension. Specifically, this article explores how an explicitly taught instructional practice that…

Reading proficiency is fundamental to school success. However, up to 50% of students with reading disabilities are not making adequate progress. Students who demonstrate persistent and severe reading difficulties require increasingly intensive instruction individualized to meet their instructional needs Individualizing instruction with…

This article describes data-based individualization (DBI) as a continuous process connecting assessment and intervention in mathematics for students with disabilities. DBI provides teachers with an evidence-based method for individualizing interventions for students who do not demonstrate adequate response. Assessment data gathered through the use…

In this article, the authors present two models of intensive instruction for students with and without disabilities who are having difficulties with Response to Intervention (RTI) currently in practice (Tier 1: general instruction that all students receive in mainstream classrooms, and Tier 2: programs often involving small group instruction). The…

As many states have adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), teachers can look to these standards as a framework for supporting students with gifts and talents. Differentiation of curriculum and instruction to address the CCSS will be necessary to meet the unique learning needs of learners with high ability and those with gifts and talents.…

Students with persistent and severe reading difficulties pose a significant challenge for educators. The primary purpose of this article is to provide a detailed demonstration of data-based individualization (DBI) implementation in the area of reading. Also provided are various resources a teacher may access to learn more about the instructional…

This article describes the Taxonomy of Intervention Intensity, which articulates seven principles for evaluating and building intervention intensity based upon research. The Taxonomy's seven dimensions of intensity are strength, dosage, alignment, attention to transfer, comprehensiveness, behavioral support, and individualization (see Table 1). In…