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Full-Text Articles in Education

Music Education And At-Risk Students: A Home For Everyone, Sherry L. Francis Aug 2023

Music Education And At-Risk Students: A Home For Everyone, Sherry L. Francis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite positive efforts toward inclusion, learners with special needs are progressively increasing in the United States today especially “at-risk” students; therefore, it is imperative music educators prepare to meet the needs of a diverse population. At-risk most commonly refers to students who struggle academically and have a higher probability of dropping out of school, ultimately, leading to an unstable life. Any student can be at-risk, regardless of background or ability level. Fortunately, music education plays an important role in reaching and retaining at-risk students, particularly, in high school. Music is a reinforcing, valuable tool that creatively encourages student achievement which …


Parent Perspectives Of Inclusion For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Phenomenological Study, Rebecca A. Mack Aug 2023

Parent Perspectives Of Inclusion For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Phenomenological Study, Rebecca A. Mack

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the experiences with inclusion for parents of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and combined intellectual impairment in elementary schools in the United States. The theory guiding this study is Bandura’s theory on social cognitive learning as it applies to students with disabilities learning from observing their peers without disabilities. This study design was a transcendental phenomenological qualitative design to explore multiple parents’ unique experiences with the same phenomenon—inclusion for their child with ASD. Participants were chosen using criterion and snowball sampling from social media groups and live across the …


The Experiences Of Co-Teachers Who Co-Taught Virtually During Covid-19: A Qualitative Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Carmean Deona Matthews Jul 2023

The Experiences Of Co-Teachers Who Co-Taught Virtually During Covid-19: A Qualitative Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Carmean Deona Matthews

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This hermeneutic phenomenological study aimed to describe and understand the experiences of online co-teaching through the perspectives of general education and special education co-teachers at the middle school level during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study followed Bandura’s social cognitive theory, emphasizing self-efficacy and reciprocal determinism as it explains how people think, feel, motivate themselves, and behave. The study answered the following overarching research question: How do co-teachers perceive their ability to implement all-online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic? The school setting for this study is Sunny County Public Schools (pseudonym), a suburban public school district in East Georgia. The researcher …


A Phenomenological Analysis Of Teacher Experiences Regarding Training And Support Towards Inclusionary Practices, Dana Debianca Mosca Jun 2023

A Phenomenological Analysis Of Teacher Experiences Regarding Training And Support Towards Inclusionary Practices, Dana Debianca Mosca

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study will be to describe the experiences regarding the training and support concerning inclusionary practices for elementary school teachers at the BWC school. The theory guiding this study is Bandura’s social cognitive theory as it focuses on how adults learn through observation, receiving immediate feedback, and putting their skills into practice through enactive and vicarious learning experiences. Twelve participants will be selected for this study, from a rural elementary school located in the northeastern United States. Respondents will be comprised of 6 general education teachers and 6 special education teachers, who have experience teaching …


A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Regarding Teachers' Attitudes And Efficacy Toward Students With Disabilities In An Inclusion Classroom Environment, Kimberly Lovett Edwards Apr 2023

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Regarding Teachers' Attitudes And Efficacy Toward Students With Disabilities In An Inclusion Classroom Environment, Kimberly Lovett Edwards

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to understand elementary-level general education teachers’ attitudes and efficacy regarding teaching students with disabilities in an inclusion classroom environment. Bandura’s self-efficacy theory guided this study of teachers’ relationships with their attitudes and efficacy levels with educating students with disabilities in the inclusion classroom environment. The research questions addressed the teachers’ attitudes toward the inclusion of students with disabilities in the inclusion classroom environment. Ten teachers from local elementary public schools participated in individual interviews, and 4 engaged in a focus group interview. The individual and focus interviews were recorded, digitally transcribed …


Regular Education Teachers' Lived Experiences With Self-Efficacy In Light Of The Endrew F. Decision Of 2017 - A Phenomenological Study, Brian Edward Helsel Apr 2023

Regular Education Teachers' Lived Experiences With Self-Efficacy In Light Of The Endrew F. Decision Of 2017 - A Phenomenological Study, Brian Edward Helsel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of regular education teachers' perceptions of self-efficacy aligned with the FAPE mandate in an inclusion model at a small, rural school district on the east coast. The central research question was as follows: What are the lived experiences of regular education teachers working within an inclusion model with students with disabilities? The theory guiding this study involves Bandura's self-efficacy theory of behavioral change, which Bandura defines as a core belief in one's capabilities to act to produce results. A qualitative hermeneutical phenomenology approach aligns with the study by …


A Case Study: Exploring High School Extracurricular Activities' Sponsors' And Coaches' Experiences With The Inclusion Of Ninth--Grade Students As A Marginalized Population, Kimberly Swaney Mar 2023

A Case Study: Exploring High School Extracurricular Activities' Sponsors' And Coaches' Experiences With The Inclusion Of Ninth--Grade Students As A Marginalized Population, Kimberly Swaney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to explore the inclusion process for extracurricular activity sponsors and coaches at a rural high school in southwestern Pennsylvania. The theory guiding this study was Maslow’s theory of human motivation as it provided a structural format that was useful for implementing an inclusive process into extracurricular activities. This was a qualitative, single case study with a purposeful sampling of 11 participants representative of extracurricular activity sponsors and coaches in a rural school district. The central research question was: How do high school extracurricular activities’ sponsors and coaches describe their experiences with the inclusion …


Lived Experiences Of Co-Teachers Including Students With Emotional Behavioral Disabilities: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Jessica Lynn Masters Mar 2023

Lived Experiences Of Co-Teachers Including Students With Emotional Behavioral Disabilities: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Jessica Lynn Masters

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of elementary educators in a large suburban district who have engaged in the co-teaching model to support the reintegration of students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disabilities from self-contained classrooms to the general education classroom. The theories that guided this research were the theory of planned behavior, developed and refined by Ajzen, and the attribution theory, developed by Weiner. Together, these theories support the connection between teacher factors, teacher perspectives, and predictable engagement in the behavior, such as supporting and facilitating inclusion for students …


Impact Of School Closures And Virtual Instruction On Sixth Grade Reading And Math Achievement Of Student Subgroups, Crystal Michelle Pope Jan 2023

Impact Of School Closures And Virtual Instruction On Sixth Grade Reading And Math Achievement Of Student Subgroups, Crystal Michelle Pope

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative design study was to determine whether differences existed between the reading and math achievement of sixth grade general education students and students with disabilities who have been identified with a specific learning disability or other health impairment. This study was important because achievement gaps exist between subgroups of students (Farkas et al., 2020). The sample included scores from 144 students in a school division in Southeastern Virginia. The instrument used was the Grade 6 Reading and Math Standards of Learning assessments administered in the spring of 2021. Two one-way ANOVAs were used to compare …


Predictors Of Self-Efficacy Of Christian School Teachers Toward Inclusion Of Students With Disabilities, Lisa Halsey Joyner Nov 2022

Predictors Of Self-Efficacy Of Christian School Teachers Toward Inclusion Of Students With Disabilities, Lisa Halsey Joyner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative correlation study was to determine how accurately self-efficacy for inclusion of students with special needs could be predicted from a linear combination of predictor variables (pre-service training in special education; in-service professional development on topics related to special education; years of teaching experience) for general education teachers in Christian schools. When the factors that predict teachers’ self-efficacy for inclusion of students with disabilities (SWD) are understood, school leaders can tailor more effective professional development and training to improve the willingness and effectiveness of teachers to create inclusive school environments. An online survey of teachers’ self-efficacy …


A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of School Leaders' Preparation And Leadership Of Inclusive And Special Education Programs, April Denise Burwell Sep 2022

A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of School Leaders' Preparation And Leadership Of Inclusive And Special Education Programs, April Denise Burwell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This transcendental phenomenological study describes how public school leaders experience learning and leading inclusive and special education programs. Two theories guided this study Knowles’s adult learning theory and Mezirow’s transformative learning theory. The central research question for this study was how school leaders describe their professional experiences in leading inclusive and special education programming. The 10 participants in this study were school leaders endorsed in administration and supervision K–12. A criterion sampling was utilized for participant selection across three school districts in Central Virginia. The phenomenological approach was applied during data analysis. Horizontalization and coding were used to identify common …


Best Buddies Club: A Phenomenological Study Of The Non-Disabled Peer Perspective On Socially Interacting With Students With Disabilities, Joanna Marie Cavender Apr 2022

Best Buddies Club: A Phenomenological Study Of The Non-Disabled Peer Perspective On Socially Interacting With Students With Disabilities, Joanna Marie Cavender

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the shared experience of non-disabled peers serving as a “best buddy” to high school students with a disability in the southeastern United States. The theory guiding this study was Vygotsky’s Social Constructivism Theory, where learning between two diverse learners occurs through social interaction with one another, specifically a high school student with a disability and a non-disabled peer buddy. Participants in this study (N=14) were selected from three different high schools throughout one school district, each with active extracurricular Best Buddies Clubs in place. Data were collected through 1:1 interviews, …


A Study Of K-12 Classroom Teachers' Concerns And Perceived Self-Efficacy In Implementing Inclusive Teaching Practices To Instruct Students With Disabilities, Pankaj Khazanchi Mar 2022

A Study Of K-12 Classroom Teachers' Concerns And Perceived Self-Efficacy In Implementing Inclusive Teaching Practices To Instruct Students With Disabilities, Pankaj Khazanchi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research over the past decade suggests teachers have low instructional self-efficacy/confidence and more concerns about implementing inclusive teaching practices. This quantitative correlational study explored whether reported concerns and demographic variables (gender, age, education, and years of teaching experience) predicts teachers’ instructional self-efficacy with students with disabilities. The Concerns about Inclusive Education and the Teachers’ Efficacy in Implementing Inclusive Practices scales were administered to 123 K-12 classroom teachers in Georgia. Data were subjected to hierarchical linear multiple regression to examine whether systematically adding select demographic variables and teachers’ concern scores to the overall model significantly improved the model’s ability to predict …


A Phenomenological Study Of The Shared Lived Experiences Of Students With Disabilities In Inclusion Classrooms, Michelle Lynette Brown Feb 2022

A Phenomenological Study Of The Shared Lived Experiences Of Students With Disabilities In Inclusion Classrooms, Michelle Lynette Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experience of inclusion for students with disabilities regarding the practice of inclusion at a rural middle school in Southwest Virginia. The theories guiding this study were Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of cognitive development and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The central research question for the study was: What are the shared lived experiences of students with disabilities in an inclusion classroom? Other questions addressed social and academic experiences of students with disabilities in inclusion classrooms. The study took place in intermediate and middle schools in rural Southwest Virginia. Purposeful sampling …


Developing Strategies To Improve Collaboration Between Special Education Teachers And Paraprofessionals: An Applied Study, Brianna Noel Wilbanks Jan 2022

Developing Strategies To Improve Collaboration Between Special Education Teachers And Paraprofessionals: An Applied Study, Brianna Noel Wilbanks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this applied study is to find ways to increase collaboration between teachers and paraprofessionals in Title I, K-2 schools, and to find strategies to best train teachers and paraprofessionals to address this problem. This research study seeks to answer the following questions: Central Question: How can the problem of lack of collaboration between special education teachers and paraprofessionals be solved at Mountain Elementary School (a pseudonym) in North Georgia? To answer this question, interviews, focus groups, and a survey were used to collect data. Next, the data were transcribed and analyzed for themes. Finally, based on this …


All God's Children: An Exploratory Study Of Factors To Promote Inclusion Of Autistic Children Within Local Church Congregations, David John Scott Quel Dec 2021

All God's Children: An Exploratory Study Of Factors To Promote Inclusion Of Autistic Children Within Local Church Congregations, David John Scott Quel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the gap that exists within the literature concerning the parent’s perspective for incorporating Autistic individuals into the life of the church. The theory guiding this study is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. In Maslow’s hierarchy, there are five level of needs. These areas are physical needs, security needs, love and belonging, esteem needs and self-actualization. These are the most basic needs whether someone is disabled, has special needs, or has no problems at all. The problem remains, far too often, those individuals who are on the Autistic spectrum are looked at as …


The Impact Of Instructional Coaching On Efficacy In General Education Teachers In Inclusion Classrooms, Kelli Sheriff Jenkins Dec 2021

The Impact Of Instructional Coaching On Efficacy In General Education Teachers In Inclusion Classrooms, Kelli Sheriff Jenkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to determine if there was a difference in teacher efficacy between general education teachers who are coached by a special education instructional coach and general education teachers who have not been coached by a special education instructional coach. Federal mandates, such as the Every Student Succeeds Act and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, guarantee that students with disabilities are included in the general education classroom. General education teachers need to be qualified to teach in an inclusive classroom, yet research overwhelmingly demonstrates that they do not feel prepared or effective. Currently, very …


Perceptions Of General Education And Special Education Teachers Towards Inclusion: A Quantitative Study, Charity Leigh Kinneer Sep 2021

Perceptions Of General Education And Special Education Teachers Towards Inclusion: A Quantitative Study, Charity Leigh Kinneer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the attitudes of general education teachers and special education teacher of the inclusion classroom in the middle and high school levels. Using casual- comparative and survey methodology, the level of agreement or disagreement of these teachers’ attitudes towards the inclusive procedures was assessed in four areas: Planning, Classroom/School Environment, Collaboration/Team Partners, and Resources/Supports/Professional Development. The survey measured general education teachers and special education teachers in the middle and high school levels using a 19- item, five-point Likert scale. To address the research questions, an ANOVA was initially proposed. However, due to the low sample size of administrators …


The Impact Of Inclusive Middle School Classrooms On Students’ Academic Self-Efficacy During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Ashley Barbara Reichert Jul 2021

The Impact Of Inclusive Middle School Classrooms On Students’ Academic Self-Efficacy During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Ashley Barbara Reichert

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The effects of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic continue to be unveiled. The pressures and stipulations for inclusion can cause great stress for teachers and administrators to attempt ways to create a least restrictive environment (LRE) for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), while maintaining rigor and safety for all students in the midst of changing policy and practice. Self-efficacy allows individuals to measure their beliefs in the ability to complete a task. The pandemic led to a need of examining students’ self-efficacy within the inclusive environment. The purpose of the study was to examine the differences in academic self-efficacy …


An Applied Study Examining Inclusion Models In An All-Girls Rhode Island Catholic High School, Shannon Mcmahon Apr 2021

An Applied Study Examining Inclusion Models In An All-Girls Rhode Island Catholic High School, Shannon Mcmahon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this applied study was to seek to solve the problem of a lack of comprehensive special education programming in an all-girls, Catholic school in Rhode Island, that addresses the students’ academic, social, and emotional needs, and to design a proposal of recommendations, using a multi-method approach. Particular attention was given to the merits of peer mentoring as an effective inclusion strategy. The central research question was “How can the problem of lack of comprehensive special education programs for girls be solved at St. Teresa’s Catholic School in Rhode Island?” Data were collected using both quantitative and qualitative …


An Analysis Of Opinions About Special Education Inclusion Among Virginia Elementary And Middle School Administrators, Pattye Keeling Leslie Apr 2021

An Analysis Of Opinions About Special Education Inclusion Among Virginia Elementary And Middle School Administrators, Pattye Keeling Leslie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Past research has shown a relationship between individuals’ attitudes and their intentions to act. The attitudes of principals and assistant principals can impact the implementation of inclusion in the public school setting. This predictive correlational study used multiple regression to analyze the linear relationship between the opinions about inclusion and the factors of administrative assignment, school level, administrative experience, special education endorsement, gender, percentage of minority students served, percentage of students served identified as economically disadvantaged, and percentage of students served identified with a disability. The sample included 104 elementary and middle school principals and assistant principals representing 26 Virginia …


The Value Of Assessment For The Inclusive General Music Classroom, Mary Elizabeth Quigley Aug 2020

The Value Of Assessment For The Inclusive General Music Classroom, Mary Elizabeth Quigley

Masters Theses

This project contains an analysis of the current inclusion and assessment practices of the middle school (7th and 8th grade) general music classroom. There are many studies concerning inclusion of students with special needs and the importance of assessments in teaching music. However, there are very few studies that connect assessment techniques with inclusion, demonstrating that music teachers are teaching to each student’s ability. This study used the case study methodology in the qualitative approach with teacher interviews, surveys, and several classroom observations to analyze the data. The data was coded, and names of people and the school district were …


The Prevalence And Importance Of Ethnic Diversity In Children’S Literature, Rose Schewe Oct 2019

The Prevalence And Importance Of Ethnic Diversity In Children’S Literature, Rose Schewe

Senior Honors Theses

Despite the complicated past of ethnic censorship, ethnic diversity has a prominent role in children’s literature published in the United States because diversity is accurately representative of the culture in which today’s young readers live. Children’s literature has advanced in terms of ethnic diversity in recent decades, but obstacles that prevent the stories of various minority groups from being told continue to exist. In order for all children to feel properly included in the literary world, children must be given the opportunity to see both people who are different from them as well as people who bear similarities to themselves …


A Comparison Of Eighth Grade General Education Students’ Ela Scores In Co-Teaching And Regular Classrooms, Deborah Cecilia Mitchell Aug 2019

A Comparison Of Eighth Grade General Education Students’ Ela Scores In Co-Teaching And Regular Classrooms, Deborah Cecilia Mitchell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This causal comparative, ex post facto quantitative study compared the Georgia Milestones English Language Arts (ELA) scores of 8th-grade general education students taught in a co-teaching classroom compared with scores of students taught in a regular classroom. The research focused on a comparison of the academic performance of two groups on statewide standardized assessments in ELA over 2 consecutive years, 2017 and 2018. The study contributes to the limited research regarding student achievement of general education students in co-teaching classrooms. This study was based on Vygotsky’s social development theory. The research questions examined the differences in the academic performance of …


The Impact Of Co-Teaching On Mathematics Achievement Of Middle School General Education Students, Jarrod Bingham Apr 2019

The Impact Of Co-Teaching On Mathematics Achievement Of Middle School General Education Students, Jarrod Bingham

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

To accommodate the presence of special education students in general education classrooms, many schools have implemented collaborative teaching or co-teaching, a model in which two or more teachers share responsibility for a group of students. While myriad research has demonstrated that this model benefits special education students, very little researchers have examined the effect of co-teaching upon the general education student, who often outnumber the special education students. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to investigate co-teaching’s impact upon the mathematic achievement of general education students. The independent variable in this study was students’ placement into either a) …


A Comparative Study Of Special Education Teachers’ Inclusion Perceptions: The Role Of Certification Routes, Dannette Taylor Estes Apr 2019

A Comparative Study Of Special Education Teachers’ Inclusion Perceptions: The Role Of Certification Routes, Dannette Taylor Estes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A primary goal of education is to increase student achievement. Many school districts are addressing increased student achievement by hiring and retaining effective teachers. Teacher effectiveness and student achievement are both influenced by teacher perception. Teachers with positive perceptions have been shown to contribute to increased student achievement and are perceived to be effective educators. Special education teachers hold both positive and negative perceptions about inclusion. In addition to varied perceptions of inclusion, teachers have taken different routes to obtain special education teacher certification. The purpose of this causal-comparative, quantitative study was to determine whether a statistically significant difference exists …


Book It, Bullies: Using Children's Literature To Address Bullying In The Classroom, Kamryn Gottier Apr 2019

Book It, Bullies: Using Children's Literature To Address Bullying In The Classroom, Kamryn Gottier

Senior Honors Theses

Bullying is an ever-present issue rampant in schools and society today. It is incredibly eye-opening to consider the striking rates, harmful effects, and possible coping mechanisms associated with bullying. When considering this heavy topic from an educator’s point of view, it is critical that children’s literature be discussed as a powerful weapon to combat bullying. Educators should utilize literature to address bullying and initiate discussions concerning this challenging subject within their classes; prepare their students for being in an inclusion classroom among peers with and without disabilities; inform their students about disabilities that some of their classmates may be diagnosed …


Secondary School Principals' Perceptions Of Inclusion For Students With Autism: A Causal-Comparative Study, Jason Brent Conaway Dec 2018

Secondary School Principals' Perceptions Of Inclusion For Students With Autism: A Causal-Comparative Study, Jason Brent Conaway

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A person’s perceptions define their reality, and behavior is based on what one believes to be real; therefore, perception is the path to belief, and one usually acts upon belief (Colaianni, 2015). According to Hallinger and Murphy (2012), “Today, we view instructional leadership as an influence process through which leaders identify direction for the school, motivate staff and coordinate school and classroom-based strategies aimed at improvements in teaching and learning” (p. 7). The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to contribute to a body of research surrounding the perceptions of secondary school principals toward the inclusion of students with …


Teacher Efficacy Of Secondary Special Education Science Teachers, Celeste Bonton Dec 2017

Teacher Efficacy Of Secondary Special Education Science Teachers, Celeste Bonton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Students with disabilities are a specific group of the student population that are guaranteed rights that allow them to receive a free and unbiased education in an environment with their non-disabled peers. The importance of this study relates to providing students with disabilities with the opportunity to receive instruction from the most efficient and prepared educators. The purpose of this study is to determine how specific factors influence special education belief systems. In particular, educators who provide science instruction in whole group or small group classrooms in a large metropolitan area in Georgia possess specific beliefs about their ability to …


A Phenomenological Study Of Elementary General Education Teachers' Experiences Teaching Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Patricia Massengale Dec 2017

A Phenomenological Study Of Elementary General Education Teachers' Experiences Teaching Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Patricia Massengale

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of elementary general education teachers instructing students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in a suburban North Georgia inclusion setting. The four research questions that guided this study included (a) How do elementary general education teachers describe their experiences teaching students with ASD in their classrooms? (b) In what ways do teachers describe how the presence of students with ASD influence their beliefs regarding inclusion? (c) How do teachers describe the challenges they faced with students with ASD in the inclusion setting? and (d) How do teachers describe the …