Education Commons^™

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Special Education: A Case Study, Megan Cercone

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this research project is to explore the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on special education by evaluating the experiences of one child with disabilities who attends public schools. METHODS: A semi-structured interview was conducted with the two parents of the child, who has physical disabilities and an IEP through his school, meaning he receives special education services through intervention teachers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists. The interview was recorded and transcribed, and then interview transcripts were evaluated to identify themes in the subjects’ responses regarding their child’s experience with public education during the pandemic. …

Effectiveness Of Collaborative Handwriting Curriculum: Handwriting Without Tears And Orton-Gillingham, In Kindergarten Classroom Setting., Merry G. Harper

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Formal handwriting instruction, using evidence-based, developmentally appropriate handwriting programming, in school based occupational therapy is necessary to support the role of a student. Handwriting is an occupation of children in the school environment. Without formal handwriting instruction in place there is evidence to support occupational therapy intervention providing a handwriting program can improve handwriting success.

Purpose: The purpose of this research study is to determine the clinical efficacy of a hybrid approach to handwriting instruction pairing the Handwriting Without Tears and Orton-Gillingham instructional programming for prewriting and handwriting skills in the kindergarten population. The research question addressed is: Will …

What Influences School-Based Occupational Therapists’ Decision-Making? A Qualitative Study, Cynthia Helen Clough

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Occupational therapists in school-based practice make daily service delivery decisions about when, where, and how to provide interventions to children with disabilities. The services provided by these occupational therapists have the potential to support or limit a child’s access to general education curriculum and environments which, in turn, impacts vocational, financial, social, and community life outcomes. Service delivery decisions about pulling children out of classrooms, pushing services into classrooms, and / or providing consultation are made based on the ways therapists define and differentiate their role from that of other school personnel, how they interpret Individual Education Plans for …

Teacher And Student Variables Affecting Special Education Evaluation And Referral, Lorenzo Adrian Woodson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Past research has revealed that African American/Black boys are referred for special education evaluation at disproportionately higher rates than boys of other racial/ethnic groups. This correlational study used survey methodology to examine whether student and teacher demographic variables predicted how likely a teacher would refer boy students for special education evaluation. The following questions guided this research: 1) To what degree does student race/ethnicity, teacher gender, teacher race/ethnicity, and teacher attitude toward inclusion predict how likely a teacher would refer boys' to special education after controlling for teacher's years of experience in general and special education? 2) What are the …

Challenges To Augmentative And Alternative Communication Interventions With Autism Spectrum Disorder Students, Kristy Jane Singer-Macnair

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have challenges with communication, social interactions, and behavior, which can limit their functioning in school settings. They need to have functional communication skills to access the curriculum and have their needs met across all social environments. Special education teachers often experience barriers to successful implementation of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions appropriate for these students. The purpose of this case study was to understand how special education teachers experience AAC intervention processes, and illuminate the conditions for effective AAC implementation. A qualitative case study was conducted using interviews from 6 credentialed special education …

Social Participation In Schools: Developing The Role Of Occupational Therapy Practitioners, Kelly L. Leigers

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

The aim of this dissertation is to build the repertoire of occupational therapy practitioners so that they are better prepared in the provision of services addressing social participation of students with disabilities in the general education classroom. Students with disabilities in general education classrooms tend to have greater difficulty establishing and maintaining friendships (Wight & Chapparo, 2008), have fewer reciprocated friendships (Kemp & Carter, 2002), and lower stability in relationships than peers without disabilities. Furthermore, studies indicate that students with disabilities are less social accepted (Ekornas, Heimann, Tjus, Heyerdahl, & Lundervold, 2011) and are more isolated (Nadeau & Tessier, 2006). …

Examining Barriers With Implementing Augmentative And Alternative Communication In A Midwest School, Ashley Renee Fields

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in a Midwest urban public school system have experienced barriers that prohibit the effective use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The result has left some students with speech language impairments (SLI) without the communication skills for meaningful relationships and success in and out of school. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to determine the perceived barriers of 8 local school SLPs regarding the successful implementation of AAC and their suggestions for addressing the problem. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with the SLPs. Data collection and analysis were grounded by Ely's conditions of …

Special Education Teachers' And Speech Therapists' Knowledge Of Autism Spectrum Disorder., Carol Hendrix Whaley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to survey special education teachers and speech therapists in eleven school districts in Northeast Tennessee regarding their knowledge level (etiology and educational programming) of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The primary focus of the study was to identify effective programs and methods used by special educators in this region, comparing them to the latest techniques and teaching methods prescribed by recent research. In addition, identified weaknesses were used to recommend future training and staff development to enable educators to provide the best possible programs for children with autism.

Five hundred fifty-two surveys were disseminated to …

The Utilization Of Music Therapy Strategies For Increasing Prosocial Skills In Students With Behavioral Disorders, Marlene Lennia Anunson

All Graduate Projects

A representative sample of music therapy strategies was developed for use by general music teachers in elementary schools. A literature search was conducted in effective social skills training methods and music therapy techniques. The strageties developed can be used by elementary general music teachers to help improve prosocial skills in students with behavioral disorders.

The Philosophy And Goals Of A Farm-Living Group Home For Mentally Retarded Citizens In The State Of Washington: A Working Plan Of Implementation, Max R. Grimmett

All Graduate Projects

Group homes were established as a result of House Bill #465 passed by the Washington State Legislature in 1969. The purpose of this bill was to make it possible for some people living in state institutions to move into smaller and more "homelike" places.

The purpose of the study was to determine what has been done in the area of group homes under the Washington State Guidelines. A study was made of the existing group homes and the programs offered at the present time. After collecting data, a plan was developed to create a proposed farm-living group home for mentally …

Childhood Aphasia, Beatrice O. L. Williams

Graduate Student Research Papers

Childhood Aphasia is not to be confused with mental retardation, deafness, hard of hearing nor the socially and emotionally disturbed, although the symptomology is comparative in nature. Only through differential diagnosis, involving the services and cooperation of specialists in these various fields is it properly diagnosed.