Many readers may already know about the IRIS Center. Those who know about it recognize that the center has been a longstanding, accessible resource about behavioral and academic instructional practices.

The IRIS Center provides quite extensive resources. It covers diverse topics (academic and behavior) and crossses disabilities, It pretty freaking much covers the watrfront (i.e., offers video, text, and etc.). Check out the overview.

Well, here's the hook for this post on Special Education Today: People who want to implement evidence-based practices should look at the IRIS Center's resources.

Those resources are usually quite good.

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IRIS has been funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) for a long-long time. That's because IRIS offers a conceptually coherent and accessible batch of resources that promote effective practices.

Because IRIS has been an on-going operation for decades, it’s work revisiting. It’s not a one-trick-pony. The resources are updated regularly. One should check back pretty freakin’ often!

Now, I might disagree with a coupla-few recommendations, but if something like > 95% of the recommendations are good or great...let's not dismiss the mass of worthwhile practice that IRIS recommends. OSEP made a great bet on IRIS in the early ‘00s. That bet has been a winner—one with continuing positive returns.

For those who are interested, I recommend a comparison of IRIS and CEC’s “High-leverage Practices.” An analysis—and synthesis—of the two could point the way to improved practice.

That would be a good outome, no?

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Special Education Today by John Wills Lloyd

You should consult IRIS resources often