From Belief to Practice: Understanding Response to Intervention (RTI) or Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), Implementation among Primary School Teachers

Abstract

The Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), also known as Response to Intervention (RTI), is an educational reform initiative aimed at providing quality education and evidence-based treatments for all students. The main objective of the study was to investigate how teachers perceive the beliefs and practices regarding the RTI/MTSS process. The quantitative survey design was used to achieve the main goal for this study. Primary school teachers of these two districts (Multan and Jehlum) were considered a population regardless of their gender. 700 teachers were selected using a stratified random sampling method. A 34-item self-developed questionnaire was used to collect data. Inferential data analysis was used to compare the teachers' beliefs and practices about the RTI/MTSS process with demographic characteristics like location, gender, district, and teaching experiences. The study's results show that teachers had stable and clear ideas about the RTI/MTSS process. Although the teachers saw a moderate and small improvement in their practices, this suggests that their beliefs and actions did not match. The study also established that there were statistical differences in perceived norms between the male and female teachers, the teachers from the different districts, and the teachers with different experience in teaching, but no difference in vignette practices. Further research may attempt to investigate the commonality of the intervention process that has been effective at increasing rates and establish potentially teachable strategies in independent practice.