The Effect of Targeted Professional Development on Paraprofessional Fidelity to an Evidence-Based Reading Intervention

Abstract

Though researchers are developing effective literacy practices for students with intellectual disabilities, educators often struggle to implement evidence-based practices (EBPs) with fidelity. Professional development opportunities for paraprofessionals are often insufficient, even as paraprofessionals are tasked with providing direct academic instruction on a more frequent basis. Training for paraprofessionals is often didactic with little to no follow-up support. The implementation of multi-tiered or targeted professional development models has been investigated to support educators’ implementation of instructional practice at varying levels of need. This multiple-baseline across participants study was designed to evaluate the effect of a multi-tiered targeted professional development model on improving the fidelity with which paraprofessionals deliver a reading intervention for students with intellectual disabilities. The targeted professional development model included levels of didactic training, supervisory performance feedback, and real-time performance feedback delivered via video-conferencing technology. Most participating paraprofessionals responded to supervisory performance feedback, eliminating the need for more intensive real-time performance feedback. Questions related to future research and practice are discussed. Keywords: paraprofessional, targeted professional development, real-time performance feedback, multi-tiered professional development