Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

The Heart Of K'E: Transforming Dine Special Education And Unsettling The Colonial Logics Of Disability, Sandra Yellowhorse

American Studies ETDs

This paper takes up the roles of ideology and spatiality as they impact Diné students and learners in understanding conceptions of normativity, neuro-diversity and bodily variance. I am concerned with how the movement and creation of Indigenous schools and their praxis still maintain and often times produce settler colonial ideologies of being, personhood, difference and ability. I illustrate the challenges that Diné planners and educators face in entrenching cultural knowledge and language into their educational initiatives, while some of the problematic manifestations and expressions of normativity present themselves through state polices, federal law and mainstream curriculum.

I focus on the …

The School Connection Program: Strengths, Challenges, And Next Steps, Luchara Wallace

Faculty Research and Creative Activities Award (FRACAA)

The School Connection Program originally began as a WMU-initiated, community engaged effort to develop and implement an off-site alternative to school suspension for high-need Middle School students in southwestern Michigan county. The original purpose of the program was (a) to provide an off-site location for academic, social, and emotional supports to students separated from their K-12 school setting due to suspension and (b) to ensure that when the student returns to school, they are returning with tools that will help them stay better connected to school and less likely to be suspended again while addressing academic deficits in the areas …

A Multilevel Model Of Poverty, Community Factors, And Learning For Students With Disabilities., Randal Barnes

Dissertations

Students with disabilities face challenges to academic success that can be exacerbated by the effects of poverty. In this study, Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) was used to analyze the effects of socio-economic status, social capital, and threats to safety on literacy test scores for students with disabilities. Results of the analysis indicate that discipline rate had a significant effect on mean district scores on statewide standardized tests, but not on the impact of socio-economic status on test scores. Conversely, the percent of college graduates in a school district did not have a significant effect on district scores, but moderated the …

Advocating For Students With Autism: How To Best Engage And Equip Your Student With Autism To Excel In The Music Classroom, Mackenzie C. Kastelein

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Within the educational system, students with autism are often misunderstood or overlooked, resulting in an inadequate educational experience for students with ASD. This research was conducted in pursuit of collecting information on students with autism so that current music educators might be better equipped to engage these students effectively within their classroom. Six, current music educators were interviewed with a series of 9 questions in order to gather a small sample of what is currently occurring in American school systems when it comes to the music education of students with Autism. These educators discussed what inclusion of students with ASD …

An Examination Of Special Education Teachers' Self-Efficacy By Certification Status, Credential Type, Age, Gender, Previous Experience In Special Education, And Years Taught, Sarah R. Johnson

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This study explored differences and relationships between pre-service and in-service special education teachers’ self-efficacy ratings. These educators taught in California on alternate permits, Provisional Intern Permit (PIP), Short-Term Staff Permit (STSP), Intern Credential, valid Preliminary, and Clear credentials along with type of certification (Mild/Moderate, Moderate/Severe, and Early Childhood Special Education). The differences and relationships were examined across several demographic variables (gender, age, previous experience in special education, and number of years teaching special education). The study participants were employed in one of two large school districts as special education teachers on a PIP/STSP, Intern, Preliminary, or Clear Credential in Central …

The Unsung Heroes And Silent Partners Of The Educational World, Gillian Schneider

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed method study was to identify and describe what paraeducators perceive as factors that lead to effective and sustainable engagement in special education special day classes, and identify what strategies are effective for encouraging discretionary effort as perceived by paraeducators.

Methodology: The participants in the study were 69 paraeducators employed by a Southern California County Office of Education. Participants partook in two research instruments: (a) a 37-question survey and (b) a semi-structured interview.

Findings: Data based on the mixed method analysis revealed that paraeducators are highly committed employees who want to know that they are …

Students With Disabilities: Transitioning From Pk-18 To The Workplace, Cheri Beverly, Jane B. Thall

Dilemmas in Education: A Casebook for Ethical Reasoning

The case study investigates the conflict that arises when a student who has received extensive assistance and accommodation for an invisible disability throughout her education (PK-12 through graduate school) transitions to her first job. The case explores the tension between the employee and her employer.

Parent Perceptions Of Family Quality Of Life Raising A Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder In The Bahamas, Sharlene Monique Smith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Numerous research showed having a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can affect families in many ways (Brace, 2009; DeGrace, 2004; Fantaroni, 2012). The primary types of impact include family relationship (spousal and sibling relationships), finances, and access to resources and services to assist with caring for the social, emotional and academic development of a child with autism (Grindle & Remington, 2014; Harper et al., 2013; Koydemir & Tosun, 2009; Ludlow, Skelly, & Rohleder, 2011; Montes & Cianca, 2014). While extensive studies have shown similar findings of the impact of autism on family quality of life in America and other …

Sensory Integration In Saint Lucian Schools: A Case Study, Megan Lively Spt, Ashley Danielsen Spt, Leigha Schimmoeller Spt

Student Scholar Showcase

In January 2018, the Lynchburg College Doctor of Physical Therapy program sent a group of ten first- and second-year students to St. Lucia to provide therapy services to children in need across the island in five different special education schools. The group has been able to work hand-in-hand with the Ministry of Education in St. Lucia for the past three years in order to make a positive impact on the special education students and teachers. As the group did their evaluations this year, we noticed a trend that most of the students we worked presented with sensory integration dysfunctions and …

Effective Teaching And Behavioral Strategies Used By Exemplary Non-Public Alternative Education Schools, Alana Maxine Hughes

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore and describe the teaching and behavioral strategies exemplary, non-public alternative education schools used to support student learning as perceived by education specialists and site administrators at high-achieving, non-public alternative education schools in Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, and Orange County.

Methodology: This qualitative case study examined the perception of education specialists and site administrators by conducting interviews to identify effective teaching and behavioral strategies used by exemplary non-public alternative education schools. The researcher interviewed nine education specialists and three site administrators from exemplary non-public alternative schools. …

Enrollment And Disenrollment In Voluntary Prekindergarten: A Study Of Educational Leaders’ Decision-Making, Angela Cherie Passero Jones

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study focused on how school leaders’ understandings of (dis)ability were implicated in decision-making and affected student (dis)enrollment in Florida’s Voluntary Prekindergarten Program (VPK). More specifically it explored how leaders in private VPK programs invoked conceptions of normality, and subsequently abnormality, during decision-making processes for student (dis)enrollment. Combining a critical poststructuralist approach (critical disability studies, critical policy analysis), decision-making on (dis)enrollment was contextualized within the current policy ecology. This policy ecology was framed as an historical development of policies regarding preschool for children with and without disabilities in a marketplace shaped by the convergence of federal, state, and …

The Clinical And Classroom Utility Of The Inventory Of Reading Occupations: An Assessment Tool Of Children’S Reading Participation, Lenin Grajo, Catherine Candler, Patricia Bowyer, Sally Schultz, Jenny Thomson

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the initial clinical and classroom utility of the Inventory of Reading Occupations (IRO), a new tool to assess children’s reading participation.

Method: The study used phenomenological qualitative and descriptive methods. The participants included 38 occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, classroom teachers, and parents who completed or reviewed responses of children on the IRO. To provide triangulation, 20 of the children who completed the IRO were interviewed. Data were thematically analyzed and then categorized using a central Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats premise.

Results: The majority of the participants indicated favorable response to the …

Enhancing A Disability Advocacy Organization's Online Capacity To Provide Families With Essential Information About Secondary Transition, Taylor Harris

Poster Presentations

This poster describes my work assisting the Maine Coalition for Housing and Quality Supports conducted as part of my NH-ME LEND Leadership Project. The purpose of the project was to enhance an existing online timeline designed to help family members of individuals with developmental disabilities in Maine. In particular, I searched for essential resources, materials, and data related to effective secondary transition. The outcome was to provide a better resource for families as they identify services and supports that will help their children to have a smooth transition to adult life. Throughout this project, I collaborated with my leadership mentor …

Educational Videos About Restraint And Seclusion, Jodie Hall

Poster Presentations

The Coalition for Restraint and Seclusion (C.A.R.S.) is a group of stakeholders whose mission is to prevent the overuse of restraints and seclusion within the educational setting. As part of my training with the New Hampshire-Maine Leadership in Education in Neurodevelopmental Related Disabilities Program (LEND), I have been working with C.A.R.S. to update their resources and parent education materials. We created a series of short informational videos which will be accessed via the internet, in order to provide materials which are easily digestible and accessible for parents. My poster will provide descriptions of the content included in each of the …

The Effects Of Cyberbullying In Elementary School On Students With And Without Disabilities, Ashlee Punte

Education: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

The purpose of this research was to determine the effects of cyberbullying on elementary aged children in both general and special education settings. Cyberbullying is an intentionally harmful act through the use of the internet or an electronic device. There is a significant amount of research done on bullying and cyberbullying at the middle school and high school levels, but the research at the elementary level is very limited. There is also a large amount of research already done on students in general education, but there is a gap in special education. Because of these gaps in the research, it …

Examine The Relationship Between Effective Classroom Communication And Student Behavior And Classroom Efficiency Or Loss Of Instruction Time, Kirstin Blass

Education: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

Special education teachers and paraprofessionals work together on a daily basis during school hours to assist individuals with disabilities. Throughout the school day, these coworkers interact directly and indirectly with each other. The conversations and interactions between these individuals could have an effect on the students within the classroom either positively or negatively, depending on the interaction. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between effective classroom communication and student behavior and classroom efficiency or loss of instruction time. This mixed methodology study included input from two different special education teachers from two schools in Pennsylvania …

Placement Of Young English Language Learners’ (Ells’) In Reading Support : A Question Of Ell Status Or Learning Disability, Samantha Gehly

Education: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

Across the United States, increasing numbers of children whose first language, culture, and/or heritage is not English are being served in classrooms where English is the primary language in instruction. English Language Learners (ELLs) represent more than 5 million students in the United States, of which seventy-five percent are only Spanish-speaking. Many ELLs are facing the challenge of overcoming a language barrier to be academically successful, causing a risk of failure in increasing literacy demands. For educators working with ELLs in general education-related settings, their mission is to identify the root cause of their ELL student’s reading difficulties before they …

Childhood Trauma And Implications For Teaching Young Students Who Have Experienced Trauma, Samantha M. Zarzaca

Education: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

A traumatic event that was experienced at an early age can affect an individual’s ability to form relationships, brain development, and ability to learn. Research methodology included interviews with school professionals in a variety of roles in a rural Pennsylvania school district. Parents of four students completed a semi-structured questionnaire and observations of the students took place in a classroom setting. Results from this qualitative study included insight into the types of training professionals receive, level of support from administration, and behaviors exhibited from students. Four themes emerged from this mixed-methods research: lack of trauma training, high caseloads, compassion fatigue, …

Eds 743 Behavioral Assessment, Management, And Change, Danielle Magaldi

Open Educational Resources

The study of theories and techniques for managing the behavior of students with disabilities and for promoting development of positive social interaction skills. Specific applications of a variety of techniques for behavior management across home, school, and community settings with an emphasis on collaboration.

Cognitive Assessment Of Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Students:Evidence For Current Practices, Aaron Pomeranz, Hannah Luken

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

Evidence from placement data show that culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students are over-identified for learning and intellectual disabilities (Donovan & Cross, 2002). Cognitive assessments play a central role in correctly identifying CLD students for special education services. This study reviewed the literature to determine support for three methods of cognitive assessment with CLD students. Search results revealed that although there was considerable research supporting the use of the Cultural-Linguistic Interpretive Matrix (C-LIM) and Nonverbal Assessment, there was also much research disputing their use. Much of the support the C-LIM and Dual Language Assessment was not from peer reviewed research. …