Tools Chart Overview
NCII has developed six tools charts to assist educators and families in becoming informed consumers who can select academic and behavioral assessment tools and interventions that meet standards for technical rigor and address their specific needs. This section provides an overview of available tools charts and considerations for using them to identify assessments and interventions.
Tools Chart Overview
What is a Tools Chart?
- Tools charts display expert ratings on the technical rigor of assessments and interventions.
- Products are reviewed by an external Technical Review Committee of experts.
- The presence of a particular tool on the chart does not constitute endorsement and should not be viewed as a recommendation from either the TRC or NCII.
- Products are rated against established criteria and not compared to each other or ranked.
- Charts are updated during a call for submissions. The submission process is voluntary and reviews of all eligible submissions are posted on the chart.
What Tools Charts are Available?
How Do I Use the Tools Charts?
Interactive Chart Features
- Chart content is grouped in three or four “tabs” across the top of each chart. Click on each tab to see related ratings.
- Click the title of each column to learn about the rating criteria.
- Click on the name of the product to find implementation information including cost.
- Filter by subject and grade level and use advanced filtering for purchasing information, instructional format, technology requirements, and more.
- Narrow your selection and compare tools by checking the box next to the tools you are interested in viewing.
About the Intervention, Progress Monitoring and Screening Charts Tools Charts
About the Tools Charts |
Intervention |
Progress Monitoring |
Screening |
---|---|---|---|
What is evaluated? |
The methodological quality and level of impact observed in studies of intervention programs.
|
|
|
How are they rated? |
Academic Screening Rating Rubric
|
||
How are results reported? |
Reports on both the study quality and study results in terms of effect size (group design) and visual analysis (single-case design). Both study quality and study results must be used together to make decisions | Reports on the evidence for psychometric, progress monitoring, and data-based individualization standards. | Reports on evidence for classification accuracy, and technical standards including psychometrics and sample representativeness. |
What kinds of tools are included? |
Tools identified as standard protocol interventions are intended as the starting point for DBI. Tools identified as strategies may be used to adapt interventions within the DBI process. |
Academic progress monitoring chart includes measures designed to assess progress towards end-year goal (e.g., oral reading fluency) and measures designed to assess mastery towards short-term skills (e.g., letter naming fluency). | Screening tools identify students in need of intensive intervention. |
Suggested Steps for Using the Chart
The tools charts include a large amount of information and the “best” tool is not going to be the same for everyone. Users should review all the elements of the chart before making decisions. We recommend using the following steps to make your decisions:
- Gather a team.
- Determine your needs.
- Determine your priorities.
- Familiarize yourself with the content and language of the chart.
- Review the data.
- Ask for more information.