Intervention Adaptation

Intervention Adaptation

Using multiple data sources, the teacher or team makes a decision to adapt the intervention program to better meet the student’s individual needs. The teacher or team outlines these adaptations in an individual student plan. The plan may include adaptation strategies along several dimensions. These strategies may include quantitative changes, such as providing more opportunities for a student to respond by increasing the length or frequency of the intervention, or decreasing the size of the intervention group. The strategies also may include qualitative changes, such as altering the way content is delivered (e.g., more carefully selecting instructional foci aligned with students’ needs), changing how a student responds (e.g., providing more opportunities to practice orally and in writing), arranging environmental variables (e.g., arranging for instruction in a setting that allows students to focus without distractions), or adjusting the type of adult feedback and error correction a student receives. Often, a qualitative adaptation in combination with a quantitative change is necessary to meet a student’s unique needs. In some cases, the diagnostic data may indicate that the student requires a different intervention program or approach.

When making decisions about adaptations, the teacher or team may consider the dimensions of the Taxonomy of Intervention Intensity (strength, dosage, alignment, attention to transfer, comprehensiveness, behavioral or academic support, and individualization) described in the validated intervention platform step. The dimensions help provide a systematic approach to intensification. View this one page overview to learn more.


TIP FROM THE FIELD

Monitoring intervention fidelity is still important for intervention adaptation. In this case, the team monitors fidelity to the individual intervention plan developed for the student.