Seven Steps to Separating Difference From Disability

"This is a complete book for practitioners, helping me determine at what stage in the process my child study team is and where we should go next."
—Margarete Couture, Principal, Seneca Central School District, Interlaken, NY

"This book contributes significantly to the body of literature on RTI. No professional library will be complete without this book for addressing the multicultural perspective."
—Karen Kozy-Landress, Speech/Language Pathologist, MILA Elementary School, Merritt Island, FL

Ensure appropriate placement and services for your school's diverse students!

When a culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) student struggles in school, how can you tell whether language or cultural differences are the cause, or if the student has a learning or behavioral disability? Because the reason can be difficult to pinpoint, having the right assessment process in place is crucial. Seven Steps to Separating Difference From Disability shows how educators can adapt the widely used Response to Intervention (RTI) model to make sound decisions regarding a student's education.

Catherine Collier presents a framework that breaks down the process into seven clear steps for determining each student's unique strengths and needs, helping educators make appropriate decisions regarding resources, referrals, and integrated services. Principals, school administrators, and RTI team members will find:

• Instruction, intervention, and assessment techniques specific to the challenges faced by limited-English-proficient (LEP) students and English language learners (ELLs)
• A step-by-step process that works within an RTI framework, supporting collaboration among teachers, specialists, and administrators
• Realistic, research-based guidance on key considerations such as cognitive learning style, language acquisition, acculturation, and the role of family and community
• A running case study that demonstrates the book's strategies in action

Develop your team's ability to distinguish between learning differences and disabilities so you can better serve all students!