Education Commons^™

Students With Learning Disabilities In A Postsecondary Education Setting: Identifying The Most Significant Supports, Daniella F. Giordano

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenology was to understand the perceptions that postsecondary students with learning disabilities have in receiving academic supports and accommodations from their institutions in alignment with their educational goals. A significant disparity has occurred between the number of students with disabilities in higher education and the support services available to them. The central question of this study is: What are the experiences of students with learning disabilities in receiving academic support services from their institution? The theory that supports this central question and guided this study is Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory. The design of this study …

A Qualitative Study: Teacher Perceptions About How They Are Prepared To Teach Students With Multiple Learning Disabilities In An Inclusive Classroom Setting, Tondra E. Hart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions and lived experiences of teachers in Georgia and how the pre-service training received by them prepares them for an inclusive classroom, including students with multiple learning disabilities. Educators who are teaching in an inclusive classroom are defined as having completed the required education and pre-service training to teach both students with disabilities and students without disabilities. The central question for this study was: How do teachers perceive they are prepared to teach students with multiple learning disabilities in an inclusive classroom setting? The study used a qualitative phenomenological research …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Factors That Contribute To Persistence In Online Doctoral Programs For Students With Learning Disabilities Or Adhd, Jerry L. Pitts

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to discover the factors that contributed to persistence in online doctoral programs for students with learning disabilities (LD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The theory guiding this study was Tinto’s theory of student persistence, as it suggested the more students were academically and socially integrated into their institution, the more likely they were to persist in their studies. The Central research question of this study is, “What are the factors that contribute to persistence in online doctoral programs for students with LD and ADHD?” Participants in this study consisted of seven …

The Evolution Of The Child Character With Learning Differences, Mary Viera

Honors Program Theses and Projects

In this paper, I will analyze the various representations of learning disabilities in selected children’s literature from the early twentieth century to recent literature published in the last decade. In the typical American classroom specific learning disabilities account for about 20% of students. It is the largest classified group to receive services in special education, and also the broadest: “Learning disabilities are disorders that affect the ability to understand or use spoken or written language, do mathematical calculations, coordinate movements or direct attention” (NIH, 2022). I will use the term “learning differences” as it encompasses all children who learn differently …

The Effects Of Computer-Assisted Instruction On Student Learning Of Fractions In Middle School Mathematics, Rebecca Love Palculict

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In today’s increasingly technologically-driven classroom, exploring whether computer-assisted instruction ensures students gain critical mathematic skills is an important area of study. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of computer-assisted instruction in learning manipulation of fractions. This study used archival data collected in August 2021 (pre-test) and January 2022 (post-test). Sixty-nine fifth-grade students in a middle school in rural Mississippi were participants in the study. This quantitative quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test control group design analyzed data from the i-Ready diagnostic using an Analysis of Covariance. Results indicated a significant difference between the post-test scores of students who received interventions …

Cognitive Conflict Levels Between Middle School Students With Learning Disabilities And Students Without Learning Disabilities, Stephanie Elizabeth Randall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal comparative study was to measure differences in the level of cognitive conflict among middle school science students utilizing independent t-tests. This study supports increasing knowledge for middle school science educators and potentially contributes to improved curriculum design and delivery. This quantitative study examined levels of cognitive conflict within a sample size of 28 middle school science students with learning disabilities, with an individual education plan (IEP) or a 504 Plan, compared to a sample size of 28 students without learning disabilities, without an IEP or 504 Plan. This study related social cognitive learning among …

Educating Students With Learning Difficulties In The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia, Apryl L. Poch, Duaa Alzahrani, Jawaher Aljuwayhir, Maram Alnahari

Special Education and Communication Disorders Faculty Publications

Identification of and services for students with learning disabilities share both similarities and differences across cultures, including the term(s) used to label and subsequently provide services for these students. Learning disabilities, in Arabic, translates to “learning difficulties.” This column provides a brief overview of the current educational system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia including the identification and services available for students with learning difficulties and concludes with future directions. Much opportunity remains for supporting the needs of students with learning difficulties in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Ocd Is Not An Adjective, Sydney Jackson

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

This past week, from Oct.10–16, was International OCD Awareness Week—a week I never thought would have any significance for me. However, after beginning college, my struggle with mental health and anxiety heightened, and I sought out resources to help me cope with all the things I was feeling. Through therapy and a lot of support I realized what I had been struggling with my whole life, but that I was never able to understand, was obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD.

Parents And Teachers Need To Step Up For Young Girls With Adhd, Lauren Andrews

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Many young girls are charging headlong into stressful academic environments without knowing they have a learning or behavioral disorder such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This lack of critical awareness of their mind’s wiring leaves many girls trudging through their academic careers convinced they’re lazy, irresponsible or too incompetent for their field.

The Effect Of Social Emotional Skill Instruction On Cognitive Development, La'toria Horan

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this literature review is to gather evidence on the effect of teaching social emotional skills on the cognitive development of young children. Social emotional skills are skills that people use to interact with others, manage their emotion and address social situations. Teachers use social emotional learning (SEL) programs to directly and indirectly to address social skills acquisitions in the classroom. This review of the research shares the results of studies about the variety of methods available to teach children social skills and the benefits of mastering those skills. The wide-spread financial commitment by schools for SEL programs …

Utilizing The Stepped Care Model To Empower University Students With Learning Disabilities, Nick R. Abel, Justin Jacques

Scholarship and Professional Work – Education

Students with learning disabilities face several challenges in postsecondary education settings. The authors explore the issue and shed light on the importance of self-advocacy for academic success. The stepped care model (SCM) is suggested as an approach to assist college students with learning disabilities in developing these skills and obtaining services. A brief case example from 1 of the authors’ work is shared to illustrate the use of the SCM with a student with a learning disability.

Does Goal Setting Make A Better Reader?, Elayna Bierle

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This action research project looked at the relationship between goal setting and an increase in reading levels in six public school students in 4th and 5th grade with learning disabilities in reading. Data was collected through Individualized Education Plan progress reports and individual goals written by the students in connection with the Developmental Reading Assessment test over the fall 2018 semester. The data was compared to the 2018 spring semester IEP goal data from the previous school year when the students had not written goals.

Practical Strategies For Conducting And Documenting Classroom Observations In Sld Evaluation, Mariya T. Davis, Julie Southward

Special Education Faculty Publications

Nearly half of all students receiving special education services are identified as students with a specific learning disability (SLD; National Center for Learning Disabilities [NCLD], 2014). The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires evaluation teams to analyze multiple data to determine if a student qualifies for special education services. In accordance with the federal law, a student must be observed in the regular classroom setting, and a description of the relationship between the behavior and academic functioning must be noted in a written Full and Individual Evaluation (FIE) report. Discussed in this article are recommendations and practical strategies related …

Educator Perceptions Of A Schoolwide Writing Intervention Implementation: Implications For Practice, Heather Haynes Smith, Courtney Crim, Samantha Bos

Education Faculty Research

Students with disabilities continue to perform below peers without disabilities in writing. To address the need for improving written expression for students with learning differences, schools are implementing instructional strategies. This study investigated teacher perceptions of a four-year, schoolwide, K–12 implementation of strategic instruction model (SIM) learning strategies addressing written expression. A survey (n = 22) and semistructured interviews (n = 16) were administered to examine the perceptions of educators on schoolwide supports to strengthen writing skills across all grades and content areas. The analysis of these data can provide insight to faculty knowledge and attitudes toward implementation …

Participation Of Children With Disabilities In School: A Realist Systematic Review Of Psychosocial And Environmental Factors, Donald Maciver, Marion Rutherford, Stella Arakelyan, Jessica M. Kramer, Janet Richmond, Liliya Todorova, Dulce Romero-Ayuso, Hiromi Nakamura-Thomas, Marjon Ten Velden, Ian Finlayson, Anne O’Hare, Kirsty Forsyth

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background In order to make informed decisions about how best to support children and young people with disabilities, effective strategies that facilitate active and meaningful participation in school are required. Clinical factors, diagnosis or impairments somewhat helpful in determining what should be provided in interventions. However, clinical factors alone will not offer a clear view of how to support participation. It is helpful then to look at wider psychosocial and environmental factors. The aim of this review was to synthesise evidence of psychosocial and environmental factors associated with school participation of 4–12 year old children with disabilities to inform the …

Students With Learning Disabilities, Pair Programming And Situational Motivation, Shana L. Pribesh, Wu He, Silvana M. Watson, Debra A. Major, Li Xu, Ling Li, Xin Tian, Anjee Gorkhali, Yuming He

Educational Foundations & Leadership Faculty Publications

Persons with learning disabilities (LD) are underrepresented in computer science and information technology fields despite the explosion of related career opportunities and interest. In this study, we examine the use of pair programming as a collaborative intervention in with computer programming and compare students with learning disabilities to students who do not have learning disabilities. We concentrate on situational motivation constructs which tap into the desire to meet goals and acquire skills. We find that students with LD and similar students without LD fare the same. For the both groups, three of the four situational motivation subscales increase after the …

To Cheat Or Not To Cheat: Impact Of Learning Disability Status On Reasons For Cheating, Mckenzie Elizabeth Perdew

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Academic cheating frequency, motivating factors for cheating, and student reasons for cheating have been studied extensively for decades, but nearly all of the research has been conducted with typically-developing students. To date, only one published study has examined cheating among students with learning disabilites, despite over 2 million students in American schools having been diagnosed with a learning disability.

Students who engage in academic cheating, as well as students who have learning disabilities, are more likely to have low levels of self-efficacy, hold more performance goal orientations, and have higher levels of impulsivity. Therefore, in the present study, individuals with …

Comparative Use Of The Ages And Stages Questionnaires In Low‐ And Middle‐Income Countries, Jason W. Small, Hollie Hix-Small, Emily Vargas-Baron, Kevin P. Marks

Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Aim: To map the breadth of use of the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) across world regions, and examine procedures for ASQ translation, adaptation, psychometric evaluation, and administration.

Method: We conducted a review of all original, peer‐reviewed studies written in English referencing use of the ASQ in LMICs. We used a consensus rating procedure to classify each article into one of four categories: feasibility study, psychometric study, prevalence study, or research study.

Results: We analysed 53 peer‐reviewed articles written in English detailing use of the ASQ in LMICs. We found evidence …

Rap: A Reading Comprehension Strategy For Students With Learning Disabilities And Concomitant Speech-Language Impairments Or Adhd, Suzanne E. Kemp

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Students with learning and language disabilities and those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) frequently struggle with reading comprehension. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a paraphrasing cognitive strategy that consists of read, ask, put (RAP) on reading comprehension. In addition, the maintenance effects two months after treatment for three students with learning disabilities either concomitant speech-language impairmenst or ADHD was also studied. Read, ask, put was taught using the Strategic Intervention Model (SIM). A multiple baseline design across participants was used with three fourth grade students with learning disabilities. Results indicated the use of …

‘When I Am Being Rushed It Slows Down My Brain’: Constructing Self-Understandings As A Mathematics Learner, Rachel Lambert

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Understanding learning disabilities (LDs) as constructed through multiple cultural practices including discourse, this paper focuses on a Latino middle school student with a LD named Elijah. This study documents both the discourses and practices used to position Elijah as a mathematics learner, as well as his use of similar discourses as he constructs a complex set of self-understandings as a mathematics learner. Elijah is positioned by discourses that prioritise speed as an indicator of mathematical ability, as well as discourses that construct students with LD as having both intelligence and differences such as processing speed. An analysis of interview and …

Increasing Engagement Of Students With Learning Disabilities In Mathematical Problem-Solving And Discussion, Rachel Lambert, Trisha Sugita

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Engagement in problem-solving and mathematical discussion is critical for learning mathematics. This research review describes a gap in the literature surrounding engagement of students with Learning Disabilities in standards-based mathematical classrooms. Taking a sociocultural view of engagement as participation in mathematical practices, this review found that students with LD were supported towards equal engagement in standards-based mathematics through multi-modal curriculum, consistent routines for problem-solving, and teachers trained in Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching. Using this small set of studies (7), we identify the need to deepen the engagement of students with LD in mathematical problem-solving and discussion. This review concludes with …

To Cheat Or Not To Cheat: Impacts Of Learning Disability Status And Impulsivity On Cheating, Mckenzie Perdew

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Impulsivity is associated with academic dishonesty and deficits/disorders related to learning disabilities (LD). Despite separate connections made between impulsivity and academic cheating and between impulsivity and LD, there is little information in the literature regarding whether the impulsivity feature of some LD is related to higher rates of academic dishonesty among students with LD. We measured history of academic dishonesty, tolerance of academic dishonesty, and impulsivity in 83 Amazon Mechanical Turk participants. An independent samples t-test revealed that participants with LD exhibited higher levels of dysfunctional impulsivity compared to neurotypical (NT) peers. Dysfunctional impulsivity was associated with increased cheating tolerance. …

Technology And Disability Identity: "Now You See Me, Now You Don't", Janice Fennell

Publications and Scholarship

This qualitative study examines how students’ identities are constructed when technology and disability intersect. Understanding how technology constructs the identities of students with invisible special needs such as learning disabilities is critical to determining why students are resistant to, or accepting of, assistive technology pedagogy.

The primary source of data for the study was in-depth, phenomenologically based interviewing using structured, open-ended dialogue. Three Ontario secondary schools provided the setting for the study. Participants included five students with learning disabilities who are users of assistive technology, two parents, two teachers, and two assistive technology coaches. A grounded theory methodology was used …

The Role Of Executive Functions In Classroom Instruction Of Students With Learning Disabilities, Silvana M. R. Watson, Robert A. Gable, Lisa L. Morin

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

In this article, we describe executive functions and their role in determining student academic success. We focus on the executive function difficulties of students with learning disabilities and explain how executive dysfunctions can negatively affect different academic areas (e.g., reading comprehension, mathematics). Finally, we offer ways teachers can modify their instruction to better address the diverse needs of students with learning disabilities who are struggling to perform various academic tasks.

Culturally Responsive Contexts: Establishing Relationships For Inclusion, Mere Berryman, Therese Ford, Ann Nevin, Suzanne Soohoo

Education Faculty Articles and Research

As our education systems become more culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse, rather than benefiting and learning from each other, we still expect all students to be represented within the same curriculum, pedagogy and testing regimen or we form separate enclaves resulting in marginalizaton. When diverse students have physical and/or learning disabilities, marginalization is further exacerbated and problematized. In this paper, the authors theorise within an alternative framework that we have termed relational and culturally responsive inclusion. Based on key understandings from our own research, much of it derived from Kaupapa Māori and Freirean philosophies, we encourage a framework where establishing …

Fearless Friday: Emma Murphy, Christina L. Bassler

SURGE

Emma Murphy is truly fearless for her persistence and strength in working to change attitudes and stereotypes towards people with learning disabilities both on campus and in the wider community. This semester, Emma started a new club on campus called Great ADDitudes, which aims to raise awareness about ADD/ADHD and provide support for students who feel alone due to their own learning challenges. At 11, she was diagnosed and has wanted to start a club for students with learning disabilities ever since. [excerpt]

Alternative Service Delivery Models For Students With Learning Disabilities, Evelyn S. Johnson, Carrie Semmelroth

Early and Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

More than 40 years of intervention research describes effective interventions for increasing the academic performance of students with learning disabilities. However, the performance and outcomes for students with learning disabilities remain discouraging, especially in light of the increasing cost to provide special education services. Between 60 – 70 percent of students with learning disabilities are unable to meet grade level performance standards in the basic academic areas of reading, writing and mathematics. The disconnect between research and practice suggests a need for rethinking special education service delivery. This paper reports the results of a program evaluation of a not-for-profit center …

Social Class And Learning Disabilities: Intersectional Effects On College Students In New York City, Ashleigh B. Thompson

Publications and Research

Purpose - Previous quantitative research documents that college students with disabilities do not attain higher education at rates equal to their nondisabled peers. This qualitative study posits that socioeconomic status (SES) is a determinant of this discrepancy, and explores how SES and disability shape the college experience of New York City (NYC) students with learning disabilities (LDs), specifically.

Methodology - Research findings from semi-structured interviews with students with LDs (n = 10) at a low-SES and a high-SES colleges are presented against the backdrop of administrative data from NYC baccalaureate-granting colleges (n = 44), disability staff surveys (n = 21), …

Championing Project Search: The Role Of The Library, Pamela Bluh

Faculty Scholarship

This brief article describes how the Thurgood Marshall Law Library at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law became an internship site for PROJECT Search.

An Imperative For Change: Bridging Special And Language Learning Education To Ensure A Free And Appropriate Education In The Least Restrictive Environment For Ells With Disabilities In Massachusetts, Maria De Lourdes B. Serpa

Gastón Institute Publications

English Language Learners (ELLs) are the fastest-growing group of school-age students in public schools across the nation, and in Massachusetts. In this state, even as the total student enrollment declines slightly, the number of ELLs grows steeply. They number 68,820 in the 2010-2011 school year, an increase of 9,662 from the year before.

The number of ELLs identified as also having a disability doubled in Massachusetts (a striking increase of 115.4%) from 2001-2002 to 2010-2011. The proportion of ELLs placed in Special Education has increased by 5 percentage points, from 9.8% to 14.8%. This time period coincides almost exactly with …