Using “What Works”

August 2011

This resource page is a companion to NICHCY’s Structured Abstract 80, which summarized the findings of Scruggs, Mastropieri, Berkeley, & Graetz (2010) in their published meta-analysis entitled Do Special Education Interventions Improve Learning of Secondary Content?

It’s a fascinating meta-analysis of special education research about “what works.” We urge you to read the structured abstract, learn more about the specific interventions used to improve student performance, and then return here if you’d like more information about any or all of the interventions. The interventions of note are:

• Mnemonics
• Graphic organizers
• Learning strategies
• Computer-assisted instruction
• Peer tutoring and cooperative learning
• Study aids
• Hands-on learning
• Explicit instruction

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Mnemonics

Using Keyword Mnemonics to Develop Secondary Students’ Vocabularies: A Teacher’s Action Research
http://www.coe.uga.edu/jolle/2010_1/Benge_mneumonics.pdf

Using Mnemonics to Teach Academic Skills
http://www.nsttac.org/content/using-mnemonics-teach-academic-skills

Mnemonic Instruction
http://www.teachingld.org/ld_resources/alerts/5.htm

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Graphic Organizers

What Are Graphic Organizers?
http://www.study-skills-for-all-ages.com/graphic-organizers.html

Unit One | Understanding Graphic Organizers
http://tccl.rit.albany.edu/knilt/index.php/Unit_One-_Understanding_Graphic_Organizers

Graphic Organizers
Lots and lots of examples here.
In English | http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/
In Spanish | http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/spanish/

Graphic Organizers
Nearly 100 free, printable graphic organizers for a wide variety of topics.
http://freeology.com/graphicorgs/

Online Graphic Organizers for Use With Special Education Students
http://www.mangomon.com/online-graphic-organizers-for-use-with-special-education-students/

Graphic Organizers to the Rescue! Helping Students Link–and Remember–Information
http://imet.csus.edu/imet7/margolis/282_3/project/resources/fulltext/graphic_organizers.pdf

Graphic Organizers and Their Effects on the Reading Comprehension of Students with LD: A Synthesis of Research
http://nichcy.org/research/summaries/abstract21

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Learning Strategies

The Power of Strategy Instruction
http://nichcy.org/research/ee/learning-strategies/

Learning Strategies Curriculum
http://www.kucrl.org/sim/strategies.shtml

Cognitive Strategy Instruction
An entire website of info.
http://www.unl.edu/csi/index.shtml

Cognitive Strategies
This resource collection includes teacher tools, findings from research, and case studies.
http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/specconn/main.php?cat=instruction&section=main&subsection=cs/main

SRSD: Using Learning Strategies to Enhance Student Learning
A training module for educators.
http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/srs/chalcycle.htm

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Computer-Assisted Instruction

Computer-Assisted Instruction and Writing
http://www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/computeraided_writing.asp

Computer Assisted Instruction in Reading for Students with Learning Disabilities: A Research Synthesis
http://nichcy.org/research/summaries/abstract46

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Peer Tutoring and Cooperative Learning

Classwide Peer Tutoring at Work
http://teachingld.net/pdf/teaching_how-tos/classwide_peer_tutoring.pdf

An Introduction to ClassWide Peer Tutoring
This resource collection includes teacher tools, findings from research, and case studies.
http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/specconn/main.php?cat=instruction&section=cwpt/main

Peer-Mediated Intervention Studies on Academic Achievement for Students with EBD: A Review
http://nichcy.org/research/summaries/abstract34

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Study Aids

Study Guides and Strategies
http://www.studygs.net/

Study Tips Galore
http://www.studytips.org/

How to Study
More than 85 free, practical study skills articles. In Spanish, too!
http://www.how-to-study.com/

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Hands-On or Activity-Based Learning

Do2learn
Do2learn develops serious games and learning material targeting specific deficits of individuals with neurological disorders including ASD, fetal alcohol effects, intellectual disabilities, attention disorders, learning and communication disorders and others. Their materials specifically address deficits in the areas of behavior, socialization, communication, coping, and daily living skills.
http://www.do2learn.com

Center for Hands-on Learning
http://www.handsonlearning.org/

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Explicit | Direct Instruction 

Explicit Instruction
http://aim.cast.org/learn/historyarchive/backgroundpapers/explicit_instruction

Teaching Matters Explicit Instruction | 5-minute video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9leUP-yrW8

Direct Instruction and Intensive Intervention
http://www.sradirectinstruction.com/

Direct Instruction
http://nichcy.org/research/summaries/abstract1

Effective Mathematics Instruction, Evidence for Education (Vol. III, Issue I)
http://nichcy.org/research/ee/math

Direct Instruction
This resource collection includes teacher tools, findings from research, and case studies.
http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/specconn/main.php?cat=instruction&section=main&subsection=di/main

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