In this episode, diagnosticians discuss the vision of Special Education as seen through the perspective of Dr. Thomas Hehir, author of: New Directions in Special Education: Eliminating Ableism in Policy and Practice. Dr. Hehir was the head of OSEP during the time leading up to the re-authorization of IDEA in 2004. He was also the chair of Harvard's Ed.D. Special Education program for 20 years before he passed away. The discussion helps us to understand why the vision of Special Education as communicated from a perspective of OSEPs responsibility towards civil rights is often conflicted with the vision of most practitioners who aim to preserve what is special about special education.

Clubhouse members gather to discuss the contributions of Lynn Fuchs in memory of her at the time of her passing. She passed away on May 7, 2025. He leaves behind her husband, Doug, son, and grandson, in addition to numerous mentees and research colleagues. Her memory will live on in her contributions to CBM development, reading and math interventions, and the RTI model of SLD assessment.

Here are some research articles and book chapters that she is known for:

https://academic.oup.com/minnesota-scholarship-online/book/29366/chapter-abstract/244323372?redirectedFrom=fulltext

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2307/1511189

https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED459544

https://ies.ed.gov/learn/blog/spotlighting-doug-and-lynn-fuchs-two-decades-innovation-special-education-research

Dr. Barbara Foorman, professor emeritus from Florida State University served on the National Reading Panel and is one of the most recognized researchers of reading. She joins to tell us about her latest study that compares using an evidence-based reading program and using a serious of various evidence-based interventions valid for specific skill development.

Here are some links to references made in this event:

The Relative Effectiveness of Two Approach to Early Literacy Intervention Grades K-2

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Wnqxs-rfSuKRbfSYDyyZG-6f1KcIaPXq/view?usp=drive_link

The Role of Instruction in Learning to Read: Preventing Reading Failure in At-Risk Children

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11u3dKyrZNqpXEUzOt7xfhSwsCPPg8o9B/view?usp=drive_link

Interventions Aimed at Improving Reading Success: An Evidence Based Approach

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Pq9vClozQBHqSqOApJSbNewDmuPHkuaq/view?usp=drive_link

Curriculum Guidelines: https://www.thereadingleague.org/compass/curriculum-decision-makers/

What Informs Literacy Instruction in the Primary Grades: Chapter 9

Foorman chap 9_What Informs Literacy Instruction in the Primary Grades_Guilford in press.pdf

PowerPoint of Literacy:  Using Data to Inform Instruction

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1eW1J2o70PmqWHoFgPz_VdwruiRLmdvio/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=109793171636430085361&rtpof=true&sd=true

State Policy Levers: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED615740.pdf

Amy Smith interviews Dr. Kathleen Pfannenstiel, from American Institutes of Research, about the evidence-based assessment of math. She talks the importance of independent research, the most common challenges for students with disabilities, and integrating CBM into our evaluations.

She refers to several related resources listed below:

Links: 

1. Math Podcast Series

2. Math Fact Fluency Norms:

1. https://www.rocketmath.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Rocket_Math_2013_Fact_Fluency_Benchmarks.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOorlzO4zC94YkQGSpaQh4gAB65dggbSfU03AqyC6__OdCk22pv7h

2. https://www.jimwrightonline.com/mixed_files/lansing_IL/_Lansing_IL_Aug_2013/5_CBA_Math_Computation_Directions.pdf

3. Worksheet generator:

1. https://www.math-aids.com/

2. https://superkids.com/aweb/tools/math/#google_vignette

3. https://math-drills.com/

4. 
   

5. Supporting Mathematics Intervention in Elementary School (NCII website): https://intensiveintervention.org/resource/supporting-mathematics-intervention-elementary-school

• Infusing EBPs to Improve Middle School Math Instruction: https://mtss4success.org/blog/infusing-ebps-middle-school-math-instruction

Lesson Plans to Support High-Quality Middle School Math Instruction: https://mtss4success.org/blog/lesson-plans-middle-school-math

Dr. Yell helps us to define "progress" as it has been described after Endrew F. v. Douglas County Schools (2017). Here's an article he wrote: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Fa_ZgzItiGYJ0AMqRSy-MGBE_TzfuXJr/view?usp=sharing

Here are some books he wrote: https://a.co/d/8iKAo8J

https://a.co/d/8kBIyMd

A new, revised version of the Guidance for the Comprehensive Evaluation of SLD in Texas is now available. We will get a training on this from TEA. In the mean time, Candace, Nazzie, and some others on Clubhouse discuss their impressions. Candace goes over her Top 10 Takeaways from reading the document. Here's a link to her notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19ZC1daO72dx0h8NT5vrG0QwqJ3qRrHKKLgHZo1P8TKE/mobilebasic

Dr. Robin Peterson is one of the authors of Diagnosing Learning Disorders: From Science to Practice. This group of researchers proposed a Multi-Deficit Model of learning disabilities, and their research influenced the way we think about Dyslexia.

Here's a link to her book:https://a.co/d/diWPuRo

Here's a link to her research article: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LChLzHx2K_t11XOgsbmFtV4i81erHDz-/view?usp=drive_link

Learning to use CBM has become a valuable skill. Michelle Hosp has made it easy by providing step by step guidance in her book: The ABC's of CBM. Here's a link to her book: https://www.guilford.com/books/The-ABCs-of-CBM/Hosp-Hosp-Howell/9781462524662?srsltid=AfmBOor87pNMcb5aSa0R5PqWD8NCZGYLimlMZEnKNHppdJJxPdUXQ-Qn

You may also know her for her work with Renaissance Learning, an evidence-based assessment system listed on the NCII toolkit.

The Hasbrouck & Tindal (1992, 2006, 2017) norms revolutionized American education. These norms have helped us to understand the importance of reading fluency. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED594994.pdf

Check out Dr. Hasbrouck's & Dr. Glaser's book: https://www.benchmarkeducation.com/y35121-reading-fluency-understand-25e2-2580-2593-assess-25e2-2580-2593-teach-professional-learni.html

Dr. Tindal's & Dr. Marston's book: Classroom Based Assessment: https://a.co/d/dT7oIom

Dr. Linda Siegel produced important research which helped her to illustrate that cognitive testing was not relevant to the diagnosis of dyslexia. She led the way to revisiting this finding when she edited a journal for the IDA asking for researchers to weigh in on IDA's definition of dyslexia. She's also well known for her books: Not Lazy, Not Stupid & Understanding Dyslexia and Other Learning Disabilities.

Here's a journal article she wrote: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/002221948902200803