Education Commons^™

Piloting New Sld Identification Criteria: Implications For Policy, Practice And Students, Evelyn Johnson, Carrie Semmelroth, Daryl Mellard

Carrie Semmelroth

No abstract provided.

Ageing And Women Disabilities In Sub-Sahara, Dr Williams Emeka Obiozor, Uzoamaka Lucynda Koledoye Mrs.

Dr Williams Emeka Obiozor

In a typical African community, women age gracefully, as they bear children, care, train, provide natural support; as well as receive support from their children when they grow older. The presence of infirmities and disabilities affect aging and hinder effective livelihood, human performance and general well-being of sub-Saharan African women. Critical knowledge gaps exist for responding to the general needs of the disabled women which is a concern to the authors. This position paper addressed the issues concerning aging and women disabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa, the challenges, and roles of adult educators could play as support systems and in ensuring …

Accommodation And Curriculum Modification For Students With Special Needs: A Study Of Teachers' Attitudes, Ramona D. Williamson

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of teachers towards providing accommodations and modifications required for students with special needs in general education classes. The study also examined the differences between these educators’ willingness, preparedness, and selected demographic and descriptive characteristics, which included teacher education, educational setting, and support provided for inclusion. As such, it contributed to both the theory and the practice of teaching students with disabilities in inclusive settings.

The sample included willing general and special education teachers in one suburban school district in the southeastern United States. The instrument was a modified version of …

Measuring Early Numeracy Of Kindergarten Students In A Group Setting, Stacy A. Winck

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Early identification practices in assessment are crucial to preventing academic failure as well as identifying students at-risk for later learning disabilities. The PAM Early Numeracy Screening is a set of subscales designed to measure early numeracy in kindergarten students in a group setting. Given that the existing early numeracy measures are individually administered, the purpose of the current study was to explore the psychometric properties of the PAM Early Numeracy Screening. Correlational analysis was the primary research design used to investigate the evidence of reliability, criterion-related validity, and construct validity of the PAM Early Numeracy Screening. Criterion measures …

Common Characteristics Of School Administrators Who Are Perceived As Effective In Meeting The Needs Of Students With Disabilities., Carissa Gail Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study was conducted in 3 school systems in East Tennessee by interviewing special education directors, school principals, and teachers. The purpose of this study was to identify administrators who are successful in meeting the needs of special education students and determine characteristics they possess that facilitate success. The grounded theory study employed purposeful sampling and the snowball sampling method. It also included the use of a pilot study to refine the interview protocol. This study includes the characteristics of effective principals as perceived by the special education directors, principals, and teachers. Although some variety of conclusions existed within …

Perspectives Of Special Education Teachers On Implementation Of Inclusion In Four High Schools In East Tennessee., Lori Bellar Goodin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The terminology found in state educational policies coupled with congressional intent provides a supportive framework for integration of inclusion into public education (Duhaney, 1999; Heumann, 1994). The U.S. Department of Education declared that the required continuum of alternative placements reinforces the importance of the consideration of the individual versus programming for the masses in determining what placement is the LRE for each student with a disability (Heumann, 1994). This disagreement of what constitutes the best educational model affects political agendas and funding issues (Idol, 2006).

The purpose of this study was to examine special education teacher perceptions through a qualitative …

Childhood Family Factors That Influenced The Enrollment Of College Students With Learning Disabilities, Abigail Kirk

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to use qualitative measures to investigate the childhood family factors that influenced the enrollment of college students with learning disabilities. Six participants were interviewed, all of whom were registered through the University Accessibility Center at a four-year university and were served at some point during their school years for a learning disability. Interviews were held in a confidential location and lasted approximately thirty minutes. The interview protocol was constructed in a way that allowed participants to reflect on their experiences and tell their story in their own manner. Planned prompts were included to solicit …

Twenty-First Century Learning: Is Project Based Learning The Learning Of The Future?, Rebecca Ringrose

Honors Theses

Project based learning (PBL) allows students preschool to grade twelve to get involved in research projects in a hands-on manner. Project based learning provides students with access to a wide variety of technology to use to collect information, analyze data, and present their research. Twenty-first century skills is a goal for PBL projects which include team work and critical thinking to encourage students to become more interested in what they are studying. PBL is being used at Myrtle Beach High School by seventy-five tenth grade students in the subjects of English, Math, and Social Studies. The projects the students are …

A Qualitative Analysis Of A Junior High School Eating Disorder Prevention Program, Janine Ruth Stickney

Theses and Dissertations

Past research conducted in the areas of diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders have provided information in regards to understanding the epidemiology, base rates, damages and longitudinal course of eating disorders. Few studies, however, have focused on prevention, especially in adolescents. In this particular study, students in a Utah junior high school health class received preventative curriculum called, Eating Disorders: Physical, Social, and Emotional Consequences. Ten, female participants were then interviewed to explore their thoughts and feelings about their experiences and to qualitatively ascertain the success of the prevention program.

Lessons Learned From A Tiered Service Delivery Implementation Project, Evelyn Johnson, Juli Pool, Deborah Carter

Juli Lull Pool

Tiered models of service delivery for both academics and behavior are being increasingly adopted across the nation, and discussions of how to implement these models effectively and simultaneously are growing. In this article, the authors share some lessons learned from a 2-year implementation project to implement a comprehensive (both academic and behavior) model of tiered service delivery in an elementary school. The authors discuss four major issues that arose during implementation, including signs for predicting these challenges and insights into how they can be addressed.

Creating Print-Rich Learning Centers, Juli Pool, Deborah Carter

Juli Lull Pool

The article offers ways on how teachers can create a print-rich pre-school environment to help children improve their literacy skills. It mentions that teachers can share books to children for them to become motivated in learning. It also suggests the need to provide writing materials that encourage children's language development and self-expression. Furthermore, teachers can conduct a dramatic play to allow children to take on roles and express their ideas.

A Mixed-Methods Study Assessing Special Education Preservice Candidates' Preparedness For Their First Year Of Teaching, Beverly Tillman, Stephen B. Richards, Catherine Lawless Frank

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This study employed a Likert-type survey,

Praxis/Pathwise

written observations, as well as guided and open-ended reflections to assess the perceptions of preparedness for the first year of teaching for special education student teaching candidates. Cooperating teachers completed the survey and Praxis /Pathwise observations. University supervisors completed Praxis/Pathwise observations and responded to and analyzed guided and open-ended reflections. The survey instrument was based on the research literature and included responsibilities typically required of special educators (e.g., completing paperwork, planning, assessment, etc.). Results indicated general congruence among the three data sources, but also indicated that two cooperating …

Examining Implementation Processes Of Positive Behavior Support, Julia Helzer Rollins

Theses and Dissertations

This study is a summary of themes found in the meeting notes of school teams implementing school-wide Positive Behavior Support. Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is a systems change process of reorganizing a school's discipline structure to put in place a positive, teaching and reinforcing focus for the improvement of student behavior (Sugai & Horner, 2006). In recent years, education researchers have established that school-wide PBS is an effective way to deliver research- based interventions to improve student behavior (Colvin & Kameenui, 1993, Gottfredson, Gottfredson, & Hybl 1993; Taylor-Green & Kartub, 2000). This study focused on the implementation process in order …

Pushing Me Through: A Poetic Representation, Jessica Nina Lester, Rachael Gabriel

Catalyst: A Social Justice Forum

For many children and adults labeled learning disabled (LD), the very process of being identified and eventually labeled is oriented to as difficult to understand, disorienting, and just a taken-for-granted part of a system that names some ‘normal’, even gifted, while others are named abnormal. Minimal research exists that attends to the ways in which the official ways of talking about LDs are worked up in the everyday language of those most involved in the special education process, particularly the students themselves. Thus, in this article, we present, in an alternative form of writing (Richardson, 1997), a poetic representation of …

Catalyst: A Social Justice Forum, Volume One, Issue One, Shane Willson, Landon S. Bevier, Rachael E. Gabriel, Taylor Krcek, Alaina Elizabeth Smith

Catalyst: A Social Justice Forum

It is with great pride that we present to you the inaugural issue of Catalyst: A Social Justice Forum. Here we have attempted to create an innovative, peer-reviewed space in which people from numerous disciplines, or even those claiming no discipline, can present research, multimedia, and art aimed at furthering the ideals of social justice, broadly defined. Social justice is not a concept owned by the academy, for attempts to create a more just world can come from many professions, or even from no profession at all. By applying the traditionally academic peer-review process to work done by activists, artists, …

A Content Analysis Of Evaluation Instruments Used By Special Education Teacher Preparation Programs, Megan Sue Langford

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to conduct a content and component analysis of evaluation instruments used to evaluate preservice teacher performance by special education teacher preparation programs. Direct observation (DO) and summative evaluation (SE) forms were collected from a random sample of Special Education teacher preparation programs that are recognized by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). The forms were then coded for content and components based on predetermined categories to identify similarities and differences. Variances among the DO and SE forms indicated possible methods for evaluating preservice teacher knowledge, skills, and dispositions.

Providing Assistive Technology Information To Professionals And Families Of Children With Mrdd: Interactive Cd-Rom Technology, Jack Hourcade, Parette

Jack Hourcade

This article discusses the assistive technology training needs of families and provides an overview of the instructional CD-ROM, "Families, Cultures, and AAC". This CD-ROM is designed to provide information about assistive technology, especially augmentative and alternative communication, to both professionals and families through an engaging multimedia format.

Family And Cultural Alert! Considerations In Assistive Technology Assessment, Jack Hourcade, Howard Parette, Mary Huer

Jack Hourcade

Discusses cultural and family factors to consider when evaluating a student with disability for assistive technology devices, and the need to involve families in decisions about the uses of the devices. The need to be sensitive to family needs for acceptance and to be aware of cultural differences is discussed.

The Family Physician's Role With Parents Of Young Children With Developmental Disabilities, Howard Parette, Jack Hourcade, R. Brimberry

Jack Hourcade

Technological advances, coupled with recent federal legislation targeting young children who have developmental disabilities, will increasingly necessitate an expanded role of the family physician in the lives of these children and their families. Of particular importance is Public Law 99-457, the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986, which recognizes the importance of the family unit in any intervention methodology that may be provided. This legislation also notes that the active involvement of the family's physician is desirable when designing services appropriate for children with developmental disabilities and their families. Providing support and optimizing positive family interactions are crucial …

Writing For Publication, Jack Hourcade, Holly Anderson

Jack Hourcade

After our mathematics or science education research project has been completed, it is natural for us to wish to step back and catch our breath for a moment. However, there is still a critical step remaining in our scholarship. We must decide on a vehicle to share our new knowledge with others. There are many ways to disseminate our research results, including submitting project reports and presenting at professional meetings. However, for most of us, the scholarly vehicle of choice remains a professional journal.

Cultural Sensitivity In Technology Selection, Jack Hourcade, Holly Anderson

Jack Hourcade

No abstract provided.

The Importance Of Teacher Literacy: A Survey Of Educators, Holly Anderson, Jack Hourcade

Jack Hourcade

No abstract provided.

Designing Effective Online Educational Literature Searches: Procedures For Content Analysis And Validation, Robert Sandieson, Jack Hourcade, Val Sharpe

Jack Hourcade

Knowing the existing research literature has become important for anyone involved with education, informed research, policy, and practice rests on an understanding of unfiltered original source material. Although there has been a proliferation of research studies which are now easily accessible through online resources, being able to find information on specific topics is proving to be a challenge even for experienced researchers. This chapter describes a procedure which first identified field-specific terminology associated with original source material. The parallel terms used in the ERIC database to code the same material was then found. The resulting parallel list of ERIC keywords …

Self-Monitoring And Psychological Type: A Social Cognitive Information-Processing Model, Jerome Tobacyk, Eva Driggers, Jack Hourcade

Jack Hourcade

The relationship between two personality typologies, self-monitoring and psychological type, were studied. The 18-item Self-Monitoring Scale and the MBTI were completed by 101 university students. As hypothesized, extraversion, intuition, sensing, and perceiving were significantly associated with high self-monitoring. Conversely, as hypothesized, introversion, sensing, and judging were significantly associated with low self-monitoring. The results were consistent for MBTI analyses based on both type categories and on continuous scores. It appears that the perceptual/cognitive information processing preferences associated with extraversion, intuition, and perceiving complement high self-monitoring, while the processing preferences associated with introversion, sensing, and judging complement low self-monitoring.

Special Education Professionals And Assistive Technology: Requirements For Preparation In A Digital Age, George Peterson-Karlan, Jack Hourcade, Howard Parette, Brian Wojcik

Jack Hourcade

This article presents contextual background for the preparation of teachers to effectively use assistive technology (AT) with students with disabilities. A brief description of student uses of technology is presented, noting how students have changed in their understanding and use of information technologies. The role of AT is then presented, linking the role of special education professionals in today’s schools with current teacher preparation practices. Discrepancies are noted between what is needed to best serve Digital Age students in the schools, and the manner and extent to which teachers are prepared. Using existing standards and addressing emerging AT training needs, …

Schools In The 21st Century: Changes And Implications For Boys, Holly Anderson, Jack Hourcade

Jack Hourcade

Over the past decade many have written on an emerging “crisis for boys” in the nation’s schools (e.g., Gurien, Henley, & Trueman, 2001; Sommers, 2000; Pollack, 1998; Sax; 2005). Although perspectives vary widely regarding the extent to which boys may be disadvantaged academically and behaviorally in the classroom, questions of substance persist concerning potential mismatches in the inherent nature and needs of boys relative to contemporary school structures and practices.

Using Assistive Technology Focus Groups With Families Across Cultures, Parette, Mary Huer, Jack Hourcade

Jack Hourcade

While numerous approaches exist to gather information from families having cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds and who have children with developmental disabilities, the use of assistive technology (AT) focus groups holds great promise for professionals. This article provides an overview of a process that can be implemented in school settings by professionals who desire to understand the unique AT needs of families with cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Specifically, a four-phase strategy is presented for collecting information from families regarding their perceptions of school professionals, appropriateness of their child's interventions, and other important attitudes that families might have toward various …

A History Of Augmentative And Alternative Communication For Individuals With Severe And Profound Disabilities, Jack Hourcade, Tami Pilotte, Elizabeth West, Parette

Jack Hourcade

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is a prominent component in the development of support services for individuals with disabilities, especially those with severe disabilities. In this article we provide an overview of the historical development of AAC services, tracing their evolution over the past half-century through four specific themes: social change and legislation, assessment, intervention, and family and cultural issues.

Let Us Not Talk Falsely Now, For The Hour Is Getting Late: An Acknowledgment Of Realpolitik, Jack Hourcade, R. Brimer, Howard Parette

Jack Hourcade

No abstract provided.

Disability Etiquette And School Counselors: A Common Sense Approach Towards Compliance With The Americans With Disability Act, Howard Parette, Jack Hourcade

Jack Hourcade

Describes an approach that may aid school counselors in attending to the needs of disabled students. Impact of the 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act on schools; Historical overview of discriminatory acts in the United States; Guide questions; Common courtesies that need to be extended to the disabled.