Sustaining the Use of Evidence-Based Tier 1 Literacy Practices That Benefit Students With Disabilities.

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Literacy Education
• Special Education

Background:

• Secondary content-area classes are crucial for student reading success, especially for those with learning disabilities.
• Effective adoption and sustained use of evidence-based Tier 1 literacy practices are essential for improving reading outcomes.
• The Promoting Adolescents' Comprehension of Text (PACT) Plus project aimed to enhance literacy skills in secondary students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore teachers' adoption and sustained use of evidence-based Tier 1 literacy practices.
• To identify practice and school-level factors influencing the sustained implementation of these literacy practices.
• To propose a model for the sustainability of Tier 1 evidence-based literacy practices.

Main Methods:

• An exploratory multiple-case study design was employed.
• Interviews were conducted with two administrators and seven teachers who sustained implementation beyond one year.
• Data analysis focused on identifying factors influencing sustained use of the Promoting Adolescents' Comprehension of Text (PACT) Plus practices.

Main Results:

• Several practice-level factors were identified as influencing teachers' sustained use of evidence-based literacy practices.
• School-level factors also played a significant role in the long-term implementation of these practices.
• The study identified key elements contributing to the sustainability of Tier 1 literacy interventions.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the factors that promote sustained use of evidence-based Tier 1 literacy practices is vital for improving outcomes for students with learning disabilities.
• The proposed model of sustainability can inform future implementation efforts in secondary schools.
• Further research is needed to validate the model and explore broader implications for educational practice.