Education Commons^™

A Motivational Strategy That Accommodates Middle School Special Education Students: Achieving Academic Success, Susan J. Koempel

All Graduate Projects

The project provides middle school teachers with a handbook for clarifying academic targets in the general education U. S. history classroom. This strategy clearly defines, in a pictorial manner, the interconnectedness that exists between report cards, progress reports, and quarterly curriculum assignments. The intervention of this organizational strategy will assist students in decisions, regarding the timely completion and turn in of assignments, by creating an overall awareness of the progress of time and assignment due dates during the quarter. Originally, the production of the intervention was done by the special education staff so that there would be minimal time energy …

Effective Steps To Creating Parent/Teacher Partnerships In Special Education, Danielle Jeanne Bundy

Theses and Graduate Projects

While the value of the parent/teacher partnership is universally accepted, it is not always easy to promote or maintain. The purpose of this study was to identify the effective steps to creating parent/teacher partnerships in special education, in order to plan a curriculum that was more response to children's needs. For the purpose of this study a multi-method qualitative approach was used, which included participant observation, questionnaires, and analysis of field notes. The results of this study revealed a complex set of issues related to interactions between parents and special education professionals within the school setting which included: (a) Listen …

The Effects Of The Michigan Transition Outcomes Project, Jane E. Finn

Dissertations

This study investigated whether the Transition Outcomes Project used in Michigan resulted in improved compliance with the transition components required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 (IDEA 1997) and interviewed staff who have implemented this model to identify their perceptions ofhow it affected the transition planning process for students with disabilities. The study used qualitative and quantitative measures. The quantitative measures studied the effectiveness of the model, while the qualitative measures investigated the perceptions of the school personnel who implemented the model in their district.

Findings showed that the Michigan Transition Outcomes Project is an effective model …

Investigation Into The Effects Of An After School Gepa Math Program In Raising Student Achievement, Denise J. Costigan

Theses and Dissertations

The intent of this paper is to determine the effectiveness of an after school math program on raising student achievement on the Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment (GEPA). Regular education students were selected based on a review of their fourth grade standardized test, and the trend in their yearly Terra Nova scores from 5^th , 6^th and 7^th grade, if available. Based on a proficient score of 200, students who scored in the range of 185 to 210 were invited to attend the eighteen-week after school program. In addition, all special education students were invited to attend. Forty-five …

The Effectiveness Of The Wilson Reading Program In Improving Spelling And Decoding Skills Of A Selected Sample Of Special Needs Children, Helen E. Rosica

Theses and Dissertations

The Wilson Reading Program was designed by Barbara Wilson and published in 1988 for the first time. It was originally designed for students diagnosed with dyslexia, but its focus has been expanded to include struggling readers and spellers who are below their classmates. Wilson is based on the Orton-Gillingham multisensory principle. It is well organized and systematic.

The Wilson Reading Program was administered to a small group of two students, aged nine to eleven who receive all their academic instruction in a self-contained special education classroom. These students have similar intelligence levels, and a similar degree of difficulty with reading …

An Exploratory Investigation Of Charter Schools And Special Education, Kimberly Mulligan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to determine how well charter schools are able to comply with the many laws in special education. All of the charter schools in both Atlantic and Camden counties were sent surveys that asked various questions about their programs in special education. The surveys addressed special education class size, proper teacher certification, different classifications, placement, and services offered. Each school was asked to answer the questions on the survey to the best of their knowledge about their school. The results of the surveys were then collected and charted in graph form in order to compare …

Cognitive Orthotics For Students With Cognitive Disabilities, James V. Yanna

Dissertations

This study examined the effectiveness of a hand-held computer to guide an individual with a moderate cognitive impairment as he or she completed a complex daily living task. Performance was compared with that occasioned by a human supervisor. A third condition, assistance first from a human supervisor, and then by the computerized orthotic, was also evaluated. The task selected was a baking task.

Subjects were nine students, ranging in age from 17 to 24 years. All subjects were classified as cognitively impaired according to the Michigan Special Education Rules and Regulations. Assessment information showed most to be performing at a …

Current Special Educator And General Educator Perceptions Of Inclusion And Collaboration As A Service Delivery Model In A Middle School Educational Setting, Kathryn Wilkens, Peggy L. Tarpley, Ph.D.

Theses & Honors Papers

The purpose of this study was to examine, through quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection, current special educator and general educator perceptions of inclusion and collaboration as compared to similar perceptions examined in 1995 (Tarpley, 1995). A self-made survey was implemented to explore educator perceptions. Quantitative selective response items were analyzed using a Chi Square procedure. Methods of naturalistic inquiry (Lincoln & Guba, 1985) were used to analyze qualitative open-ended questions. Significant values were noted based on the Chi Square analysis across four demographic areas: (a) current teaching assignment, (b) area of training, (c) number of years teaching experience, …

Examining The Keyword Mnemonic Strategy As An Effective Academic Intervention For High School Students Labeled Emotional Or Behavioral Disordered, Karen A. Kleinheksel

Dissertations

This investigation explored whether keyword mnemonic strategies were effective for high school aged students labeled emotional or behavioral disordered(E/BD) in recalling the definitions of scientific vocabulary terms. Ten students labeled E/BD from a suburban public high school in a Midwestern state participated in this investigation. A demographic description of the subjects indicated the following information: (a) all students' ethnicities were Caucasian, (b) sixty percent of the subjects were male, (c) the average subject's age was 17 years 1 month, and (d) all students were in the tenth through twelfth grades.

In a multiple baseline across subjects design using a single …

The Role Of Parent Coaching By Pediatric Physical Therapists: An Exploration Of Current Practice, Nancy Ann Cicirello

Dissertations and Theses

Children with disabilities are not the sole clients of the pediatric physical therapy practitioner. However, research, best practice, and federal mandated legislation oblige therapists to transition from a traditional medical child-centered model of intervention to a family-centered model. This model places an emphasis on instructing parents, guiding their development as the dominant change agent for their children. Viewing parents as the predominant learner during intervention sessions is hampered by the paucity of family-related and adult-learning content in the professional preparation programs in higher education. It is further inhibited by professional attitudinal beliefs that continue to place a higher value on …

Serving Students With Asperger Syndrome In The General Education Classroom, Jennifer Dawn Hendricks

All Graduate Projects

The identification and prevalence of students with Asperger Syndrome (AS) in schools throughout the U.S. appears to be rapidly increasing (Barnhill, 2001a). Lamarine (2001 ), states that, "Epidemiological evidence suggests that AS may affect approximately 7 out of every 1,000 people" (p. 152). Many students identified as having AS are served in both special and general education classrooms. The purpose of this project was to emphasize the necessity of early identification and interventions, to review the characteristics of AS, and delineate best practice strategies for serving these students in the gen\:ral education classroom. The literature concerning teaching and learning for …

A Manual For Transitioning Students With Disabilities Into Post High School, John Mcdonald

All Graduate Projects

This project examined the components of an effective transition plan to help students at the secondary level have successful post-high school outcomes. The review of cun-ent research indicates that when families, students, teaching of self-determination skills, and collaboration with adult service agencies occun-ed the likelihood of a positive outcome increased. Included is a secondary level transition planning guide that focused on family and student participation in the transition planning process, several example lessons on self-determination skills, and adult service agencies to link students with before exiting the public school system. The overall purpose of the guide was to increase positive …

Successful Implementation Of 504 Plans : What Are The Common Elements?, Eugenia Damron

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The objective of this qualitative research was to study the implementation of successful 504 Plans. Five students were determined to have successful plans based on parent and teacher perceptions as well as school achievement. The parents, teachers, administrators, and five students with successful 504 Plans participated in this study. Findings determined that there were four common factors in successful 504 Plans: communication, parental involvement, necessary accommodations, and student’s willingness to work. Other factors unique to some of the cases (extended family, support services, and medication) also played a role in the success some students achieved.

Environmental Education: The Equalizer, Jolanda Tracie Karr

Theses Digitization Project

This project explores and justifies using the local environment as an effective educational strategy for teachers of special education students.

Opportunity And Access For Children With Disabilities In The Inclusive Preschool Classroom, Jodi Meyer-Mork

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In this qualitative case study, I investigated how one teacher provided opportunity and access to full classroom participation for children with disabilities in the inclusive preschool classroom over two academic years. The site was a state-funded preschool program for children considered at risk for school failure. The principle participants included a preschool teacher with more than 22 years of experience and ten preschoolers identified with mild to moderate disabilities. In this naturalistic inquiry (Bogdan & Biklen, 2003), data were collected through participant observation over two academic years. Primary data sources included descriptive and analytic field notes as well as formal …

The Influence Of A Transition On At-Risk Freshmen In A New Jersey Public Suburban High School, Michele L. Pitts

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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