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

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.

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.

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.

Common-Law Interpretation Of Appropriate Education: The Road Not Taken In Rowley, Mark C. Weber

Mark C. Weber

Thirty years old in 2012, Board of Education v. Rowley is the case that established a some-benefit or floor-of-opportunity standard for the services public school districts must provide to children who have disabilities. But the some-benefit approach is by no means the only one the Court could have adopted. It could have endorsed the view of the lower courts that each child with a disability must be given the opportunity to achieve his or her potential commensurate with the opportunity offered other children. Or it could have adopted a standard based on achievement of the child’s full potential or the …

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 …

Establishing Special Education Programs: Experiences Of Christian School Principals, Gary Cookson, Samuel J. Smith

Samuel James Smith

The Politics Of Education Reform: Lessons Learned From New Orleans, Robert A. Garda Jr.

Robert A. Garda

Hurricane Katrina demolished the educational facilities and state leaders took the opportunity to raze the broken educational governance structures in New Orleans. Leaders re-created the Orleans Parish School District based on the education reforms sweeping the nation: school choice, accountability, state takeover of failing schools, and charter schools. The city is now the proving ground for modern education reforms and policymakers from around the country are watching closely. The mistakes made and lessons learned in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina can act as a roadmap for states and districts moving toward the “new” education model - choice plans, charter schools …

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

Deanna Keith

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.

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.

Determining Best Practices And Interventions In Special Education, Lucinda S. Spaulding

Lucinda S. Spaulding

A current critical issue in special education is no longer the assurance of access but the assurance of intervention effectiveness. Determining which practices and interventions are most effective and efficient for ensuring optimal student achievement is a fundamental concern of special education teachers in this era of accountability. In this discussion I examine three designs commonly used in special education research (experimental research designs, meta-analyses, and narrative research syntheses) and their utility and appropriateness for determining the efficacy of classroom practices and interventions.

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 …

Introduction To Symposium On Reconstructing Education In New Orleans Post-Katrina, Robert A. Garda Jr.

Robert A. Garda

No abstract provided.

Equitable And Adequate Funding For Special Needs Children In Louisiana, Robert A. Garda Jr.

Robert A. Garda

Comprehensive and coordinated special education remains a major problem across public schools in Louisiana. One issue arises due to the fact that special education money in some districts is allotted at the district level instead of following students to the schools they attend, resulting in inconsistent support for schools serving students with multiple types of disabilities. Money is not allocated based on student needs and the neediest students do not receive the services the funding is intended to provide.

Louisiana Appleseed and the Louisiana Bar Foundation have recruited volunteer attorneys to: (1) research Louisiana Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) formulas and …

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

Evelyn S. Johnson

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.

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