What counts as response and intervention in RTI? A sociocultural analysis.

Response to Intervention (RTI) is being used in districts and states around the United States (U.S.) as a means to enhance learning opportunities and address the needs of struggling learners. Increasing attention to RTI in the research community and the recent creation of a large national technical assistance center reflect its growing visibility. Because equity issues for ethnic and linguistically diverse students are purportedly addressed in RTI models, we conduct a sociocultural analysis of its building blocks, namely the definitions and assumptions embedded in the notions of "response" and "intervention". We used interdisciplinary theoretical and empirical insights about the cultural nature of learning and development to inform our analysis. We discuss how the assumptions of RTI might unintentionally create blind spots for researchers and practitioners about how to design, conduct, and assess learning environments, particularly for diverse students. We conclude with reflections about future directions in this research area.

Supporting Children with Disabilities in Low- and Middle- Income Countries: Promoting Inclusive Practice within Community-Based Childcare Centres in Malawi through a Bioecological Systems Perspective.

Given the narrow scope and conceptualisation of inclusion for young children with disabilities in research within low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) contexts, we draw on a bioecological systems perspective to propose the parameters for a broader unit of analysis. This perspective situates human development within a specific cultural context in which family, peers and schooling are regarded as key in responding to young children with disabilities in a given setting. We outline a new bioecological model to illustrate the proximal and distal factors that can influence inclusive early development for children with disabilities within LMICs. To illustrate the relevance of this model to early child development research, we consider its application, as a conceptual framework, with reference to a research study in Malawi. The study was designed to promote greater inclusive practice for young children with disabilities in Community-Based Childcare Centres (CBCCs) with a particular focus on the role of the CBCC volunteer 'caregiver' in rural Malawi. It has significance for educators, service providers and researchers concerned with facilitating inclusive early development across national boundaries and contexts.

L'étroitesse de la portée et de la conceptualisation de l'inclusion de jeunes enfants handicapés dans le corpus de recherche dans les pays à revenu faible et (PRFI) contextes intermédiaire, nous puisons dans une perspective de systèmes bioécologiques pour proposer des paramètres pour une unité d'analyse plus large. Notre perspective situe le développement humain dans un contexte culturel spécifique dans lequel la famille, les pairs et la scolarité sont considérés comme des éléments clés pour apporter une réponse à la question des jeunes enfants handicapés dans un contexte donné. Nous décrivons un nouveau modèle bioécologique pour illustrer les facteurs proximaux et distants qui peuvent influencer le développement des enfants handicapés dans les PRFI pendant leurs premières années. Pour illustrer la pertinence de ce modèle pour la recherche sur le développement des jeunes enfants, nous prenons en considération son application comme cadre conceptuel, en référence à une étude menée au Malawi. L'étude a été conçue aboutir de promouvoir des pratiques plus inclusives pour les enfants handicapés fréquentant des garderies communautaires, en mettant un accent particulier sur le rôle de l'«assistant ¼ bénévole dans les zones rurales du Malawi. Elle est importante pour les éducateurs, les prestataires de services et les chercheurs qui veulent faciliter un développement inclusif des jeunes enfants, au-delà des frontières et contextes nationaux.

Debido al poco alcance y la conceptualización limitada de la inclusión de niños de edad temprana con discapacidades en investigaciones realizadas en el contexto de países de ingresos bajos y medios, utilizamos una perspectiva de sistemas bio-ecológicos, con el fin de proponer parámetros más amplios de análisis. Esta perspectiva sitúa al desarrollo humano dentro de su contexto cultural específico en el cual la familia, los compañeros y la escuela son considerados como factores vitales en la atención a niños de edad temprana con discapacidades. Se describe un modelo bio-ecológico para ilustrar los factores proximales y distales que pueden influenciar el desarrollo temprano en contextos inclusivos para niños con discapacidades en países de ingresos bajos y medios. Con el fin de ilustrar la importancia de este modelo para la investigación del desarrollo infantil temprano, consideramos su aplicación, como marco conceptual, con referencia a una investigación llevada a cabo en Malaui. El estudio se diseñó con el objeto de promover mejores prácticas inclusivas para niños pequeños con discapacidades en Centros Infantiles Comunitarios (CICs) con un enfoque especial en el papel que juega el cuidador voluntario del CIC en zonas rurales de Malaui. Este estudio es relevante para educadores, centros de educación e investigadores interesados en brindar desarrollo temprano inclusivo en diferentes contextos y territorios.

English language learners who struggle with reading: language acquisition or LD?

We review empirical research on English language learners (ELLs) who struggle with reading and who may have learning disabilities (LD). We sought to determine research indicators that can help us better differentiate between ELLs who struggle to acquire literacy because of their limited proficiency in English and ELLs who have actual LD. We conclude that more research is warranted to further elucidate the strengths and learning needs of subgroups of underachieving ELLs, to help us determine who should qualify for special education, and to clarify why some ELLs who do not have LD still struggle with language and literacy acquisition. Future research should account for the complexities involved in becoming literate in another language and focus more on cultural and contextual factors that affect student achievement.

The end of innocence: historiography and representation in the discursive practice of LD.

In this article, I discuss two interrelated sets of challenges that the discursive practice of learning disability (LD) will need to address, namely, issues associated with the development of a historiography of special education and a more complex understanding of representation issues. I use social theory to address these challenges and raise questions the LD field will need to grapple with as we move toward the consolidation of discursive practices.

Expandiendo la reforma en la capacitacion de docentes en Guatemala: el rol de los procesos de pensamiento de los maestros / Expanding the reform of teacher's training in Guatemala: the role of teachers's thought processes

El gobierno de Guatemala se ha embarcado en un ambicioso proyecto de reforma educativa que incluye la descentralización del sistema educativo y la adecuación curricular. El análisis de dicha reforma, en particular la relacionada con la capacitación de docentes, indica que la definición y roles del docente deben ampliar su foco conceptual y ubicarse dentro de un marco constructivista y evolutivo. Para ilustrar nuestra tesis, presentamos una revisión de la literatura en el área de procesos de pensamiento en maestros. Estudios realizados en paises desarrollados y en Guatemala se presentan para ilustrar esta literatura. Finalmen-te, concluimos que la adopción de un modelo cognoscitivo sobre la labor del docente permitira a los reformistas el tomar en cuenta una crítica dimensión frecuentemente obviada: las creencias, teorias, decisiones y valores de los el cargados de implementar tales reformas, que son los docentes guatemaltecos.