General education teachers' perceptions of the prereferral intervention process.

Slonski-Fowler and Truscott (2004) conducted an ethnographic study which examined elementary teachers' perceptions of the pre-referral intervention team (PIT) process. The authors discuss the current literature focused on the process of PIT and found that the critical role of teachers were almost unmentioned thus initiating the study. The goals for the study include understanding the teachers' perception of the PIT process and to determine how this perception may affect teacher participation. Slonski-Flower and Truscott (2004) collected data by means of interviews, initial and follow-up PIT meeting observations, and initial and follow-up classroom observations. Results identify the following three common themes from the teachers' perspective: 1) teachers' input was devalued or ignored, 2) PIT intervention strategies were limited and lacked clarity and 3) team exhibited little accountability for implementation or outcomes. The authors discuss the importance of the teachers' perception and how it negatively affected the level of participation and success of the process and propose a hypothesized model of teacher engagement in the PIT process. Implications for better practice emphasizing the primary PIT function of intervention, preventive practice, and a collaborative process are provided and discussed. The authors state that generalizability is a limitation due to methods and that results are context and individual specific.

Slonski-Fowler, K.E., & Truscott, S.D. (2004). General education teachers’ perceptions of the prereferral intervention process. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 15(1), 1-39.