The effects of *format on knowledge acquisition

This study investigates the relative effects of instructional delivery media format, online and in-class, on learning performance of in-service educators enrolled in a graduate-level course regarding a new provision in special education law. A significant training challenge was presented through the 2004 reauthorization of The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) involving the special education eligibility determination procedure known as Response To Intervention (RTI). Federally-supported training initiatives for RTI implementation were disseminated through a variety of formats, including web-based applications. The special education field has a long history with distance education applications in an effort to alleviate critical shortages of qualified teachers and administrators. To date, little empirical evidence exists regarding the effectiveness of pedagogically sound instructional sequences delivered simultaneously in online and in-class formats in the field of special education professional development. Even less evidence exists related to the learning effects of RTI training projects. This study provides comparative data on the effects of distance education and face-to-face instruction on RTI knowledge acquisition. The investigation had three goals. The first goal was to design a RTI training module based on an effective pedagogical foundation consistent with adult learning theory. The second goal was to offer this module simultaneously in classroom-based and online formats. The third goal was develop a valid and reliable instrument to compare the knowledge acquisition of the participants in each format. The investigation found no differences in knowledge acquisition that could be attributed to instructional delivery media format condition