Using organizational change procedures to promote the acceptability of prereferral intervention services: The school-based intervention team project

Prereferral intervention programs represent a consultation-based approach f or providing behavioral and/or instructional support to students before con sidering their eligibility for special class placement. Although research c oncerning the initial success of these programs has been promising, more in formation is needed relating program process variables to student outcomes in addition to effective procedures for promoting the adoption of these pro grams over time. This article describes organizational change procedures th at were used to promote the acceptability of a prereferral intervention pro gram at four pilot schools. In addition, evaluation data are presented conc erning the program's acceptability to team members and participating teache rs, integrity of the consultative process, and effect on numbers of childre n referred to special education. The implications of these results for scho ol psychologists attempting to promote the acceptability and long-term adop tion of prereferral intervention programs are discussed.