Education Commons^™

The Effects Of Station Teaching On Academic Achievement, Attention And Focus Of Students With Learning Disabilities In An Inclusive Classroom, Jacqueline M. Wraight

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the station model of co-teaching on the academic achievement and attention, focus and engagement of students with learning disabilities, as well as, the students' satisfaction with this model. The study utilized an ABAB single subject design to look at one of the six models developed by Friend and Cook (2004) allowing educators to combine their expertise to meet the needs of students in an inclusive setting. The results reveal the station model of co-teaching to be beneficial for students with learning disabilities in the areas of academic achievement and …

The Effects Of The Station Teaching Model Of Co-Teaching On Students With Learning Disabilities, Kathryn A. Ruoff

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was: (a) to examine the effects of using the station teaching model of co-teaching to improve academic performance of students with learning disabilities, (b) to examine the effects of using the station teaching model of co-teaching to improve attention and engagement of students with learning disabilities, and (c) to evaluate student satisfaction of the station teaching intervention. Eight elementary students, five second graders and three fourth graders participated in the study. All eight students, three males and five females, were eligible for special education services as classified with varying learning disabilities. A single subject ABAB …

Reducing Suspension Rates In Camden, New Jersey, Christina Fleming

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have found that being suspended is a strong indicator that a student will eventually drop out. Students who drop out are much more likely to end up in prison, becoming part of the "school to prison pipeline." This study will look to answer the question "Are Charter schools addressing the School to Prison Pipeline?" Camden, NJ, a city riddled with poverty, high crime rates, and high rates of incarceration is now a city with an all but dismantled public school system. Can Charter schools be the answer?

Researchers have gathered enough evidence to support various solutions including but are …

The Effects Of Mindfulness On The Engagement And Social Interactions Of High School Students With Learning Disabilities, Naveen Khan

Theses and Dissertations

This study followed a single subject ABABAB design to examine the effects of mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) on the on-task engagement and the positive social interactions of high school students with disabilities. The seven students participating in this study attend a special services school and underwent the study in a basic skills math class. Baseline data was collected in week zero prior to the start of the study via a system of monitoring and checking for desired behavior; how often the students were on task, and how often they showed positive social behaviors. This baseline data was then used to examine …

Successful Transition Planning For Individuals Diagnosed With Asd: A Comparison Of Sending And Receiving School Districts, Carly J. Olcese

Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that the successful transition plans can provide students who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with increased employment opportunities, independent living options, and most importantly a positive quality of life. Individuals diagnosed with ASD have a variety of symptoms and characteristics that range from moderate to severe. Teachers and parents must work together to provide the child or adult with an education that encompasses their strengths and areas improvement, to allow for independence and future success. The purpose of this study was to examine the importance of the components in the transition process as well as …

A Study Of The Collaborative Strategies Of General Education And Special Education Teachers In The Inclusion Classroom In An Urban High School, Angela Mcdougall

Theses and Dissertations

This study expands on prior research on the benefits and strategies implemented in an inclusion classroom with the general education and special education teacher in an urban high school. The collaborative strategies that both teachers implement are critical to ensure a high level of instruction delivery to the special education students and the general education students that are placed together in the inclusion classroom. The general education teacher and the special education teacher both have their respective roles in the inclusion classroom.

General education teachers, ICS (in class support) and special education teachers who instruct in self-contained classrooms were interviewed …

The Effects Of Technology Use In A Third Grade Inclusion Classroom, Jamie C. Ott

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this single-subject, ABAB research design study was to examine if the integration of Google Classroom and digital texts on Chromebooks promotes student academic performance, specifically their reading level, and active engagement in an inclusive setting. This research was designed to identify the effects that introducing digital texts and comprehension response items in Google Classroom has on students' comprehension and engagement. This study was conducted in an inner-city public k-8 grade school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The scores gathered from students' TDA responses and engagement were converted into percentages and put into tables. The data from these two variables …

Investigating The Use Of Technology In Communication Exchanges And Visual Support For Students With Autism, Angela Barone

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of technology in a first-grade resource classroom. The participants used in this study were first grade nonverbal students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The data collected during this study reflected if Apple iPads(TM) increased the number of communication exchanges between teachers and students in a classroom using a Picture Exchange System on each screen. The study also examined the increase in independent task completion using the iPad(TM) in a first grade classroom. The students used a checklist of six items to complete, and had to complete this checklist independently using …

Will Teaching Pecs To Vocal And Non-Vocal Students Increase Social Interactions?, Patricia Kathleen Infantino

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of PECS when taught to vocal and non- vocal students would increase communication and interactions during social situations. While using PECS both groups increased their social interactions during play time. Before this study the children in group one were not interacting at all. After being taught the use of PECS Group One interacted an average of five times per session. Before the study the children in Group two were not demonstrating any interactions, and after being taught the use of PECS they interacted an average of 10 times per …

The Effectiveness Of Character Education On Student Behavior, Katie M. Ferrara

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if character education in schools is effective enough to positively increase students' moral and ethical behaviors and values. Students' behaviors in grades Kindergarten through fifth across three different elementary schools were examined. Measurements were taken prior to the implementation of a character education program and were reexamined after the first year. The results of the study revealed all three schools decreased in filed discipline reports and increased in positive behaviors from the execution of character education programs.

The Benefit Of Using Peer Buddies In Adaptive Physical Education, Julie Anne Cairone

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to observe the participation levels of students with disabilities in an adaptive physical education class with the addition of typically developing students in the class as Peer Buddies. The goal was to observe the students' participation levels prior to the introduction of the Peer Buddies then again after the introduction of the Peer Buddies. There were thirteen typically developing students who were the peer buddies and fourteen students with disabilities in the adaptive physical education class. The thirteen peer buddies took a survey before being introduced to the adaptive physical education class and a …

Effects Of Differentiating Instruction Through Tiered Lessons In Special Education Secondary Mathematics, Katlyn Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of differentiating instructing through tiered lessons to see if it would improve students' success in high school special education classes. The study was done in two Algebra II secondary special education classrooms including 17 students in total. There were 5 females and 12 males, all students were juniors in high school and aged 16 or 17 years old. All of the students were classified as either specific learning disabilities, other health impaired, or multiple disabilities including anxiety and depression. The students were enrolled in resources classes for all of their major academic subjects and inclusive …

The Effectiveness Of A Digital Ipad Curriculum In The Classroom, Erin Marie Warantz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if utilizing a digital iPad curriculum increases academic achievement in students in a middle school inclusive mathematics classroom. Twenty eighth-grade students participated in the study. The research was conducted using a group design methodology. Ten students in the experimental group used the digital iPad curriculum throughout instruction. The remaining ten students in the control group used traditional paper materials. A baseline was found prior to instruction using pre-tests. While the instruction was the same for all students, the methods of note-taking, practice of skills, and assignment completion and submission varied between the …

Decreasing Chronic Absenteeism Rate For Students With Disabilities: One Call Or Text At A Time, Richard Dean Branco

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to see if an added layer of communication could reduce the absenteeism rate for Students with Disabilities (SWD). Additionally, the study looked at two areas of interest with regards to communicating with parents and/or guardians (i.e., type of contact and tone of the message being conveyed). The study began by obtaining a list of juniors and sophomores who had missed 10% or more of school for the first 41 days of the 2018-19 school year. The list was then randomly assigned by grade into three groups (i.e., Control, Treatment 1, and Treatment 2). Each …

Does Participation In Special Education Services In Pre-Kindergarten Mitigate The Need For Services Beyond Third Grade?, Cynthia Ann Lamonaca

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the change of the special education classroom placement status rate of students in a Southern New Jersey school district over a seven-year period. To gather this information, the classroom placement data from the current 6th grade class was gathered from select years of their schooling going back to preschool. Special education services were analyzed retroactively for this group of students beginning at the pre-kindergarten year (2011-2012), and again in their first grade (2013-2014), third grade (2015-2016) and current sixth grade (2018-2019) placements. The goal was to compare the number of students from …

The Effects Of Using Mini Whiteboards On The Academic Performance And Engagement Of Students In A Tenth Grade Resource English/Language Arts Classroom, Elizabeth Catherine Gimbutas

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to: (a) examine the effectiveness of mini whiteboards in increasing engagement, (b) examine the effectiveness of mini whiteboards in increasing academic achievement, and (c) determine if students in a tenth grade English/Language Arts resource center classroom are satisfied with the use of mini whiteboards. The research was conducted using an ABAB single-subject design methodology. Student achievement was evaluated through weekly assessments, while daily engagement was evaluated using interval recording in 5-minute increments. Results suggest that the use of mini whiteboards may help increase the engagement and academic achievement of students in a tenth grade …

The Effects Of Response To Intervention On Reducing The Numbers Of African American Students In Special Education, Kimberly Savino

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if states that have implemented Response to Intervention (RTI) programs had a reduction in the numbers of African American students receiving Special Education. Historically, there has been an overrepresentation of minorities, particularly African Americans, receiving special education in America's schools. In 2004, the federal government amended the Individual with Disabilities Act (IDEA) to include RTI. The RTI initiative has the possibility to reduce special education referrals through the use of research-based interventions, progress monitoring, and data collection. The premise behind RTI is to identify students at-risk for academic difficulties and provide the …

The Implementation And Effectiveness Of Tier 2 Response To Intervention Reading Comprehension In 4th Grade, Christine Renee Reichert

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory investigation is to examine whether the use of the two strategies "Stop and Jot" and "Learning Ally" delivered as part of tier-2 Response to Intervention model, will improve the reading comprehension deficits of fourth grade students with reading difficulties. Participants in this study varied in their results, but overall there were positive outcomes. Students were assessed during the pre-intervention phase, intervention phase and post-intervention phase using the Fountas and Pinnell Reading Benchmark Assessment.

The average participant increased their reading level by one on the Fountas and Pinnell Reading Benchmark Assessment. Two students in this study …

Is The Competent Learner Model Effective For Students With Autism?, Christopher Robert O'Brien

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effectiveness of an alternative instructional strategy (Competent Learner Model) for enhancing the social interactions of a student with autism. One eight-year old student with autism participated in this study. He was assessed for initial levels of functioning in each of the five repertories using the Competent Learner Repertoire Assessments of the Competent Learner Model. Following the initial results, varied generalized instruction in each of these domains began. Methods of instruction utilized direct teaching (DT) as well as peer-teaching as part of the generalized concept. The results showed impressive improvement for four out of the five repertoires …

Student Distractibility With School-Issued Computers, Emily Mae Conaway

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this exploratory investigation were to (a) determine if students are able to identify when and how often they become off task while using computers, (b) if middle school aged students are mature enough to self-regulate their technology use, and (c) which strategies teachers could incorporate to limit students' technology distractions.

The researcher broke this study into three phases to study reward strategies designed to keep students on task while using their devices. The first step was to gather baseline data from students and teachers using two surveys. After the educator surveys were evaluated, teachers in the social …

Perceptions Of Teachers Regarding The Efficacy Of Inclusion In Primary Classroom Settings, Tara Catherine Chapman

Theses and Dissertations

Students in the Brick Township School District in Brick, New Jersey are taught in inclusive classrooms, meaning that students with special needs learn alongside their typically developing peers. The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions of teachers and their attitudes toward inclusion practices and to examine the factors that influence those attitudes. Brick School District teachers were invited to respond to an online questionnaire to share their views on inclusive education. Teachers' attitudes were discovered to be related to their beliefs regarding school factors, including support from administration and access to adequate professional development opportunities. Furthermore, teachers' …

Common Factors That Benefit And Hinder The Co-Teaching Partnership In The High School Setting, Kaitlyn Nicole Muller

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this narrative study was to explore the lived experiences of both general and special education teachers in co-teaching relationships at Red Bank Regional High School in order to discover common patterns that benefit and hinder co-teaching partnerships across general and special education teaching roles, departments, and grade levels. Four pairs of co-teachers, eight total teachers, agreed to participate in this study. The co-teaching pairs were selected from four different departments, English Language Arts, History, Science, and Mathematics. Descriptive research, such as having the participants complete a survey, produce graphic elicitation tasks, and participate in an interview were …

Self-Questioning In Writing, Erin Lynn Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the self-questioning strategy, using student-generated questions when writing narrative and expository text. Six eighth grade students, diagnosed with a disability, were measured on their achievement in their quality of writing, through a 6-point holistic rubric and a feature checklist, their quantity of writing through the number of words written, and their creation of literal, direct, and evaluative questions. Students participated in a narrative and expository cycle over the duration of four months. In Phase A, of each cycle, students wrote an essay of the specified genre, establishing the baseline. In Phase …

The Effects Of Peer Mediated Instruction On Students' Knowledge Of Basic Math Facts, Jazmine Fields

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to: (a) to examine the effectiveness of peer mediated instruction (PMI) on student knowledge of basic math facts, (b) explore how PMI effects the on task behavior of students, and (c) evaluate how students' satisfaction with using PMI as a learning strategy in a mathematics classroom. Three second grade students, two males and one female, with IEPs participated in the study. A single subject ABAB design was used. The study examined if PMI can be utilized to assist students in increasing their knowledge of basic math facts as opposed to utilizing traditional ways of …

Enhancing Generalization Of Social Skills With Students With Significant Disabilities, Joseph John Prenenski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the implementation of methods for enhancing generalization of social skills for students with significant disabilities will improve their social skills. Research indicates that students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have difficulty using social skills and generalization of social skills interventions in the classroom. This study included five sixth grade students. Three of the students have multiple disabilities (MD) and two have autism (AUT). A-B-C design was used to assess the generalization effects of my intervention. The study has three phases. Phase A was the baseline where no program consequences nor prompts …

Effects Of Using Google Classroom On Teaching Math Students With Learning Disabilities, Margaret Cacace

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Google Classroom on the outcomes of students with learning disabilities in the mathematics classroom. Specifically, the study evaluated students' organizational skills, student achievement, and student satisfaction. The study included 7 high school students, 4 males and 3 females, in an Algebra 2 resource class. A single-subject ABAB design was used. During the baseline phases, students received Algebra 2 instruction as usual. During the intervention, Google Classroom was implemented to assign, complete, and manage all assignments. Homework and classwork assignments were used to measure student organization while quiz and test …

The Effectiveness Of Google Classroom In The Self-Contained Chemistry Classroom, Steven J. Gross

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory investigation was to ascertain the effectiveness of Google Classroom in the self-contained Chemistry classroom in terms of student turning in of assignments, student performance on summative assessment, student satisfaction with the use of Google Classroom, student contribution to class discussion in terms of frequency and quality, and the student acceptance of Google Classroom as a system of technology. Results suggest increased growth on summative assessments, turning in of assignments, and less regression in turning in of assignments with the implementation and use of Google Classroom. Results also suggest that the student population performs better through …

An Exploratory Investigation Of The Effect Of Reading Strategies On Science Assessment Scores, Suzanne K. Lynch

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of literacy strategies in a content area improves a summative assessment score. All of the students in this research had Individual Education Plans. Most of the students have specific learning disabilities that include reading comprehension, reading fluency, basic reading skills, and inferencing skills. Both pre-reading and during reading strategies were used for the study. Students were exposed to the use of graphic organizers and close reading strategies on given topics. Data gathered from the experiment showed that the use of a graphic organizer in addition to notes and labs …

Cooperative Grouping In The Inclusive Stem Classroom, Catherine M. Elsey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if using cooperative group role assignments impacted on-task behavior in an inclusive STEM classroom. This study investigated if students were positively engaged, remained on-task, and completed STEM challenges with their group. There were two 5th grade classes, each with sixteen participants, involved in the study. In the experimental class, students had role assignments in their cooperative group of four members. The other class, was a control group, and students did not have role assignments in their group of four members. Data was collected through observation procedures of on-task and off-task behaviors for …

The Effectiveness Of Growth Mindset Strategies On Off-Task Time In A Special Education Mathematics Classroom, Alisa Marie Ialacci

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of growth mindset strategies on off-task time and attitude in a special education classroom. This research was done using a two-group pretest-posttest design where students with IEPs will be compared to those who do not have IEPs. Student on-task time was monitored prior to the intervention to give a pre-assessment of each student's off-task time. During the intervention, the students' behaviors were observed for signs of improvement. Growth mindset strategies were implemented during each class as needed for improving the overall mood. Overall the results showed a decrease in off-task …