Education Commons^™

The Effect Of Social Stories On The Positive Play Behaviors And Social Interactions Of Preschool Students With Developmental Disabilities, Lauren Lee Divittorio

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this single subject design study was to determine the effectiveness of social stories on the positive play behaviors and social interactions of preschool students with developmental disabilities. The satisfaction of staff members with the implementation of social stories in the classroom was also examined. Preschool students in the study showed an increase in positive social interactions including turn-taking, using verbal and non-verbal communication to express their feelings during play, and overall positive play behaviors after implementation of social stories. Staff members reported positive social validity of the intervention. Implications for using social stories with preschool students with …

Autism's Affect On The Family, Jason L. Hicks

Theses and Dissertations

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects millions of children and families alike and is characterized by impairments in socialization, communication, and restricted and repetitive behaviors. The impairments caused by ASD vary in severity and may negatively impact a child’s functioning. The purpose of this exploratory research is to critically examine ASD and how it impacts family units following diagnosis. To that end, this qualitative study provides first-hand accounts of families who have lived through their child’s ASD diagnosis. This study provides accounts from four participating families on the topics of their personal feelings of ASD, their knowledge of ASD before and …

The Implementation Of Positive Behavior Supports To Reduce Student Elopement, Melanie Mcglone

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to implement positive behavior supports to reduce student elopement. The participant of this study was a female fifth grade student who is diagnosed with Specific Learning Disability and has had documented chronic elopement issues. The experimental design was used in this study. First, a baseline period occurred where data was collected on the frequency of the student's elopement behavior. Then, the positive behavior support of a small tangible daily classroom reward was earned by the student when she did not elope. Next, a reversal period occurred where the student did not receive any positive …

The Effect Of Cross Age Tutoring On Math Fact Automaticity Using Students With Disabilities As Tutors, Wendy L. Krayer

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the math fact knowledge and recall of students with disabilities improved when they acted as tutors in cross-age tutoring situations. I hypothesized that students with disabilities would exhibit increased recall, improved engagement and enhanced self-concept when they took on the role of expert. All the participants in our study were special education students with Individualized Education Plans and met for 15 three-minute tutoring sessions. The tutor and tutee did not change roles. Addition fact cards were presented and tutees were given a pre-determined amount of time to answer. All participants were …

Communication Between Home And School For Parents Of Children With Chronic Illness, Keri Edwards

Theses and Dissertations

A child with chronic illness has a physical or behavioral condition that affects the child’s daily functioning, lasts longer than three months, and requires medical intervention such as medication, hospitalizations, and/or home care (Newacheck, McManus, & Fox, 2001). Chronic illness interferes with all areas of development, including physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development, and a growing number of children with chronic illnesses are attending school. Effective communication between parents and educators is essential so that accurate information about the nature and extent of the impact of chronic illness on children’s learning experiences and schooling can be shared and appropriate supports …

Using Graphic Organizers To Improve Science Outcomes, Deana Lynn Elwood

Theses and Dissertations

This study looked at the outcome of using graphic organizers to improve student outcomes in the content area of science for students with special needs in an inclusion class in a high school in New Jersey. In total, there were five participants in this study who were all eligible for special education services. Of the five students in the study, four are under the category Other Health Impaired, and one student is autistic. All participants were demonstrating grade level performance as determined by their baseline data collection.

The data from the study illustrated that all five of the participants demonstrated …

High School Age Students With Disabilities And Social Interaction In A General Education Physical Education Setting, Kelsey B. Hannan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study focused on the social interaction of high school age students with disabilities in a general physical education setting. The study included two students in tenth grade in an adaptive physical education class. The students attend a high school in a suburban northern New Jersey school district. The two students chosen for this study have a documented diagnosis of autism and are placed in the adaptive physical education class at the high school. The adaptive physical education class is separate from the general physical education classes. All students in this adaptive physical education program have either …

The Effect Of Imagine Math On High School Students With Learning Disabilities, Danielle Cabassa

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to: (a) examine the effectiveness of Imagine Math in increasing the engagement of students in a high school resource Algebra 2 classroom, (b) examine the effectiveness of Imagine Math in increasing the academic achievement of students in a high school resource Algebra 2 classroom, and (c) determine if students in a high school resource Algebra 2 classroom are satisfied with the use of Imagine Math. The research was conducted using single-subject design methodology. The study followed an ABAB alternating baseline pattern. Academic achievement was monitored through daily assessments, while engagements was evaluated in three …

Effects Of A Scripted And Intense Reading Intervention Program On The Reading Comprehension Of Fifth Grade Students With Learning Disabilities, Tracy Slater

Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on the use of intensive reading intervention programs in a fifth inclusion classroom setting. This has been a topic that is frequently discussed and how support for the special need students with comprehension deficits can be increased. These students deserve a fair, equal, and individualized learning plan in a classroom that accepts all children. Studies show how successful using intensive reading programs close the reading comprehension gaps with our exceptional students.

The purpose of this study is to show how using the intensive reading intervention program is crucial in the classrooms to support the special needs students. …

Effects Of Universal Design For Learning Math Menus On Seventh Grade Students, Mona L. Mauro

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to: (a) examine the effectiveness of UDL math menus in increasing the academic engagement of seventh grade students with disabilities, (b) examine the effectiveness of UDL math menus in increasing the academic achievement of seventh grade students with disabilities, and (c) determine if seventh grade students with disabilities are satisfied with the use of UDL math menus. The research was conducted using single-subject design methodology. The study followed an ABAB alternating baseline pattern. Student academic achievement was evaluated through daily assessments, while student engagement was evaluated five times per class, approximately every fifteen minutes …

Effects Of Reciprocal Teaching In Guided Reading With Third Grade Students With Specific Poor Comprehension, Sharon R. Mclaren

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects that using the reciprocal teaching intervention method had on third grade students with specific poor comprehension skills within a guided reading setting. The study included ten third grade students - five boys and five girls. While all the students read fluently, they were identified with poor reading comprehension skills. The researcher conducted the reading groups with both the experimental group and the control group. The experimental group received the reciprocal teaching intervention. The control group received the standard guided reading lessons. Results from the study show that reciprocal teaching can improve third graders reading comprehension …

The Effect Of A Multisensory Approach To Spanish Instruction On The Foreign Language Proficiency Of Students With Learning Disabilities, Linda Chui

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of a multisensory approach to Spanish instruction founded in Orton-Gillingham on the (1) foreign language writing, and (2) foreign language reading comprehension of students with learning disabilities in the middle school Spanish classroom. Additionally, the study inquired about the students' satisfaction with the Orton-Gillingham approach to learning to read in Spanish. Four middle school Spanish students with SLD, three male and one female, participated in the study. A single subject ABAB design was used. During the baseline phases, students received Spanish instruction in the traditional mainstream classroom. During the intervention, …

Effects Of Using Fundations To Teach Phonics Skills With Fourth Grade Students With Exceptional Learning Needs, Jennifer Bishop

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of adding Fundations reading program to the curriculum of three fourth grade students with exceptional learning needs to see if it can improve their fluency and comprehension. The students in the study were in a self-contained Multiple Disabled classroom, and had Individualized Education Plans. Disabilities represented in the study include Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and Other Health Impaired. This educational setting had been chosen for them because it is the environment in which the students have shown the greatest success.

Baseline data was collected prior …

The Effects Of Self-Monitoring Of Behavior On Academic Achievement, Meredith Keller

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines whether implementing a self-monitoring behavior plan will improve student achievement. Four students from a third grade inclusion classroom were taught to self-monitor their behavior for a period of 10 weeks. Each student was also tested weekly on reading comprehension using a standards-based ten-question assessment. During the 10-week period, the classroom teacher noted the number of prompts given to each of the students. A prompt was documented when the student was demonstrating inappropriate behavior. After the intervention was implemented, each of the four students demonstrated an overall decrease in the number of prompts required. Additionally, all four students …

The Effectiveness Of The Keyword Method On Foreign Language Vocabulary For Students With Learning Disabilities, Jessica Anna Consiglio

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was: (a) to examine the effectiveness of the keyword mnemonic method to improve the foreign language receptive vocabulary of students with learning disabilities, (b) to examine the effectiveness of the keyword mnemonic method to improve the productive foreign language vocabulary of students with learning disabilities and (c) to evaluate student satisfaction and perceptions of the keyword mnemonic method intervention. Three seventh and eighth grade students, one male and two females, with a learning disability participated in the study. A single subject ABAB design was used. During the baseline phases students received instruction using rote memorization. …

Deaf / Hard Of Hearing Preschool Students’ Acquisition Of Language Through Dyadic And Triadic Communication Contexts, Molly S. Herman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and efficiency of using dyadic communication with a teacher of the deaf (ToD) and a Deaf/Hard of Hearing (D/HH) student compared to a triadic communication with a general education teacher, sign language interpreter, and D/HH student. Four participants in a self-contained D/HH early childhood classroom participated in both comparison groups using dyadic and triadic communication to acquire vocabulary language skills for communication while playing a preschool game. An adapted alternating treatment design (AATD) for single case research was used to rapidly alternate comparison groups using equivalent games and counterbalanced across …

The Relationship Between Behavior-Based Goal Groups And Point-Based School Wide Behavior Systems, Ashley R. Walgren

Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated six students between the ages of 14 to 17 years old who are classified with emotional disturbance and attending an alternative school in suburban New Jersey to determine the impact of individual behavior-based goal-oriented groups on student behavioral performance. The goals groups were crafted using goal theory and were designed to address observed target behaviors in the school's pre-established point-based school-wide behavior support system. Data collected via the schoolwide point-based behavior system for the 2016-2017 and the 2017-2018 school years were analyzed to identify student performance. Additionally, data collected from the student self-evaluation process was compared to …

The Effects Of A Leveled Literacy Intervention (Lli) On Elementary-Age Students Reading Below Grade Level, Jennifer Majewski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate students who were having reading and writing difficulties and who were also below grade level by using Fountas and Pinnell's Leveled Literacy Intervention as a supplemental program to show that change occurs after treatment. I found that there was a third of the students who were seven years old were below grade level in their reading. I am hopeful that with using the LLI program as a supplemental to their regular reading program, the students will improve their reading performance levels. The method that is the most appropriate is the two group, …

Effect Of Mnemonics On The Vocabulary Acquisition And Retention Of High School Students With Learning Disabilities, Erin L. Whitescarver

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of mnemonic devices on the acquisition and retention of social studies vocabulary by high school students with learning disabilities. Six students, four male and two female, from a pull-out U.S. history I resource class participated in the study. The research was conducted using a single-subject ABAB design. During baseline, students were evaluated on their acquisition of vocabulary taught using traditional methods. During intervention, students were evaluated on their retention of vocabulary taught using teacher created mnemonic devices. Results show that the use of mnemonic devices increased the acquisition and retention …

Peer Tutoring For Vocabulary For Students With Disabilities, Martin P. Kavanagh

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of peer tutoring on the vocabulary acquisition of students with disabilities in a middle school setting. This study included twelve 8th grade students in co-taught classes. The participants included two Hispanic students, six Caucasian students, and 4 African American students. All participating students are 13 or 14 years of age. The 12 students in this study are classified as learning disabled, multiply disabled, or autistic.

Participating students worked in pairs for twelve weeks. The participants are from three separate classes, each class containing four participating students. Each class also included non-disabled students, who received instruction …

The Effectiveness Of Student Choice Of Self-Monitoring, Victoria Dougherty

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of choice on self-monitoring systems with students in first and second grade with disabilities. Specifically the study analyzed the effects of self-monitoring and choice on (a) on task behaviors and (b) academic achievement. Moreover, student satisfaction with self-monitoring and choice of self-monitoring were evaluated for social validity. Four students participated in the study, one female and one male first grade student and one female and one male second grade student. Three students were classified Specific Learning Disability and one student was classified Communication Impaired. The design of this research was …

The Effectiveness Of Close Reading Strategies On The Expository Text Comprehension Of Students With Learning Disabilities, Michelle Giambrone

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of close reading using Achieve3000 on the text comprehension and use of text evidence by students with learning disabilities in grades 4-5. In addition, student satisfaction with close reading was evaluated for social validity. Two fourth grade students and one fifth grade student, both female, participated in the study. Two students were classified with specific learning disability, and one was classified as communication impaired. A single-subject methodology with an ABAB design was used. During the Baseline phase, students independently read the expository text. They answered comprehension questions, and wrote their …

The Effects Of Computer Assisted Instruction For Students With Learning Disabilities In A Self-Contained Social Studies Setting, Ryan V. Keane

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to assess the effects of the Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) program, Achieve3000, with students with disabilities. The focus of the study was to: (a) assess the effects of the program on the students' text-based reading comprehension, (b) critical thinking comprehension, and (c) how satisfied students were with the program. Seven students, two females and five males, participated in the study. All of the students receive special education services through an Individualized Education Program. A single subject ABAB design was utilized. In the baseline phase participants were asked to read expository text, presented to them on paper, …

The Effectiveness Of Using Online Discussion Boards For Students With Learning Disabilities In An American Literature Ii Resource Classroom, Eric S. Morley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was: (a) to examine the effectiveness of using online discussion boards to improve the active participation rate of students with specific learning disabilities (SLD), (b) to examine the effectiveness of using online discussion boards to increase the critical thinking of SLDs, and (c) to evaluate student satisfaction of the online discussion board intervention. Nine high school students, seven males and two females, with learning disabilities participated in the study. A single-subject ABAB design was used. During the baseline phases, students received American Literature II instruction through a traditional classroom model. Class time was used for …

Effects Of Quizlet On Vocabulary Mastery, Suzanne C. Baptist

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to answer three research questions: Do 11th grade students in an inclusion class (students with and without disabilities) that use Quizlet to master vocabulary words outperform students taught with a more traditional approach on vocabulary quizzes? Do the results differ for students with disabilities compared to typically developing students? And, Do students enjoy and benefit from completing the Quizlet treatment for mastering vocabulary? In a two group, counterbalanced design, students in each group received a different treatment. Group 1 used index cards and group 2 used Quizlet as a treatment for learning and mastering vocabulary; the groups …

Teacher Perspectives On Social Thinking, Kelley Yankowski Sarnelle

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to obtain teachers' perspectives on students' social skills and problem behaviors before and after implementing a social skills curriculum to students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. Teachers were given a survey to rate students' social skills and problem behaviors prior to and following intervention. Students were then taught using the Think Social! social skills training program. Students participated in six sessions. Results showed that teachers reported that most of the students increased their social skills and decreased their problem behaviors after being taught using the Think Social! curriculum. Results suggest students with emotional and …

Increasing Writing Skills For Students With Significant Multiple Disabilities, Heather Lyne Mcdermott

Theses and Dissertations

Students with severe disabilities struggle greatly in the area of writing. The purpose of this study is to discover how implementing a writing program created for students with disabilities can increase students' letter writing ability. The study used a single subject, repeated measures crossover design using 2 kindergarten aged students during a public school Extended School Year Program. Students were given the Sensible Pencil Pretest, 3 weeks of writing instruction and the same Sensible Pencil test after instruction. This 5-week model showed that students grew in their writing ability at different rates, but all in a positive manner. It was …

The Effects Of Using A Whiteboard Interactively In A Middle School Mathematics Classroom, Joshua H. Schneider

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to further examine the effects of using Interactive White Boards interactively versus as a glorified whiteboard. The experimental group consisted of seven eighth grade general education students and six eighth grade special education students. The experimental group was taught with lessons created to promote interactivity and student involvement and covered the five lessons in a unit on three-dimensional geometry. Baseline data was collected by using the mean of the students' recent test scores. The post-test was then compared to the students' baseline scores to show the effectiveness of the intervention. To further data analysis, …

The Effectiveness Of Rotated Centers During A Reading Block For Students With Learning Disabilities, Stacey B. Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

Selecting the most efficient reading program for students with special learning disabilities has become a challenge in schools today. Currently the programs that are being produced today are either in a traditional or conventional format, which are typically designed for mainstream and general education students. Neither platform gives much thought to students with learning disabilities. The traditional and conventional reading framework is block teaching for sixty minutes. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of modifying a traditional or conventional reading framework by incorporating reading stations for students with special learning disabilities. This study was conducted over …

Young Adults With Visual Impairments And Driver's Education: Journeys Of Self-Efficacy, Identity, And Transition To Adulthood, Molly Pasley

Theses and Dissertations

A person’s ability to travel independently can determine whether he or she transitions successfully from one life stage to another. One critically important aspect of independent travel is coming to understand how vehicles move in the built environment. For youth without visual disabilities, this information is addressed in depth in driver’s education courses. In the case of adolescents with visual impairments, the acquisition of this information is more complex and raises a number of complicated questions. In this qualitative study, seven adults with visual impairments ages 18-27 and six of their family members are interviewed to determine the impact of …