Education Commons^™

Multilingualism And Augmentative Alternative Communication: A Review Of The Literature, Hannah N. Lamarca, Natalie R. Andzik

Honors Capstones

Purpose: Individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds who use Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) are often offered English-only AAC systems that do not meet their language needs. Devices that host multiple languages often only offer one at a time.

Method: The authors reviewed the literature by searching relevant databases using a variety of search strings. Following our inclusionary and exclusionary criteria, 15 articles were yielded for analysis.

Results: Authors found that more than half of the included articles were discussion-based papers on AAC delivery, barriers to AAC and multilingualism, and codeswitching using AAC. The included interview studies aimed to …

Feasibility And Reliability Of Health-Related Physical Fitness Tests In Children And Adolescents With Hearing Impairment, Jiafu Huang, Jianmei Yang, Justin A. Haegele, Lijuan Wang, Sitong Chen, Chunxiao Li

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

Although research supports the feasibility and reliability of health-related physical fitness (HRPF) tests in typically developing children and adolescents, little is known regarding the feasibility and reliability of these tests for those with hearing impairments (HI). The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and reliability of a HRPF test battery for children and adolescents with HI. A test–retest design with a one-week interval was conducted with 26 participants with HI (mean age: 12.7 ± 2.8 years; 9 male). The feasibility and reliability of seven field-based HRPF tests (i.e., body mass index, grip strength, standing long jump, vital …

The Use Of Interprofessional Education (Ipe) To Address Collaboration For Individualized Education Plans (Ieps): A Retrospective Study Of Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, And Special Education Students’ Perceptions, Kristina Curro, Lisa Shooman, Sue Foo

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

The purpose of this project is to measure the effects of interprofessional education (IPE) on the perceptions of preservice professionals’ development of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The preservice professionals (PSPs) participants included master’s students from speech language pathology (SLP), occupational therapy (OT) and special education (SPED) programs (N = 78). The primary project goals were to examine the perceptions of the participants’ roles and knowledge on a multidisciplinary education team, their perceptions of the collaborative process, and their familiarity with the IEP development process. A mixed-methods, retrospective, cross-sectional investigation was used to obtain quantitative and qualitative outcomes. A …

Caregiver Rights, Virtual Meetings, And The Multidisciplinary Team: Communication Of Legal Rights Within Special Education, Amber Gordon, Kurustun Musick

Theses & Honors Papers

During the COVID-19 pandemic many professional settings used virtual platforms to conduct meetings that typically took place in person. Within the United States public schools, special education programs faced unique challenges when conducting students’ Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. These meetings are mandatory and essential in creating an individualized plan to provide the necessary services and support for students or for monitoring their progress. As mandated through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), it is a legal right of parents and/or guardians to be afforded the opportunity to attend any meetings regarding the “identification, evaluation, and educational placement” of …

The Effect Of High School Disability-Based Peer Mentoring On Perspectives Toward People With Disabilities, Caroline Jacobs

Honors Theses

Negative perspectives towards people with disabilities have been shown to lead to discrimination, prejudice, and an overall decreased quality of life. One way to possibly improve attitudes and interactions with students with disabilities could be implementing peer mentoring programs for special education students in high school. Research presented in this thesis examines the difference in perspectives toward people with disabilities between people who have or have not participated as a mentor in a disability-based peer mentoring program in high school. Data were collected through an online survey that assessed peer mentoring experiences as well as a scale to measure comfort …

Enhancing Collaborative Practices With Preprofessional Occupational Therapists And Early Childhood Special Education Student Teachers: A Pilot Study, Kathleen M. Farrand, Megan Troxel Deeg, Oaklee Rogers, Allison M. Mullady, Stephanie S. Williams, Bjorg T. Lesueur

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

This article presents the Collaborative Design Model as a tool for developing collaboration and self-efficacy for preprofessional educators and service providers. As student populations continue to become more diverse, preprofessionals entering the classroom must be prepared to collaborate with colleagues effectively and efficiently to address the variety of needs presented in the classroom. Little research exists on the collaboration among preprofessional teachers and preprofessional occupational therapists. The proposed model provides a method for supporting preprofessionals in collaborating to meet the needs of students at risk for or with disabilities. Initial pilot findings suggest the Collaborative Design Model could potentially increase …

Collaborative Practices In Special Education: An Exploratory Study, Blanka Pentek, Katherine Sadoff, Evelyn Tang

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Objective: This exploratory survey study examined collaborative practices of professionals working in special education. The basis for the survey was the Conceptual Model of Collaboration (CMC), created by Hess and colleagues (2017).

Methods: 27 professionals who work in special education participated. Cross tabulation tests and Pearson's correlation tests were run to determine relationships between the variables.

Results: The findings indicated that the majority of participants value collaboration for student outcomes and professional development. Most participants agreed on common facilitators and barriers to collaboration. Collaboration primarily takes place in IEP meetings, through email and text messaging and is frequent in all …

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 …

Collaborative Practices In Special Education: An Exploratory Study, Evelyn Tang, Blanka Pentek, Laura Greiss Hess, Katherine Sadoff

Student Research Posters

Professional collaboration in special education is essential for student success (Barnes & Turner, 2000). However, IDEA legislation does not guide how such collaboration should take place (Pub. L. 108–446). The Conceptual Model for Collaboration (CMC) created by Czuleger and colleagues (2016) described professional collaborative practices of a transdisciplinary team at a special education center. The purpose of this study was to examine the CMC in a broader context.

Toward A Deeper Understanding Of Disability: Physical Therapy Educators’ Reflections, Clarence Chan, Debra Engel, Jacqueline Ross

Publications and Research

This article describes the unique journey both of a blind student in our Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Program and of the faculty who taught him as they all navigated through uncharted territories. Despite the fact that the physical therapy profession trains practitioners to help clients with disabilities to maximize their physical function and teaches them how to adapt to the challenges of daily activity, we initially assumed that a blind student would not be able to complete the program or be able to become a self-sufficient practitioner. We were very wrong. This article describes our learning process over the course …

A Phenomenological Study Of Middle School Bullying In The Rio Grande Valley, Texas, Vanessa Cristina Cantu

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this paper was to describe the study concerning special education students in middle school who were bullied. Many students in the special education program are being bullied, whether it is due to their disabilities or other factors (Mishna, 2003; Rose, Espelage, & Monda-Amaya, 2009; Coloroso, 2008; Christensen, Fraynt, Neece, & Baker, 2012). While several quantitative studies have been conducted addressing this worldwide phenomenon, few qualitative studies have been performed. A phenomenological approach allowed the participants to share their own experiences with bullying. Twenty-five students from several middle schools (6th, 7th, 8th grades) in a city in the …

Teacher Perceptions Of Elementary Students With An Articulation Disorder Of Varying Degrees, Morgan Lee Johnson

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The purpose of this study is to examine teacher perceptions of elementary students who have an articulation disorder. An electronic survey was given to teachers in two elementary schools within Indianapolis, and specifically, Pike Township. The teachers rated six hypothetical student profiles on competence, intelligence, and various behaviors. Utilizing a standard Likert scale, the different hypothetical student profiles yielded scores that showed how positively the teachers viewed the hypothetical students. To ensure validity, there were control student profiles with no label or other, non-speech related disorders. It was hypothesized that the profiles for typically developing students would be given the …

Social Compass Curriculum: Three Descriptive Case Studies Of Social Skills Outcomes For Students With Autism, Louanne E. Boyd, Deborah M. Ward

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

The Social Compass Curriculum (SCC) was investigated for its effectiveness in improving core social skills in three descriptive case studies of students with autism. Treatment fidelity of the SCC was also measured in the school setting. The Social Responsiveness Scale and the Autism Social Skills Profile were completed by parents to measure pre- and postintervention social skills for three students aged 8 to 11 years who participated in the present multisite pilot study. Fidelity of implementation data were collected via a checklist during observations for three educators who implemented the intervention. Results indicate that the SCC improved core social deficits …

Headway Emotional Health Services: A Parent Satisfaction Survey And Needs Assessment, Eowyn T. Gatlin

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Headway Emotional Health Services seeks to transform lives and restore families by providing a variety of quality mental health services to children and families in the Twin Cities Metro Area. The Vision Program is a partnership between Headway and the Bloomington Public School system. The Vision Program serves K-12 students who qualify for level 3 Emotional and/or Behavioral Disability (EBD) services. All students are in a classroom at their mainstream school and receive daily support from the Vision Mental Health Specialist, a special education classroom teacher, and a paraprofessional. Many students are able to participate in some mainstream programing through …

Federal Accommodation Policy In Practice: Implications For A Substantive Process, Lynn Hemmer, Candace Baker

Administrative Issues Journal

The design of governmental regulations creates an assumption that policy implementation is linear in nature and is unproblematic (Dorey, 2005). As states, local education agencies (LEAs), and eventually school leaders and teachers engage in the policy implementation process, it becomes evident that this hierarchal dissemination of policy results in various interpretations and actions (Spillane, 1996, 2002). In the 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the 2001 No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, the legislative language clearly states that students with disabilities are to participate in assessments with accommodations as described on their Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Research suggests …

Putting Humpty Dumpty Together Again: What's Right With Betsy, Elaine R. Silliman, Louise C. Wilkinson, Robin L. Danzak

Communication Disorders Faculty Publications

Betsy is a telling case of the struggles and victories of a youngster who has grappled with a language learning disability for most of her 17 years. Her story is a fitting way to conclude this volume because she represents how a child with motivation and resilience can confront the educational and interpersonal obstacles she has experienced. Her story, which predates the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, is a metaphor for the ongoing debates in theory and practice about the meanings of a learning disability versus a …

An Instructional Manual For Implementation Of Voice Recognition (Vr) In Written Communication, Lori Odagiri

All Graduate Projects

This project investigated the use of voice recognition for written communication. The literature review revealed a lack of research in using voice recognition with individuals with disabilities. An instructional manual consisting of a step-by-step process to guide students through the general training process and teaching students the additional features of the program to promote independent use of Dragon Naturally Speaking Version 5 for written communication. Field tests were completed with 3 students, two with physical disabilities and one with a learning disability.

An Alternative Residential Education Program: An Evaluative Study, Marc A. Kincaid

All Graduate Projects

Schools today are trying to make an adaptation to accommodate all children and their disabilities. For many, the problem does not lie in a child's learning ability, but rather in their behavioral disability. According to its mission, The Ranch is committed to not only accommodating at-risk boys, but is trying to help them re-adjust and re-enter society with the skills necessary to function in every day life. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate The Ranch by examining the effectiveness of the program and its goals. Evaluation was done both Formatively and Summatively, through interviews and documentation. The researcher …

The Availability Of Inferences In Children And Young Adults, Gerilyn A. Katz

Student Work

Much of the research on age-related differences in the ability to inhibit irrelevant information in a given task has been on the study of younger and older adults. Only a minimal amount of research has focused on the developmental differences in children and young adults. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to examine whether age-related differences exist between children and young adults in processes consistent with inhibition.

Third-, sixth-grade children, and college undergraduates listened to twenty-four garden path passages containing either expected or unexpected, but acceptable, conclusions. The twenty-four passages were divided into four subsets, with each subset containing …

Special Recreation: A Manual For Theraputic Riding Programs, Robin R. Ryan

All Graduate Projects

Recreational opportunities are limited to individuals with disabilities. Recreation and learning how to utilize leisure time can be more important to individuals with disabilities than to others. Therapeutic riding was studied as a means to meet this perceived need. A manual was developed describing a professionally directed service designed to meet the recreational needs of individuals with disabilities in a therapeutic riding program.

Perceived Role Responsibilities Of Physical Therapists And Adapted Physical Educators In The Public School Setting, Mindy Blumenkopf, Pamela Levangie, David L. Nelson

All PTHMS Faculty Publications

Right to Education legislation has brought physical therapists and adapted physical educators together in the public school setting to serve the child with special needs. Investigation of the role responsibilities of these professionals would facilitate not only communication between the groups, but also understanding of their functions by other school personnel and administrators. We analyzed questionnaires returned by 79 physical therapists and 30 adapted physical educators to determine areas of uniqueness or similarity in 18 identified role responsibilities performed by these two groups. Each subject rated the appropriateness of each role to physical therapists and to adapted physical educators. On …

Public School Physical Therapists: Role Definition And Educational Needs, Pamela Levangie

All PTHMS Faculty Publications

Questionnaires returned by 328 physical therapists were analyzed to 1) establish a role definition for public school therapists and 2) determine the educational needs of therapists preparing for public school service. The therapists ranked 15 skills in importance to the role of the public school physical therapist and in urgency of their need to develop each skill. They also indicated which educational format they believed would be most appropriate for developing each skill. The respondents were divided into four groups matched by experience in treating children and by exposure to public school physical therapy. Rank-order correlations within each of these …