Exploring the use and implementation of the CATT Intervention System

Abstract

The aim of this thesis was to determine if the CATT Intervention System was effective in enhancing the skills of one student to prevent referral to special education and overcome learning barriers related to reading. A case study was compiled with data from three separate measures to determine if the CATT Intervention System was effective at improving the case study student's barriers to learning in the subject of reading. When results from the case study student were analyzed, it was difficult to find progress that would indicate he was reading at grade level. While the data collected in regards to him was inconclusive, his teacher and support staff at the school believed that he made enough progress to not require a referral to special education. In addition, this thesis examines teacher perspectives as to the effectiveness and use of the system within a classroom, as well as if the documentation and training provided are believed to be comprehensive and efficient. The CATT Intervention System is a system for general education teacher use that helps teachers identify specific student barriers to learning, identify appropriate classroom and/or individual intervention strategies, provides equipment if appropriate, and incorporates a progress monitoring system to determine intervention effectiveness. It was implemented in both the 2010-2011 and 2012-2013 school years, and surveys to examine teacher perception were completed at the end of each year The results from the survey indicate that the teachers believed the intervention system was easy to use, yet teachers did not believe it reduced special education referrals or that the documentation provided by the CATT Intervention System was helpful or easy to use. This may have been related to the training provided prior to using the system, as teachers believed that it did not appropriately address how to use the system. Despite these results, teachers believed that the CATT Intervention System was effective at improving student success. Further research must be conducted in order to further support the research questions presented in this survey study and the ability of the CATT Intervention System to improve a student's ability to be a successful learner within a classroom.