Using Organizational Change Procedures to Promote the Acceptability of Prereferral Intervention Services: The School-Based Intervention Team Project

Prereferral intervention programs represent a consultation-based approach for providing behavioral and/or instructional support to students before considering their eligibility for special class placement Although research concerning the initial success of these programs has been promising, more information is needed relating program process variables to student outcomes in addition to effective procedures for promoting the adoption of these programs over time. This article describes organizational change procedures that were used to promote the acceptability of a prereferral intervention program at four pilot schools. In addition, evaluation data are presented concerning the program's acceptability to team members and participating teachers, integrity of the consultative process, and effect on numbers of children referred to special education. The implications of these results for school psychologists attempting to promote the acceptability and long-term adoption of prereferral intervention programs are discussed.