Education Commons^™

Ethical And Equitable Psychological Assessment Of Black Youth In Chicago Public Schools: A Coaching Model For Cps School Psychologists, Haley Biddanda

School of Education Capstone Projects

This capstone seeks to examine multiple factors that affect Black youth in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) during the psychological evaluation process, and subsequently develops a coaching model for CPS school psychologists to provide more ethical and equitable psychological evaluations for Black youth. An analysis of the system of CPS finds that Black students are more likely to receive special education services and be placed within restrictive settings in special education than their white peers. Despite this, CPS school psychologists receive no training specific to evaluating or working with Black youth. A review of the literature reveals that there are multiple …

Corrective Reading And Middle School Students With Specific Learning Disability, Diane Wallendjack

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to examine how much impact a two-trimester implementation of the Corrective Reading Comprehension program had upon the reading skills of special education students receiving instruction in small group special education English Language Arts classes. The goal was to gather data on the effectiveness of the Corrective Reading Comprehension program as an intervention for middle school students with specific learning disability, as measured by two different types of data, and supported by student and teacher acceptability measures. Data was collected over the course of the 2015-16 school year in order to answer the following four …

An Exploratory Study Of Principals' Attitudes Regarding The Provision Of Special Education Services Using The Traditional Special Education Model Compared To Using The Response To Intervention Model, Deirdre Marie Williams

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes of principals regarding the provision of special education services using the traditional special education model compared to using the response to intervention model. The major research and related research questions were identified by the investigator to explore the attitudes of Illinois public elementary school principals regarding special education services, in relation to: (1) resources; (2) amount of faculty time spent; and (3) the role of the principal. The major research question and the related research question was addressed through seven survey questions, six through Likert–scaled questions and one through an …

Effects Of Functional Communication Training (Fact) On The Communicative, Self-Initiated Toileting Behavior For Students With Developmental Disabilities In A School Setting, Jinnie Kim

Dissertations

Far less is known about the effects of functional communication-based toileting interventions for students with developmental disabilities in a school setting. Furthermore, the currently available toileting interventions for students with disabilities include some undesirable procedures such as the use of punishment, unnatural clinic/university settings as opposed to more natural school/home settings, and prompt-based as opposed to communicative, self-initiating skills. The current study examined the effectiveness of FCT on the incidence of communicative, self-initiated toileting and of toileting accidents without any punishment components, which were often considered as necessary in traditional toileting procedures. A multiple baseline design was used for the …

A Case Study Of The Effects Of A School-Based Wraparound Approach On Students With Behavioral Difficulties, Jennifer Mills James

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of wraparound services on students' classroom behavior, social behavior, emotional functioning, and academic skills. As a philosophy and a process, wraparound services support the student, family, and teachers by organizing and blending natural supports, interagency services, and behavioral and academic interventions in the schools. Through the Illinois Positive Behavior Interventions in the Schools (IL-PBIS) Network, the schools selected for this study have been supported in implementing school-wide preventions and interventions, targeted interventions with small groups of students not responding to school wide supports, and intensive interventions with students with the …

Limited English Proficient Mothers' Perceptions Of The Transition Process From Early Intervention Programs To Preschool Programs: Cultural And Linguistic Barriers, Celia Arresola

Dissertations

This study explored the satisfaction level of limited English proficient (LEP) mothers with the transition process from early intervention programs to preschool special education programs in a culturally and linguistically diverse Illinois public school district. The research focused on understanding if LEP parents of students with disabilities perceived that their own cultural and linguistic diversity affected the overall transition process. It also reviewed the mothers' perceptions about the cultural and linguistic considerations provided to them during the transition process, including the provision of translated materials and interpreters during meetings. The research indicated the level of satisfaction experienced during the transition …

Parental Perceptions Of The Diagnosis Process Of Their Young Child With Special Needs, Sue Stolzer

Dissertations

The diagnosis of a child with a special need can be an emotional and important time for parents. The existing research on the subject is decades old, limited in scope, and does not capture the current context. This is a qualitative interview study done with 24 families of children aged three to five who have been diagnosed as having a moderate to profound special need. The semi-structured interviews asked mothers, and some fathers, to tell the story of their child's diagnosis process. The data revealed that the process is very individual for each family. The results are shared in the …

Global Influences And Resistance Within: Inclusive Practices And South Africa's Apartheid Government, Jean Marie Fagin

Master's Theses

South Africa's racially segregating apartheid government officially lasted for over forty years, from 1948 to 1994. Black South Africans were the victims of established oppression resulting in poverty, poor health care, and limited educational opportunities. Black South Africans with disabilities faced even greater exclusion from society due to their physical and cognitive challenges. Education for black students was neither compulsory nor free, and few black students with disabilities received services.

During the apartheid regime (1948-1994), disability issues were being address globally. The United Nations issued declarations, conventions, and a programme of action devoted to people with disabilities. In the early …

A Meta-Analysis Of Interventions To Improve Social Competence In Early Childhood, Adam Steven Kennedy

Dissertations

Early childhood represents a critical period for development of the social behaviors and language that make social competence possible. Demonstrating social competence and positive peer relationships before reaching kindergarten may enhance school functioning and early achievement once children enter the school setting (Costin & Jones, 1992; Gresham & Reschly, 1987; Ladd, 1990). Unfortunately, many children fail to naturally or adequately develop these important skills, heightening risk for future problems due to disability and factors such as poverty, abuse, and engagement with child welfare agencies (Guralnick & Groom, 1987; Fantuzzo et al., 1988; Mueller & Silverman, 1989; Campbell, 1990; Kopp, Baker, …

Building Citizens Or Building Nations? Alternative Visions For Learning History In Germany And The United States: The Geschichtswettbewerb Des Bundespraesidenten And National History Day, 1974-1984, Crystal Johnson

Master's Theses

The German philanthropist Kurt Körber and the American historian David Van Tassel envisioned a future where students engaged in discovering the sources and interpreting the past for themselves rather than reciting facts filtered by a textbook or teacher. Their ideas developed into two strikingly similar programs: the Geschichtswettbewerb des Bundespräsidenten and National History Day. These endeavors became models for similar efforts in many other countries. This comparative history argues that such programs offer provocative insights into the civic nature and purpose of history education. Inquiry learning and enhanced access to sources gave students opportunities to ask their own questions of …