The Effects of a Multi-Tiered Support System Inspired Framework of Professional Development on Teacher Implementation of Discrete Trial Teaching

Abstract

This study documents the effects of a modest multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) inspired professional development (PD) framework on teacher implementation fidelity of Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT). A concurrent multi-treatment, multiple-baseline design was used across a maximum of four conditions: baseline, workshop (Tier 1), peer-mentoring with self-monitoring (Tier 2), and mentor coaching (Tier 3), and teachers accessed. Six pre-school special education teachers participated in the study; all teachers accessed Tier 1 supports, three accessed Tier 2 supports, and four accessed Tier 3 supports. Results indicate that a strong improvement in implementation fidelity of DTT for all participants between baseline and the end of the MTSS intervention. Component PD strategies had varying effects on teacher behavior. Social validity surveys were used to evaluate the usability of the MTSS as a PD strategy and assess the systems support available for teachers to engage in this type of PD. All 6 teachers strongly agreed that workshops, mentor coaching, and a MTSS framework were useable PD strategies. There was moderate agreement that the systems supports necessary to utilize this form of PD would be made available to them. These findings suggest that a MTSS inspired framework can be utilized as a means of increasing DTT adoption among teachers. In addition, the use of a MTSS framework that monitors and is responsive to teachers’ progress may be a flexible and realistic framework of PD that adapts scientifically based research to meet teachers’ individual and classroom needs (Odom, 2009).