Education Commons^™

Creative Arts-Based Parents Training Program For Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jung Eun Park

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This study evaluated the impact of the Creative Arts-based Parents’ Training (CAPT) program. The 6-week long, creative arts therapy-based program and its impact on parental stress and sense of competence for parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) was examined. Korean Parenting Stress Index Short-Form (K-PSI-SF) and Korean-Parenting Efficacy Test (K-PET) were used as quantitative measurements. Qualitative data were also collected for the experimental group (n = 17) using questionnaires, art journaling, and a 30 min focus group interview. The control group (n = 15) only participated in quantitative measurements. There was no difference in age between …

The Moon Is Especially Full: Notes On Poetry, Teaching, Tests, And [Autistic] Intelligence, Chris Martin

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

This essay explores the ways in which poetry can help autistic students utilize creative expression and develop tools for self-advocacy.

Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Home-School Collaboration: Enhancing Learning For Children With Autism, Chana S. Josilowski

The Qualitative Report

This study aimed to explore the relationship between teachers and students’ families and address the deficiencies in the body of research regarding the performance gap between children with autism and their age-equivalent peers. The research question was: How do teachers of children with autism perceive the home-school collaboration and its impact on learning? Ten state-certified special educators with at least 3 years’ experience teaching children with autism, and experience collaborating with their students’ families participated in face-to-face interviews, answering 8 open-ended questions in this generic qualitative study. Inductive thematic analysis yielded 6 themes: (a) collaboration improves learning, (b) communication is …

Increasing Bullying Awareness In Elementary School Special Needs Students, Maria Olvera

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Students with learning disabilities are two to three times more likely to be bullied than nondisabled peers (Banks, 2009). Students in special education need to be continually taught to identify the signs of being bullied and when to speak up to an adult if they are being bullied due to them being a hire target. It is important to teach students about expressing their feelings and identify common bully characteristics. Students with disabilities are already addressing challenges in the academic environment. There are many risks that can develop from a special needs child who is not reporting bullying at school …

An Evaluation Of An Interactive Computerized Training To Teach Instructors How To Respond During An Active Shooter Situation, Lorraine A. Becerra

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Active shooter events in the U.S. are occurring more often in commercial environment and schools. In these emergency situations educators must quickly decide to complete actions that will protect themselves and their students. Typically, during these situations, the educator should complete in a run, hide, or fight sequence of behaviors. The educator must also consider challenges for their student’s particular disabilities during these situations. Interactive computerized training (ICT) may be one easy method to teach educators these procedures. The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of interactive computerized training to help educators learn how to respond during …

Including Autism: Confronting Inequitable Practices In A Toddler Classroom, Emmanuelle N. Fincham, Amanda R. Fellner

Occasional Paper Series

As co-teachers in a toddler room, we share a personal narrative about our experiences working with a child diagnosed with autism while in our care. Framed within the competing discourses of the medicalized perspective on disability and the individual, child-centered philosophies of early childhood education, we investigate the inequities we felt in the classroom and make connections to the field of early childhood inclusive education at large.

Music Therapy’S Role In The Education System, Madison Riley, Tori L. Colson, Moriah Smothers

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

Music therapy is a lesser-known and used related service, yet it provides significant benefits to students that have language, behavioral, and social needs. This article reviews the literature on music therapy, discusses its historical and theoretical roots, and examines its use in educational settings. Special attention is given to therapeutic practices that are geared toward students on the autism spectrum because their social and communication needs are often a good fit for music therapy practices. Recommendations on using music therapy in special and general education classrooms are also made. Additionally, recommendations for including music therapy content in teacher preparation programs …

Effective Evidence-Based Strategies To Minimize Self-Injurious Behaviors In Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Practical Manual For Educators, Ngoc Lan Nguyen

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Self-injurious behaviors (SIBs) are relatively common in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and many teachers have difficulties dealing with these challenging behaviors. Besides the possibility of causing serious injuries to children with ASD, the frequent occurrences of SIBs can limit their access to academic instruction and peer interactions. The abundance of possible strategies is confusing for teachers to figure out which strategies to use and how to implement them. The purpose of this project was to develop a guiding manual for educators working with children with ASD. The manual presents proactive, evidence-based strategies to help prevent or decrease students’ …

Minding The Gap: A Grounded Theory Exploration Of Transition From Secondary School To Community College For Students Identified With Autism, Douglas Highlen

Education (PhD) Dissertations

This qualitative research study aims to facilitate a better understanding of the process of transition from secondary school to community college for students identified with autism. Previous research indicates that though most students identified with autism report that they have strong intentions of pursuing a postsecondary education, comparatively few achieve this goal. Prior research on transition has focused on strategies utilized by secondary schools to facilitate success for students identified with autism or postsecondary institutional approaches utilized once a student has arrived at the school. This bifurcated approach has resulted in a gap in the research in that virtually no …

Online, But Live And Interactive Social Skills Intervention For Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Molly Anne Rosenbaum

Theses and Dissertations

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder characterized primarily by social skills deficits that can impair the individual’s ability to develop and maintain meaningful relationships. Research has shown that social skills training provides lasting improvement in social interactions. However, many factors can hinder the availability of intervention groups outside of major metropolitan areas. Individual online social skills interventions have been shown to translate to increases in everyday social skills, and while further investigation is required, current literature suggests that there is great potential for live, interactive online social skills groups to provide similar benefits to in-person intervention groups. Thus, …

Successful Transition Planning For Individuals Diagnosed With Asd: A Comparison Of Sending And Receiving School Districts, Carly J. Olcese

Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that the successful transition plans can provide students who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with increased employment opportunities, independent living options, and most importantly a positive quality of life. Individuals diagnosed with ASD have a variety of symptoms and characteristics that range from moderate to severe. Teachers and parents must work together to provide the child or adult with an education that encompasses their strengths and areas improvement, to allow for independence and future success. The purpose of this study was to examine the importance of the components in the transition process as well as …

In The Shadows Of Autism: A Collective Case Study On Life With A Sibling With Autism In A Military Family, Jennifer M. Henderson-Rudling

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this collective case study was to understand the typically developing (TD) sibling's well-being and role in a military family with a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on a military post through the parent and TD sibling perspective. The three theories which guided this research include the social cognitive theory (Bandura, 2001a), self-determination theory (Ryan and Deci, 2000), and family system theory (Bowen, 1966). These theories were utilized to evaluate and better understand the motivations, characteristics, and the social development within the family when one child has a diagnosis of ASD. The research questions were: (1) How …

Is Touchmath An Effective Intervention For Students With Autism?, April M. Huckaby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The TouchMath program was created in 1976 to help students struggling with basic mathematical computations (Bullock, 2005). Although the research has found TouchMath to be an effective intervention for students in the general and special education populations, only four studies have found the program to be effective for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (Berry, 2009; Cihak & Foust, 2008; Fletcher, Boon, & Cihak, 2010; Yıkmış, 2016). The purpose of the study was to determine how the intervention can affect accuracy and fluency for students with ASD. The study focused on single-digit plus single-digit addition problems with three participants diagnosed with …

Self-Control Training For Parents Of Children With Autism And Related Disabilities In Albania, Amanda Jane Petersen

Theses and Dissertations

Self-control can be defined as the ability to select a larger, later reward over a smaller, sooner reward. This ability, also known as gratification delay, has been highly correlated with academic competence and success. Studies that examine gratification delay have identified strategies that have been observed to increase the delay time to reward. This study examined the extent to which parents of children with Autism or a related disability could be trained to teach these strategies. Participants were seven mothers who were all ethnic Albanian. The results indicated that these mothers were able to teach the three strategies they were …

The Lived Experience Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder Transitioning From High School To A Liberal Arts College, Joseph D. Bishop

Dissertations

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are transitioning into colleges and universities at a growing rate. All types of post-secondary institutions are seeing this influx, yet some are ill prepared to assist students with ASD, especially within the transition process. There is a gap in the research focusing on students with ASD within liberal art colleges. The purpose of this study is to understand the lived experience of students with ASD as they transition from high school to a small liberal arts college.

My research uses a phenomenological approach in order to develop descriptive themes. I interviewed seven students who …

The Use Of Assistive Technology With Students With Severe Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities In Saudi Arabia: Teachers’ Perspectives, Khalid Mohammed Abu Alghayth

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored teachers’ perspectives of AT use, effectiveness of AT, elements teachers’ take into consideration when selecting AT, barriers, and resources needed for effective use of AT with students with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities. In order to answer this study’s research questions, I employed a sequential explanatory mixed methods design. I conducted a self-administered online survey and online interviews to collect data from participants. This study consisted of two phases, quantitative followed by qualitative interviews. A total of 92 special education teachers from four special education institutes were surveyed, and five teachers in the second phase were interviewed …

The Attitudes Of Secondary School Teachers Regarding Inclusion Of Students With Autism In Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Al Jaffal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine secondary school teachers’ attitudes regarding the inclusion of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In Saudi Arabia, students with ASD can attend regular education classrooms, especially in elementary and middle schools. In addition, the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia is interested in the inclusion of students with ASD in secondary schools. Since the attitudes of secondary school teachers toward inclusion of students with ASD have not been examined, it was important to look at the attitudes of these teachers towards the inclusion of students with ASD so …

Reading Emotions: Designing Digital Tools To Strengthen The “Social Brain” Of Young Children With Autism, Kirsten M. Benjamin

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Autism (ASD) is characterized by impaired development in social interaction and communication. This can affect the ability to develop relationships with peers and family. Being limited in this area leads those with Autism unable to translate their own emotions and the emotions of others. As technology develops, so do methods of teaching facial emotion recognition. Building these skills can increase the social communication abilities of those struggling with Autism. This paper will explore the effectiveness of various educational applications (apps).

Taking the lessons gained from previous iPhone application designs I will attempt to create a new application that incorporates the …

All Means All: Implementation Of Augmentative And Alternative Communication As A Gateway To Achievement, Angelina K. Bassett

Theses and Dissertations from 2019

The importance of individuals’ ability to communicate cannot be overstated. Educational teams are charged with making educational placement decisions for students, like the ones in this study, with assessment tools that are not normed for nonverbal students with autism. This study focused on identical male twins with autism who are nonverbal and have acquired augmentative communication devices equipped with the Language Acquisition through Motor Planning learning system in order to facilitate their communication and learning. Interviews were conducted with parents, sibling, teacher, principal, and the speech-language pathologist that work directly with the twins daily. The twins received their individual devices …

Component Analysis Of The Cool Vs. Not Cool Procedure, Mary Yoo

Culminating Projects in Community Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy

One of the characteristics of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder is the inability to develop the social skills needed to develop meaningful relationships. Several behavior programs have been developed to effectively teach a variety of necessary social skills. One of these programs has been proven to be effective with children with autism is the cool versus not cool procedure. There is a growing body of research that has demonstrated its effectiveness to helping teach appropriate social behaviors to individuals in this population (Au et al., 2016; Leaf et al., 2012; Leaf et al., 2015; Leaf, Leaf et al., 2016). However, …

The Impact Of Explicit Social Skills Instruction And Increased Play In A Kindergarten Special Education Classroom, Samantha Klaren

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research project is to determine the impact of explicit social skills instruction and an increased amount of play in a kindergarten special education classroom. Data was collected to determine the effect that this intervention had on students’ behavior and academic progress. Data was collected through student referral data and Individualized Education Plan progress monitoring data. Analysis of the data collected suggested that this explicit social skills instruction and increase in play had a positive impact on student behavior in the school setting.

Examining The Impact Of Using Point Of View Video Modeling On Improving Self-Care Skills Of A Student With Autism, May Ali Elmetwally Ghoneim

Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of using point of view video modeling intervention strategy on improving the self-care skills of a student with autism. The target skills were handwashing and toothbrushing skills. A single-subject ABA design was used in this study. Data was collected using mixed-method approach. The intervention lasted for six weeks. The results of this study indicated that point of view video modeling is an effective instructional tool to improve handwashing and toothbrushing skills for a student with autism. Moreover, the participant was able to generalize handwashing and toothbrushing skills to two different …

An Evaluation Of Conventional And Progressive Discrete Trial Teaching When Teaching Receptive Labels, Elizabeth Wong

Culminating Projects in Community Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy

This study evaluated the effectiveness and efficiency of conventional DTT and progressive DTT when teaching receptive labels to three children all diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The conventional DTT approach used a conventional approach, which is a method of balancing the trial order and location of at least three stimuli in a teaching session. In contrast, the progressive approach DTT allowed the teacher to be flexible and assess in the moment the trial order. Using an alternating treatment design replicated for three sets and three participants, the results showed that progressive DTT was the most efficient and effective procedure for …

Functional Communication Training And Autism Spectrum Disorders, Danielle Dominguez

Culminating Projects in Special Education

Functional Communication Training and Autism Spectrum Disorders

A Sensory-Friendly Musicking Experience, Emma Stumpf

Honors Projects

For individuals with sensory processing disorders, attending a traditional musical performance can be uncomfortable, inaccessible, and sometimes impossible. From the duration of the performances, the overwhelming variety and volume of sounds, as well as the rigid, unwritten rules that performances in the Western art music tradition demand, typical concert settings present challenges for many of those with sensory processing disorders. These challenges include hypersensitivity to lights and sounds, as well as being asked to remain quiet and seated for long periods of time. This project is a research-based creative endeavor centered upon individuals with sensory processing disorders – specifically, those …

Sensory Integration Therapy On Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kacie Reusser, Kathryn Brandon

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

The use of sensory integration in classrooms that have students with special needs, especially students with autism spectrum disorder have been increasing in recent years. Different kinds of sensory stimulation can be beneficial for students who have autism spectrum disorder. Students who have autism may struggle with noise, tactile, taste, or visual sensory sensitivities. We believe that having sensory integration therapy techniques implemented in the classroom would help students with disabilities by increasing their focus and reduce stemming in the classroom. We intend to review and analyze published research articles in the field and based on our findings, we intend …

Dysgraphia, Madeline Brown

Classical Conversations

Envision a kindergarten student sitting in school with an assignment to copy. As she sits down, she already knows the challenge writing presents for her but does not speak up or say anything because this time probably will not be any different than when she requested help before. She has been labeled as a lazy writer and has never had the most readable handwriting. All of the other children around her finish the assignment and she inevitably she remains unable to complete the first sentence. This scene does not have to play out this way. Students in schools across the …

Autism And Inclusion In England’S Multi Academy Trust: A Case Study Of A Senior Leadership Team, Danielle Lane

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I explore how the senior leadership team at an Academy Trust in England understands and operationalizes inclusion, particularly for pupils whose learning profile includes autism. England’s policies regarding inclusion appear to focus on the placement of pupils with disabilities in the mainstream provision; however, the Academy Trust, a specialist provision, suggests their school is inclusive. Gaining insight into the senior leadership team’s understandings and operationalization of inclusion will provide further understandings of inclusion in Multi Academy Trusts that are specialist provisions. In this study, I examine the understandings of eight members of a senior leadership team at …

Teaching Conversation Skills To Adults With Developmental Disabilities Using A Video-Based Intervention Package, Kaitlyn Rayne Osborne

Theses and Dissertations

Social skills deficits may hinder learning, terminate relationships, and impede employment. Individuals with autism and intellectual disability are often characterized with difficulties in social judgement, emotions, and interpersonal relationships, all of which can lead to disruptive and aggressive behaviors. Explicit instruction, video modeling, and video feedback are research-based practices that have been used to teach conversation skills to individuals, particularly children with developmental disabilities and social impairments. This study examined the effects of explicit instruction combined with video modeling and video feedback in teaching six adults ages 18-20 with autism and intellectual disability skills for initiating a conversation. A multiple …

Hidden Curriculum In A Special Education Context: The Case Of Individuals With Autism, Mona F. Sulaimani, Dianne M. Gut

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This article examines the issue of hidden curriculum as it pertains to the experiences of individuals with disabilities, primarily those diagnosed with autism disorders. Examining the assumptions regarding the hidden curriculum, this article explores the challenges these assumptions create for individuals with autism. We provide suggestions for how these challenges could be overcome through the use of specific strategies.