What does the acronym RTI stand for in special education?

The acronym RTI stands for "Response to Intervention." This approach is a multi-tiered system of support used in schools to identify students who may be struggling and to provide them with the necessary support and interventions.

In the context of special education, RTI is valuable for early identification of learning disabilities and developmental delays. It involves monitoring student progress and adjusting interventions based on data collected from assessments, allowing educators to tailor their teaching methods to meet individual student needs effectively.

The framework typically consists of several tiers, where the intensity of interventions increases depending on the student's response to the initial strategies employed. This approach emphasizes proactive measures to assist students before they fall significantly behind, promoting inclusion and reducing the need for more intensive special education services later on.