Abstract
This is a qualitative research study that investigates possible barriers to integrating reading and behavior support within a Response to Intervention (RtI) framework.
The integrated RtI framework first began in the USA. Its aim is to develop a response to intervention model that identifies learners with reading or behavior difficulties and then provide targeted support to their specific needs. Furthermore they aim to regularly measure the results of the model by the help of accurate data measurements; using data to evaluate whether the interventions are benefiting the students’ needs.
This framework is currently being tried out in four Norwegian primary schools at grades 1-4. In order to discover how an integrated RtI framework may function in a Norwegian school context, I have interviewed four school practitioners on their experiences in integrating reading and behavior support within this framework.
The informants identified barriers with using the RtI framework. It seems that the biggest barrier does not lie in integrating reading and behavior support, but in how the framework was introduced to the school context and how the informants and their colleagues have dealt with these barriers.
For this thesis I will present the barriers identified in this research project. These include such issues as: psychological, systemic and resourcing. For each barrier, we consider: what is the barrier; the reasons; when and how they occur. This helps with identifying their influence in the implementation success of the framework.