Education Commons^™

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

Laura Hackwell

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

Deanna Keith

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

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

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

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

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 …

Peeking Inside Pandora’S Box: One University’S Journey Into The Redesign Of Teacher Educator Preparation, Frank Dykes, Brenda K. Gilliam, Joanna Neel, Kathleen Everling

Frank Dykes

In the last two decades, there have been various calls for reform in teacher education programs to address the needs of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and students with disabilities. Consequently, many teacher education preparation programs are reviewing and redesigning their programs to meet the needs of the teacher of the 21st century. This manuscript will describe the development and implementation of a new certification program that integrates preservice teacher preparation, Special Education and English as a second language into a 123 hour degree program.

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

A Tale Of Two Teachers.Pptx, Marquis Grant

Marquis C. Grant, Ed.D

Peeking Inside Pandora’S Box: One University’S Journey Into The Redesign Of Teacher Educator Preparation, Frank Dykes, Brenda K. Gilliam, Joanna Neel, Kathleen Everling

Joanna Neel

In the last two decades, there have been various calls for reform in teacher education programs to address the needs of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and students with disabilities. Consequently, many teacher education preparation programs are reviewing and redesigning their programs to meet the needs of the teacher of the 21st century. This manuscript will describe the development and implementation of a new certification program that integrates preservice teacher preparation, Special Education and English as a second language into a 123 hour degree program.

The Cu Online Handbook: Teaching Differently, Create And Collaborate, Patrick R. Lowenthal, David Thomas, Anna Thai, Brian Yuhnke, Susan Giullian, Donna Sobel, Connie L. Fulmer, Phil Antonelli, Laura Summers, Joanna C. Dunlap, Ellen Stevens, Dorothy Garrison-Wade, Patrick R. Lowenthal, Brent G. Wilson, Farah A. Ibrahim

Joanna Dunlap

No abstract provided.

Definitions, Principals, And Model Of Positive Behavior Support, Hank Bohanon

Hank Bohanon

This is an overview of the principles of positive behavior support.

Culturally And Linguistically Responsive Practices In Psychoeducational Reports For English Language Learners, Bryn Harris, Amanda Sullivan, Geraldine Oades-Sese, Marlene Sotelo-Dynega

Bryn Harris

Past researchers suggested there are a number of shortcomings in the psychoeducational evaluation process and practices used with English language learners (ELLs). In the present exploratory study, the authors descriptively examined the assessment practices used in the special education eligibility determination process for ELLs as documented in 34 psychoeducational evaluation reports in one southwestern state. The authors reviewed psychoeducational evaluation reports prepared by school psychologists to determine (a) the extent to which school psychologists adhered to legal and ethical guidelines in the evaluation of ELLs for special education eligibility and needs and (b) how school psychologists account for cultural and …

Abandoned To Their Fate: A History Of Social Policy And Practice Toward Severely Retarded People In America, 1820-1920, Philip Ferguson

Philip M. Ferguson

This study examines the history of severely mentally retarded people from 1820 to 1920 in America, and their relationship with an emerging class of professionals newly charged with their care. The early history of one specialized asylum in Rome, New York, receives particular attention as an illustrative case study of the processes that influenced institutional development throughout the last half of the nineteenth century. The notion of "chronicity" is adopted to refer to a process of social construction whereby multiple dimensions of social failure (aesthetic, moral, and economic) in the lives of people called "idiots" and "imbeciles," were subsumed under …

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 …

Education And The Economy, Kevin Hollenbeck

Kevin Hollenbeck

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of Post-School Transition Programs Being Provided For Students With An Intellectual Disability In Special Schools In Victoria, Sharon Clerke

Sharon Clerke

Special Schools and Special Development Schools in Victoria cater for students with a range of disabilities both physical and intellectual, and are required to provide post-school transition education and career pathways for their students. This study aims to examine how a number of Special and Special Development Schools, collectively referred to as special schools, prepare students with an intellectual disability for post-school transition, which programs are being implemented and developed to ensure that these students are given the same opportunities as their non-disabled peers and what is regarded as a successful post-school outcome.

Special Education At The Core: Where Do The Common Core State Standards Leave Our Students With Disabilities?, Lisa Beymer

Lisa Beymer

The oversimplification with which the new Common Core State Standards approach the instruction of students with disabilities leaves much to be desired on the part of the classroom teacher, who is left to determine how the standards will be made accessible for all students. The new standards require increased skill and application across the subject areas. Those students with specific learning needs may require additional support, altered classroom instruction and an increase in staff-to-specialist collaboration. At the same time, the new standards also provide an opportunity for students with disabilities to access higher-level thinking skills that may prove advantageous for …

Social Studies In Special Education Classrooms: A Glimpse Behind The Closed Door, Timothy Lintner, Windy Schweder

Timothy Lintner

No abstract provided.

Strategy Instruction For Students With Learning Disabilities, Second Edition, Robert Reid, Terri Lienemann, Jessica Hagaman

Robert Reid

Co-authored by Jessica Hagaman, UNO faculty member.

Filling an important need for K-12 educators, this highly practical book provides a step-by-step guide to cognitive strategy instruction, one of the most effective instructional techniques for struggling learners. The authors present well-validated strategies that target self-regulated learning and study skills as well as performance in specific content areas, such as writing, reading, and math. Detailed classroom examples illustrate how to teach the strategies systematically and monitor student outcomes. More than 20 reproducible worksheets, checklists, and other tools are included; purchasers get access to a Web page where they can download and print …

Teaching Play Skills To Children With Autism Using Visually Structured Tasks, Patricia Hampshire, Jack Hourcade

Jack Hourcade

Young students with autism typically exhibit lower levels of play behaviors than their typical peers. These play behaviors may be idiosyncratic and/or unusual (e.g., stereotyped or inappropriately repetitive), further inhibiting the possibilities for successful social interactions with classmates. Learners with autism can be systematically taught appropriate toy play behaviors that can then lead to enhanced social opportunities for these students. In this paper, we discuss how teachers can develop and implement systematic instructional strategies incorporating visual structuring to elicit more successful play behaviors in these students.

In Defense Of Idea Due Process, Mark C. Weber

Mark C. Weber

Due Process hearing rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act are under attack. A major professional group and several academic commentators charge that the hearings system advantages middle class parents, that it is expensive, that it is futile, and that it is unmanageable. Some critics would abandon individual rights to a hearing and review in favor of bureaucratic enforcement or administrative mechanisms that do not include the right to an individual hearing before a neutral decision maker. This Article defends the right to a due process hearing. It contends that some criticisms of hearing rights are simply erroneous, and …

Idea Class Actions After Wal-Mart V. Dukes, Mark C. Weber

Mark C. Weber

Wal-Mart v. Dukes overturned the certification of a class of a million and a half female employees alleging sex discrimination in Wal-Mart’s salary and promotion decisions. The Supreme Court ruled that the case did not satisfy the requirement that a class have a common question of law or fact, and said that the remedy sought was not the type of relief available under the portion of the class action rule permitting mandatory class actions. Over the last two years, courts have struggled with how to apply the ruling, especially how to apply it beyond its immediate context of employment discrimination …

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

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

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.

Patterns Of Service Utilization, Thomas Kochanek, Stephen Buka

Thomas T Kochanek

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between service utilization patterns in early intervention programs and specific child, maternal, and service provider characteristics. Service utilization data for 133 infants and toddlers were gathered for 1 week out of every month for a 4 month duration. For each service encounter, the duration, location, type of service, and academic discipline of service provider was recorded. Findings revealed that families received an average of 1.7 hours per week of services (unduplicated hours). Older children (toddlers) and mothers with higher levels of education received significantly more service. Thirty-four percent of all services …

Influential Factors In The Utilization Of Early Intervention Services, Thomas Kochanek, Stephen Buka

Thomas T Kochanek

The purpose of this study was to examine utilization rates of scheduled early intervention services. Service utilization data reported for 1 week out of every month over a 4-month period were analyzed for a cohort of 146 infants and toddlers. Major findings included: (a) 69% of the families used the majority of their services; (b) child and maternal characteristics were not significantly related to service utilization; (c) providers who were younger and close in age to mothers evidenced significantly higher utilization rates; (d) families in which therapists served as the primary service provider had the lowest utilization rates; and (e) …

Fulfilling The Promise Of Early Intervention, Thomas Kochanek

Thomas T Kochanek

The purpose of this study was to examine utilization rates of infant-toddler services and to identify factors that significantly influenced the extent to which children and their families actually used planned services. This is an important policy implementation question for which there is scant information, and the authors of the study are to be commended for not only addressing the questions, but also using an existing, state-managed data base to probe for answers.