Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #102246

Nancy B. Lynn, MSPH, Krista Kutash, PhD, and Albert J. Duchnowski, PhD. Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health, University of South Florida, 13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612, (813)974-7204, nlynn@fmhi.usf.edu

The momentum to implement evidence-based strategies and interventions has also highlighted the need to measure the level of implementation or fidelity of these evidence-based strategies by adopters. However, the mechanisms to measure fidelity and monitor implementation have often not kept pace with the research surrounding the development of the evidence-based strategies. This is especially true for interventions that are delivered across multiple staff in different environments. The current investigation measured the level of implementation by special education teachers trained in evidence-based instructional strategies and the effects on students who had variable exposure to the teachers over time. Specifically, this study developed evidence-based guides for teachers to use when working with students who have disabilities in their special education classroom. Nine middle school teachers and five high school teachers participated in the study along with 87 students over one and a half years. An observational teacher fidelity form developed and tested specifically for this project will be described. Teacher fidelity scores and the amount of time during the school day each student spent with participating teachers were both used in a formula to create a “Dosage” calculation in order to capture the amount of intervention each student received. Higher dosage scores were related to improved math scores, attendance, and discipline rates. Detailed results and implications of these findings will be discussed.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the learner will be able to

• List four characteristics of students identified as disabled and served in public school special education programs.
• Articulate the importance of measuring fidelity to an intervention.
• Describe a method for measuring dosage of an intervention.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.