Education Commons^™

Paraprofessionals In Special Education: Training And Expectations, Lourrie-Lyn E. Duddridge

Theses & Honors Papers

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Using Colored Overlays On The Reading Skills Of Visually Dyslexic Children, Mitzi D. Waller

Theses & Honors Papers

Reading is a critical skill that all students must learn , but for the child with dyslexia it can be a very difficult task to overcome . A tool that may be used to accommodate a student with dyslexia is that of a colored overlay . The following is a study that examined the effects of colored overlays on the reading skills of one fifth-grade student and one sixth-grade student who are dyslexic . The Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests - Revised and an informal reading assessment were used as the measuring instruments . The results of those two tests were …

A Follow-Up Study Of Students Exiting New Dominion School, Lillian M. Firestone-Johansen

Theses & Honors Papers

The research of the past two decades has resulted in a proliferation of information regarding the various reasons for dropping out of school and the characteristics of dropouts. Little has been done, however, to examine the life outcomes of those who have dropped out, or of how various treatments effect those outcomes . This is also true for those youth who are still in school, but who have become academically disengaged. The purpose of this study was to gain information regarding the life outcomes of students who attended a wilderness, residential treatment school called New Dominion. Questionnaires were mailed to …

The Perceptions Of Students With Mild Mental Retardation Regarding Their Present Program And Preparation For Future Employment, Shirl Carwile

Theses & Honors Papers

Two programs for students with mild mental retardation , a school-based program, and a community ­based instruction program were compared . The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover the perceptions of high school students with mild mental retardation about their present educational experiences and their preparation for future employment. Interviews of four students were obtained and examined to determine common themes among students and across programs .

Faculty Perception Of Attitude, Knowledge, And Accommodations For Students With Learning Disabilities, Diane Majewski

Theses & Honors Papers

Ninety-three (48%) faculty members responded to the questionnaire concerning attitude, knowledge, and willingness to provide accommodations to students with learning disabilities. The variables included were gender, rank, professional position, interaction with students known to have a learning disability, and total years teaching at the college level. The results were analyzed by calculating percentages for each item in the questionnaire. The results indicated that the faculty's knowledge of students with learning disabilities was the faculty are more willing to provide classroom accommodations than out-of-class accommodations.low; however, the faculty maintained a positive attitude. In addition the faculty are more willing to provide …

A Comparative Study Of Self Esteem As It Relates To Alcohol Use Among Inmates With Learning Disabilities And Inmates With No Prior Special Education Services., Lisa Mcvey Reid

Theses & Honors Papers

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between learning disabilities and self esteem as it relates to alcohol use in young men at a correctional facility. A standardized alcohol questionnaire was distributed to those men identified as having a learning disability and to nondisabled men. Subjects were matched according to age and sex. Those students who were identified as having a learning disabilitity had a specially coded survey for identification purposes. Names did not appear on the questionnaire in order to maintain strict confidentiality.

Those men who were receiving learning disabilities services were found to have a …

The Effects Of Goal Setting And Task Selection On Perceived Competence, Intrinsic Motivation, And Spelling Performance Of A Group Of Students With Learning Disabilities, Tracy Lee Osborne

Theses & Honors Papers

The intrinsic motivation, spelling performance, and perceived competence of students with learning disabilities was examined. Eight students with learning disabilities decided which and how many words they would attempt on weekly spelling test.s and chose the practice activity they would complete each day. Each student -set a goal of how many of the words attempted would be correct on the spelling test (i. e., .perceived competence). Harter 's.Scale of . Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Orientation in the Classroom was administered as a pretest . and posttest. No significant difference in mean scores was found on the Harter scale. ·Average spelling test …

Effects Of Sign Language On Letter-Sound Recognition Of A Non-Hearing Impaired, Developmentally Delayed Student, Joanne Bear

Theses & Honors Papers

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of sign language on letter-sound recognition of a non-hearing impaired, developmentally delayed student. A single subject was probed on letter-sound recognition skills and then three letters were selected that the subject did not know. The subject was taught sign language (i.e., fingerspelling for each of the three letters and a sign for a cue word for each letter) to enhance letter recognition skills . Using a multiple probe across behaviors design, it was found that after three weeks sign language improved the subject's performance at letter recognition and naming of …

Transitioning Skills In Students With Learning Disabilities, Gayle W. Anderson

Theses & Honors Papers

A study was conducted in five counties in rural Southside Virginia regarding transitioning skills in students with learning disabilities. The sample consisted of 37 teachers of students with learning disabilities in grades four through eight. The primary purpose of the study was to examine the instructional time spent per week teaching transitioning skills. Transitioning skills were defined as skills directly related to independent, adult living. Results indicated that while the majority of the teachers taught transitioning skills to their students with learning disabilities, less than half had received instruction on how to teach these skills. Less than one third of …

Criteria For Students To Exit From Elementary School Learning Disability Programs, Hannah G. Vaughan

Theses & Honors Papers

Criteria for students to exit from elementary school learning disability programs were studied. A survey was sent to Special Education supervisors in public school districts in Virginia to gather information concerning LD exit criteria. It was predicted that most school divisions would not have criteria for exiting from their elementary learning disabilities programs. Discussion presented possible exit criteria from elementary school learning disability programs in Virginia. Much of the research found focuses on the needs of the regular education teacher or the school division rather than on the needs of the child. Eligibility and exit criteria were surprisingly similar in …

Increasing Sociability Towards Students With Disabilities Through Interaction And Education, Ann Fleshman

Theses & Honors Papers

No abstract provided.

Level Systems In Classrooms For The Behaviorally Disordered, Samantha Kyle

Theses & Honors Papers

This study examines the use of level systems in classrooms for students with behavioral disorders. One hundred surveys were sent to 31 counties in the state of Virginia . The survey was given to teachers of students with behavioral disorders. Seventy three surveys were returned from the 20 participating counties. From this survey it was determined that 52% of the responding teachers are using level systems in their classrooms. It was also determined that 86% use the level system with students who are behaviorally disordered .

Using A Time Delay Procedure To Increase Pragmatic Language Skills With A Child With Neurological Impairments, Karla Gravitt

Theses & Honors Papers

Many studies have researched increasing language skills using a time delay procedure with children with autism and children with mental retardation, but there is little existing literature using a time delay procedure to increase language skills with children with neurological impairments. The purpose of this study was to show how time delay could increase pragmatic skills in a child with neurological impairments . The following single subject study was designed to test the hypothesis that three self care words could be taught, using a time delay procedure, to enable a child with neurological impairments to function more independently in social …

Experiences And Attitudes Of Post-Secondary Students With Learning Disabilities In Public And Private College Settings, Laura A. Goodell

Theses & Honors Papers

Research and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Public Law 101 -476) suggest students with learning disabilities need a transition program from high school to post-secondary education. This study examines the attitudes and experiences of twenty students with learning disabilities who attend three different colleges in Virginia. These students were identified as having a learning disability prior to post-secondary education. One of the colleges that participated was public and co-educational. The other two were private, one all-male, and one all-female. This study also attempts to identify correlations between special education services in the high school and student's attitudes and success …

Accessibility Of Computers For Students With Mild Mental Retardation, Christopher Paul Stapleton

Theses & Honors Papers

As computers move into America's public schools, their accessibility and use have come under scrutiny. Often individuals with mild mental retardation are considered last in decisions regarding the allocation of technological resources such as computers. The purpose of this research was to determine if children with mild mental retardation have access to computers, and if so, how computers are used by these children. Results indicate that in Virginia's county public school systems students with mild mental retardation have access to computers and use those computers primarily for academic purposes.

Special Educators, Employers, And Special Students: A Comparison Of Perceptions Of The Working World, Lena Arrington-Mcclenny

Theses & Honors Papers

Education is designed to prepare all students for productive citizenship. Students with disabilities, however, are employed at lower rates, earning less money, and accruing fewer benefits than their nondisabled peers. In order to design a curriculum that targets employment as an outcome, special educators must determine the needs and expectations of employers. This study compared the perceptions of employers, special education teachers, to learning disabled students .Employers and special education teachers rated work related, communication, personal, and social skills similarly while students with learning disabilities formed in congruent perceptions of the working world.

Examining The Need For An Elementary/Middle To Secondary School Level Transition Plan For Students With Learning Disabilities, Deborah C. Roller

Theses & Honors Papers

The need for a transition plan to ease the progression of students with learning disabilities from the elementary and middle school grades to the secondary environment was examined in this study. Surveys were distributed and completed by 30 special education teachers in grades 5-8, 10 special education-learning disabilities teachers in grades 9-10, and 42 regular education-content area teachers in one school system. In addition to demographic data on respondents, information was gathered on instruction and student ability in the areas of academic skills, academic support skills, and social/behavioral skills. The characteristics of current modes and levels of planning were also …