Education Commons^™

Improving Peer-To-Peer Learning For Students With Extensive Support Needs In Inclusive Classrooms, Zachary Michael Deets

Dissertations and Theses

Inclusive learning opportunities lead to better outcomes for students with extensive support needs (ESN). In the absence of targeted intervention, however, students with ESN are unlikely to interact meaningfully with their peers or the general education curriculum. The literature describes evidence-based strategies in support of the meaningful inclusion of students with ESN in inclusive classrooms, including the use of technology to mediate learning experiences and nondisabled peers as learning "interventionists." This dissertation introduces an intervention package, Technology-Assisted Peer-Mediated Academic Support (TAPMAS), incorporating Technology-Aided Instruction and Intervention (TAII) and Peer-Based Instruction and Intervention (PBII), as a model of how educators may …

Professional Development For Special Education Paraeducators: How To Effectively Train Classroom Staff To Support Students With Complex Instructional And Behavioral Needs, Cara Olson-Sawyer

Dissertations and Theses

According to data from U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics in 2018, it is estimated that there are 1,308,100 paraeducators employed in public schools in the United States. Despite the prevalence of paraeducators, these employees receive limited opportunity for training. In addition, there is little guidance from the Department of Education or Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for effective professional development and there are no standardized job qualifications or job descriptions across states and school districts. This lack of uniformity, combined with vague job descriptions often result in paraeducators entering the education field with no formal education and training, …

Perspectives Of Students With Intellectual And/Or Developmental Disability In College Inclusion Programs On Their Preparation For Working In Competitive Integrated Employment, Eva R. Blixseth

Dissertations and Theses

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have a history of being isolated, marginalized, and excluded from employment that is competitive and integrated. Policy makers, disability advocates, and self-advocates have made efforts to center inclusive education and employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual disability. Employment is a valuable outcome for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities exiting college inclusion programs (Lee & Colleagues, 2022). However, from 2017 through 2021, not all students with intellectual and/or intellectual disability exiting college inclusion programs were employed. This is concerning as O'Brien et al. (2019) pointed out students' primary goal for completing college inclusion programs …

An Examination Of Educator Perspectives On Career And College Pathways For Black, Indigenous, And Students Of Color With Disabilities, Rachel Anne Herrick

Dissertations and Theses

Black, Indigenous, and students of color (BIPOC students) in high school, who are dually experiencing the socially constructed labels of race and disability (BIPOC-SWD), are not provided with equitable access to Career and College Pathway (CCP) programs, which contributes to a lack of preparedness and success within postsecondary settings. Despite school reform policy efforts that incorporate Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) and Career and College Readiness frameworks, BIPOC-SWD perpetually have lower achievement rates, poorer postsecondary outcomes, and are less prepared for careers or college.

Utilizing a Disability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit) lens, this comparative case study was used to examine educator …

"It's Not By Accident": Examining Leadership Efforts To Disrupt Oregon's Segregated K-12 Education System, Michael Eric Salitore

Dissertations and Theses

The American education system systematically and persistently excludes students from the general education setting based on (dis)ability. Disproportionate segregation of students with Intellectual Disability (ID) is a form of prejudice that is acceptable today and allowable by current laws. Fully segregated education settings for students with ID are harmful to students with disabilities, to their neurotypical peers, and to civilized society as a whole. For many students with ID, ableist systems, deficit thinking, and special education rules allow for segregated placements to persist, impacting their pathway to accessing the general education curriculum.

Improving inclusive practices as a research-based practice for …

Inclusion For Speech-Language Pathology Minority Graduate Students, Teresa Michelle Roberts

Dissertations and Theses

Speech-language pathologists provide assessment and intervention for communication, cognition, and swallowing disorders for individuals across the lifespan in educational, medical, and private practice settings. The demographics of professionals in the field do not reflect those of the general public in regard to race and ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, LGBTQ+, and disability. Lack of representation of minorities limits research, policy, and services designed to serve diverse populations. Although initiatives have sought to address lack of diversity of speech-language pathologists, limited research on the graduate training experience for minority students is available. Since a master's degree is required to become a speech-language …

Early Intervention Referral Outcomes For Children At Increased Risk Of Experiencing Developmental Delays, Kristi Laurine Atkins

Dissertations and Theses

Research has shown that children born low birth weight (i.e., ≤2500 grams) and/or premature (i.e., birth prior to 37 weeks gestation) are at increased risk of experiencing developmental delays, as well as long-standing executive functioning and academic challenges. Despite these well-known risks, children born low birth weight are under-enrolled nationally in Part C Early Intervention (EI) services intended to support developmentally vulnerable children. Little is known regarding why EI enrollment is low in this high risk population, especially given children born LBW are readily identifiable as at increased risk of delays at birth. This study explored EI referral outcomes from …

Impact Of Professional Development On Accessible Early Literacy Content For Preschool Children With Disabilities In Public Library Storytime, Melissa Pebly

Dissertations and Theses

Library storytime programs provide opportunities for preschool children to develop readiness skills in early literacy that are linked in research to later success in learning to read and write. Children with disabilities that do not demonstrate school readiness skills upon entry to kindergarten are often placed in self-contained special education settings where opportunities to learn to read and write are diminished. English Language Learners (ELL) who have disabilities face additional challenges in benefiting from the models of language that are optimal for learning literacy when placed in self-contained settings. Despite the critical role that storytime programs play in equalizing the …

The Impact Of Online Professional Development On The Assessment Efficacy Of Novice Itinerant Teachers Of Students With Multiple Disabilities Including Visual Impairments, Jacqulyn Anne Donnenwirth Daniels

Dissertations and Theses

The primary question for this dissertation was: Does online professional development increase novice itinerant Teachers of Students with Visual impairments' (TVI) efficacy for assessing learning and literacy media for students with multiple disabilities including visual impairments? The literature suggested novice TVIs might experience low efficacy when implementing strategies unique to their job after leaving teacher-training programs. Working in an itinerant position can intensify perceptions of low efficacy. One area of low efficacy was conducting and reporting on the assessment of learning and literacy media (ALLM).

Using a quasi-experimental pre/post-design, data were collected from pre/postintervention knowledge questionnaires about the assessment process …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Parents Of Young Children With Autism Receiving Special Education Services, Donna Marie Barrow

Dissertations and Theses

Over the past two decades reported rates of autism have steadily risen. The current incidence is 1 in 68 children. While autism can be reliably diagnosed at 18 months in most children with the condition, specialized autism treatment rarely begins before a child's third or fourth birthday. As screening and diagnosis procedures improve so does the need for effective early interventions for autism. Researchers and professionals have expressed a growing concern over the need for effective early interventions for infants and toddlers with autism. At the same time, there is a dearth of qualitative research exploring the needs and experiences …

The Voices Of Special Educators: How Do Special Educators Teach English Language Learners Who Are Receiving Special Education Services?, Elizabeth Ann Dubois

Dissertations and Theses

Disproportionality in special education has been examined from various perspectives over a 50-year period. English Language Learner (ELL) students have been included in the discussion among researchers in the past two decades as a disproportionate number of ELL students are referred to special education. Though the problem of disproportionality has been acknowledged, documented and discussed over a period of decades, there is a lack of research from the voices of special educators. The purpose of this study was to describe special education teachers' experiences teaching students currently or previously enrolled in an English language learner program who are receiving special …

The Efficacy And Feasibility Of A Context-Specific Autism Behavior Rating Tool With Real Time Data Collection Methods From The Perspectives Of Clinicians, Educators, And Parents, Kathleen Marie Panaccione

Dissertations and Theses

The incidence of autism has increased tremendously over the past 20 years; however, the tools used for diagnosis and educational identification have largely remained the same. Diagnostic and educational decisions are based on observations and interactions to identify hallmark skill deficits associated with autism. Research demonstrates behaviors are affected by the environment, and real-time data collection is more accurate than reflective methods.

The problem is current autism diagnostic and educational identification tools lack essential features. The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), considered the gold standard, relies on contrived settings, and lacks an observational comparison to same aged peers. Autism behavior …

An Examination Of School Readiness: How Is The Construct Defined For Children Who Are Blind?, Lisa Joann Mcconachie

Dissertations and Theses

An increased focus on school readiness exists as students enter public school for the first time. Given unique challenges for students who are blind and use braille, school readiness in the transition to and preparation for kindergarten is even more critical to their future academic success. If children who are blind and use braille as their primary learning medium have the necessary school readiness skills entering kindergarten, they will be better prepared to participate in the academic classroom. There is a need for additional research to illuminate the skills needed for school readiness for children who are blind and use …

Desirable Conversations: Sexuality And Women With Intellectual Disabilities, Neera Malhotra

Dissertations and Theses

The American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD, 2011) assert that individuals with intellectual disabilities, irrespective of gender, have an equal right to learn about and experience their own sexuality. A review of the extant literature indicated that the voices of women with intellectual disabilities on the topic of familial culture, as it relates to sexuality, are rarely included (McCarthy, 1993; Shakespeare, 2000; Siebers, 2012).

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the role of familial culture and lived experiences of women with intellectual disabilities, ages 21-35, in understanding their own sexuality. Eight women participated in individual …

An Investigation Of School-Based Specific Learning Disability Identification, Bonnie Heather Bartos

Dissertations and Theses

Researchers have described the special education identification process for students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) as "muddled and confused" (Bocian, Beebe, MacMillan, & Gresham, 1999) and "haphazard" and "capricious" (Shinn, 2007, p. 603). Bocian, Beebe, MacMillan, and Gresham (1999) proposed the theory of competing paradigms as a way to explain why researchers and school-based eligibility teams identify different groups of students as SLD. This qualitative study had two research questions: a) To what extent did interviews of secondary resource teachers reveal the concepts of relativity, acceptability, and profitability as they reflect on the SLD process? and b) What other themes …

Exploring The Impact Of An Ld Diagnosis On The Self-Determination Of Women In Poverty, Cynthia Jakes Stadel

Dissertations and Theses

This collective case study explored the impact of a later-in-life learning disability (LD) diagnosis on women in poverty. The study focused on the perspectives of four women who were not identified with LD as children but accessed assessment services as adults receiving Oregon's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). All four reported painful awareness of learning differences as youths; as adults they voluntarily engaged in a "labeling event," furthering a process toward personal transformation and enhanced well-being initiated by their own awareness and curiosity. The women described critical social and emotional support systems and relationships that helped them integrate understanding …

A Comparative Study Of Administrator And Special Education Teacher Perceptions Of Special Education Teacher Attrition And Retention, Danielle Angelina Sheldrake

Dissertations and Theses

This mixed methods study identifies perceived causes of and solutions to the attrition of special education teachers. Researchers have documented that special education teaching positions encounter higher attrition rates than their general education peers (Katsiyannis, Zhang, & Conroy in Olivarez & Arnold, 2006; Mitchell & Arnold, 2004; Otto & Arnold, 2005; Stempien & Loeb, 2002). More than 66 administrators and 200 special education teachers/Teachers on Special Assignment (TOSAs) employed in the Portland, Oregon metro area (Washington, Clackamas, and Multnomah counties) completed a survey on special education teacher attrition and retention and identified what they believed are the causes of high …

Special Education Teacher Candidates And Mentors: Case Studies Of Collaboration In Pre-Service Field Experiences, Rebecca Lynn Schulte

Dissertations and Theses

Collaboration between general and special education teachers is essential for students with disabilities to have access to general education curriculum and instruction, and improved outcomes in school. The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), and No Child Left Behind Legislation, include mandates that increase demands for collaboration. However, many general and special education teachers report not feeling prepared to step outside traditional roles to collaborate to meet the needs of this population. Collaboration is also a strong element of teaching and special education standards for teacher preparation. Yet, research shows many teacher education programs lack coursework and field experiences that focus …

Understanding Pervasive Language Impairment In Young Children: Exploring Patterns In Narrative Language And Functional Communication, Anna Jeddeloh Waters

Dissertations and Theses

Research has identified language impairment as a pervasive disability (Bishop & Edmundson, 1987; Greenhalgh & Strong, 2001). Classroom communication behaviors have a role in the maintenance of special education eligibility and functional communication difficulties for young children with language impairment. This paper reviews the theoretical and experimental literature on narrative skills and language impairment as well as empirical support for understanding language delays as part of a group of risk factors that affect child development. The present study describes patterns in the communication skills of a small group of young children with a predetermined diagnosis of language impairment using a …

Teachers' Negative Comments Toward Youth In Foster Care With Disabilities: How Do They Relate To Youths' Problem Behaviors, School Attitudes, And School Performance?, Sunghwan Noh

Dissertations and Theses

A large proportion of youth in foster care receive special education services, and poor educational outcomes are one of the most important difficulties facing these youth. One potential risk affecting the low educational achievements of youth in foster care and special education could be teachers' negative and stigmatizing comments toward them. Teachers' negative and stigmatizing comments could have negative effects on youths' behaviors, school attitudes and school performance. Yet, research on the nature and the impact of teachers' negative and stigmatizing comments remains limited.

Based on labeling and attribution theories, this study investigated the nature and impact of teachers' negative …

Paraprofessionals Who Work With Elementary Grade Students With Significant Disabilities In Inclusive Settings, Regina Moreno

Dissertations and Theses

The use of paraprofessional services is an established and crucial aspect in the pursuit of a free and appropriate public education for students with disabilities. Paraprofessionals are often the primary providers of instruction for students with severe disabilities yet are the least trained instructional personnel in schools. Identified competencies and necessary training content for paraprofessionals who serve students with severe disabilities are nearly absent in the professional literature.

This study extended the current literature regarding paraprofessionals who serve students with disabilities in public schools by focusing specifically on those paraprofessionals who serve students with severe disabilities in inclusive general education …

Traumatic Experience Scale For Jurors (Tesj), Michael James Krummel

Dissertations and Theses

This comprehensive dissertation describes research that involved the development of a paper-and-pencil tool to inventory juror stress level(s) resulting from common types of Washington criminal and civil trials. It includes a general explanation of its rationale and development, and provides norms as well as evidence of its reliability and validity. Untreated stress can lead to several well-documented mental health conditions, the most serious two being part of this research: Acute Stress Disorder and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. The research on stress, trauma, the assessment of stress and trauma, and related therapeutic interventions have not been well correlated to the vicarious stress …

An Investigation Of The Prevalence Of Severe Visual Impairment Among Handicapped Children: Implications For Educators, James Bickford

Dissertations and Theses

Since the inception of special education legislation, the identification of severely visually impaired children has become a difficult task. Official prevalence rates for severe visual impairment currently vary from 8 per 10,000 to 120 per 10,000 school aged children. With such a large discrepancy in rates, it is difficult to plan and provide appropriate specialized services to this group of children.

Given this wide variance of reporting, several questions have arisen: (1) What is the prevalence of severely impaired vision as a secondary handicap when another handicapping condition is already known and identified? (2) Is there a significant difference between …

The Influence Of Functional Activities And Specific Curricular Domains On Choice In The Curriculum For Learners With Severe Handicaps, Mary Comfort Deboer

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine curricular elements in a sampling of existing programs and their relationship with choice. Three questions were asked within this analysis: (a) What relationship, if any, exists between the functionality of an activity and choice? (b) What relationship, if any, exists between a particular instructional domain and choice? and (c) What relationship., if any, exists between a teacher's judgement of student affect and choice?

A Descriptive Study Of Previously Institutionalized Educable Mentally Retarded Adults Residing In Multnomah County, Oregon, Susan J. Kiley, Jeffrey D. Sher, Richard C. Sunshine

Dissertations and Theses

This is a study of mild and borderline mentally retarded adults living in Multnomah County, Oregon, who at one time in their lives were patients at Fairview Training School. The concept of "normalization" is merging with the political necessity of "advocacy" to create a different role for the traditionally silent and previously institutionalized retarded citizen, along with new roles for the professional worker with the retarded. Mentally retarded citizens have only recently begun to speak out for themselves; even less frequent it seems, has any concerted listening on the part of the public or professional community which deals day to …

The Effects Of Perceptual-Motor Training On The Perceptual-Motor Skills Of Emotionally Disturbed Children, Karen R. Brown

Dissertations and Theses

A study was conducted to determine if the program of perceptual-motor training outlined by D.H. Radler and Newell C. Kephart in their book, Success Through Play, would increase the perceptual-motor skills of emotionally disturbed children as measured by the Purdue Perceptual Motor Survey. Twenty children from the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area whose ages ranged from six to twelve years were included in the program. These children were grouped according to their diagnosis of withdrawn or acting-out which was received by the agency upon their referral. Three agencies participated in the study.

Each child was administered the Purdue Perceptual Motor …