Effects of an Integrated Intervention for Improving Student Academic Engagement and Disruptive Behavior in High School

The transition to high school can be a difficult time for students with disabilities given increased academic expectations, larger school sizes, and greater student autonomy. Moreover, students struggling to stay academically engaged in core content classes are at greater risk for poor academic outcomes and school failure. This experimental pilot study examined the preliminary effects of an integrated Tier 2 intervention designed to improve academic engagement and reduce disruptive behaviors. To evaluate the intervention, we conducted an experimental single-case concurrent multiple-baseline design across four students. Three ninth-grade students were either receiving special education services or a 504 plan. The intervention included teaching students academic and behavioral engagement skills, followed by brief, ongoing coaching sessions on these skills every other day. Results indicated that the intervention had a moderate effect on student academic engagement, and both teachers and students rated the intervention as socially acceptable. Due to the lack of disruptive behaviors observed across the students, we were unable to evaluate the effects of the intervention on disruptive behaviors. Implications for research and practice surrounding the transition of ninth-grade students with or at risk for disabilities are discussed.