Education Commons^™

Personnel Staff Attitudes Toward The Employment Of Persons With Physical Disability, Mental Retardation, Or Mental Illness, Karol Ruth Oldenburg

Student Work

This thesis describes a measurement of personnel staff attitudes and perceptions toward the employability of disabled job applicants. More specifically, direct comparisons among three types of disability categories were made using Osgood's Semantic Scaling Method.

Sixty employment professionals of the Lincoln Human Resources Management Association rated a job applicant with physical disability, with mental retardation, and one with mental illness on the basis of 15 paired opposite adjectives. These adjectives described a variety of attributes which could be grouped into evaluative, potency, and activity dimensions of semantic space.

Respondents completed a four-page questionnaire which rated physically disabled, mentally retarded, and …

Reinforcement Effects On The I.Q. Scores Of Institutionalized Children And Adults With Developmental Disabilities, Jody Robin Lewis

Masters Theses

Eighteen institutionalized school-age and adult subjects with severe/profound developmental disabilities were evaluated for the effects of self-selected reinforcement for correct responding on their I.Q. scores when tested with the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (Terman & Merrill, 1960) or the Leiter International Performance Scale (Arthur, 1952). Subjects were tested under both standard and reinforcement conditions. The results indicated that overall, subjects when tested under reinforcement conditions showed a significant increase in mean I.Q. scores when compared with the same subjects tested one month previously under standard conditions. Several features of the data reveal intriguing results with regard to subjects and related preexisting …

Repeated Acquisition With Developmentally Disabled Adults: Some Methodological Improvements, Thomas M. Rueber

Masters Theses

This study obtained repeated-acquisition data from four developmentally disabled adults. The procedure was a refinement of one used earlier by Madsen (1988) and a comparison was made between the two. Verbal praise, edibles, and money were used to reinforce correct responding. In addition, an informal comparison was made between individual repeated-acquisition performance and IQ scores. The refinements of the Madsen procedure included: (1) using a 10-second timeout as the consequence of an error, (2) placing poker chips in die-cut holes, (3) using different colored construction paper backgrounds, (4) limiting each session to one sequence, (5) using percent correct responses as …

The Relationship Between The Attitudes Of Directors And Instructors And Student Ratings In Remedial And Developmental Studies In Tennessee's Community Colleges, Carolyn H. Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship existed between the attitudes of remedial and developmental directors and instructors and student ratings. A population of 230 full-time directors and instructors and 3,269 remedial students were surveyed in the Fall of 1990. The return rate was 95% for the directors and instructors with the student rate dependent upon instructors administering the instruments. Two instruments were developed--one to measure the attitudes of directors and instructors and one for student ratings of instructors. Seven null hypotheses were formulated; 5 were retained and 2 rejected, at the.05 level of significance. Factor …

A Comparison Of Functional Equivalence Training And Timeout Procedures In The Reduction Of Disruptive Behavior, Steven D . Goodman

Masters Theses

The use of nonaversive or aversive procedures continues to be debated regarding treatment of behavior problems of persons with developmental disabilities. This study compared the efficacy of a punishment and a nonaversive procedure in the reduction of problem behavior. The nonaversive technique involved the teaching of alternative, functionally equivalent, responses. Timeout was employed as the punishment procedure. The functional equivalence training included a functional analysis to identify the motivating conditions for the disruptive behavior of three boys with severe mental retardation. Treatment conditions were evaluated on rate of disruption, effects on learning trials, and time engaged in training. Results indicate …

Increasing Reading Fluency In Students With Reading Difficulty, Kathryn Balabanis Peabody

All Graduate Projects

Four methods designed to increase reading fluency were employed in a primary level Special Education resource room. The methods were implemented in accordance with the theory and research regarding reading fluency. Each of the four methods effectively increased the students' ability to read fluently. However, the implementation of these methods varied in cost and time.

Supplimental Functional Reading Materials For Secondary Moderately Retarded Students, Kimberlie Ann Baglau

All Graduate Projects

Reading materials were compiled that would help secondary moderately retarded students develop reading skills needed to function at a more independent level than in the past. Materials were developed in the form of worksheets. These worksheets were designed to be supplemental materials to be used to reinforce the learning of functional sight words. Materials were produced for two types of functional reading: reading labels on medicine bottles and reading bus schedules.

An Assessment Of The Impact Of Resource Room Placement On Elementary Student Self-Esteem, Michael F. Hopkins

All Graduate Projects

An assessment, in the form of an interview, was conducted to measure the effects of resource room placement and full-time classroom integration on special education student self-esteem. Sixty students in the Wenatchee School District participated in the project during the 1990-1991 school year. The results of the project indicated that the placement of special education students in a full-time integration program does not insure a greater enhancement of their total self-concept; although it may be of benefit to certain areas in their self-esteem. The project included conclusions and recommendations.

Integrated Instruction Procedural Manual, Cynthia S. Sloan

All Graduate Projects

Advantages and disadvantages of integrating Specific Learning Disabled and Seriously Behaviorally Disabled students into the regular classroom were studied. The integration process relied on collaboration between regular and special education staff. Results showed integrated instruction to be a viable option to the traditional "pull-out" model. The "pull-out" model should remain an instructional option for students who cannot function in an integrated setting. An Integrated Instruction Procedural Manual is included as a reference tool for developing collaborative education for this population.

An Investigation And Analysis Of Educator Perceptions Of Mainstreaming Mildly Handicapped Students In Grades 5-9 In Randomly Selected Urban And Rural School Divisions In Virginia Public Schools, Pamela Buckner Riedel

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions that school principals, directors of special education/directors of pupil personnel/psychologists, regular educators, and special educators in Virginia public schools have of the process of integrating educable mentally retarded, learning disabled, and emotionally disturbed students into regular classes in grades 5-9. The study sought to examine mainstreaming perceptions of educators, factors that underlie educator perceptions, and obtain individual qualitative accounts of educator perspectives regarding the availability of instructional resources within their school divisions.;The Survey of Educator Perceptions of Enhancing and Restraining Forces Related to the Integration of Mildly Handicapped Students in …

Effective Secondary Special Education Programs: Administrative And Instructional Practices In Identified Iowa Schools, Robyn Lynn Moen Kramer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This descriptive study with exclusive focus on identified secondary special education programs in Iowa, investigated the interactions of administrators, general classroom and special education teachers to determine common administrative and instructional practices and behaviors within three characteristics -- Facilities Leadership, General Classroom Teaching Behavior, and Special Education Teaching Behavior. Directors of Special Education from six Iowa Area Education Agencies (AEAs) were asked to select five schools form their respective AEAs with exemplary secondary special education programs. From that initial population of 30 schools, 11 schools were selected to participate in this study.

A survey was administered to 354 secondary school …

A Multi-Sensory, Study Strategies And Cooperative Group Instructional Approach Combined To Teach American History To Mildly Disabled And Non Disabled Adolescents, Craig Charles Fankhauser

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Social/Emotional Problems Among Children And Youth With Differing Degrees Of Sensorineural Hearing Loss, Patricia L. Dinsman

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

A Special Education Resource Handbook For Site Administrators, Diana Walsh-Reuss

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

The Current Attitudes Of Principals And Teachers Regarding Mainstreaming In Virginia Middle-Level Schools, Janice Landmesser Farley

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

This study investigated the relationship between the attitudes of principals and teachers toward mainstreaming and the level of comfort participants felt toward special education and mainstreaming. Sixty-five large and small middle schools from the state of Virginia were randomly selected to participate in this study. Participants completed demographic/information sheets, the Attitude Towards Mainstreaming Scale (ATMS), and the Comfortability Scale for Special Education (CSSE). Data were analyzed using statistical methods.;The following research questions were explored (1) do the current attitudes of school personnel differ from previous findings, (2) does a middle level principal's attitude relate to a middle level teacher's attitude, …

An Investigation Of Eligibility Decision Congruence Among School Administrators, Psychologists, And Social Workers For Virginia's Developmentally Delayed Population, John William Faircloth

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The study investigated the construct of eligibility decision congruence as it applied to professional decision-makers for children with suspected developmental delays. Professional status and judgement format were the key variables of interest. Three distinct professional groups were surveyed: school administrators, psychologists, and social workers. The control group used professional judgement to determine eligibility, whereas the experimental group used a structured worksheet and eligibility criteria. One hundred and twenty subjects participated in a simulation of the eligibility decision process. Each subject was given five case summaries. A correct determination of eligibility was established for each case based on the decision of …

Effects Of A Cognitive-Behavioral Program Designed To Increase The Reading Comprehension Skills Of Learning-Disabled Students, Jane Pindar Reilly

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral approach to reading comprehension instruction. An important component of the intervention was a training course for teachers designed to communicate a conceptual framework for understanding the comprehension deficits of learning disabled (LD) children.;The sample included 39 elementary and middle school students who were identified as learning disabled. Intact classes were assigned to the treatment or control group. The nonequivalent control-group design was used, and data was examined using analysis of covariance. Dependent variables were reading comprehension as measured by the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests and locus of control …

A Study Of The Effectiveness Of Public College And University Support Service Programs For Students With Disabilities In The Commonwealth Of Virginia: Do They Offer What They Purport To Offer?, Betty Jo Buck

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The implementation of Public Law 94-142 (amended in 1990 by Public Law 101-476) guaranteed individuals with disabilities a quality public education. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 opened the doors of postsecondary educational institutions to individuals with disabilities wishing to continue their educations past high school. This influx of diverse individuals to colleges/universities has created a need for support service programs to assist, guide, and ensure the success of this population. Postsecondary institutions have responded to this need by creating offices that provide a variety of services to students with disabilities. It was the purpose of this study …

Siblings Of Elementary Gifted Students: The Sibling Relationship, Self-Concept And Classroom Behavior, Karen Elizabeth Poe West

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

This study was undertaken for the purpose of determining if the siblings of gifted elementary students differ significantly from siblings of non-gifted elementary students in sibling affection, self-concept, or observable classroom behavior; and to investigate the relationship between sibling affection and self-concept, sibling affection and observable classroom behavior, and self-concept and observable classroom behavior.;The sample was selected from a large, urban school district located in the Mid-South. Thirty-eight pairs of siblings were selected from two-sibling families in which both children were enrolled in grades 3 through 6. Group 1 (Gifted/Siblings) consisted of first-born children who were state certified as intellectually …

An Exploration Of Patterns Of Influence Shaping Rural Gifted Students. (Volumes I And Ii), Donna Pugh Owen

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The purpose of this study is to identify social and intellectual sources of influence shaping 14 gifted high school seniors in one rural culture, to delineate patterns among those sources of influence, and to generate questions for further investigation of giftedness--primarily in a rural culture.;All 14 seniors attending the single public high school in a rural county in eastern Virginia who had been identified according to state guidelines as gifted by school division personnel were selected as subjects for this case study research. The triangulated data collection methods used in this study encompass interviews, observations, and the examination of school …

Psychosocial Developmental Levels Of Freshman Urban University Students With Learning Disabilities, Nancy Ann Wolthuis Olthoff

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This research study addressed the question, "Is there a difference in psychosocial developmental levels, as defined by Arthur Chickering, between male and female traditional-aged urban university freshmen with and without learning disabilities?" Twenty students with learning disabilities, as diagnosed by independent practitioners who exhibited spelling disabilities on a writing sample placement test, were compared to two comparable groups of twenty students. One comparison group did not exhibit spelling disability. The second group while demonstrating spelling problems, did not have documentation of learning disabilities. The Student Developmental Task and Lifestyle Inventory, a measure of Arthur Chickering's theory of psychosocial development, was …

The Effectiveness Of One On One Tutoring And Reading Group Intervention In First And Second Grade Within Chapter One Reading Program, Kim L. Howrey

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Facilitation Of Students With Learning Disabilities To Postsecondary Education By Secondary Special Educators, Victoria A. Stephans

Masters Theses

This descriptive research was conducted to collect data concerning the attitudes and policies about transition to postsecondary education by secondary special educators in the State of Illinois. A survey was sent to 208 secondary special educators representing the independent high school districts in the state. The survey measured three variables in relation to size of school: special educators' awareness of postsecondary educational opportunities, special educators' expectations for students labeled learning disabled to pursue postsecondary education, and current practices for serving high school students labeled learning disabled. The findings showed that there were more likenesses than differences in the transition attitudes …