Programs of Interventions and Supports: Impact on Students with Disabilities’ Behavior and Academic Achievement

Abstract

As school personnel consider implementing changes to school structure and procedure regarding discipline and curriculum delivery, they must first consider the school’s culture and the school’s goals, and then consider the most effective ways to achieve those goals. Programs of interventions and supports, such as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Response to Intervention (RtI), can be tailored to a school’s specific needs based on student population and school data. These programs are multi-tiered and address student engagement and behavior through curriculum delivery. In addition, these programs are designed to use student data as a basis for curriculum design and individual student plans at each tier. The literature that has been examined for this review strongly suggests these programs have been successful in improving student behaviors and learning outcomes, and that there is a strong relationship between academics and behavior. Continued research is needed regarding effective implementation of intervention and support programs at the high school level and the impact of these programs on students with learning disabilities.