Beth A. Jones, Ph.D. Texas A&M University- Commerce Belinda Rudinger, M.Ed. Grand Prairie ISD

1. A Decade of Research: Just What do we Know About Evidence-Based Practice for Students with Visual Impairments? Beth A. Jones, Ph.D. Texas A&M University- Commerce Belinda Rudinger, M.Ed. Grand Prairie ISD Nichole Williams Michelle Hanks, M.Ed. Texas A&M University- Commerce

2. Introductions • Who are we? • Who are you? • Companion website & materials:

3. Literature Review • Well-documented research to practice gap • What are Evidence Based Practices (EBPs)? • Programs/Practices with significant effects on student outcomes according to research • Current identification is inconsistent/variable • Multiple categorization attempts • “Implementation is the critical link between research and practice” (p. 138) • RE-AIM Process (Glasgow et. al): Reach X Efficacy X Adoption X Implementation & Maintenance • Implementation Science: emerging field of study of methods for promotion of research into ‘routine practice’ Cook, B.G., & Odom, S.L. (2013). Evidence-Based Practices and Implementation Science in Special Education. Exceptional Children, 79 (2) p.135-144.

5. Literature Review • Essential Components & Levels of Evidence for serving students with B/VI: • Administration: EMERGING • Caseload size • Amount of instruction time • Use of paraprofessional support • Assessment: EMERGING • Test results are considered an underestimation • Assistive Technology: LIMITED • Research limited to product reports and case studies • AT is not well implemented • Communication: EMERGING Ferrell, K. A., Bruce, S., & Luckner, J. L. (2014). Evidence-based practices for students with sensory impairments (Document No. IC-4). Retrieved from University of Florida, Collaboration for Effective Educator, Development, Accountability, and Reform Center website: http://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/tools/innovation-configurations/

6. Literature Review • Essential Components & Levels of Evidence for serving students with B/VI: • Early Identification & Intervention: EMERGING • Evidence is anecdotal & philosophical rather than empirical • Life Skills: EMERGING • Little research; reliance on expert opinion • Literacy • Print Readers: STRONG evidence that training and use of low vision devices improves multiple reading outcomes • Braille Readers: STRONG evidence that drill/practice of braille code improves multiple reading outcomes • Math: SPARSE (Abacus example) Ferrell, K. A., Bruce, S., & Luckner, J. L. (2014). Evidence-based practices for students with sensory impairments (Document No. IC-4). Retrieved from University of Florida, Collaboration for Effective Educator, Development, Accountability, and Reform Center website: http://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/tools/innovation-configurations/

7. Literature Review • Essential Components & Levels of Evidence for serving students with B/VI: • Placement/Inclusion: NON-EXISTENT • “This is a field that for more than 50 years has included children in general education classrooms, yet the literature is replete with theoretical statements for and against inclusion of students with visual impairments based more on personal philosophy than research evidence. We have the means to investigate the effects of various placements but apparently lack the will to do so.“ • Science: EMERGING Ferrell, K. A., Bruce, S., & Luckner, J. L. (2014). Evidence-based practices for students with sensory impairments (Document No. IC-4). Retrieved from University of Florida, Collaboration for Effective Educator, Development, Accountability, and Reform Center website: http://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/tools/innovation-configurations/

8. Literature Review • Essential Components & Levels of Evidence for serving students with B/VI: • Social-Emotional Behavior: MODERATE • ‘Social skills must be deliberately taught in order to facilitate and sustain entry into multiple types of social groups’ (p. 61) • Transition • The best research included correlational and causal-comparative research designs • Little replication • “Research and expert opinions have identified variables important to quality-of-life transition paradigms but often based only on secondary analyses of large data sets. “ (p. 63 Ferrell, K. A., Bruce, S., & Luckner, J. L. (2014). Evidence-based practices for students with sensory impairments (Document No. IC-4). Retrieved from University of Florida, Collaboration for Effective Educator, Development, Accountability, and Reform Center website: http://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/tools/innovation-configurations/

9. Literature Review • “Taken as a whole, education of infants, children, and youth with visual impairments is characterized by surveys, case studies, correlational research designs, expert opinions, and public policy” (p. 64) • “For a field with one of the longest histories of providing educational services, this limited level of evidence is shocking and must be improved.” (p. 64) Ferrell, K. A., Bruce, S., & Luckner, J. L. (2014). Evidence-based practices for students with sensory impairments (Document No. IC-4). Retrieved from University of Florida, Collaboration for Effective Educator, Development, Accountability, and Reform Center website: http://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/tools/innovation-configurations/

10. Purpose of Study • Given the importance o utilizing evidence based practices, we sought to determine key elements of the existing literature base in the blind/VI field.

11. Research Questions • What types of articles are published in prominent VI outlets to assist teachers working with students who have visual impairments? • What are the characteristics of published intervention literature for students with visual impairments? (i.e., do we have an evidence-base for interventions or are there gaps?)

12. Procedures • January 2008-December 2017 • Reached consensus on coding mechanisms; trained as a group • Coded 1/3 of articles for each year; retrieved the articles electronically through library database • Double-coded 1/3 of all coded articles

13. Coding Mechanisms • Please see handout for codes and sample coding sheet. • In particular, we had to specify: • We will not code any updates from the field (ex. So and so won this award), calendar pieces, letters to the editor, or book reviews. • We will only code articles that are geared towards practitioners (research to practice), synthesize research (systematic reviews), case studies, or empirical studies with an intervention (IV/DV) or without intervention (survey or to get baseline data). • Media: • Braille includes fingerBraille • Tactual symbols=tactile not including Braille

14. Results-Article Focus

15. Results-Article Type

16. Results-Article Focus by Article Type

17. Results-Topic

18. Results-Topic Cont.

19. Results-Population

20. Results-Disability Eligibility

21. Implications for Practice • The preliminary results indicate: • More focus on ECC than academics (math/social studies) • Need for studies that are experimental in design (intervention) • Need for studies related to cultural diversity, self-determination, and assessment • Need for literature/studies investigating co-morbid disabilities

22. Questions?