Digital Commons Network^™

Inclusive Education For All: Identifying Teacher Beliefs About Working With Students With Disabilities, Chelsea Sharek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the beliefs K-12 teachers have when working with students with disabilities in a rural Pennsylvania school district. This study aimed to identify if teachers’ personal beliefs created biases about their students and school systems; thus, forming barriers and preventing an inclusive education when working with disabled students. Instrumentation for this quantitative study is the Multidimensional Attitudes Towards Inclusive Education Scale (MATIES) survey. Findings suggest that some teachers at Sunnyside School District (pseudonym) hold personal beliefs that could create biases about their students and school system that may form barriers when working with …

The Significance Of A Minority Professional Development Internship Program: A Case Study Evaluation On African American/Black Males Career Trajectory At A Predominately White Institution, Marla Bradford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study aimed to investigate the significance of the Minority Professional Development Internship Program at a Predominately White Institution (PWI) of higher learning in southwestern Pennsylvania. The program was developed because many PWIs struggle to attract, recruit, and retain African Americans/Black and historically marginalized community members to lead their institutions in curriculum development, mentoring, recruitment, and governance (Reyes & Rios, 2005). Other research studies on African American/Black administrators’ lack of representation at PWIs attributed systemic barriers impeding their recruitment and advancement (Jones, 2007; Perna et al., 2007). Furthermore, Levin et al. (2013) suggest minimal progress in hiring African American/Black …

Investigating Teachers’ Perspectives Of Gifted Students With Specific Learning Disabilities In Saudi Arabia, Mohamed Aladsani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine teachers’ perspectives of gifted students with SLD in Saudi Arabia. Specifically, this study aimed at examining the relationships between teachers’ perspectives and background factors, including years of teaching experience and gender, that might affect the teachers’ perspectives. In addition, it investigated the teachers’ perspectives about the existence, identification, and education of gifted students with SLD in different regions in Saudi Arabia. This study used statistical analysis of quantitative data collected from an online survey that was adopted and modified specifically for this study. The study participants included 936 teachers with various backgrounds …

Effective Instructional Strategies In Sixth Grade Inclusion Mathematics Classrooms: The Effect Of Active And Passive Engagement On Concept Learning And Opportunity To Learn, Christy Mikolaj

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-method study focused on the effect of active engagement on opportunity to learn and concept learning among sixth grade special education students participating in the inclusion mathematical setting. By implementing two instructional strategies and using the theoretical frameworks of Vygotsky’s Social Constructivism and Erikson’s Stage of Psychosocial Development of Industry vs. Inferiority, findings showed there was a significant negative relationship between active engagement time during instruction and concept learning. The study showed students with identified needs within an inclusion mathematics setting increased concept learning in both instructional classrooms. Therefore, there was no difference in concept learning …

The Attitudes Of Secondary School Teachers Regarding Inclusion Of Students With Autism In Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Al Jaffal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine secondary school teachers’ attitudes regarding the inclusion of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In Saudi Arabia, students with ASD can attend regular education classrooms, especially in elementary and middle schools. In addition, the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia is interested in the inclusion of students with ASD in secondary schools. Since the attitudes of secondary school teachers toward inclusion of students with ASD have not been examined, it was important to look at the attitudes of these teachers towards the inclusion of students with ASD so …

A Decentralized Approach To Confront The Debasement Of Black Male Student Athletes Who Attend Pwi's, Ronald William Whitaker Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The debasement and "niggering " of Black male student athletes who attend PWI's is an issue that has been well documented since the mid to late sixties (Edwards, 1969, Olson, 1968). This population has been negatively stereotyped as being superior athletically, but inferior intellectually (Edwards, 1984). Both scholars and practitioners have focused on other pervasive issues including: (1) the academic achievement gap that exist between Black male student athletes and their White counterparts (Harper, 2013), (2) the commercialization of college athletics (Beamon, 2008; Donnor, 2005), and (3) negative stereotypes that continue to plague Black male student athletes (Hodge, Burden, Robinson, …

Organizational Communication Through An Historic Lens: Social Responsibility, Diversity, And Inclusion, Linda Coleman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work examines the development of organizational communication through significant historic periods in the United States. Each chapter is examined in the context of social responsibility, diversity, and inclusion. The work concludes with a case study of the United States Steel Corporation as an example of an historically grounded organization that remained philosophically grounded in their core mission and values as set forth by Elbert Gary, their first president and CEO. Additive change and the need to remain attuned to the historic moment while moving toward the future is explored.

The Factors That Influence The Attitudes Of Teachers And Administrators Affliliated With The National Association Of Independent Schools (Nais) Regarding The Inclusion Of Students With Disabilities, Shannon Mcquone Mulholland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the practice of inclusion gained momentum in educational communities during the 1990s, attitudes toward the concept of inclusion were positive, and few educators opposed it completely. However, the enthusiasm surrounding inclusion led to a hurried approach toward implementation, and practices within public school classrooms went unchecked. As a result, a lack of clarity, and confusion arose regarding the practice of inclusion in general. Inclusion is a pervasive concept in all educational communities today, and private schools are not exempt from integrating students with disabilities into their classrooms. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to extend the research in …

The Multicolored Patchwork Portraiture Of An Effective Veteran High School Special Education Teacher Amidst The Tempest Of The High Stakes Testing Movement, Vaughn Bicehouse

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This single-subject study used the art and science of portraiture to illuminate a veteran special education teacher who is meeting the needs of her students with disabilities. This qualitative study was not done for the purposes of generalization but rather to show how this remarkable and effective special educator acts as an inspirational educational leader and inspires both her students and her fellow teachers.

The movement to hold schools accountable for the educational performance of students with disabilities is fairly new in the United States. Since the enactment of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (P.L. 94-142) in 1975, …

Confidence And Willingness Among Preservice Teachers To Use Technology To Support Learner-Centered Strategies That Address The Diverse Needs Of Students: A Multimedia Experience, Junko Yamamoto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the change in preservice teachers' attitudes towards using technology to meet the needs of diverse students as noted by the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS*S) III. B. This research included two interventions: a research paper assignment and a hands-on practice using technology to assist students with special needs. The study took place within the coursework in an instructional technology class offered for preservice teachers. After the pre-intervention survey was collected on the 10th week of the semester, the instructor explained the research paper assignment for assisting students with special needs …

How Principals Lead To Promote Inclusive Practices: A Descriptive Study, Janet Armstrong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the role of the principal in developing inclusive schools for students with disabilities. Leading an inclusive school is a significant departure from traditional schooling. An inclusive school is founded on a common mission and vision where all students are valued and everyone works collaboratively to insure that all children are educated and part of the school community. Five practicing principals in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania were studied within the context of their schools and practices. These five principals were identified by the Pennsylvania Department of Education as having developed and implemented schools where all students were …

Community And The Meal: A Rhetorical Investigation, Richard J. Mills Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

From ancient Greece to post modernity, the meal as a focal point of community life and a cultural practice, and the meaning of eating, have been the focus for numerous scholarly studies and their rhetorical significance. This dissertation will define how interpersonal communication and the enactment of the meal are rhetorical partners within a community. Cultural differences, communication style, and values affect one's perception of the culture's narrative structure, inclusion and exclusion, private and public space, and civility and incivility practices in relationship to the community. These differences impact the meal, food choices, tastes, and communication style and ultimately shape …