Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) provide instruction and intervention to all students in schools. However, when many students within a setting demonstrate reading difficulties, there is likely a tier 1 problem which makes it infeasible to implement tier 2 or tier 3 interventions with large numbers of students due to limited resources. The…

Students with dyslexia often struggle with developing text-writing skills at the paragraph level. However, the literature is filled with examples of how explicit instruction paired with time-based feedback can be used to improve such skills for students with a variety of disabilities. Examples from the literature have demonstrated positive effects…

A multiple-probe design was used to investigate planning and persuasive paragraph writing by three secondary students with disabilities and writing difficulties. The intervention consisted of one-on-one explicit instruction in persuasive writing and the use of a technology-based graphic organizer (TBGO) with embedded strategies and supports.…

Paragraph text-writing refers to constructing multiple words and sentences into the form of a paragraph. It is critical to overall written expression; unfortunately, many students with disabilities struggle to develop it to fluency. The present study investigated the effects of a multicomponent intervention on the accuracy and fluency of paragraph…

Written expression can be a critical skill for academic, vocational, and social pursuits. Unfortunately, research suggests that students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) struggle to develop writing skills. Paragraph text-writing is a component of written expression and refers to constructing multiple sentences about a…

The present study used a multiple-baseline, single-case experimental design to investigate the effects of a multicomponent intervention on construction of simple sentences and word sequences. The intervention entailed sequential delivery of sentence instruction and frequency building to a performance criterion and paragraph instruction.…

Writing is a difficult task for most students. Only 27% of all students in America can write proficiently at or above grade level (U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 2012). With the recent adoption of rigorous standards (i.e., Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards), secondary students are…

The present study investigated the effects of a multicomponent intervention on the writing behavior of adolescents with writing difficulties. A single-case design consisting of a combination of multiple-probe design across participants and pre-post test was used. Four participants completed two intervention phases: (a) sentence instruction and…

This paper reports the findings of an action research that was carried out to measure the effectiveness of integrating a social networking website "Edmodo" in students' writing performance in an EFL classroom at Arab Open University (Oman Branch). The participants were 25 students studying English in the Foundation Programme. Along with…

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an intervention in which teacher-led instruction was combined with computerized writing software to improve paragraph writing for three middle school students with intellectual disability. A multiple probe across participants design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the…

This study used a multiple probe design across behaviours to determine if four high school students with learning disabilities could plan post-school transition goals using a modified "GO 4 IT … NOW!" intervention while learning essential paragraph and essay writing skills. The results of this study indicate a functional relationship…

This study evaluated the effectiveness of an intervention for second graders at risk for academic failure, which taught reading comprehension embedded in social studies content. The intervention included instruction about the structure of cause/effect expository text, emphasizing clue words, generic questions, graphic organizers, and close…

Young adolescents should be able to write organized multi-paragraph compositions that develop a central idea and unfold in logical and sequential order, unified through the use of transitional words and phrases. In other words, the compositions should not just consist of a string of related sentences, but represent a dynamic text that has…

The current standards-based reform movement, which emphasizes teaching academic skills to all students, holds promise for students with disabilities. However, there is concern that this movement's sole focus on academic skills will leave less room for teaching self-determination skills. One possible solution is to identify interventions that can…

This article describes a project which identified the skills and abilities in written literacy of pre-service teachers, as well as their needs in this area. An intervention to address their needs is evaluated and its outcomes assessed, using a combination of quantitative and qualitative analyses. Results show that it is possible to improve these…