Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Parents' Perspectives On The Literacy Instruction Received By Their Children With Intellectual Disabilities, Michelle A. Duffy

Reading and Language Arts - Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative interview study was to explore the perspectives of 22 parents of children with intellectual disabilities on the literacy learning opportunities the children were provided in school. It asked: 1) What are the perspectives of such parents on the literacy instruction offered to their children?, and 2) What are the perspectives of such parents on the opportunities available to them to participate in decision-making about this literacy instruction?

This study was grounded in disability studies and critical interpretivist frameworks, which provided a lens for understanding participants' views in the context of our society's historically unjust ...

What Was That Again, Congenital Disorder Of Glycosylation?, Janelle Roberts

Undergraduate Review

New technology and research are continuously changing our understanding of the human body, and newly emerging diseases are continuously being discovered, such as Congenital Disorder of Glycosylation (CDG). This disease creates challenges for Special Education teachers and others who work with children affected by CDG. The purpose of this project was to increase Special Education teachers’ understanding of the rare congenital disease CDG. Specifically, this project examined the augmentative communication strategies used with persons with CDG who are nonspeaking. There are approximately 1,000 diagnosed cases of CDG worldwide, and these figures are low estimates given that CDG presents like ...

Criteria For Transition For Self-Contained Classrooms, Christopher S. Marden

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports

This project was an effort to ascertain what skills regular and/or resource teachers require of self-contained students with learning disabilities in order to transition successfully in their classrooms. A twenty-one-question survey was given to regular and resource teachers in four junior high schools. This survey questioned teachers with regards to what the minimal academic, behavioral and procedural criteria should be mastered before students transition into regular classrooms. Once this information is received, self-contained teachers may analyze their curriculum, behavioral and classroom procedures to better mirror the requirements and the realities of the regular and/or resource classrooms.

Diagnostic Statistical Manual 5 Changes To The Autism Diagnostic Criteria: A Critical Moment For Occupational Therapists, Heather Miller-Kuhaneck

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

The new definition of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is expected to appear in May 2013 in the finalized Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM) -5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2012). The current DSM-IV criteria uses Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) as the umbrella term for autism, a classification that many professionals believe has been outdated for several years. ASD will be the new name for the category that includes “autistic disorder (autism), Asperger’s disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified” (APA, 2012). It will also serve to better differentiate autism spectrum disorder from typical development as well as from ...

Effects Of Phonotactic And Orthotactic Probabilities On Word Recognition For Children Who Do And Do Not Use Aac, Rachel C. Shelton

University of Tennessee Honors Thesis Projects

No abstract provided.

How To Use Music Therapy To Promote Communication Skills With Individuals With Autism, Heather Palmer

IPFW Student Research and Creative Endeavor Symposium

First year music therapists are often unprepared when finding the most appropriate means of working with individuals with Autism. As Autism is the second largest population currently being served by music therapists (American Music Therapy Association Membership Sourcebook, 2011) it is important that they have a clear understanding of the common characteristics, need areas and interventions that are the most appropriate to fit their specific needs. An extensive literature review was conducted in order to determine the themes and need areas in the ten question survey. This survey was provided to seven board certified music therapists in order to compare ...

Pre-Service Secondary Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Inclusive Education, Shane Costello, Christopher Boyle

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The attitudes held by pre-service teachers have been shown to affect their willingness and ability to implement an inclusive approach to education. A sample consisting of 193 pre-service secondary teachers enrolled in secondary education courses at an Australian university were surveyed to determine their attitudes towards inclusive education, with a particular focus on attitudinal changes across the years of study. Results indicated that pre-service secondary teachers held positive attitudes towards inclusive education; however there was a significant decline in positive attitudes through the years of study. Pre-service secondary teachers enrolled in postgraduate programs were more inclusive than those enrolled in ...

Experiences Of Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students: An Exploratory Phenomenological Study, Anysia J. Ensslen

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

Within the past decade little research has been conducted in the United States to examine the preparedness of beginning speech-language pathologists; the seminal article used for this research study comes from the United Kingdom (Horton, Byng, Bunning, & Pring, 2004). Literature from the past few decades indicates that there may be deficiencies in the way that beginning speech-language pathologists are being trained clinically.

The review of the literature suggests that the field may lack a clear and broadly supported learning theory or framework for the clinical supervision and training of speech-language pathology graduate students. The literature further supports the importance of ...

Academic Support Experiences And Perceptions Of Postsecondary Students With Disabilities: A Public And Private University Comparision, Heather T. Wizikowski

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Legislation, social awareness, and advancements in medicine and assistive technology have created meaningful postsecondary opportunities for students with disabilities over the past 30 years. Mainstreaming, inclusion, and transition planning in elementary and secondary schools also greatly contributed to the increased achievement of students with disabilities. Today, 15% of students with disabilities attend four-year colleges. Current federal data show 88% of private and 99% of public universities report students with disabilities enrolled at their institutions. Much of the current research focuses on institutional practice and need. There is a gap in the research when looking at student needs and experiences.

This ...

Understanding Deaf Readers: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Aaron Weir Kelstone

Education Doctoral Theses

The development of reading skills, beyond a functional level, is difficult for most deaf readers. Standardized testing demonstrates a median 4th grade reading level that remains consistent even after national norming of the Stanford Achievement test on the population of deaf school children. Deaf education continues to generate various educational interventions, yet few interventions lead to classroom implementation of effective-based practices. Research associated with successful deaf readers who read at levels equal to or better than the average 12th grade hearing reader is less prevalent. Subsequently, effective identification of how these deaf readers successfully comprehend text is not well understood ...

A Collective Case Study Of The Perceptions And Implementation Of Self Advocacy From Four Educators Of Students With Disabilities, Heather Heap

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study identified four educators' perceptions and their implementation of teaching advocacy to students with disabilities within a public secondary educational setting. Federal mandates, such as Public Law 94-142, requested educators including administrators, counselors, special educators, and general educators to help facilitate self advocacy skills in the public educational setting. Using observations, comprehensive interviews, and available documentation, this collective case study identified four educators' experiences (an administrator, a counselor, a special educator, and a general educator) in developing student self advocacy as it pertains to the educators' perceived role in working with students with disabilities. This study identified their ...

Self-Care In The Field Of Interpreting, Amy Lyn Zenizo

Master's Theses

The purpose of this research is to investigate what interpreters for the Deaf perceive as self-care and how much time they engage in self-care per week. This study takes a holistic approach to looking at interpreters for the Deaf who work in the field and what their practices of self-care are. Self-care was examined within the context of the physical and emotional impacts of interpreting.

I approached this study from inside the profession by asking a sample of nineteen interpreters to participate. Other published works make recommendations for interpreters; however, this study looks at activities interpreters participate in that focus ...

Special Education Teacher Persistence, Sally A. Thorp

Educational Administration: Theses, Dissertations, and Student Research

The focus of this study was special education teachers, who remained in the teaching field 5 or more years. Through the use of qualitative mixed-methods study, variables contributing to their longevity were explored. Research indicates that 50% of special education teachers leave the field within five years of employment (Alliance for Education, 2004). For the study, 22 teachers from different school districts, as well as different geographical parts of the U.S., were interviewed. One man and 21 women, all with more than five years of experience were interviewed. Data obtained from these interviews was organized into six themes. Themes ...

Keeping It Vague: A Study Of Vague Language In An American Sign Language Corpus And Implications For Interpreting Between American Sign Language And English, Daniel J. Greene

Master's Theses

Vague Language (VL) seems to be a universal feature of language, and American Sign Language (ASL) has been shown to have all the properties of language; therefore, it is natural that VL would appear in ASL. This thesis is the first study of VL in ASL, and provides evidence that VL occurs in ASL and is used to express meanings equivalent to those of VL in English. The findings of this study document yet another property that ASL shares with other languages, and contribute yet another language to the body of languages that have been studied for VL.

The investigator ...

Exceptional Connections : A Cross-Cultural Exploration Of The Actual Teacher Behaviours That Contribute To Positive Relationships With Gifted Secondary Students And Secondary Students With Emotional/Behavioural Disorders, Trevor Capern

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This cross-cultural study examined the teacher behaviours that contributed to positive student-teacher relationships with gifted secondary students and secondary students with Emotional/Behavioural Disorders (EBD) in Western Australia and Canada. The study also examined which categories of social support (emotional, instrumental, informational, appraisal) were considered most important in developing positive relationships according to the exceptional students and their teachers. Behaviours were identified through a mixedmethods approach that included surveys, teacher interviews, and student focus groups. Participants included gifted secondary students (N = 133) and their teachers (N= 49), and secondary students with EBD (N = 89) and their teachers (N=23) in ...

A Case For Training Signed Language Interpreters For Legal Specialization, Len Roberson, Deb Russell, Risa Shaw

Exceptional, Deaf, and Interpreter Education Faculty Publications

Interpreting in legal settings has become a specialized area of practice that requires specific training and ongoing professional development. This study examined the training and professional development needs of ASL–English interpreters in North America. The 1,995 participants in an online survey included interpreters who provide services in legal settings and those who do not. The data suggest that interpreters desire certificate programs that are delivered in multiple formats, including face-to-face intensive experiences, online distance learning, and regional and local mentoring experiences. The training content areas participants wanted most include specialized interactions; legal discourse across a range of settings ...

Is Weak Oral Language Associated With Poor Spelling In School-Age Children With Specific Language Impairment, Dyslexia Or Both?, Jillian H. Mccarthy, Tiffany Hogan, Hugh W. Catts

Special Education and Communication Disorders Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that word reading accuracy, not oral language, is associated with spelling performance in school-age children. We compared fourth grade spelling accuracy in children with specific language impairment (SLI), dyslexia or both (SLI/dyslexia) to their typically developing grade-matched peers. Results of the study revealed that children with SLI performed similarly to their typically developing peers on a single-word spelling task. Alternatively, those with dyslexia and SLI/dyslexia evidenced poor spelling accuracy. Errors made by both those with dyslexia and SLI/dyslexia were characterized by numerous phonologic, orthographic and semantic errors ...

Effect Of Alternative Assessments On Behavior Of Students In A Secondary Art Classroom, Kristy Jo Carper

Master's Theses

Regular paper tests are used in the classroom as a way to test learned knowledge, but students with learning disabilities often have trouble successfully passing these tests. It is plausible to examine this learned-knowledge through alternative assessments. Student behavior may also be a factor in successful test completion. Alternative assessments will be implemented in the art classroom as a way to positively influence behavior. This thesis will compare the scores of high school students on a regular paper test to their scores on an alternative assessment and see if their behavior is affected by the change of assessment.

Vocabulary Strategies And Implementation, Stacie Bratcher, Brandon Croghan, Katelyn Bradshaw

Applied Behavior Analysis (SPED 432) and Intervention Strategies for Literacy (SPED 431)

Vocabulary is a critical factor in the development of individuals’ ability to convey information. Information on this poster answers the question of ways to effectively implement implicit and explicit research-based teaching strategies. Researchers conducted an online probe consulting several articles discussing explicit strategies: keyword method, word walls, root analysis, and implicit strategies: cloze procedure, context clues and incidental word acquisition. The authors of this poster analyzed the information and divided the larger topic of vocabulary into subtopics. Through the use of these subtopics, teachers in all content and grade levels can implement vocabulary instruction. In conclusion, researchers found that teachers ...

Getting More From Social Skills, Christian Sabey, Scott W. Ross

SPED Faculty Publications

Every teacher has had the experience of teaching a student who exhibits difficult behaviors; the kind of behaviors that make it hard for the teacher to teach and hard for the student to learn. One popular intervention has been to give the student social skills training. Teaching students the social skills they lack is a natural choice for teachers because it is similar to how they teach academic skills. And yet, despite the natural fit, social skills training has not always been an effective intervention. Researchers have studied social skills training at every level of intervention. They have studied it ...