Education Commons^™

General Education Teachers And Students With Disabilities: Using Targeted Information And Delivery Methods To Improve Perceptions Of Preparedness In Inclusion Models, Kaitlyn Lemos

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP) was designed to gain insight into what areas 21 teachers at one elementary school felt they lacked to effectively work with students with disabilities. The study was also designed to discover which delivery methods teachers felt were most effective in providing useful information that respected their busy schedules and limited time. This study provided school districts with valuable information to pursue similar information across many schools to aid in the development of targeted and worthwhile professional development opportunities for educators.

When provided with targeted information via video and infographic, participants reported a preference …

The Lost Boys: A Phenomenological Study Of Freshmen Year Failure, Holly Miele

Doctor of Education (EdD)

In educational circles and beyond, there is increased concern for young men who are deemed underperforming in schools. This concern has been persistent for years, and has led to many studies exploring the growing academic divide between young men and women. Few have endeavored to investigate this phenomenon by studying young men’s experiences. Using Eccles’ Value-Expectancy (2000) framework as a guide, this phenomenological study explored the lived-experience of six young men who failed courses during their freshman year of high school. The aim of this study was to investigate the intersection of stereotypes, expectations, and perceptions within the context of …

Including Students With Emotional Disturbance: Teachers' Experiences, Kimberley Shearer

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This phenomenological study explored three general educators’ experiences of including students with Emotional Behavior Disorder (EBD) in the general education classroom. Given the challenges of including children with severe behaviors, the study aimed to understand what educational and behavioral practices teachers found useful as they strove to help students be successful. This study took place in a suburban school district with first-through-fourth grade elementary general education teachers who were perceived as being successful with students with EBD. This study used in-depth interviews to explore the teachers’ lived experiences around their efforts to include students with EBD, using descriptions, quotes, and …

Explaining Special Education Communication Disorder Classification By Race, Native Language Spoken, Ses, And El Status: A Logistic Regression Study, Jonathan Fost

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This study examined whether a special education communication disorder for kindergarten students was dependent on race/ethnicity, native language spoken, socioeconomic status, and EL status using a dataset of 3,642 students across 2010, 2012, and 2014 in a large district in Oregon. Using a logistic regression methodology, this study explored (a) the relationship between identification with a special education communication disorder by race/ethnicity, (b) the relationship between identification with a special education communication disorder by native language, (c) the relationship between identification with a special education communication disorder by socioeconomic status (based on free and reduced lunch status), and (d) the …

Learning Disabled Special Education Students And General Education Opportunities, Candace Pelt

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This study examined the relationship between the amount of time a student receives in general education and achievement scores for reading and math. Students selected were previously identified with a learning disability in the Newberg School District, and they were enrolled in classes during the 2014-2015 school year. Using a Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA), this study observed the correlation between students’ federal placement code and student achievement scores for both reading and math. For students with disabilities who also have an Individual Education Plan (IEP), the federal placement code identifies the amount of time a student spends in general …

A Phenomenological Study On Parents' Advocacy Experiences For The Inclusion Of Children Experiencing Disability In The General Education Setting, Elaine Fox

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Recent changes to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) position parents as a mandatory participant in the special education process. Additionally, these revisions to laws mandating increased student access to general education environment have served to increase interest on the topic of inclusion. Despite this legislation, the field of special education continues to be ripe with controversy about parent advocacy. Especially contentious is parental advocacy for inclusive placements for their children. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to learn about the lived experience of five parents advocating for inclusion of their children who experience disability within a …

Knowing Me, Knowing You: The Dilemma Of Diversity Courses In Higher Education, Marian Derlet

Doctor of Education (EdD)

American institutions of higher education are increasingly addressing the issue of diversity. Many colleges list diversity as one of their institutional values, while others not only name diversity as a value, but also require diversity courses. This paper examines the difficulty posed by these objectives due to a lack of agreement and/or understanding of the term diversity. Traditional notions of diversity include differences of race, religion, and ethnicity. However in the 21st century, the term diversity now includes such categories as age, socio-economic status, and disability. This paper argues that as college students seek to define diversity for themselves, they …