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Full-Text Articles in Education

Parent Priorities And Knowledge Regarding Transition To Adulthood For Middle School Students With Significant Disabilities, Laura Hackwell Aug 2018

Parent Priorities And Knowledge Regarding Transition To Adulthood For Middle School Students With Significant Disabilities, Laura Hackwell

Laura Hackwell

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 requires transition planning to begin at age 16 years, but many states require transition planning to begin even earlier. In Utah, the amended age for starting transition planning is 14 years.  Early implementation of transition planning requires collaboration between middle school teachers, parents, and adult service agencies. Parents of middle school students with significant disabilities completed an online survey to identify postsecondary transition related priorities and knowledge. Participants identified top priorities within seven transition outcomes, as well as the information needed to understand and support their student within each specific transition area. …


Support Services For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Higher Education, Deanna L. Keith Dr. Dec 2017

Support Services For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Higher Education, Deanna L. Keith Dr.

Deanna Keith

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to identify the factors that impact learners
with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in a postsecondary setting. The central research
question is: What factors of the disability support services offices impact learning in
university students with ASD? The subquestions include: (a) How do students with ASD
describe their experiences with the University’s disability support services offices? (b)
How do University faculty describe their role in supporting students with ASD? (c) What
factors of the disability support services offices are perceived by students and faculty as
having a positive impact on student learning? (d) …


Intrusiveness Of Behavioral Treatments For Children With Autism And Developmental Disabilities: An Initial Investigation, Michael R. Mayton, Stacy L. Carter, Jie Zhang, John J. Wheeler May 2017

Intrusiveness Of Behavioral Treatments For Children With Autism And Developmental Disabilities: An Initial Investigation, Michael R. Mayton, Stacy L. Carter, Jie Zhang, John J. Wheeler

John J. Wheeler

The behaviors frequently displayed by students with autism can place them at risk for overly reactive behavior interventions with unwanted side effects. The current study examined the level of intrusiveness of behavioral treatments developed for 198 students with disabilities from 13 different states. Results demonstrated that students diagnosed with autism had proportionally more intrusive behavior interventions when compared to students in five other disability categories and indicated that many students with autism were unnecessarily subjected to highly intrusive behavior interventions. The implications of these findings are discussed, and recommendations for future research are provided.


How To Implement Visual Activity Schedules For Students With Disabilities, Amy D. Spriggs, Wilhelmina Van Dijk, Pamela J. Mims May 2017

How To Implement Visual Activity Schedules For Students With Disabilities, Amy D. Spriggs, Wilhelmina Van Dijk, Pamela J. Mims

Pamela J. Mims

Based on recent literature reviews on the use of Visual Activity Schedules (VAS) for students with intellectual disability and autism, the strategy has been deemed an evidence based practice. Using the literature highlighted in the recent reviews, this article provides an overview of VAS and common skills VAS has been used to teach. Additionally, the authors provide guidelines on schedules variations, creating schedules, and implementing the schedules. Finally, several examples of VAS are included.


Data-Based Decisions Guidelines For Teachers Of Students With Severe Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Bree A. Jimenez, Pamela J. Mims, Diane M. Browder May 2017

Data-Based Decisions Guidelines For Teachers Of Students With Severe Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Bree A. Jimenez, Pamela J. Mims, Diane M. Browder

Pamela J. Mims

Effective practices in student data collection and implementation of data-based instructional decisions are needed for all educators, but are especially important when students have severe intellectual and develop- mental disabilities. Although research in the area of data-based instructional decisions for students with severe disabilities shows benefits for using data, there is limited research to demonstrate teachers in applied settings can acquire the decision-making skills required. The purpose of this research was to demonstrate how teachers from five states acquired a set of data-based decisions implementation guidelines through online professional development. Recommendations for practice and future research are included.


A Culturally And Linguistically Responsive Framework For Improving Academic And Postsecondary Outcomes Of Students With Moderate Or Severe Intellectual Disability, Christopher J. Rivera, Bree A. Jimenez, Joshua N. Baker, Tracy Spies, Pamela J. Mims, Ginevra Courtade May 2017

A Culturally And Linguistically Responsive Framework For Improving Academic And Postsecondary Outcomes Of Students With Moderate Or Severe Intellectual Disability, Christopher J. Rivera, Bree A. Jimenez, Joshua N. Baker, Tracy Spies, Pamela J. Mims, Ginevra Courtade

Pamela J. Mims

The needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students with moderate or severe intellectual disability (ID) are quite unique and complex. CLD students with moderate or severe ID face many of the same issues as their non-disabled CLD peers; however, due to the nature of their disability this may lead to even less access to the general curriculum, appropriate services, materials, and meaningful collaboration between families and educators. The purpose of this article is to provide a culturally responsive framework for facilitating academic instruction for CLD students with moderate or severe ID that also includes appropriate supports in an effort …


Effects Of A Treatment Package To Facilitate English/Language Arts Learning For Middle School Students With Moderate To Severe Disabilities, Pamela J. Mims, Angel Lee, Diane M. Browder, Tracie-Lynn Zakas, Susan Flynn May 2017

Effects Of A Treatment Package To Facilitate English/Language Arts Learning For Middle School Students With Moderate To Severe Disabilities, Pamela J. Mims, Angel Lee, Diane M. Browder, Tracie-Lynn Zakas, Susan Flynn

Pamela J. Mims

This pilot study sought to develop and evaluate the use of a treatment package that included systematic and direct instruction on acquisition of literacy skills aligned with middle school English/Language Arts standards for students with moderate to severe disabilities, including autism. Participants included five teachers and 15 middle school students with moderate to severe disabilities who were primarily served in a self-contained setting. A one-group, nonrandomized, pre-posttest design was implemented to measure vocabulary, comprehen- sion of familiar text and unfamiliar text, poetry, research, and writing skills. Results indicated significant gains in vocabulary and comprehension of familiar text. Limitations, implications, and …


A_Case_Study_Of_Factors_That_Influenced_The_Attrition_Or_Retention_Of_Two_First-Year_Special_Education_Teachers.Pdf, Marquis Grant Dec 2016

A_Case_Study_Of_Factors_That_Influenced_The_Attrition_Or_Retention_Of_Two_First-Year_Special_Education_Teachers.Pdf, Marquis Grant

Marquis C. Grant, Ed.D

The issue of attrition and retention has been a chronic problem in the field of education for decades. School districts across the United States are experiencing shortages of qualified special education teachers largely due to high turnover rates, with many of these teachers electing not to return after their first year of teaching. In fact, roughly nine percent of special educators not return to the profession after their first year, citing themes such as lack of administrative support, excessive paperwork and burnout as primary factors that prompted their decision to leave. The purpose of this study was to identify problems …


Creating The Continuum: J. E. Wallace Wallin And The Role Of Clinical Psychology In The Emergence Of Public School Special Education In America, Philip M. Ferguson Jun 2015

Creating The Continuum: J. E. Wallace Wallin And The Role Of Clinical Psychology In The Emergence Of Public School Special Education In America, Philip M. Ferguson

Philip M. Ferguson

This paper reviews the history of the continuum of services in intellectual disability programs. The emergence of public school special education in the United States in the first two decades of the 20th century is used as a case study of this history by focusing on events and personalities connected to the St. Louis Public Schools. Using Annual Reports from the era along with the abundant publications and personal papers of J.E. Wallace Wallin, the author explores how the growing class of specialists in clinical psychology and psychometrics gained a foothold in the schools as educational gatekeepers for student placements …


An Ecobehavioral Assessment Of The Teaching Behaviors Of Teacher Candidates During Their Special Education Internship Experiences, Len Roberson, M Lynn Woolsey, Janice Seabrooks, Gwen Williams Mar 2013

An Ecobehavioral Assessment Of The Teaching Behaviors Of Teacher Candidates During Their Special Education Internship Experiences, Len Roberson, M Lynn Woolsey, Janice Seabrooks, Gwen Williams

Len Roberson

In the last 20 years, teacher preparation programs have come under close scrutiny by the public and governmental agencies charged with monitoring teacher quality and the academic achievement of American students. Both regular and special education teacher preparation programs struggle with the requirement to collect valid and reliable evidence of teacher candidate performance and their effect on student learning. This study incorporated an ecobehavioral assessment tool (MS-CISSAR) in the evaluation of 13 special education teacher candidates during their internship experiences. Special education teacher candidates taught in deaf education classrooms and self-contained and resource rooms for students with disabilities. Results showed …


The Rights Of Disabled Students, Derek W. Black, Robert A. Garda Jr., John E. Taylor, Emily Gold Waldman Dec 2012

The Rights Of Disabled Students, Derek W. Black, Robert A. Garda Jr., John E. Taylor, Emily Gold Waldman

Robert A. Garda

Education Law: Equality, Fairness, and Reform situates case law in the broader education world by including edited versions of federal policy guidance, seminal law review articles, social science studies, and policy reports. It offers comprehensive coverage of education law while also focusing specifically on equality and civil rights issues. It includes individual chapters on each major area of inequality: race, poverty, gender, disability, homelessness, and language status. Those chapters are followed by a structured approach to the complex first amendment questions, dividing the first amendment into three different chapters and addressing, in order, freedom of expression and thought, religion in …


Online Learning And Mentors: Addressing The Shortage Of Rural Special Educators Through Technology And Collaboration, Evelyn S. Johnson, Michael J. Humphrey, Keith W. Allred Nov 2012

Online Learning And Mentors: Addressing The Shortage Of Rural Special Educators Through Technology And Collaboration, Evelyn S. Johnson, Michael J. Humphrey, Keith W. Allred

Keith W. Allred

This article describes a promising model in comprehensive special education personnel preparation to support the recruitment and retention of special education teachers in rural areas. The approach draws on several bodies of research to include best practices for teacher education, online service delivery, collaboration among key stakeholders, and the development of strong mentoring and induction programs. The implementation plan, based on evidence-based practice in special education and online learning, is presented. A key element of this plan is developing and maintaining strong relationships among rural districts, the state department of education, and higher education.


Culture Clash: Special Education In Charter Schools, Robert A. Garda Jr. Dec 2011

Culture Clash: Special Education In Charter Schools, Robert A. Garda Jr.

Robert A. Garda

Charter schools and special education for disabled students are based on conflicting education reforms and agency oversight principles. Charter schools operate in a culture of regulatory freedom and flexibility. They arose out of the modern era of accountability reform, in which student outcomes are the primary measure of school success and the driving engine of agency oversight. In stark contrast, special education laws were conceived in the civil rights era of education reform, which emphasized process and paid little attention to outcomes. The education of disabled students is steeped in a culture of regulatory oversight focused on rigid compliance with …


The History Of Special Education: Lessons From The Past, Implications For The Future, Lucinda S. Spaulding, Deanna L. Keith Dr. Nov 2010

The History Of Special Education: Lessons From The Past, Implications For The Future, Lucinda S. Spaulding, Deanna L. Keith Dr.

Lucinda S. Spaulding

We identify three eras in the history of special education: Early Reform (1800 – 1870), Stagnation and Regression (1870-1950), and Contemporary Reform (1950 – present). Next we examine parallels between eras and consider implications for people with disabilities today, highlighting the importance of the systematic study of historical perspectives in preparation programs for special educators.


Best Practices For Inclusive Science Instruction, Lucinda S. Spaulding, Jenny Sue Flannagan Jan 2010

Best Practices For Inclusive Science Instruction, Lucinda S. Spaulding, Jenny Sue Flannagan

Lucinda S. Spaulding

The purpose of this session is to provide an overview of evidence based best practices for inclusive science instruction and to equip teachers with applicable strategies for scaffolding instruction and responding to learner needs based on research in special education and science instruction. As a result of this session, participants will learn strategies and methods for helping students learn to independently design experiments, use the scientific process, and develop critical thinking skills. There will also be an emphasis on effective co-teaching practices and employing instructional strategies for reinforcing skills and content knowledge across the curriculum, providing more time for instruction …


Acquisition And Generalization Of Activity Schedules And Their Effects On Task Engagement In A Young Child With Autism In An Inclusive Pre-School Classroom, N. Gayle Massey, John J. Wheeler Aug 2001

Acquisition And Generalization Of Activity Schedules And Their Effects On Task Engagement In A Young Child With Autism In An Inclusive Pre-School Classroom, N. Gayle Massey, John J. Wheeler

John J. Wheeler

Efficacy of individualized activity schedules with a 4-year old child diagnosed with autism who attended an integrated public pre-school classroom was examined. Graduated physical guidance and a system of most-to-least prompts were used during skill acquisition stages with teacher proximity and level of prompts being eventually faded. A multiple baseline across activities (work and leisure) assessed performance across baseline, treatment, and maintenance conditions with stimulus generalization being assessed during a third activity (lunch). Results support the findings from MacDuff, Krantz, and McClannahan (1993) in that a child with autism can successfully acquire the skills necessary to independently follow activity schedules …


An Exploratory Resource Allocation Model For Implementing Supported Employment Services, Philip S. Hall, John J. Wheeler Nov 1993

An Exploratory Resource Allocation Model For Implementing Supported Employment Services, Philip S. Hall, John J. Wheeler

John J. Wheeler

The purpose of this paper is to provide an exploratory resource allocation model for projecting the resource allocations necessary to implement community-based supported employment services to persons with mental retardation. The model relied on a survey of regional adult service and public school providers to obtain an estimate of the costs and time-lines required for job development. A multi-variate linear regression model was used to project the hours that would be required to develop a job site based on the size of the community, the rate of unemployment, and the percent of service jobs. The extant literature was used as …


The Use Of Extended Follow-Along Procedures In A Supported Employment Setting, Paul Renzaglia, John J. Wheeler, Harold B. Hanson, Sidney R. Miller Feb 1991

The Use Of Extended Follow-Along Procedures In A Supported Employment Setting, Paul Renzaglia, John J. Wheeler, Harold B. Hanson, Sidney R. Miller

John J. Wheeler

This study is a follow-up to a study which previously appeared in Education and Training in Mental Retardation conducted by Wheeler, Bates, Marshall, and Miller (1988). The Wheeler et al., (1988) study examined the use of a self-monitoring procedure to remediate the social skills behaviors of a young man with Down syndrome (i.e., Phil) in a supported competitive employment setting. The present study, which was conducted six-months later demonstrates the efficacy of the follow-along component of the supported employment model and also demonstrates the use of a criterion-referenced assessment and treatment package to re-train technical job skills.


Teaching Appropriate Social Behaviors To A Young Man With Moderate Mental Retardation In A Supported Competitive Employment Setting, John J. Wheeler, Paul Bates, Kathleen J. Marshall, Sidney R. Miller May 1988

Teaching Appropriate Social Behaviors To A Young Man With Moderate Mental Retardation In A Supported Competitive Employment Setting, John J. Wheeler, Paul Bates, Kathleen J. Marshall, Sidney R. Miller

John J. Wheeler

This study validated the efficacy of the supported employment model in maintaining the employment of a young man with Down Syndrome identified as moderately mentally retarded. In this study, social skills training and self-monitoring were used to remediate socially inappropriate behaviors which were jeopardizing his continued employment. Results of this investigation indicate that appropriate social behaviors were improved and maintained over the 38-week period with the level of trainer support also being systematically faded over time. The conclusions of this study provide guidelines for on-the-job training and follow-up procedures which have been found to be necessary in assisting persons with …