Introduction to Problem Solving and Flexible Delivery
Special Education
Facts and Fallacies

Problem solving occurs in all aspects of our lives. We engage in problem solving with many different people addressing many different things.

In the school system we regularly interact with parents and other community members. We often need to problem solve together.

Within the school there are many different teams addressing many issues. Problem solving is essential for these different teams to function as well as possible. Flexible Service Delivery is only one of many areas in which school teams need to work together to help students.

 


Problem solving and services to students should match the level of need. The greater the need, the more resources and assistance required. Different school teams engage in the problem solving process.

Problem solving is a continuous process which starts with identifying the concern. This is the mismatch between what is expected and what is happening. Defining the problem means clearly noting in specific and measurable terms how the concern is observed. The team analyzes the problem by developing problem/solution hypothesis based on data derived from six different domains (e.g. curriculum and student characteristics). The hypotheses lead to developing interventions to address the problem. The interventions are intended to be implemented as quickly as possible and require continuous and frequent monitoring. This allows the team to evaluate the success of the intervention.