Data-Based Instruction

Abstract

This article reports one of two parts of a follow-up study of special education teachers who have graduated from the Resource/Consulting Teacher Program at the University of Illinois. The first (Idol-Maestas & Ritter, 1985) was a study of practices of consulting teachers. This study was a follow-up to determine the degree of satisfaction with the preparation program and the degree to which program graduates used data-based instruction (DBI) techniques. Graduates responded to a questionnaire and were interviewed by telephone to determine answers to six research questions pertaining to self-evaluation of (a) DBI skills as a Aesulf of training efforts, (b) overall quality of the preparation program, (c) outcome of this preparation, (d) outcome compared to skills of colleagues, (e) usefulness of DBI skills, and (f) success in promoting use of DBI with colleagues. Results were encouraging, with graduates rating DBI skills as being learned to a high degree within the program, followed by high ratings of overall program quality and skill outcome compared to others. They found DBI skills to be very useful for both direct teaching and consulting teaching. The majority made attempts to promote DBI, and most of them were encouraged in doing so. The types of resistance to use of DBI encountered by graduates were determined. A composite picture is presented of the types of experiences of these resourcetconsulting teachers as they used DBI in their teaching jobs.