AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF AN APPLIED PREVENTION MODEL FOR ACADEMIC DIFFICULTIES AMONG STUDENTS IN A SCHOOL IN MUMBAI, INDIA
Open Access
- Author:
- Shah, Mira Bharat
- Graduate Program:
- School Psychology
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- May 02, 2014
- Committee Members:
- Barbara A Schaefer, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Barbara A Schaefer, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Teresa P Clark, Committee Member
Paul J Riccomini, Committee Member
Pamela Marie Cole, Outside Member - Keywords:
- Prevention Model
Academic Difficulties
India
Response to Intervention
Assessments
Reading Interventions
Direct Instructions - Abstract:
- In India, several prevalent problems hinder the process of early identification and subsequent provision of early intervention. The rationale for this exploratory study is to provide schools in India with a preventive service delivery model that aids early identification, provides evidence-based early interventions, and can also be used in identification of Specific Learning Disability. The present study aims to provide an insight into the process of instituting a Response to Intervention model in a school in Mumbai, India. Twenty-four at-risk participants were selected from 104 students screened for reading problems. Participants were assigned to one of three groups (A, B, or C) for Tier 2 reading intervention sessions. To assess participants’ academic progress, the Beginning Phonics Assessment (BPA) and Primary Phonics Assessment (PPA) were administered pre- and post-intervention. To evaluate the internal consistency of the overall test scores, Cronbach’s coefficient alpha and split-half method were applied. The impact of Direct Instruction intervention on reading skills and the duration and length of intervention on reading skills were assessed via t tests. Graphic display of each participant’s progress monitoring scores was used to permit visual analysis and descriptive explanation. The Reliable Change Index (RCI; Zahra & Hedge, 2010) was also applied individually with participants in Group A and combined Group B/C to assess whether or not the individual’s score change from pre- to post-intervention was statistically significant. The results of the study provide initial evidence for the utility of BPA and PPA with the Indian population. The study also provides evidence for the efficacy of DI reading interventions within the Indian educational setting. The study also identified the potential areas of challenges that one might face in implementing this model in Indian schools. The results of the study provide initial evidence for employing RTI with schools in India.