Increasing Opportunities to Respond to Intensify Academic and Behavioral Interventions: A Meta-Analysis

ABSTRACTResearch indicates that intensification in multitiered systems of support (MTSS) can prevent problem behavior and academic deficits from worsening and ensure that students with the most intensive needs receive the most appropriate supports. In MTSS, it is important to consider evidence-based practices that teachers can intensify to improve student responsiveness to intervention. One such practice is opportunities to respond (OTRs). Research finds that increased OTRs are associated with improved academic outcomes and reduced disruptive behaviors. Previous reviews assessed the impact of increased teacher-directed OTRs on student outcomes and focused on specific populations of students. This meta-analysis extends findings of previous reviews by specifically assessing the utility of increasing OTRs as a method to intensify interventions. Results extend the current literature base by identifying specific interventions associated with increased OTRs that may be feasible to implement as methods to intensify interventions across the school day for students with academic and behavioral deficits.