One of the research studies associated with CIIDL is the Reaching Proficiency Project (RPP).  The RPP study was designed to measure the effectiveness of using Direct Instruction (DI) techniques and Accessible Curriculum Materials (ACMs) at improving special education students’ reading and mathematics achievement.

The Kentucky Department of Education provided CIIDL researchers with a list of Kentucky schools who were not meeting Adequately Yearly Progress requirements for either reading or math.  Two Kentucky middle schools agreed to participate in the RPP reading intervention, and three Kentucky middle schools agreed to participate in the mathematics intervention. 

The reading intervention consists of using the DI program Corrective Reading- Decoding three times per week and the ACM software program Reading for Meaning two times per week with students with identified reading disabilities.  The mathematics intervention consists of using the DI program Connecting Math Concepts three times per week and the ACM software program Destination Math two times per week with students with identified mathematics disabilities.