Request for Proposal
Laura Moll
Ashford University
Dr. Bruce A. Johnson
Dallas Independent School District, Board of Education
Laura Moll
Proposed Timeline:
July 7, 2014- Submission to the Board of Education
July 30, 2104- Monthly board review for new proposals. The board will review the proposal and vote on the adoption of the program.
August 1, 2014- If program is adopted, materials will be purchased.
August 4-7, 2014- Educators will be introduced to new learning material and procedures for screening and introduction into the dyslexia program.
August 25, 2014- The Scottish Rite program will be implemented.
Abstract
Dyslexia is a disability that has been around for several years, but has never been evaluated in terms of its capacity and impact on student achievement. In the recent years, researchers have begun developing models of how a brain functions with dyslexia and what sequences, patterns and activities can be implemented to reduce the symptoms and increase academic proficiency. Several programs have been developed, in light of this research, that help to change the brain waves to function at a normal level. This change in brain activity helps to promote fluent reading, increase retention and regain control of sequencing and organizing details for people with dyslexia.
The Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children have developed a program called Take Flight specifically targeted for children with dyslexia. This program encompasses all the elements of learning that students with dyslexia are deficient in by including a multi-step, two year program for students to participate in. Currently, there are centers in the Dallas Fort Worth area that support this program, and offer courses to students that attend electively (Texas, 2014). With courses offered exclusively off site, in a private location, services are limited to a specific demographic population and socioeconomic status. A program of this caliber should be available to all students, regardless of their geographic location or socioeconomic status. This program should be incorporated into the response to intervention plans for tier 2 and tier 3 students, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the provisions set forth by the U.S Department of Education.
Introduction
Dyslexia as a learning disability has a long history in the academic world. In the nineteenth century the term was coined, meaning “difficulty with words” (Dyslexia). Currently, this form of learning disabilities affects about ten percent of the population, but is often misdiagnosed as a general learning disability. There are several different symptoms and signs that signal dyslexia in children, often balanced with a great array of strengths and overwhelming weaknesses. Overall however, dyslexia is now known to be a processing problem in which the brain processes information differently in those with dyslexia than it does in a brain that functions “normally” (Dyslexia). According to Dyslexia Scotwest, some of the identifying characteristics include confusing letters and words that can be included in a pair, organizing sequences, trouble with short term memory storage, coordination and difficulty reading and writing.
While it has become evident in many districts that dyslexia is a relevant and current learning disability, many educators are unclear of how to treat and help these children reach their maximum potential. While clear guidelines for creating and maintaining effective instruction help to create classrooms that are meaningful and beneficial for most students, modifications for students with disabilities must be made for moral reasons and to adhere to federal legislation claiming that all students have a right to free and appropriate education in a public school setting (U.S. Department of Education, 2010).
Clark & Mayer define general criteria for developing effective instruction including principles for goal setting, segmenting content, using details that are relevant to the learning objective and concentrating on the needs of the student’s to gauge interest and ability in learning (2011). However, due to the varying symptoms and criteria for diagnosing and treating students with dyslexia, many educators are unclear of where to begin in helping these select students achieve to their highest capacity.
Needs Assessment
Dyslexia is a debilitating and complex disability that often goes undiagnosed for a range of different reasons. Characteristics of dyslexia include but are not limited to the following as defined by The Dyslexia Handbook distributed by the Texas Department of Education (2010):
- Delayed reading and writing as a result of difficulty reading isolated words or nonsense words, lack of reading fluency and issues with spelling.
- Inconsistencies with labeling and connecting sounds to symbols, rapid naming and segmenting and blending sounds.
- Students spend little time on reading activities and lack reading comprehension skills and writing ability.
These skills are often displayed intermittently and children may appear extremely bright, but consistently underperform what would be expected of them. Many teachers remain untrained and unaware of the symptoms and outcomes of dyslexia, much less how to treat and approach such a disability. The discrepancy between how the child is expected to perform and how the child actually performs can often lead to frustration from both the teacher and the students perspective. If untreated and undiagnosed, adults can deal with trauma and frustration throughout adulthood. One man explains his testimony on social media. Comments like “you’re not trying hard enough”, “stop being lazy” and nights of tears and angry parents stain this mans memory even at thirty-eight years old (Facebook, 2013). Students that are not diagnosed often suffer from self esteem issues and struggle through adulthood in both work and academic situations. It is critical that students with this disability are recognized at an early age and intervention is immediately disbursed.
Currently, Texas has several components in place to promote identification and intervention at an early age, but not all districts have comprehensive and proven programs that help eliminate the symptoms and struggles associated with dyslexia. Currently, the Dallas Independent school district manages several materials issued by the Scottish Rite program including the training and literacy program but lack the full service, two year program as required by the Take Flight program.
Austin Learning Solutions out of Austin, TX identifies several different alarming facts about dyslexia, many that are not obvious to many educators in the field. Some statistics are as follows: (Dyslexia Facts & Statistics, 2014)
- One out of every ten people have dyslexia.
- Only about two out of every one hundred people that have dyslexia actually know they have it.
- Twenty Percent of school aged students have dyslexia.
- Many people think that dyslexia is a form of mental retardation, it is not. It is simply a brain that functions differently than brains without dyslexia.
- With appropriate, meaningful and repetitive instruction, dyslexia can be managed.
The need for the full service training program is clear. Not only do students need a clear, research based method for overcoming a challenging and often debilitating hurdle in their academic career, but implementation of the a meaningful program has ruled out several of the misconceptions that surround dyslexia and have given families hope, confidence and encouragement to achieve to the fullest capacity of academic performance.
JIT Training and Learning Solution
Take Flight is a comprehensive program designed as an intervention program for students with dyslexia. This program is designed to take two years to from start to finish. The primary focus of this program involves recognizing, overcoming and mastering the challenges of dyslexia. Students that are integrated into the schools tier program and are classified as Tier III learners receive intervention four days a week for sixty minutes or five days a week for forty five minutes per day, providing intense, repetitive instruction. The program focus is centered around the key components that learners with dyslexia struggle with. Those components include focus on phonemic awareness, identifying phonic sounds, increasing fluency and vocabulary and optimizing reading comprehension skills.
There are several components of this program including the Rite Flight reading rate program that helps to increase reading fluency by staggering the complexity of stories, words and phrases in incremental time variances. Also, the Take Time to Read program increases creativity and listening skills to help kids be successful in schools. Lastly, the comprehension package includes vocabulary development, critical analysis questions and answers, narrative element recognition and development and defining and creating various elements of writing including figurative language, main idea and cause & effect. (Take Flight, 2014)
This intervention would be implemented upon the entrance of a student into the Tier III level of intervention as a response to responsive to intervention outcomes and testing for Dyslexia. Upon entrance to the program, students would meet with a resource teacher who would introduce and implement training programs a set forth by the Take Flight program to enhance learning and fluency.
Technology Solutions for JIT Training and Learning
Technology is an integral part of learning and integrating a JIT training solution for dyslexic learners. With the adoption of the Take Flight therapy program students would utilize many technologies to showcase their skills. The use of DVD’s to view the concepts and materials, computer reinforcement through games and interactive phonemic activities, and microsoft word applications would help to increase writing proficiency, reading comprehension and letter and symbol associations.
Budget
There are several elements that make up the the Take Flight program. The cost of these programs vary based on the amount of programs and supplies purchased. The analysis below describes the program purchased for five hundred classrooms, grades two through five. All information has been received from the Scottish Rite website, where order forms are available.
Rite Flight Reading & Comprehension Kit
Title
|
Price
|
Quantity
|
Total
|
Reading Rate Manual
|
$75.00
|
75
|
$5,625
|
Instant Word Cards
|
$35.00
|
75
|
$2,625
|
Classroom Comprehension Manual
|
$35.00
|
75
|
$2,625
|
“W” Charts (one per student)
|
$1.00
|
7,500
|
$7,500
|
Comprehension Mystery
|
$3.00
|
75
|
$225.00
|
Handwriting Paper (6 Sets)
|
$120.00
|
63
|
$7,500
|
Scope and Sequence
|
$75.00
|
75
|
$5,625
|
Subtotal
|
$31,725
| ||
Tax (8.25%)
|
$2,617.31
| ||
Total
|
$34,342.31
|
DVD Option included (Alternative Option)
Title
|
Price
|
Quantity
|
Total
|
Training Program( 336- 1 Hour programs, reading rate manuals, comprehension manual, word cards and 7 W Charts)
|
$2,500
|
75
|
$187,500
|
Handwriting Paper (6 Sets)
|
$120.00
|
63
|
$7,500
|
Scope and Sequence
|
$75.00
|
75
|
$5,625
|
Subtotal
|
$200,625.00
| ||
Tax (8.25%)
|
$16,551.56
| ||
Total
|
$217,176.56
|
The two offers vary greatly in cost but offer a vast array of varying options, the latter choice leaving more room for flexibility and accessibility for intervention.
Conclusion
Dyslexia is common problem in schools in Texas and across the country. Intervention at an early age is a critical component of developing a confident and able student that can overcome the debilitating symptoms of dyslexia. The Take flight program, as designed by the Scottish Rite Hospital has pioneered a successful program that graduates students within ten years, offering the confidence and ability to succeed at school. This method and technique is backed by research and proven results and can dramatically impact the confidence and ability of students that participate in the program. Many districts, including the Frisco Independent School District and Mckinney Independent School district have already adopted this program with tremendous success. Students with dyslexia need a substantial program that will enhance learning from all angles and teach mastery, not work arounds. Adoption of this program would be a fundamentally crucial decision for the development and enrichment of the Tier III intervention team when treating students with dyslexia.
References
Clark, R. C. & Mayer, R. E. (2011). E-Learning and the science of instruction (3rd ed). San
Francisco. Pfeiffer.
Dyslexia Facts & Statistics. (2014). Austin Learning Solutions. Retrieved from
http://www.austinlearningsolutions.com/blog/38-dyslexia-facts-and-statistics.html on July
7, 2014
7, 2014
Dyslexia ScotWest. Retrieved from http://www.dyslexiasw.com on July 6, 2014.
Dyslexia Services. (2014). Dallas Independent School District. Retrieved from www.dallasisd.org
on July 7, 2014.
Facebook.com. (2013). Bright Solutions for Dyslexia. Retrieved from
https://www.facebook.com/SusanBartonDyslexia/posts/441853592563358 on July 6, 2014.
Texas scottish rite hospital for children. (2014). Dyslexia. Retrieved from
http://www.tsrhc.org/dyslexia-take-flight on July 6, 2014.
The Dyslexia Handbook: Procedures concerning dyslexia and related disorders.(2010). Retrieved
from http://www.region10.org/dyslexia/links/dyslexia-handbook-english/ on July 6, 2014.
United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division (2014). Information and technical
assistance on the americans with disabilities act. Retrieved from http://www.ada.gov/ on
July 6, 2014.
U.S Department of Education. (2010). Free appropriate public education for students with
disabilities: requirements under section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973. Retrieved
from http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/edlite-FAPE504.html on July 6, 2014
