What's Evidence Got to Do with It? An Observational Study of Research-Based Instructional Behavior in High School Classes

Abstract

This study examined typical instruction and management in general education classes that are co-taught by a special educator (co-taught CWC), general education classes that are taught by a special educator (adapted), and resource room instruction by a special educator. Over three days, twelve teachers in a middle class urban high school were observed using momentary time sampling relative to four foci: student engagement, transition time, learning arrangement, and instructional activity. On average, across the three settings students were on-task 83.9 percent of all intervals, in transition 4.4 percent of intervals, and teachers were disengaged from instruction during 23.2 percent. Whole group instruction, the least differentiated and effective mode of instruction, consumed the largest portion of observation intervals. If effective differentiated instructional practice is the sine qua non of providing students with disabilities access to general education curriculum, the data provide little evidence to suggest that appropriate instructional practice is frequently used.