Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

There Are No Winners Here: Teacher Thinking And Student Underachievement In The 6th Grade, Sue L. Pettit

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The following ethnographic study was conducted with 6^th grade teachers in a middle school that has been stigmatized by the public as a failing school and cited by the government as a School in Need of Assistance according to the No Child Left Behind Act. The purpose of the study was to examine what teachers believe about persistent underachievement in order to shed light on whether teacher beliefs inform teachers' efforts to ameliorate underachievement. As my study progressed, my research data suggested that teachers use a faulty testing curriculum that guarantees poor student performance and only serves to confirm …

Trends In Family-Centered Early Intervention, Jody Lee Albertson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Family-centered early intervention services have been evolving for quite some time, and the role of the family in intervention for children with disabilities has changed drastically. Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandated the family-centeredness of early intervention services, which is evident in the services and supports a family receives, the Individualized Family Services Plan document, and service coordination activities. The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) then conducts compliance monitoring to gauge whether states are in compliance with IDEA. State monitoring reports are available to the public online.

The purpose of this study was to …

Iep Meetings: What Are The Strategies That Make An Iep Meeting Successful?, Maria T. Cashman

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

All students who receive special education services have one thing in common. They each have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) designed specifically for him/her. The IEP is a valuable document that guides the special education services for a student. It is imperative that parents have a significant role in the development, implementation, and review of the IEP.

For this study, interviews were used to understand the strategies that assist parents in achieving active participation during their child's IEP conference. Six parents of sophomore, junior, and senior high students were interviewed. Three parents were identified as "involved", which means they were …

A Qualitative Inquiry Into Why And How Special Educators Leave The Field, Jane E. Caraway

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this inquiry was to take an in-depth look at special educators’ decisions to leave the field of special education through their personal reflective stories. The study examined factors that influenced why these teachers made their decision to leave their chosen field. It also ventured into how those decisions were made in terms of the complex and personal events preceding their final departures. Throughout the inquiry the phenomena of special education teacher attrition was held up to a work adjustment framework. The framework explored the job satisfaction of these teachers during their experiences in special education and documented …

An Investigation Of The Types Of Support Identified As Necessary By Secondary Classroom Teachers In Iowa School Districts For The Inclusion Of Students Identified As Behaviorally Disabled, Rick Alan Ironside

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study investigated the type of supports secondary general educators in Iowa school districts identified as minimal to include children with behavioral disabilities. It also analyzed the differences in the types of support secondary general educators identified to include children with behavioral disabilities into the general education classroom.

A total of 251 teachers from 147 school districts reacted to an assigned scenario that described a student with a behavioral disability by completing a self-reporting survey on the actual supports they received and minimal support needs preferred to include the student described in the assigned scenario into their classroom. General education …

Two Instructional Approaches - The Electric Maze And The Direct Instructional Model-For Teaching At- Risk Kindergarten Students Alphabet Letter Names, Sherry Marie Jack

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This paper compares the effectiveness of two instructional approaches for teaching the names of alphabet letters to 5 and 6 year-old elementary students who were at risk for academic failure. The literature review examines investigations which had previously addressed the direct instructional model and parameters of active learning. In this context, a variety of perspectives regarding active learning are reviewed followed by a finer examination of self-corrective materials which was a unique component of the active learning paradigm used in this investigation. Nine (N = 9) elementary children were taught the names of five randomly chosen letters (upper and lower …

Dimensions Of Roles, Responsibilities, Training Background And Needs, Policies, And Procedures For Paraeducators Dealing With Students With Special Needs, Beverly Anne Plagge

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The problem of this research study was to delineate and synthesize the roles, responsibilities, skill level, and training background and needs of paraeducators working with students with special needs from a state that requires paraeducator certification and a state that does not require paraeducator certification. The five core areas of roles and responsibilities were: (a) instructional support, (b) behavior management, (c) diagnostic support, (d) classroom organization, and (e) personal care assistance from the special education paraeducator and the special education teacher who teams with the paraeducator. Very few differences existed between what paraeducators and their teachers felt were appropriate and …

The Impact Of Idea 1997 On Teachers' Beliefs And Collaborative Practices As Participants On Iep Teams At One Middle School, Mary Ann Walsh Schroeder

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the impact of the IDEA Amendments of 1997 on teachers' beliefs and collaborative practices as participants on IEP Teams at one middle school. Regular educators are now required to serve as members of IEP Teams for students identified with special needs, the majority of whom will now be served in the regular classroom. Collaboration, the process of interactions between regular and special educators to provide instruction in inclusive settings, was the practice investigated. This study examines laws and policies, teachers' beliefs, supports and barriers, collaborative practices, and evidence of change over …

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Perspectives Of Participants Involved In The Identification And Treatment Process, Judy Davison

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate the viewpoints, the perspectives, and the understandings about Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) which are held by parents, teachers, other school personnel, and physicians who are regularly involved in the process of identifying and/or treating students for ADD. A qualitative inquiry approach was initiated in a middle class community in a Midwestern metropolitan area and included individual interviews and classroom observations.

The researcher offered her understanding of the meaning and intentions behind the expressions/behaviors/decisions of individuals who work or interact with children labeled as ADD. An examination of the data revealed incongruencies in …

Perceptions Of Problem Solving: Where's Waldo?, Darla Olk Stack

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Until recently, intervening for a child experiencing difficulty in school meant referring the student for special education evaluation. Problem solving is a new administrative arrangement recommended in many states, where a team of people who know the child, meet to define and recommend interventions to address the concern prior to referral for possible special education placement.

The purpose of this study was to observe the problem solving process and describe the process as it is implemented in the schools. Results indicated that while documentation of problem solving suggested problem solving was taking place, the traditional test-and-place model continues to be …

Cooperative Teaching As A Method Of Collaboration Between Regular And Special Educators In An Integrated Setting, Mary J. Takes

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Concerns about meeting the needs of students with disabilities through integration have led to increased collaboration between special and regular educators (Johnson, Pugach, & Devlin, 1990). Cooperative teaching, a nontraditional method of meeting the needs of students with disabilities, lacks sufficient research regarding its implementation.

This study investigated, using a case study methodology, cooperative teaching arrangements in an integrated setting and formative factors impacting those arrangements. The researcher collected data regarding 10 different cooperative teaching partnerships. Data collection included the use of observation, interviewing, and the collection of documents. These facilitated a constant comparative method of analysis which allowed the …

Self-Concept Of Visually Impaired Adolescents: A Comparative Study Of Educational Placement In Public And Residential Schools, Shiela D. Kielly

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to compare the self-concept of teen-age learners who were visually impaired and enrolled in public day schools with those who attended a residential school. The target population was those individuals with a primary functional visual impairment, in the age range of 12 through 18 years, and who were engaged in an academic instructional curriculum. Seventeen students at the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School (IBSSS) were the residential population, whereas 15 visually impaired students who were receiving support services of the itinerant teacher for the visually impaired participated as the public school population. All …

An Investigation Of The Practices And Perceptions Of Three Regular Elementary Teachers Regarding The Integration Of Students With Severe Disabilities, Beth L. Wright

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Regular classrooms have been increasingly identified as the placement of choice for special-needs children, including those diagnosed to have severe disabilities. Undergirding this movement has been an increase in research unfavorable to segregated, homogeneous and favorable to integrated, heterogeneous instructional arrangements. The knowledge base regarding how to facilitate the regular-class integration of severely disabled students, however, is in its infancy.

The purpose of this inquiry was to examine regular elementary teachers' practices and perceptions concerning their instruction of students with severe disabilities who had been integrated into their classrooms. Participant observation, interviewing, and constant comparative methods were employed to render …

An Investigation Of The Types Of Support Perceived Necessary By Iowa Elementary Classroom Teachers For The Integration Of Students Identified As Severely Disabled, Katheryn Ann Kinnard East

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate Iowa elementary classroom teachers perceptions regarding the conditions required for successfully including students identified as severely disabled in their regular classroom. Specifically, data were gathered to determine the types and ranking of types of support perceived necessary for such inclusion. Additionally, how actual levels of support differed from those deemed necessary and teacher willingness to accept these students were investigated. Comparisons were made between teachers with experience and those without experience in teaching students identified as severely disabled in the regular classroom.

An adapted version of the survey instrument devised by Myles …

Effective Secondary Special Education Programs: Administrative And Instructional Practices In Identified Iowa Schools, Robyn Lynn Moen Kramer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This descriptive study with exclusive focus on identified secondary special education programs in Iowa, investigated the interactions of administrators, general classroom and special education teachers to determine common administrative and instructional practices and behaviors within three characteristics -- Facilities Leadership, General Classroom Teaching Behavior, and Special Education Teaching Behavior. Directors of Special Education from six Iowa Area Education Agencies (AEAs) were asked to select five schools form their respective AEAs with exemplary secondary special education programs. From that initial population of 30 schools, 11 schools were selected to participate in this study.

A survey was administered to 354 secondary school …

Principals' Perceptions About Regular Education Teachers' Attitudes Toward Integration Of Students With Handicaps, Susan Kay Posekany Sherwood

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

As the movement to integrate students with handicaps into regular education classrooms continues, regular education teachers are a critical component of the successful implementation of the integration process. Because building principals must assume responsibility for selecting the teachers who will be assigned integrated classrooms, this investigation determined the degree to which principals were able to predict the attitudes of regular education teachers toward the integration of students with handicaps.

From public school districts in a Midwestern state, 85 pairs of teachers and principals were randomly selected from three educational levels: (a) elementary, (b) middle, and (c) secondary. The data were …

Post-Hoc Longitudinal Study Of The Stability And Validity Of Standardized Test Scores Of Handicapped Children, Randal Dennis Brown

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In the delivery of special education services to handicapped children, a requirement to certify the nature and severity of each child's handicap was built into PL 94-142, The Education of All Handicapped Children Act (Reynolds, Gutkin, Elliott, & Witt, 1984). In the aftermath of that legislation has arisen a serious question as to whether or not the process of providing such services on a categorical (by nature of the handicapped) basis has led to an unanticipated social harm (stigma) of such a magnitude that the assessment process needs to be re-evaluated (Guskin, Bartel, & MacMillan, 1975). Part of the social …

A Study To Identify Stress Factors Of Early Childhood Special Education Teachers, Brenda Marie Hanken-Crawford

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Stress, an everyday fact of life, can be either positive or negative (Bradfield & Fones, 1985a; Truch, 1980). When faced with too little stress, a lack of productivity may occur, however, when faced with too much stress, anxiety and unhappiness may result (Johnson & Harkins, 1984).

A growing interest has developed concerning factors contributing to the stress of special education teachers (Fimian & Santoro, 1983). While the literature on stress has grown, research is very limited in the area of stress and early childhood special education teachers.

The purpose of this study was to identify (a) the stress producing variables …

Parent And Teacher Reactions To The Referral Question Consultative Decision Making (Rqc) Model For Triennial Re-Evaluations In A School Serving Students With Mental Retardation, Marilyn Lindholm Kinne

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The present study was designed to investigate parent and teacher reactions to the use of the Referral Question Consultative Decision Making (RQC) Model in conducting triennial re-evaluations in an educational facility serving students with mental retardation. The survey population included 30 parents and 15 teachers who were involved in triennial re-evaluations during the 1989-90 school year.

A questionnaire was mailed to the survey population which addressed the areas of referral questions and the written report, participation, and interventions. The survey included questions rated on a five point Likert Scale and open ended questions. Data were analyzed by reporting percentages of …

Early Identifiers Of Learning Disabilities In Preschool Children, Richard Alan Rebouché

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The study identified learning disability (ID) characteristics from the diagnostic reports of 46 preschool age children. 21 children re-evaluated once at school age, and 6 children evaluated twice. The children were identified as learning disabled three to seven years later. The symptoms characteristics of preschool students and school age learning disabled students were identified as characteristic of learning disabled if the symptoms appeared in 50 percent or more of the student records.

In the preschool age group, expressive and receptive language, in addition to fine and gross-motor deficits were the most frequent symptoms of learning disability. Also, attention span and …

A Survey Of Custodial Manager’S Perceptions Of Employee Problems And Related Implications For The Training Of Mentally Retarded Workers, Patricia Jo Slobojan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

A survey was conducted of custodial manager's perceptions of employee problems and related implications for the training of mentally retarded workers. Specifically, the study investigated career-related problems of handicapped and nonhandicapped custodial workers. The survey questioned the managers of these workers to find out what problems existed and how often they occurred. The results of this survey were then used to prioritize problems and to indicate specific areas of needed training for custodial workers in general, and for the mentally retarded worker in particular. Specific training of the mentally retarded worker in these deficit skill areas should improve chances of …

Attitudes Of Secondary Teachers Toward Mainstreaming Mildly Educationally Handicapped Students, Joan D. Barringer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

With the enactment of Public Law 94-142, the Education For All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, while most educators have been influenced by the requirement to meet the needs of youngsters in the "least restrictive environment," onus of responsibility generally filters down to the classroom teachers. It was the purpose of this study to determine just what are the attitudes of secondary teachers toward integrating the mildly educationally handicapped student into the regular class. The primary question was whether exposure to the concept of mainstreaming positively influences attitudes.

The investigation involved 501 secondary teachers selected by a stratified random sampling …

Efficacy Of Transition Rooms: A Quantitative And Quasi-Qualitative Look, Nancie Moyer Andreasen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study examined some of the behavioral and academic characteristics of students who were placed in transition rooms, program philosophies and goals, behavioral and academic benefits of the transition experience, and parental reactions to the programs.

Subjects were 43 white middle-class students who were enrolled in two transition rooms in a midwestern school district during two consecutive school years. Fall and spring data from teacher ratings on the Myklebust Pupil Rating Scale (PRS) were obtained and used as indices of behavioral characteristics and progress. Spring kindergarten and transition scores on the Clymer-Barrett Prereading Battery (C-B) were collected and utilized as …

Exploring The Relationship Between Moral And Friendship Development In Male Educable Mentally Retarded Students And Regular Class Students, Shirley Phillips Gill

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purposes of this study were 1) to compare the Moral and Friendship Development of regular class male students 1 with that of age matched EMR male students, and 2) to compare the relationship between Moral and Friendship Development within each group.

The 30 male subjects, 15 from regular classes and 15 from EMR classes, were equally divided into three chronological age groups; 5-6, 7-8, and 9-10. The regular class subjects were attending the UNI lab school; EMR subjects were attending public schools in Fredricksburg, Charles City, Cedar Falls and Waterloo, Iowa.

Each subject was presented with three filmstrips and …

Fixed Versus Random Scheduling Of Classroom Activities In A Resource Room Setting, Joanne Marie Fegley Broadston

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

There has been a dramatic upswing in the number of resource classrooms and students in the last decade. There has also been a lack of research regarding resource students in the resource setting. While teachers have assured that regular classroom practices or methods used with other specialized populations were also appropriate for this new kind of student and setting little research has been done to either support or reject these practices or methods. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect which assigning class takes in a fixed order, rather than a random order, had on the numbers …

An Investigation Of Competencies Needed By Teachers Of The Mildly Handicapped As Perceived By A Consortium Of Iowa Special Educators, Harriet M. Healy

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

A major purpose of this study was to subject the University of Northern Iowa's special education competencies to a consortium rating for determination of the relative importance of each competency for teachers of the mildly handicapped. A secondary purpose of this study was to determine the generic nature of these competencies.

The subjects involved in the study included Iowa special education teacher trainers; Area Education Agency directors and consultants for multi-disability programs; and special education teachers in multi-disability settings.

A questionnaire employing a forced ranking procedure was mailed to each subject. The results of the ranking were used to determine …

The Predictive Relationship Of Tutorial Teaching Competencies On Group Instruction Performance For Prospective Special Education Teachers, Sarah Jane Frudden

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the study was to determine if the skills acquired by trainees in the tutorial experience of the University of Northern Iowa competency-based program act as predictors in the group instruction experience.

This end was accomplished by comparing the scores obtained in the Phase I individual performance criteria against the composite score received in Phase II. A Pearson product moment correlation coefficient analysis was used to determine which individual Phase I criteria correlated significantly with the Phase II composite score. A multiple linear regression analysis was utilized to determine which criteria most highly contributed to the variance of …