Response to intervention (RtI) is an alternative method to the discrepancy model to identify students as having a

Question

learning disability. Describe how both of these approaches are used in the identification of learning disabilities.

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

ANSWER: Prior to 2004, IDEA mandated that any criterion for classifying a child as having
learning disabilities must be based on a preexisting severe discrepancy between
intellectual capacity and achievement. A child’s learning disability must be determined on
an individual basis, and there must be a severe discrepancy between achievement and
intellectual ability in one or more of the following areas: oral expression, listening
comprehension, written expression, basic reading skill, reading comprehension,
mathematical calculation, or mathematical reasoning. The meaning of the term severe
discrepancy is debated among professionals. Schools now have the option of using a
process that determines a child’s response to intervention (RtI), which is aimed at
evidence-based decisions and is research-based The basic concept of RtI is empirically
based decision making—that is, determining intervention success on the basis of data
reflecting the student’s performance. This approach has considerable appeal for several
reasons. In particular, RtI is focused on the child’s academic response to specific
instruction, and it is also another perspective for assessing children with learning
disabilities. This latter rationale is very useful for some children who are struggling with
early academic work but may not evidence a severe discrepancy.