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Special Education and Teaching

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Changes In Special Education Teacher Roles While Implementing One-To-One Devices In Rural Secondary Public Schools, Heather Farley Jan 2024

Changes In Special Education Teacher Roles While Implementing One-To-One Devices In Rural Secondary Public Schools, Heather Farley

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Successful technology integration takes many forms and performs several functions, but at its core, the integration of technology into a curriculum must feel seamless, be student-centered, and begin with the end goal in mind. The purpose of this study was to explore how the role and function of middle and high school special education teachers have changed after integrating one-to-one student devices in their classrooms. This study used a qualitative, phenomenological approach to look at how the roles of middle and high school special education teachers have changed due to the implementation of a one-to-one device initiative in a rural …


Special Education Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Predictors For Improving Post School Outcomes For Students With Disabilities, Ann Marie Wilkinson Jan 2020

Special Education Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Predictors For Improving Post School Outcomes For Students With Disabilities, Ann Marie Wilkinson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Students with disabilities are faced with overwhelming challenges as they transition from high school to postsecondary education, careers, and independent living. Legislation has mandated that schools provide services for students with disabilities to prepare them for these transitions into adult life (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2004). To assist schools in providing more meaningful services, the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) identified and defined 20 predictors for post-school success (Test, Mazzotti et al., 2009, Test & Cook, 2012, Rowe et al., 2015, & Mazzotti et al., 2016). This study examined the perceptions of high school special education teachers …


Fluency Interventions And The Impact On Comprehension, Colleen Cook Jan 2016

Fluency Interventions And The Impact On Comprehension, Colleen Cook

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Reading fluency is understood to be the rate and accuracy of that which is being read and comprehension is the understanding of what has been read. Many studies support the concept that fluency skills support reading comprehension. Many students with specific learning disabilities lack the fluency skills needed for successful reading comprehension. This study provided fluency interventions to elementary students with specific learning disabilities and evaluated any comprehension gains. Students graphed their own fluency gains during the interventions and a pre-test and post-test were given to monitor comprehension. There was in increase in both the average fluency rate for each …


Effect Of Wh-Question Graphic Organizer On Reading Comprehension In Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Josh Connelly Jan 2016

Effect Of Wh-Question Graphic Organizer On Reading Comprehension In Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Josh Connelly

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Many students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) struggle with reading comprehension. The study examined the efficacy of using a wh-question graphic organizer to improve reading comprehension of students with ASD. Two eighth grade students in a middle school, self-contained classroom participated in the study. The data revealed that the graphic organizer was beneficial to Student A in improving comprehension. Student B saw a decrease in scores after the introduction of the organizer. Further research is necessary to determine the efficacy of the intervention. As characteristics of ASD can vary greatly from one individual to another, it may be the case …


The Benefits Of Reading Racetrack With Flashcards, A Smartboard And Time Delay Usage In Increasing Sight Word Recognition And Fluency With Special Education Students, Tara J. Leffingwell Jan 2016

The Benefits Of Reading Racetrack With Flashcards, A Smartboard And Time Delay Usage In Increasing Sight Word Recognition And Fluency With Special Education Students, Tara J. Leffingwell

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of the study is to determine if the effects of using reading racetrack paired with flashcards and the enhancement of Smartboard technology with three-second time delay will increase the accuracy of Dolch Sight Word reading. The first participant was a second grade male diagnosed with an intellectual disability. The second participant was a fourth grade female born with Down syndrome and diagnosed with an intellectual disability. Data were taken on corrects and errors of selected sight words on a pre-test and posttest and during intervention. A generalization probe was conducted to see if they could read the 28 …


Improving Vocabulary Comprehension For Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing Students, Tammy Gallion Jan 2016

Improving Vocabulary Comprehension For Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing Students, Tammy Gallion

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to pursue the best ways to use visual representation as an introduction to vocabulary to a deaf or hard of hearing student. These techniques were effective for the student to be able to maintain comprehension. The teacher used either use sign language to demonstrate the sign for the vocabulary word or finger spell the vocabulary word, identified the written word, and said the word aloud in the study. The instrument used for the pretest and posttest were ten Dolch sight words: three, yellow, down, jump, help, run, funny, big, little and play. Documentation from …


Teaching Multiple Meaning Words To Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Students Using Contextually-Based Vocabulary Instruction And Metacognitive Skills, Calla Rieger Jan 2016

Teaching Multiple Meaning Words To Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Students Using Contextually-Based Vocabulary Instruction And Metacognitive Skills, Calla Rieger

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of using contextually-based vocabulary instruction and metacognitive skills to teach multiple meaning words to deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students. Deaf and hard of hearing students have limited vocabularies and struggle to understand and use multiple meaning words and as a result, their reading comprehension suffers (Paul, 1987). Furthermore, DHH readers are less likely to use metacognitive techniques such as looking back or rereading a text to monitor comprehension, drawing upon background knowledge to define unfamiliar words, and detecting inappropriate information in passages than their hearing peers (Marschark & …


Bullying Perceptions: Understanding Students With And Without Disabilities, Shellie B. Simpson Jan 2015

Bullying Perceptions: Understanding Students With And Without Disabilities, Shellie B. Simpson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The study investigates perceptions about bullying for intermediate students with and without disabilities. A survey administered to each student assessed perceptions related to bullying and friendship. Interview questions related to specific instances of bullying encountered were also administered. The results indicate perception variations between students with and without disabilities. Students with disabilities reported victimization at a higher rate than students without disabilities, except for verbal bullying and relational bullying which were reported at an equal rate. Students without disabilities reported a higher rate of bullying instances by friends, while students with disabilities report a desire to have more friends. Since …


Attitudes Between Students With Disabilities And Typically Developing Students, Kristina Gore Jan 2015

Attitudes Between Students With Disabilities And Typically Developing Students, Kristina Gore

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes between students with disabilities and typically developing children as well as factors that may influence them. Ten students participated in the study. Five of the students had disabilities, and the other five students were considered typically developing. All participants were interviewed by the researcher. Interview results showed that students with disabilities and typically developing children are isolated from each other in the school environment despite the efforts of inclusion. Although, most students reported generally positive attitudes, responses indicated that two student groups are not offered enough opportunities to interact for …


Does Music Affect Behavior In The Special Education Classroom?, Randall L. Crum Jan 2015

Does Music Affect Behavior In The Special Education Classroom?, Randall L. Crum

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

It is general knowledge that music affects our emotions; slow rhythmic music can make us sad and fact upbeat music can make us happy. Music is everywhere and it is a powerful outlet for people’s emotions. Music in the classroom can have many effects on students. It may relax them, motivate them, or even sooth them, helping to reduce frustration levels. Music enhances learning in the classroom and it has long been used to help memory skills in students such as learning the alphabet through song. Music helps stimulate creativity and reflection, and it also provides a welcoming entrance into …


Teacher Attitudes: An Analysis Of Middle School Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Inclusion, Jennifer K. Holley Jan 2015

Teacher Attitudes: An Analysis Of Middle School Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Inclusion, Jennifer K. Holley

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The demands for general education teachers to meet the diverse needs of their students has increased greatly over recent years. The attitudes of these teachers towards the practice of inclusion greatly influences the successful of inclusion itself. In this study the attitudes of teachers towards inclusion was investigated. Findings indicated that teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion are split. Teachers’ attitudes towards specific disabilities are clear. Findings indicate more teachers believe students with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, visual and hearing impairments, communication disorders and health impairments should be educated in a regular classroom where students with mental impairments (cognitive disabilities/developmental delay), behavioral …


To “Achieve” Or Not To “Achieve”, Jodi Nicole Sergent Jan 2015

To “Achieve” Or Not To “Achieve”, Jodi Nicole Sergent

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Reading levels can be assessed through lexile measures, which determine and calculate growth through goals set by Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). IEPs are based on specific Content Standard Objectives (CSOs) of each student set by national and state mandates. Objectives listed in each student’s IEP can be met through specialized instruction with the use of specific strategies in an effort to increase student learning. Achieve 3000 is a technology-based reading comprehension program that focuses on specific needs of students in order to provide reading material at each student’s reading level. Students have the opportunity to read the same material as …


The Relation Between Observations Of Students With Behavioral Disorders And Academic Success, John Ryan Simon Jan 2015

The Relation Between Observations Of Students With Behavioral Disorders And Academic Success, John Ryan Simon

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Students classified as having emotional and behavior disorders are students who struggle with controlling their behavior and emotions. Students with behavior disorders have been integrated into classrooms, but often they are removed from the general education classroom because of inappropriate behaviors. This problem becomes perpetual and causes deficits in many academic subjects for students with EBD. Direct observations (DO) are often used to track behavior performance in the classroom and to determine eligibility. The purpose of this research is to determine if there is a relation between the number of direct observations of high school students with behavior disorders and …


Secondary Teachers’ Knowledge And Attitudes Toward Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports, Deanna M. Hiles Jan 2015

Secondary Teachers’ Knowledge And Attitudes Toward Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports, Deanna M. Hiles

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Classroom management of student behavioral problems is a primary reason that teachers are leave the education field. As hard as teachers and students may try, some student behavior cannot be managed by discipline alone. One technique that has had a constructive impact on student behavior is Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). The design of PBIS is to help teachers manage students with problem behaviors in the classroom. However, teachers’ attitudes toward PBIS and their knowledge of PBIS influence the effectiveness of its success or failure in the classroom.


Labeling: Student Self-Esteem And The Stigma Of A Label, Amanda Kay Sowards Jan 2015

Labeling: Student Self-Esteem And The Stigma Of A Label, Amanda Kay Sowards

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Labels help to provide educational support to students who struggle academically, physically, emotionally and socially. The decision to use a label should be carefully considered due to the possibility of negative connotations regarding social relationships, personal preferences and the effects on self-esteem. The author discusses a study that examines the effects of labeling in regard to the impact on the self-esteem of students with disabilities and will scrutinizes if students with disabilities are negatively perceived by their peers. Current research of labeling, self-esteem and social disadvantage is discussed. Due to the overwhelming number of students being labeled and a lack …


Teachers Attitudes Toward Co-Teaching In Elementary Reading Classrooms, India Stone Jan 2015

Teachers Attitudes Toward Co-Teaching In Elementary Reading Classrooms, India Stone

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Co-teaching occurs when a special and general education teacher instructs a classroom of students with and without disabilities through modifications to the core curriculum. The author wrote this paper to evaluate teacher attitudes toward co-teaching in elementary reading classrooms. During co-teaching, educators face several disadvantages such as lack of professional development, absence of co-planning, disagreements among modifications within the curriculum, and confusion with co-teaching approaches. The research within this paper describes the attitudes, issues, and strategies that educators experience through inclusive, co-taught elementary classrooms within the reading curriculum.


The Effect Of The Pies Mnemonic Strategy On The Word Problem Solving Skills Of Middle School Students, Lisa A. Short Jan 2014

The Effect Of The Pies Mnemonic Strategy On The Word Problem Solving Skills Of Middle School Students, Lisa A. Short

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the PIES mnemonic strategy on the word problem solving skills of middle school students in inclusive math classes. Participants in the study were 109 students in a rural middle school in a mid-Atlantic state. Seventy-five participants were normally achieving students, and 34 were students with disabilities (Other Health Impairment, Specific Learning Disability, and Emotional/Behavioral Disorders). A pretest consisting of 10 grade-level word problems covering concepts that had already been taught was administered. Students then learned the PIES mnemonic strategy (Picture, Information, Equation, Solution) and participated in five weeks of …


Teaching See The Sound Visual Phonics To Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Kindergarteners, Alison Stevenson Jan 2014

Teaching See The Sound Visual Phonics To Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Kindergarteners, Alison Stevenson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of a manual phonics intervention program on the phonics acquisition skills of kindergarten students with hearing impairments. Recent research of deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students who received See the Sound Visual Phonics (SSVP) as an intervention alongside phonics instruction programs indicated an improvement in grapheme-phoneme correspondence regardless of types of hearing loss. Ye, W., Spychala, H., Harris, R. S., & Oetting, T. L. (2013) report that there is a lack of research investigating the explicit instruction of phonic skills to DHH students and its subsequent impact on reading …


Paraprofessional Perceptions Of Training And Professional Development, Paige C. Stratton Jan 2014

Paraprofessional Perceptions Of Training And Professional Development, Paige C. Stratton

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Paraprofessionals, also called teacher’s aides, in Lincoln and Putnam counties in West Virginia were surveyed to gain their perceptions of the effectiveness of the state’s training requirements and professional development. Questions on how well the current requirements prepares paraprofessionals for their jobs and what should be added yielded moderately positive opinions with suggestions for classes on individual disabilities and a practicum being added. Questions on professional development showed moderately positive opinions on the effectiveness of current professional development. The majority of participants felt that additional training would improve their job performance. Training in specific disabilities and interventions was viewed as …


The Effectiveness Of Graphic Organizers On The Comprehension Of Social Studies Content By Students With Disabilities, Martha Lynn Mann Jan 2014

The Effectiveness Of Graphic Organizers On The Comprehension Of Social Studies Content By Students With Disabilities, Martha Lynn Mann

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Today, more students with disabilities are being served in inclusive classrooms and are required to achieve the high expectations set by the 21st Century standards. Many are not being successful, due to the difficulty of differentiating between what is important and is not important in the social studies textbooks. Research suggests that graphic organizers can help facilitate learning through visual representations, but they are not being utilized to help students in the comprehension and achievement of the curriculum content. This study focused on the effectiveness of “concept/event maps and sequence chains.” These two types of graphic organizers were utilized during …


Teacher Attitudes Toward Post-Secondary Transition Planning, Vicki Wallen Jan 2014

Teacher Attitudes Toward Post-Secondary Transition Planning, Vicki Wallen

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to survey special education teachers in a rural high school in a rural Mid-Atlantic state. The survey collected data about attitudes and perceptions of the transition planning process and how these attitudes impact the amount of instructional time that is spent teaching self-determination skills to their students. Generally, the survey results indicated that although teachers feel that transition planning is important, they also find it difficult to incorporate self-determination instruction with the Common Core curriculum. Less than half of the respondents indicated that they feel as though the transition curriculum that they use effectively …


Teachers Attitudes And Confidence In Technology Integration, Heather Brown Jan 2014

Teachers Attitudes And Confidence In Technology Integration, Heather Brown

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to determine if training affects a teacher’s confidence in their ability to integrate technology in the classroom to enhance student learning. Technology training has been identified as a key component in a teacher’s attitude and confidence when it comes to the integration of technology into the curriculum. Data was gathered from an anonymous pencil/paper survey handed out to teachers in a Title I public elementary school in rural southern West Virginia to determine if training had any effect on their confidence to integrate technology. The information gained from this survey is intended to provide …


Teaching High School Students Scientific Concepts Using Graphic Organizers, Kyle Lusk Jan 2014

Teaching High School Students Scientific Concepts Using Graphic Organizers, Kyle Lusk

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

In the current study, the effect of using graphic organizers as a teaching method in a special education classroom was compared to the effectiveness of lecture style teaching in a regular education classroom. It was hypothesized that the use of graphic organizers in a special education classroom would result in a greater difference between the pre-and post-test measures than the group that was taught using lecture style instruction. Each classroom was given the same pre-test, followed by four weeks of instruction, then the same post-test. A paired samples t-test indicated that there was a significant difference observed in both groups, …


A Study Of West Virginia Elementary Special Education Teachers' Roles, Responsibilities, And Practices Within A Multitiered Instructional Support System: Implications For Policy And Practice, Linda M. Palenchar Jan 2012

A Study Of West Virginia Elementary Special Education Teachers' Roles, Responsibilities, And Practices Within A Multitiered Instructional Support System: Implications For Policy And Practice, Linda M. Palenchar

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of the study was to provide a data-based description of West Virginia special education teachers’ roles, responsibilities, and practices relevant to their participation in selected components of the Response to Intervention (RTI) process. Special educators’ practices related to assessment, tiered instruction, decision making, and collaboration comprise the main components of study and were based on a conceptual framework developed by Hoover and Patton (2008). A researcher-developed survey, the Special Educator Response to Intervention Inventory (SERTII), was used to explore the extent and characteristics of special educators’ participation in RTI. The study population included all elementary special education teachers …


Best Instructional Practices In Developmental Education: Faculty Perspectives, Calisa A. Pierce Jan 2012

Best Instructional Practices In Developmental Education: Faculty Perspectives, Calisa A. Pierce

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This descriptive study employed a survey to examine the perspectives of developmental education faculty members at public community colleges regarding instructional practices that have been identified in the literature as effective for developmental education. The study focused on two major areas related to the instructional practices surveyed: the degree to which faculty members perceive the practices to be effective and the degree to which they report they employ the practices. The entire population of West Virginia full-time faculty members teaching developmental education regularly in public community and technical colleges was surveyed with an 89.6% response rate. In addition, demographic information …


Tools And Community : How Women Become Researchers In Communication Sciences And Disorders, Karen L. Mccomas Jan 2010

Tools And Community : How Women Become Researchers In Communication Sciences And Disorders, Karen L. Mccomas

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) is a female-dominated discipline in danger of losing its professional autonomy. In 2002, the American Speech-Language- Hearing Association (ASHA) reported that 6-7% of all faculty positions in CSD were vacant, predicted a substantial increase in vacancies through 2012, and declared the issue of faculty preparation as the "most significant threat to our [CSD] future" (p. 5). In 2008, ASHA reported that, although more people were receiving Ph.D. degrees, only half accepted positions in higher education. The purpose of this study was to extend understanding of the problem of too few researchers in CSD by increasing …


Ed/Bd Eligibility Related To Gender And Community Size In West Virginia|Ed/Bd Eligibility Related To Gender And Community Size In West Virginia, Matthew Joseph Smart Jan 2010

Ed/Bd Eligibility Related To Gender And Community Size In West Virginia|Ed/Bd Eligibility Related To Gender And Community Size In West Virginia, Matthew Joseph Smart

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Over-representation of males in special education is an area of concern. Research studies have confirmed West Virginia as one of the states having the highest male-to-female ratios for Emotionally Disturbed/Behavior Disorder (ED/BD) students. The current study compares the most and least populated areas in West Virginia with regard to ED/BD eligibility. Male/female student ratios of ED/BD were examined utilizing chi-square analysis. This study used the September 2009 regulations under West Virginia Policy 2419, and those regulations were in place when these data were collected. Results indicated that a statistically significant difference exists between the total number of ED/BD students made …


Teacher Burnout: Special Education Versus Regular Education, Amanda Roach Jan 2009

Teacher Burnout: Special Education Versus Regular Education, Amanda Roach

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Teacher burnout is a serious problem in education today. Studies have been conducted on teacher burnout and the effect it has on regular education and special education teachers. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship of teacher burnout between regular education and special education teachers. One-hundred-and-two surveys were distributed to kindergarten through 12th grade teachers in two school districts in Ohio. Thirty-two surveys were randomly chosen for the study. Regular education teachers had higher scores on the Teacher Burnout Scale than special education teachers. There was no difference concerning job satisfaction between regular or special education teachers. …


Phonological Awareness Instruction: Opinions And Practices Of Educators And Speech-Language Pathologists In West Virginia, Melinda J. Daniel Jan 2006

Phonological Awareness Instruction: Opinions And Practices Of Educators And Speech-Language Pathologists In West Virginia, Melinda J. Daniel

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Research has shown phonological awareness to be a strong predictor of literacy. To support literacy development, a phonological awareness project was piloted in several West Virginia schools in 2001. This study compared WV educators based on employment setting (schools participating and those not participating in the phonological awareness project) and professional category (classroom teacher, reading specialist, speech-language pathologist) on answers to survey questions related to phonological awareness. Results showed no significant relationships between employment setting and responses. However, reading specialists reported spending more minutes per week providing phonological awareness instruction to children at risk for reading difficulty than did speech-language …


Predicting Dyslexia With Screening To Enhance Equitable Placement (Steep), Erica N. Stoler Jan 2004

Predicting Dyslexia With Screening To Enhance Equitable Placement (Steep), Erica N. Stoler

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to predict whether students who achieved the mastery/instructional level in math and the frustrational level in reading with Screening to Enhance Equitable Placement (STEEP) were identified as being good candidates for a positive dyslexic evaluation based on the Dyslexia Screening Tool (DST). Twenty-eight students in first through fifth grades from a rural elementary school in Southeast Ohio were selected based on the results of their initial STEEP screening and those selected students were administered the Dyslexia Screening Tool (DST). Results indicated that there was not a significant relationship between the selected STEEP results and …