Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

A Mixed Methods Approach To Examining The Getting Ready Intervention For Supporting Young Children With Challenging Behaviors, Miriam E. Kuhn

Open Access Theses and Dissertations from the College of Education and Human Sciences

Families and preschool teachers of children with persistent challenging behaviors are taxed daily by difficulties presented in care and management of such children in their homes and early education settings. This study utilized a sequential explanatory mixed methods approach in three phases to better understand a collaborative partnership model of intervention, Getting Ready (Sheridan, Marvin, Knoche, & Edwards, 2008), for supporting preschoolers with challenging behaviors attending Head Start or state-funded pre-kindergarten programs. Preschool teachers received professional development and individual coaching to help them improve partnerships and collaboratively plan with parents to promote children’s growth, and enhance parent-child interactions.

In Phase 1, archival quantitative data for 19 children with challenging behaviors were analyzed for (1) relationships between teachers’ reports of problem behaviors and other child, parent, and teacher variables prior to beginning the intervention; and (2) change in 10 measures of child development/behavior, parent involvement in their children’s education, parent-teacher and teacher-student relationships after one year of preschool augmented by the Getting Ready intervention. In Phase 2, archival documents and audio-recordings from parent-professional team meetings, as ...

Voices Count: Employing A Critical Narrative Research Bricolage For Insights Into Dyscalculia, Diana E. Kuhl

University of Western Ontario - Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This qualitative study involved interviewing adult participants who were identified, or who self identified as having dyscalculia (also known as a mathematical learning disorder), with the objective of obtaining depth of perspective on how this phenomenon is interpreted, responded to, and managed by these individuals and those around them. This study utilizes a theoretical and methodological framework known as bricolage (Kincheloe, 2005) which involves the synthesis of narrative, auto-ethnographic, critical, feminist, neuroscientific, and psychometric perspectives, to explicate the constitution and experience of dyscalculia. This study also explores epistemological privilege within the discipline of educational psychology, and draws on the work ...

Differences Between Students With And Without Adhd On Task Vigilance Under Conditions Of Distraction, Peter Ross, Justus Randolph

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Distraction is a typical component of any classroom environment. For effective instruction and learning to take place, it is critical for students to eventually return to task and maintain task vigilance (i.e., returning to the task at hand) when a distraction occurs. Students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), by definition, are more distractible than students without ADHD. However, studies showing specific variability of task vigilance between students with and without ADHD are limited. This correlational study examined the differences in distractibility on task vigilance between students with and without ADHD under conditions of distraction. Two groups of participants ...

Stakeholder Perceptions Of The Special Education Referral Process For Black Males Based On Ace: Administration, Culture And Environment, Malik Douglas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal comparative study is to contribute to the understanding of Critical Race Theory by using a parametric test to compare the independent variable of human characteristics to the dependent variables of Administrative, Cultural, and Environmental/ Hereditary (ACE) factors to develop a picture of parents'/guardians' and educators' attitudes about factors that may explain the overrepresentation of Black males in special education programs. A total of 162 participants completed a self-reporting demographic characteristic survey and the Gresham survey to provide information on the attitudes towards the administrative, cultural, and environmental/hereditary factors that may be correlated with ...

Incorporation Of Equine Assisted Therapy In University Curriculum, Shelby Y. Sabati

Animal Science

Equine-assisted activity and therapy incorporates physical, mental and language treatments through equine movement to remediate medical conditions or impairments in clients. For all the opportunities that equine-assisted therapy provides there is little education on the practice. The focus of this project is to present the process, benefits and limitations of adopting an equine-assisted therapy course at California Polytechnic State University so it may be used as a reference for future course proposal.

Objective: The aim of this proposal is to offer insight into Equine-assisted therapy, understanding how to integrate the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) International curriculum into the ...

Middle School Transition: Faculty And Parent Perceptions Of The Academic, Procedural, And Social Changes That Occur Between Elementary And Middle School, Barbara Mckeon

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of parents and faculty regarding the transition from a private special education school to the middle school environment. Research was conducted using a mixed methods design to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of those directly involved with the transition process. Seventeen participants, nine parents and eight faculty participated in both the interviews and questionnaire processes. Social competence, academic competence, procedural challenges, maturational readiness and program planning were dominant themes in this study. The study examined the academic, procedural and social changes that occur in middle school from the stage-environment fit ...

An Analysis Of Pre-Service Versus Experienced Special-Education Teachers’ Perceptions Of Attrition, Derek M. Kreider

Master of Education Theses

In this quantitative study, I assessed the presence of factors related to attrition in pre-service special educators. I surveyed 23 pre-service special educators regarding various attrition factors identified in the research literature and then compared their responses to the perceptions of 32 seasoned special educators to test for statistical significance. Participants were located at a large, public university in the southeast United States and the largest public-school system in proximity to the university. The results of the study indicated that attrition factors may be evidenced in pre-service educators and therefore detectable prior to entering the teaching field. The study also ...

A School System And University Approach To Reducing The Research To Practice Gap In Teacher Education: A Collaborative Special Education Immersion Project, Christine R. Grima-Farrell, Jan Long, Robyn Bentley-Williams, Cath Laws

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This research is a response to the call for more effective practice based knowledge on ways to build inclusive cultures that assist the translation of research-to-practice. It reports on the factors identified in literature as being significant to the successful translation of research-to-practice and seeks to identify important sources of influence from an undergraduate teacher perspective.

By investigating a collaborative school system and university generated Special Education Immersion Project, specifically designed for undergraduate teachers, a number of factors are presented as contributors to the gap between research and practice. They include the importance of linkages between teacher preparation programs and ...

The Mainstream Kindergarten Teacher's Perspective Of Pragmatic Skills Of Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing Aligned With Common Core Standards, Marianne Ingram Huish

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports

No abstract provided.

Picture Books And Literacy Development For Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing, Lichelle Slater

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports

No abstract provided.

Engaging In The Gap: Exploring Work Experiences Of Pioneer Transition Specialists, Deborah S. Holman

Education Doctoral Theses

Although "the compilation of lists of best practices accelerated", significant resources have been allocated, and federal mandates requiring transition special education services for students with disabilities have been in place now for over three decades, post school outcomes for students with disabilities have still not improved significantly (Test, et al, 2006, p. 35).

This qualitative narrative inquiry study uses Giddens (1984) structuration theory as a guiding framework to explore how four pioneer transition coordinators experience and make sense of their work endeavors in this field to support student success in the northeastern region of the United States. It takes place ...

Feasible Interventions: Bridging The Gap Between Co-Teachers, Michael Anthony Jarvis

Education Doctoral Theses

The purpose of this case study was to gain a deeper understanding of the perceptions of the feasibility of employing the five models of co-teaching (Friend & Cook, 1995) through the co-teachers' experience and how this affected both the relationship between co-teachers and student outcomes. This research addressed a literature gap not previously scrutinized regarding the feasibility of implementing the five co-teaching models with the specific design of having the aforementioned roles distinguished between co-teachers. The results of the study confirm the previous research that found the need for co-teachers to have common planning time, parity, comparable personalities, and/or philosophies ...

A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Higher Education Students With Disabilities, Allen J. Heindel

Graduate School Theses and Dissertations

Distance education has the potential to offer a meaningful alternative for students with disabilities. Colleges and universities have opportunities to provide quality online courses to students with disabilities; yet data show these students may often choose to discontinue higher education pursuits. Little is currently known about how students with disabilities experience the distance learning environment or how institutions of higher education. This phenomenological study focuses on the quality of the learning experiences and learner satisfaction of students with disabilities in distance education courses.

The purpose of this study is to investigate 1) how online learning is experienced by students with ...

Effect Of Direct Instruction Programs On Teaching Reading Comprehension To Students With Learning Disabilities, Jennifer Parker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quasi experimental research study was to examine the effects of two direct instruction programs, SRA Reading Mastery Signature and SRA Reading Success on reading comprehension skill acquisition of middle school students who qualify as a student with a specific learning disability. Furthermore, the study was used to compare the reading comprehension achievement of students who participated in SRA Reading Mastery Signature and students who participated in SRA Reading Success using the reading portion of the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment. The treatment groups were located in a moderate size school district in the Upstate region ...

Improv(Ing) Students: Teaching Improvisation To High School Students To Increase Creative And Critical Thinking, Beth D. Slazak

2014 Master's Level Graduate Research Conference

This project focuses on teaching High School students improvisational techniques to increase their creative and critical thinking skills. This covers the use tools of Creative Problem Solving, rules and concepts of improvisational theater, and affective thinking skills. The finished project includes lesson plans, a workbook, and a video that will assist students and educators in teaching these skills.

The students participated in a six-week long, once a week class, after regular school hours. They participated in a mini lecture relating a tool or technique of Creative Problem Solving, followed by improv activities related to that topic. After the exercises, students ...

Masters Of Speech-Language Pathology Program Receives Accreditation News, Rhea Paul

Rhea Paul

The speech-language pathology (SLP) Program at SHU was awarded candidacy, the first stage of accreditation conferred by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech, Language and Hearing Association (ASHA).

Multi-Tiered Support Systems And Special Education Models For English Learners, Julie Esparza Brown

Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This workshop provided participants with the opportunity to:

• Examine the unique factors in EL students’ background and make appropriate adjustments to instruction and interventions.
• Choose screening and progress monitoring tools with demonstrated reliability and validity for ELs.
• Make decisions on appropriate growth for each EL student in consideration of their unique contexts.
• Determine appropriate language of intervention in English‐only and all bilingual program models (early‐exit to dual language).
• Apply a framework for least biased assessment in Tier 3 that systematically considers the cultural loading and linguistic demand of assessments.

Postsecondary Inclusion For Individuals With An Intellectual Disability: A Comparative Case Study, Eric Jordan Moore

Masters Theses

Postsecondary education programs for individuals with intellectual disabilities have emerged exponentially in the United States over the last decade. Research regarding these programs has largely been descriptive, and thus there exists a need for qualitative, outcome-based research. In this comparative case study, graduates from two types of postsecondary education programs for individuals with intellectual disability are surveyed regarding employment outcomes and other personal developments. The results from each program are compared with one another and also with a comparison group of individuals with intellectual disabilities who did not attend a postsecondary program (utilizing the 2009 National Longitudinal Transition Study-2). This ...

The Development And Evaluation Of A Planning Guide And Inservice To Assist Middle School Personnel In Serving Students With Disabilities Via 504 Plans, Aimee Miller

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports

No abstract provided.

Manipulating Parameters Of Reinforcement To Reduce Problem Behavior Without Extinction, Soraya Shanun Kunnavatana

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research has demonstrated that function-based interventions are most effective for addressing problem behavior. However, many function-based interventions, such as differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA), rely on extinction procedures. Extinction is not feasible in all cases and can be counter-therapeutic if implemented without optimal treatment integrity. Researchers have successfully implemented DRA without extinction when various parameters of reinforcement (rate, quality, magnitude, immediacy) have been manipulated to favor alternative behavior; that is, participants engaged in higher rates of alternative behavior when reinforcement was delivered contingent on both alternative and problem behavior, but the alternative response produced better reinforcement in terms of ...