Once a concept only well known in special-education circles, Response to Intervention (RTI)--which responds to individual students' needs by taking a data-based approach to instruction--has taken hold in the general education arena and is helping educators take a more active role in monitoring student progress.

While many associate RTI with special-education students, the point of the movement, according to several experts, is to make sure that all children succeed and thrive in the classroom, including those who are falling behind with lessons and those who are not being challenged enough.

RTI is a multi-tiered approach to help all learners, although much of the focus has been on its use for helping struggling learners. Student progress is closely monitored at each stage of the intervention--and each stage will look different, depending on the student's or the district's situation--to determine the need for further research-based instruction or intervention in general education, a move to special education, or a combination of the two.

Critics say RTI can present challenges to educators in classrooms or districts with limited resources, and some worry that the emphasis on data creates a burden for teachers. But advocates maintain that RTI helps educators use data to better inform their instruction--which can result in significant learning gains.

"RTI in and of itself is a movement--it's a decision that a school district makes to improve educational outcomes for all students, not just for those kids that struggle, but for all students," said Sheldon Horowitz, director of professional services at the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD).

NCLD operates the RTI Action Network, a clearinghouse of RTI information that helps educators, administrators, and policy makers learn RTI basics, who is implementing it, and how different states approach it.

The RTI Action Network "offers a rare opportunity for all stakeholders to work together to ensure that each child has access to [high-] quality instruction, and that struggling students are identified early and given the necessary supports to succeed in school," said Kathleen Whitmire, director of the RTI Action Network.

Part of the network's strength, Whitmire said, lies in its ability to bring together and guide educators and parents at the local level, where RTI implementation occurs. They are able to share information and ask questions on discussion boards, which helps them realize that RTI is happening across the nation.

It "reveals pent-up demand for better ways to serve struggling kids than waiting until they crash and burn in third and fourth grade," said James Wendorf, NCLD's executive director.

The web site offers research-based information and professional development, and it gives visitors a chance to interact with experienced RTI professionals.

The RTI Action Network's objectives include promoting collaboration among general education, special education, and families; widespread implementation of a research-based system for early identification of struggling learners; implementation of a progress monitoring system to match interventions to student needs; and improvement in the accuracy of special-education eligibility determination.