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.

For the first year of the study, 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 middle schools from this list agreed to participate in the RPP reading intervention, and three middle schools from this list agreed to participate in the mathematics intervention. The reading intervention consisted of using the DI program Corrective Reading- Decoding three days per week and the ACM software program Reading for Meaning two days per week with students with identified reading disabilities. The mathematics intervention consisted of using the DI program Connecting Math Concepts three days per week and the ACM software program Destination Math two days per week with students with identified mathematics disabilities.  

For the second year of the study, an open announcement was sent to all Kentucky middle schools, inviting them to participate in the study. Five schools were selected, with three middle schools in the reading intervention and two middle schools in the mathematics intervention. This year’s reading intervention consists of using Corrective Reading- Decoding three days per week and the ACM software program Thinking Reader two days per week with students with identified reading disabilities. The mathematics intervention consists of using the DI program Connecting Math Concepts four days per week and the ACM software program Destination Math one day per week with students with identified mathematics disabilities.