Education Commons^™

Empowering All Students To Participate: Utilizing Aac To Respond During Lessons, Robbie Cromwell

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Previous research indicates that frequent and active participation of all students (including diverse student groups) improves student outcomes, as does using a variety of methods to respond during classroom instruction. Current research is limited in examining two key areas: 1) Increasing active participation of AAC users by encouraging engagement through frequent response opportunities during instruction and 2) Utilizing a variety of response methods to enable participation during instruction. Given the gaps that exist in the research, the purpose of this study is to examine whether incorporating a variety of opportunities to respond has an impact on AAC user’s engagement and …

Using Graphic Novels To Teach Economics Content To High School Students With Extensive Support Needs., Caroline Mae Fitchett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of social studies instruction in school is to facilitate the growth of competent citizens (National Council for the Social Studies [NCSS], 2013). Despite the recognized benefit of social studies instruction, emphasis on this subject has decreased over time, and has ultimately been termed a “dispensable subject” (Fitchett & Haefner, 2010). Social studies is an even more marginalized subject area for students with disabilities (Zakas et al., 2013). Expanding the research in this area is not only necessary to improving social studies academic content acquisition but is also likely to facilitate greater independence for students post-school – and by …

Special Education Fiscal Effort And Juvenile Adjudication: A Financial Relationship Exploration, Sarah E. Finley

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Educational leaders stretch pennies, often in futile attempts, to provide equitable educational opportunities for all students. An educated populous, or lack thereof, heavily impacts not only students, but also local, state, and national economies, job markets, and public safety. Knowing where to exert public school fiscal effort to reduce juvenile crime is an issue with implications that reach far beyond the field of education. By employing a quantitative approach and analyses examining slopes of fiscal effort for special education and juvenile adjudications, this study explores the relationship between the two factors. The research points out several connections between special education …

Teachers’ Relationship Ratings Of Adolescents With And Without The “Emotional Disturbance” Label, Ashley Colson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The importance of student-teacher relationships is well established. However, research suggests that students in special education tend to experience lower quality student-teacher relationships than their peers in general education. Of particular importance is the developing research indicating that students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBDs), and especially females, are at the highest risk of poor relationships with teachers. The purpose of this study is to examine whether the presence of an emotional disturbance (ED) label may impact teachers’ perceptions of relationships with adolescents who exhibit behavior that meets ED criteria. A correlational research design with a between-subjects analysis of the …

Leveraging Results-Driven Accountability To Improve Academic And Behavioral Outcomes For Students With Disabilities, Lori R. Anderson

Education Theses and Dissertations

The Office of Special Education Programs’ (OSEP’s) vision for Results-Driven Accountability (RDA) is that OSEP will target its work and investments to best support States in improving results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. State Education Agencies (SEAs) are accountable to OSEP regarding Results Driven Accountability reporting and supporting school districts in the process of improving outcomes for students in special populations. RDA is an accountability system to report data to district and campus leaders related to academic achievement, postsecondary readiness, and disproportionate analysis of students who are Bilingual Emergent/English as a Second Language Learners (BE/ESL), experiencing homelessness, …

Improving Outcomes For Older Struggling Readers In Special Education Resource, Kathryn Stone

Education Theses and Dissertations

This research aimed to increase the reading achievement of sixth-grade special education students receiving interventions in a resource setting. This problem of practice was created in response to the theory of change made by a Network Improvement Community (NIC) rooted in the lack of professional development offered by the school district for special education teachers in teaching students foundational reading skills. The research questions used for this study this evaluation were 1) What percent of students made progress in each reporting category (word study, grammar, and comprehension) in the Lexia PowerUp literacy program? 2) To what extent did the teachers …

Low-Incidence Special Education Teachers Lived Experience Teaching During Covid-19, Christina Samone Hatcher

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

This study's purpose is to identify how the shift has impacted low-incidence special education teachers to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is minimal research regarding the lived experiences of how low-incidence special education teachers teach remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study will consist of evaluating how prepared low-incidence special education teachers felt they were for the demands of remote learning, how they mitigated the demands, what resources and support were received that were helpful, as well as what resources and support low-incidence special education teachers feel they still need to continue to teach remotely, and how their …

Goal Setting And Self Monitoring Among High School Students With Exceptionalities, Madison Worms

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Many students with learning difficulties struggle to maintain focus which leads to off-task behavior and missing assignments. This occurs with students of all ages but is most prevalent with students in middle school and high school. This project investigated the effects of goal setting and self monitoring among high school students with exceptionalities. It also includes research, evidence, and summaries of other studies conducted related to goal setting and self monitoring. These case studies include strategies used to increase student productivity in the classroom. All published literature used in this text have been published within the last nine years and …

General Education Preschool Teachers' Preparedness To Teach Students With Disabilities Within A General Education Preschool Setting, Mary-Margaret Satterfield

Ed.D. Dissertations

Since Congress passed amendments in 1997 to the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), there has been an emphasis on instruction to students with disabilities in the general education classroom, especially with preschool students. The significant increase of students with disabilities in general education classrooms precipitated the need for general education teachers to have knowledge and skills about special education to support and provide instruction to students with disabilities. The purpose of this basic, interpretive qualitative study was to investigate how general education preschool teachers in a large school district in Tennessee felt prepared by their preservice, in-service, and continuing education …

Interventions Based On Mindfulness For Socio-Emotional Skill Building In Children On The Autism Spectrum: A Systematic Review, Nethnie Thilakna Nandadasa

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Children on the autism spectrum are characterized by deficits in socioemotional skills. Previous research suggests that mindfulness is effective in improving social, emotional, and behavioural skills in a wide variety of populations. This review systematically investigated the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in improving social, emotional, and behavioural functioning in children on the autism spectrum (0-12 years of age). Furthermore, the current review discussed adaptations to traditional MBIs when implemented to children on the autism spectrum. MBIs as a potential evidence-based practice for the target population was also investigated. Eleven studies met inclusion criteria. Results indicated that MBIs led to …

Literacy Instruction For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sonja Hall

Graduate Teacher Education

This paper reviewed current literature on instructional strategies for providing literacy instruction to students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Literacy is made up of many strands, literacy was broken into three subsections for the purpose of this review: phonics instruction, reading comprehension, and writing. According to experts, reading comprehension and writing are two main areas in which students who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can be challenged by. The studies in this review revealed that direct, systematic, and explicit instruction in the area of literacy is essential for student success in the targeted areas. Different teaching strategies involved …

Supporting Working Memory Development In Schools During Adolescence, Megan Bryant

M.Ed. Literature Reviews

This master's project investigates the multifaceted aspects of working memory in secondary school students and its relationship with academic performance. The findings from this project contribute to the existing literature by offering insights into the effectiveness of holistic interventions and memory strategies in enhancing working memory abilities and optimizing academic outcomes in secondary school students. This project reviews evidence about the relationship between emotional regulation, stress, and working memory to understand better how emotional factors impact cognitive functioning in the classroom setting. This analysis also aims to shed light on the trajectory of working memory development during adolescence and its …

Improving Peer-To-Peer Learning For Students With Extensive Support Needs In Inclusive Classrooms, Zachary Michael Deets

Dissertations and Theses

Inclusive learning opportunities lead to better outcomes for students with extensive support needs (ESN). In the absence of targeted intervention, however, students with ESN are unlikely to interact meaningfully with their peers or the general education curriculum. The literature describes evidence-based strategies in support of the meaningful inclusion of students with ESN in inclusive classrooms, including the use of technology to mediate learning experiences and nondisabled peers as learning "interventionists." This dissertation introduces an intervention package, Technology-Assisted Peer-Mediated Academic Support (TAPMAS), incorporating Technology-Aided Instruction and Intervention (TAII) and Peer-Based Instruction and Intervention (PBII), as a model of how educators may …

Policy And Leadership Accountability On Black Special Education Teacher Persistence, Brittany M. Holmes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is a persistent shortage of qualified special education teachers in schools across the country. This issue is exacerbated by the need for special education teachers of color who can help serve the disproportionate number of minority students in schools. Over time, researchers and government entities, alike, have considered ways to increase the recruitment and retention efforts of Black teachers However, given the lack of investigation regarding the needs of Black teachers in special education and what encourages their persistence, efforts to increase representation have been unsuccessful. For this reason, using a qualitative methodology, the purpose of this study is …

Intersection Between Special Education And The Juvenile Justice System: An Exploration Of Legal Compliance, Transition Services, And Recidivism, Katherine Kolody

M.Ed. Literature Reviews

This paper explores the intersection between special education and juvenile justice. Specifically, it looks at the legal authority compliance in juvenile justice facilities, the transition services for juveniles once they return to school, and the recidivism rates of juveniles who have been in the system. It seeks to answer whether the current approaches to these legal issues are valid, or whether there are better or different approaches that might yield preferable results.

Inclusionary Practices For Elementary Students With Disabilities, Caroline Brandau

M.Ed. Literature Reviews

This research explores inclusionary practices for elementary-aged students with individualized education plans (IEP) for special education. Three themes were identified: academic achievement through push-in services, secondary benefits of special education services in the general education setting, and power dynamics of stakeholders of inclusion. The paper goes on to examine how practices at Western Washington School District could be aligned with research and then explores implications for future research and transform practice. The paper concludes with a call to action and a positive outlook for the future of special education.

Disparities In Behavioral Expectations For Elementary Students With Emotional Behavioral Disorders Compared To Their Classmates, Justine Lee

Culminating Projects in Special Education

Educators often view students with emotional and behavioral disorders as students who cause disruption, require generous amounts of energy, and are overall taxing on classroom management and instruction. The perception of effort that EBD students require and their potential achievement, downplays the true potential of the individual. The main focus of this paper was to examine the disparities in behavioral expectations for students with emotional behavioral disorders in comparison to their classmates.

Effects Of Research Dissemination Vehicle Use On Preservice Teacher Candidate Knowledge Acquisition, Allie Jenkins Boquet

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study provides information on how EBPs can be disseminated to education practitioners for the purpose of knowledge acquisition. With a well-established research-to-practice gap in the field of education, this study determined which research dissemination vehicle, practitioner journal article, informational video, or textbook chapter, allowed for the highest acquisition of knowledge for preservice teachers.

The purpose of this study was to determine how the use of three different research dissemination vehicles, 1) practitioner journal articles, 2) informational videos, and 3) textbook chapters, impacts acquisition of knowledge of the EBP, instructional feedback, when utilized by preservice teacher candidates as well as …

Special Education: Inclusion And Exclusion In The K-12 U.S. Educational System, Erik Brault

Dissertations

The U.S. Department of Education defines students with disabilities as those having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more life activities. Previous research has found that students with disabilities placed in inclusive environments perform better academically and socially compared to students with disabilities who are placed in segregated environments. Yet, we know that inclusion in K-12 general education classrooms across the country is not consistently implemented.

The purpose of this study was to better understand the effects, if any, of general education high school teachers’ personal and professional experiences and knowledge on their attitudes toward educating …

Equalizing Postsecondary Transition For At-Promise Youth Receiving Special Education Services: A Chance To Succeed, Karla R. Sanchez

Dissertations

Postsecondary transition can be difficult for At-Promise Youth Receiving Special Education Services (APYRSES). Special educators supporting postsecondary transition often manifest traditional and institutionalized forms of oppressive education while dismissing collective values and beliefs.

This qualitative case study examined the beliefs and attitudes shared by three special education teachers after being introduced to a justice-focused, humanizing intervention to facilitate postsecondary transition for APYRSES. The conceptualized intervention was grounded in liberatory educational frameworks and drew from critical, culturally affirming, sustaining, and humanizing theories that foster cultural reciprocity, self-determination skills, and antiracist social–emotional justice learning to afford opportunities for APYRSES to succeed. The …

Experiences And Support Needs Of Typically Developing Siblings Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Keely Hamilton

Education | Master's Theses

Children living with an autistic sibling face unique challenges and are in need of support (Angell et al., 2012; Marquis et al., 2019; Molinaro et al., 2020). The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand what the experience of having a sibling with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is like for a typically developing child during middle childhood or preadolescence, the impacts this experience has, and what types of support they feel they need. Five participants were interviewed for this study; all were in middle childhood or preadolescence, live in Marin County, California, and are in a family with a …

Fostering Intrinsic Motivation Within Secondary Special Education With Attention Towards Teacher Presence And Positive Behavior Support, Desirae Barboza

Education | Master's Theses

This study sought to understand the conditions high school mild to moderate special education students need to sustain intrinsic motivation. Prior research suggests that overall academic intrinsic motivation is much lower in students with disabilities (Daniel and Cooc 2018). Teachers' expectations can have a strong association with student motivation in their learning and can lead to improved academic outcomes (Johnson, Wildy, & Shand, 2020). Currently, there is a lack of existing research that studies the conditions that cultivate intrinsic motivation among students with special needs. To research how high school mild to moderate special education students sustain intrinsic motivation, the …

Improving Collaboration With Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Parents Of Students With Extensive Support Needs, Isabel Yates

Education | Master's Theses

The purpose of this research is to understand how to improve collaboration between schools and culturally and linguistically diverse parents of students with extensive support needs who receive special education services. Previous research defined collaboration as a conceptual construct in which principles of shared respect and responsibility are applied to practice (Emmons & Zager, 2018). The collaboration between families and schools is legally mandated but not explicitly explained to teachers or parents how to succeed in engaging respectfully with all families (Cheatham & Lim-Mullins, 2018). The increased complication of supporting nondominant, culturally and linguistically diverse families in addition to the …

High Leverage Professional Development Topics That Support The Retention Of Special Educators, Meggan Lokken

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to determine how experienced special education teachers rate and describe the importance of professional development topics identified as high leverage practices in special education by Council for Exceptional Children and CEEDAR Center at helping them perform their teaching jobs, and to determine how the ratings of the different groups (preschool, elementary, middle, high school, and adult transition grade level ranges) compare to one another.

Methodology: The current study is a mixed-method descriptive comparative design, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative survey methodology. A quantitative approach will be used to rate experienced special educator’s …

How Doctoral Students In A Formal Leadership Program Conceptualize Followership: A Mixed-Methods Study, Katy J. Johnson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this exploratory mixed-methods study was to determine how doctoral students in a formal leadership program conceptualize followership. The methods used to conduct this analysis included distributing a Qualtrics (released in August 2022) survey and conducting one-on-one interviews with a sample of degree-seeking doctoral students within a formal leadership program. The researcher collected quantitative and qualitative data addressing students’ followership style, leadership attitudes and beliefs, and perceptions of followership. These data were analyzed concurrently using a triangulation design. A total of 67 students completed the survey, and seven students were interviewed. The findings revealed that the participants employ …

Beginning Special Education Teachers’ Perceptions Of Impactful Self-Resiliency Skills: A Qualitative Study, Kjersten Skatvold

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Special educators are in high demand and greatly needed to meet the growing population of special education in public schools today. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to gain an understanding of how beginning special educators lived experiences and utilized their self-resilience skills which impacted their retention in the field of special education. With an increasing rate of attrition in the field of special education, exploring self-resilience factors that impact the retention of beginning special educators was imperative to understanding how to best support these early career educators. The increasing demands and pressures that beginning special educators are required …

Student Perceptions Of Co-Teaching, Megan Berg

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to attain information on middle school students’ perspectives of co-teaching based on their experiences in co-taught classrooms. Co-teaching is a commonly used practice, generally between a special education and general education teacher, to support and meet the needs of all learners in a diverse classroom. Because inclusive classrooms are composed of students with and without disabilities, the individual expertise of general and special educators is essential in constructing a harmonious co-teaching partnership (Jurkowski & Muller, 2018; Ritter et al., 2020). According to Kirkpatrick et al. (2020), when co-teachers work together to share their knowledge …

Reflecting On Ecse Parent Coaching: Integrating High Leverage Practices 2, 11 And 16 With Parents Of Children Birth Through Age 2, John Muhlenpoh

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to gather information on Early Intervention (EI) practices and the implementation of the Special Education High Leverage Practices (HLPs) with parents and children ages birth through age two. In the past, EI staff took the lead as they provided a medical model of services where the staff went into the homes of parents and “fixed” problems the child was having, essentially leaving the parent out of the equation (NICHCY, 2022). The programs involved parents, but many of the parents seemed to take a back seat and watch what was going on with their child …

Implications Of Inclusive Postsecondary Education Programs (Ipses) On Quality Of Life For Young Adults With Intellectual Disabilities, Sarah K. Eggleston

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

Students with intellectual disability (ID) who are aging out from qualifying for special education services through the public school system often encounter difficulty in the transition to early adulthood. While students with disabilities in Virginia have access to employment and transition services to aid them in seeking job placement, some students with ID still carry aspirations of going to college like many of their peers without disabilities. College is an experience that allows emerging adults to gain independence, social skills, pivotal identity development, and opportunities to explore academic and professional interests, while increasing their qualifications for more competitive employment. In …

Testing Accommodations Decision-Making Policies And Procedures At New York Area Independent Schools: A Qualitative Study, Scott Wilson

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study was to better understand educators’ perceptions of testing accommodations decision-making practices at New York area independent schools. Through the analysis and coding of questionnaires, interviews, and documents, this study explored perceptions and descriptions of testing accommodations decision-making procedures as reported by learning specialists, administrators and psychologists employed at 20 independent schools in the greater New York City area. Several significant findings emerged. The study’s interview participants, in contrast to their public-school counterparts included in previous research studies, feel like they have the training and support necessary to make or contribute to decisions. The study also …