Fidelity is an important factor in the assessment and delivery of programs. However, few researchers have examined predictors of fidelity. In this study, we examined the relationship of fidelity to facilitator characteristics in a leadership program oriented toward the development of new university students. The study consisted of 25 program…

Four tasks (N = 191, 3- to 6-year-olds) examined the effect of instrumental versus conventional language cues on children's imitative fidelity of a necklace-making activity, their memory and transmission of the activity, and their perceptions of functional fixedness. Children in the conventional condition imitated with higher fidelity, transmitted…

During the last decade, positive behavior interventions have resulted in improvement of school behavior and academic gains in a range of school settings worldwide. Recent studies identify sustainability of current positive behavior intervention programs as a major concern. The purpose of this article is to identify future direction for effective…

The articles in this special issue discuss efforts to improve academic reading outcomes for students and ways to achieve high implementation fidelity of promising strategies. At times the authors discuss if--and how--strong fidelity is associated with strong outcomes and potentially even impacts (the difference between program and control group…

This article presents the findings from a teacher intervention in Dutch kindergartens aimed at improving teachers' differentiation practices (DP) to better anticipate student differences. The intervention was designed to improve the match between student levels and curricular activities, in particular for high-ability students and consists of…

This study evaluated the efficacy of the Word Learning Strategies (WLS) supplementary program designed to develop upper-elementary students' vocabulary skills in order to improve reading comprehension. The study used a true, group-randomized, experimental design, which randomly assigned 46 4th grade classrooms (n=1324 students) from 12 districts…

Purpose: This research investigated a first step in implementing the dynamic assessment (DA) component of Triadic Gaze Intervention (Olswang, Feuerstein, Pinder, & Dowden, 2013; Olswang et al., 2014), an evidence-based protocol for teaching early signals of communication to young children with physical disabilities. Clinician attitudes about…

While there exists a sizeable evidence base suggesting nurture groups (NGs) in primary schools are effective in supporting children's social, emotional and behavioural development, there is little exploration into their secondary context applicability, or their impact on our vulnerable youth. This study explores this area using a purposefully…

There is substantial empirical evidence that the Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) process is an effective means to reduce student problem behavior and increase desirable behaviors (e.g., What Works Clearinghouse, 2016). The use of an FBA as the basis for a behavior intervention plan (BIP) has been a requirement for certain disciplinary…

Evidence-based reforms that emphasize the identification and implementation of empirically validated practices are at the forefront of educational research, and recently, the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC; 2014) published a set of standards for establishing evidence-based practices in special education. Although 30 years of research…

Many issues arise in the discussion of the evidence-based practice (EBP) movement and implementation science in special education and specific educational practices for students with severe disabilities. Yet cultural adaptations of EBPs, which have emerged as an area of research in other fields, are being left out as a focus of EBP discourse. The…

For more than 40 years many organizations, families, and advocates for students with disabilities have worked toward creating a more inclusive public education system. As a result, many more students served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) spend 80% or more of their school day in general education classrooms. But a…

Mathematics teacher educators face a challenge of preparing teachers to use technology that is rapidly changing and easily available. Teachers have access to thousands of digital tools to use with students and need guidance about how to critically choose and use tools to support students' mathematics learning. Research provides guidance to…

Treatment fidelity data (descriptive and statistical) are critical to interpreting and generalizing outcomes of intervention research. Despite recommendations for treatment fidelity reporting from funding agencies and researchers, past syntheses have found treatment fidelity is frequently unreported (e.g., Swanson, "The Journal of Special…

This study focused on understanding teachers' personal and professional experiences that influence the fidelity of implementation of a school-wide positive behavior support (SWPBS) program within their classrooms. Research has focused on the implementation fidelity of school-wide positive support programs, academic impact on students, teacher…