Topic outline

  • Welcome!

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    Intensive intervention is important because, otherwise, we’re saying as a society that we believe in appropriate education for some students, but not all. By providing intensive interventions and organizing your school to address them, you’re embracing every student who comes through your doors and saying—no matter what—their needs matter..."

    Dr. Sharon Vaughn in an interview for the National Center on Intensive Intervention  

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    • We all want to make sure our students get the right support at the right time—but with so many intervention options out there, how do we know what actually works and for whom? More importantly, how do we make sure our school has a cohesive system instead of a patchwork of disconnected programs?

      That’s where the Taxonomy of Intervention Intensity comes in. This framework helps teams select, evaluate, and refine interventions based on clear, evidence-based criteria. In this training, we’ll break it down into practical steps so you can confidently build a stronger, more effective intervention system for your students.

      Let’s dive in!

    • MTSS Rhode Island Logo Title Tier 3 Practices Subtitle Intervention Program

    • If this is your first time taking a course on BRIDGE-RI, we strongly recommend viewing the information below to familiarize yourself with the steps needed to successfully engage with and complete courses on BRIDGE-RI. To learn more about each topic, click the arrow on the left to expand and collapse each topic as needed.

      Please note that none of the information below is required or tracked for completion and to this end, the time needed to review this information is not included in the estimated time to complete this course.

      Please familiarize yourself with the site by watching this brief video on getting around.
      Important Notes
      • A self-paced course is open year-round. There are no start and end dates, or due dates, but there are activities and quizzes that must be successfully completed in order to earn credit.
      • BRIDGE-RI will automatically log users out after 2 hours of inactivity.
      Accommodations

      We strive for all content to be accessible to all BRIDGE-RI participants. If you are having trouble accessing any materials or wish to request accommodations for this course, please contact mtss.bridgeri@gmail.com. 

      To earn any PLUs associated with this course, you'll need to successfully complete each of the required activities, typically denoted by a completion marker that turns from gray to green. Any time you successfully complete a section or activity, the gray box will automatically turn to green if you have met the requirement(s). At times, you will see activities where you will need to manually select "mark as done."  Please note that there will be assessments (e.g., quizzes, checks for understanding) built into every course on BRIDGE-RI. You will be expected to obtain a passing score on these assessments but you will have multiple attempts to pass and you will receive specific feedback to guide you if you're struggling with a particular topic. While this course is self-paced and will not be facilitated by a moderator, please feel free to contact the course support contact if you have any questions. 
      Every course on BRIDGE-RI will ask you to complete a short Course Evaluation at the end of the course. Upon submission of this evaluation, your Course Completion Certificate will unlock. To access this certificate:
      1. Click on the Course Completion Certificate activity.
      2. Click View certificate button.
      3. Your certificate will automatically download. 
      4. Your certificate will also be emailed to you.
      5. You can access your certificate at any time from your Profile. Click Profile and under Miscellaneous, select My certificates. 

      Locating your Certificates: A one minute video on where to find all your course certificates 

      The Basics

      This course may use discussion forums to engage participants in meaningful dialogue around shared experiences. Every forum will contain clear instructions and requirements for completion. Please carefully read and follow the instructions. The course facilitator will periodically check on responses to ensure quality and appropriateness.

      Replying to a Post

      Many discussion forums will ask that you reply to another participant's post, in addition to posting your own topic. These conversation starters can help you construct a response:

      • Can you tell me more about...
      • I am curious about...
      • What do you think about...
      • Your post reminded me of...
      • This is important to me because...
      • This made me think of...
      • I can relate to this because...
      • Have you considered...
      • This was interesting to me because...

      Subscribing to Your Post

      You can decide whether or not you'd like to receive an email notification if someone comments on your post or adds a new post. There are two ways:

      • If you want to receive a notification about one specific post, click the envelope icon off to the right of that post. It is strongly recommended that you do this.
      • If you want to receive notifications about all posts in a forum, click the "manage forum subscriptions" link at the bottom of the forum and sign up from there. 

      "Netiquette"

      "Netiquette" is etiquette for online communication. Please practice the following guidelines when posting comments or replies. 

      1. Proofread and edit your work before posting.
      2. AVOID THE USE OF ALL CAPS as this may be interpreted as shouting.
      3. Avoid abbreviations (e.g., LOL, OMG).
      4. Avoid using humor and sarcasm as they can be difficult to detect in written communication.
      5. Practice civil discussion. Refrain from ranting about someone or something.
      6. Respect the privacy of communication within a course. Do not publicly forward the comments of your fellow participants to others outside of the course.

      Why a Profile is Important

      “Why should I publish my photo and write about my interests?”

      “The biggest disadvantage of e-learning is the lack of direct personal contact with participants.”

      We have heard both statements when we ask for opinions on e-learning. These two statements, seemingly unconnected, are in fact at the two extremes of the same spectrum. One expresses a longing for a living person on the other end of a fiber-optic cable, the other objects to revealing any personal information.

      What is our stand on this? We will reply by asking you do a quick visualization: try to imagine that you are teaching a class where all the participants are separated by screens. You know their names but you don’t know what they look like, you can't see their facial expression, read their body language, you don't know their experience in education, content area or job title. Do you feel comfortable?

      We want Rhode Island educators to connect to each other through BRIDGE-RI. 

      Editing your Profile

      While keeping private information private, customize your profile so that others can learn a little bit more about you – your experiences and interests, why you’re in education, and anything else you’d like to share. 

      In the upper right hand corner, you should see your name with a small triangle to the right. Click on your name and your user menu will open. Select "Profile" from the drop down list. 



      You will be brought to your user profile. Near the top left portion, select "Edit profile" under User details.

      From there, you will have the opportunity to update and personalize your profile. Read the tips below for guidance.

      • Give a brief introduction following the prompts below.
        • Write about yourself and describe your educational experience. 
        • Add a little something about your personal life, interests, family, or hobbies.
        • Allow others to get to know you to the extent you feel comfortable.
        • Keep it concise! A short paragraph is likely all you need!
      • Add a picture of yourself. Upload your photo to the profile, but if you’re more comfortable using a photo of your pet, a Bitmoji, or some other option, please do so!
      • Remember that your profile is visible to all other BRIDGE-RI users. 
      Don't forget to click "Update profile" when you're done, otherwise your work won't save.


      If you are having difficulty, please visit Setting Up Your Moodle Profile for a complete list of the instructions above. Please note this link will open in a new window, and from there you can print or save the instructions for your convenience.

  • Getting Started

    Before beginning, please take a moment to read through the course information, read and agree to the Terms of Use, and learn more about our course partners before continuing to the next section. 

    • Course Information Page
      Students must
      View

    • As a professional educator, I understand that I must complete all the activities in this course as outlined by the activity expectations and instructions. I understand this course is monitored regularly and that all of my coursework should be completed with academic integrity as outlined in BRIDGE-RI's Terms of Use. Failure to meet these requirements may result in account suspension and/or termination.

    • Students must
      Mark as done

      If you have read and understand the statement above, please manually "mark as done" to the right to signify your acceptance of this statement.  

    • Introducing our Course Development Partners

      Click the button below find out more about national organizations who contributed to this work in Rhode Island.

      Partners

    • Before you begin...


      We've provided a Note-Taking Template so you can make a copy to save in your own Google files or print, bullet main ideas, add screenshots, and take notes for future reference.

  • Self Assessment

    Prior to starting this course, please complete the following self-assessment. This will establish a baseline for how confident you are prior to engaging with the of the course. At the end, you will repeat this self assessment to see your knowledge gains. We at BRIDGE-RI use this data to evaluate our courses for improvement, as well.

  • Section 1 Tier 3 in a Multi-Tiered System of Supports

    • Now that you’ve been grounded in the MTSS framework and explored the who and what of Tier 3, you're ready to take a closer look at how we match students with the right supports. In the next section, you’ll be introduced to the Taxonomy of Intervention Intensity, which helps educators ensure that interventions are appropriately matched to student needs. Please allow approximately 10 minutes for this section.

    • Grounding Ourselves in the MTSS Framework Interactive Content
      Students must
      View
    • Refresh Your Memory Lesson
      Students must
      View
      Go through the activity to the end

  • Section 2 The Taxonomy Dimension of Strength

    • Next, we’ll take a closer look at the first dimension of the Taxonomy of Intervention Intensity: strength. In this section, you’ll learn what makes an intervention “strong,” how to locate and interpret the supporting evidence, and how to apply this knowledge in your context. You’ll also see these skills modeled before practicing them yourself.
      This section will take approximately 40 to 45 minutes to complete. Feel free to pause at the suggested break point and return later to finish.

    • What is the Taxonomy of Intervention Intensity? Lesson
      Students must
      View
    • Strength Dimension Lesson
      Students must
      View


    		• The Taxonomy of Intervention Intensity strength dimension is dense, theoretical stuff.  While critical to learn, it can be a lot!  We recommend you take a break before you start this next activity.  

    • Applying the Strength Dimension Lesson
      Students must
      Spend at least 15 mins on this activity

  • Section 3 The Taxonomy Dimensions of Dosage, Alignment, & Comprehensiveness

    • We’ve spent time digging into what makes an intervention strong—now let’s round out your understanding of intervention intensity by focusing on three additional dimensions: dosage, alignment, and comprehensiveness. Mastering these will help you accurately evaluate interventions and prepare for building a Tier 3 map in the next course.
      Expect to spend about 30 to 35 minutes on this section.

    • Dosage and Alignment Lesson
      Students must
      View
      Go through the activity to the end
    • Comprehensiveness/Explicit Instruction Lesson
      Students must
      View
      Go through the activity to the end

  • Section 4 The Taxonomy Dimensions of Attention to Transfer & Academic/Behavior Integration

    Now, we will transition to the final dimensions of the Taxonomy of Intervention Intensity and end with a tool that you and your team can use to evaluate an intervention in your setting.

    This section should take ~20 minutes to complete.

  • Family Engagement

    The resources in this section are not required for course completion; however, decades of research support family engagement as a critical lever for improving student outcomes. We encourage you to save, download, or bookmark these resources. Please note that these resources will open in a new window. When you are finished, you may close the window to return to the course.

    • How We Chose Interventions

      This simple one-pager explains in jargon-free, family-friendly language the process you went through to select intervention(s) using the Taxonomy.

      Take Me There!

      Family Guide

      Taking the simple one-pager to the next level, this document goes a little deeper into the Taxonomy dimensions while still striving for jargon-free and family-friendly language. 

      Take Me There!

      Share Your MTSS with Families 

      This one-pager is used at parent-teacher conferences or when you send home screening results for ALL students. It explains how MTSS helps you tailor supports to each student's needs. 

      Take Me There!

  • Wrap Up

    Before starting this course, you completed a pre-assessment that was intended to measure your prior knowledge regarding this course's content.  Now that you’ve completed the course, you will do a post assessment to see your knowledge gains.  We at BRIDGE-RI use this data to evaluate our courses for improvement, as well.  Then, you can access an optional implementation action planning guide to help you move from training to implementing.  Finally, you will evaluate this course to inform BRIDGE-RI’s next steps.

    This section should take 10 minutes.

    • Course References Page

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    • The work of BRIDGE-RI and MTSS Rhode Island is made possible by funding and additional supports from the Rhode Island Department of Education and West Bay Collaborative.