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Full-Text Articles in Special Education and Teaching

Results Of A One-Day Seminar On Preservice Teachers’ Incorporation Of The Udl Framework In Lesson Design, K. Alisa Lowrey, Audra Classen, Peter Paprzycki Oct 2023

Results Of A One-Day Seminar On Preservice Teachers’ Incorporation Of The Udl Framework In Lesson Design, K. Alisa Lowrey, Audra Classen, Peter Paprzycki

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Students with disabilities are increasingly receiving their instruction in inclusive classrooms. General education teachers continue to report a lack of preparation to address their needs. This study examined the impact of a 6-hour professional development seminar on the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to determine if preservice general and special education teachers’ overall performance in lesson design to reduce barriers, identified through increased attention to student variability, improved. Two lesson plans, preseminar and postseminar, from 242 participants were scored using a modified education field experience (EFE) rubric that included 19 evaluation criteria. A Rasch analysis was used to determine …

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Reading-Racetracks And Self-Graphing On Literacy Performance Of Struggling Students With Behavioral Problems, Anne Barwasser, Kerstin Nobel, Matthias Grünke Jul 2023

Reading-Racetracks And Self-Graphing On Literacy Performance Of Struggling Students With Behavioral Problems, Anne Barwasser, Kerstin Nobel, Matthias Grünke

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Literacy influences all aspects of life. Unfortunately, a rising number of students struggle with reading and spelling, which can result in enormous educational barriers. Difficulties in literacy accompanied by learning-related problem behavior can create additional risk factors. Effective interventions for these students should consider individual needs and focus on multiple components of learning simultaneously. The present single-case study focused on the effects of motivational reading racetracks, with and without self-graphing, on the word-reading and spelling performance of three third graders with severe literacy and behavior problems. Our intervention was carried out three times a week over a 5-week period. The …

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Closing Reading Achievement Gaps For Middle School Students, Michael D. Daugherty Apr 2023

Closing Reading Achievement Gaps For Middle School Students, Michael D. Daugherty

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This research examined how self-efficacy, collective efficacy, and professional development compared between core content and special education middle school teachers working with middle school students in reading comprehension and fluency. Accordingly, no statistically significant difference in teacher self-efficacy between core content and special education teachers was discovered based on the ANOVA analysis results. An analysis of professional development and collective teacher efficacy showed mixed results with a negative relationship predicted between increased professional development hours for core content teachers. A predicted positive relationship existed with the number of professional development hours increasing for special education teachers. There was no statistically …

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Narrative Inquiry Into Postsecondary Transition Outcomes For Young Adults With Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, Eric R. Sarrett Aug 2022

Narrative Inquiry Into Postsecondary Transition Outcomes For Young Adults With Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, Eric R. Sarrett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) continue to struggle with community engagement despite decades of research and policy initiatives addressing postsecondary transition. Evidence shows that persons with IDD are engaging in employment, postsecondary education, independent living, socialization, and other roles at significantly diminished rates, yet little data exists describing this participation in the voices of those affected. The purpose of this narrative inquiry was to describe community integration of persons with IDD in the decade following postsecondary transition in their own words. Critical disability theory was used as a lens to explore the successes and failures of public …

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Co-Teaching Effects On Algebra I Achievement Of Students With Disabilities, Valeree Williams, Peter Ross, Chukwuemeka Eleweke, Shereeza Mohammed Jun 2022

Co-Teaching Effects On Algebra I Achievement Of Students With Disabilities, Valeree Williams, Peter Ross, Chukwuemeka Eleweke, Shereeza Mohammed

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of co-teaching versus inclusive non-co-teaching for students with disabilities (SWD) using algebra I end-of-course scores (EOC) and whether these effects differed by gender. Participants included 244 ninth-grade algebra I SWD. The research design consisted of a posttest only with a control group and a test group. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to analyze the results. Results showed that co-teaching did not significantly benefit either male or female SWD in algebra I. The fact that SWD in inclusive settings who did not receive co-teaching scored higher than those in inclusive …

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The Pow+Tree Strategy’S Effects On The Argumentative Writing Of Struggling Secondary Students, Matthias Grünke Dec 2021

The Pow+Tree Strategy’S Effects On The Argumentative Writing Of Struggling Secondary Students, Matthias Grünke

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The present study aims to evaluate the effects of an argumentative writing strategy (POW+TREE) on four struggling ninth graders’ ability to produce persuasive texts regarding their point of view on different questions. I applied a multiple-baseline design to evaluate outcomes across participants. The results indicate the intervention helped students to write more extensive essays, and evidence shows an increase in quality. Follow-up data suggest the effects remained after the treatment ended. I also discuss future research and the findings’ implications for practitioners.

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Twenty-First Century Skill Building For Homeschooled Students With Special Needs, Jami M. Tipton Sep 2021

Twenty-First Century Skill Building For Homeschooled Students With Special Needs, Jami M. Tipton

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Although problem-based learning (PBL) is not new, the ways in which homeschool teachers use attributes of PBL with their students with special needs is unknown. Posts were collected from 20 homeschool teachers’ blogs. After I coded 87 blog posts, results showed that homeschool teachers provided a variety of opportunities for their students to practice 21st-century skills. Specifically, they developed lessons that encouraged students to share what they learned and developed cross-disciplinary content, most often with language arts. Results may provide insights for homeschool teachers interested in more purposefully implementing PBL experiences with the purpose of teaching 21st-century skills.

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Implementing Inclusive Education In Early Childhood Settings: The Interplay And Impact Of Exclusion, Teacher Qualities And Professional Development In Ghana, Francis R. Ackah-Jnr, Hyacinth Udah May 2021

Implementing Inclusive Education In Early Childhood Settings: The Interplay And Impact Of Exclusion, Teacher Qualities And Professional Development In Ghana, Francis R. Ackah-Jnr, Hyacinth Udah

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Inclusive education (IE) in the early years enhances young children’s learning, socialization, and development; yet, children with disability are one group that is often isolated, excluded, or marginalized in early childhood education. This paper examines jointly the perceived exclusion practices, teacher qualities, and professional development and the interplay and impact of these factors on effective inclusive early childhood education. Drawing on data collected from individual interviews with teachers and headteachers in a large early childhood and school setting in Ghana, findings of this qualitative study indicate the exclusion practices of teachers. The findings suggest that resistance to IE limits learning, …

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Review Of Schooling Of Learners With Disabilities And The Manifestation Of The Hidden Curriculum Of Time, Theodoto Ressa Apr 2021

Review Of Schooling Of Learners With Disabilities And The Manifestation Of The Hidden Curriculum Of Time, Theodoto Ressa

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Postsecondary outcomes remain difficult to attain despite their significance to learners with disabilities. This qualitative study investigated the impact of a hidden curriculum of time on the education of five undergraduate students with disabilities at a Carnegie Research One institution in the midwestern U.S. Participants in their quest for an education experienced a hidden curriculum of time in the form of physical impairments, educational costs of ill-health, and disability discrimination. The academic barriers participants encountered in reaching their educational goals suggest that addressing the hidden curriculum of time is essential for authentic inclusion and achievement of postsecondary education outcomes.

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Teachers’ Perceptions Of Literacy Instruction With Autistic Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Heather Ann Marzenski Jan 2021

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Literacy Instruction With Autistic Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Heather Ann Marzenski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Families and educators have voiced concerns about the literacy skills of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the situation. Pandemic era studies have demonstrated the ramifications that students with ASD have faced, including regression of literacy skills, lower grades, lack of support services, and subpar instruction. Teachers' perceptions remained unexamined in the pandemic era studies. The purpose of this basic qualitative dissertation was to examine teachers’ perceptions about the materials and strategies used to deliver literacy instruction during the pandemic for students with ASD. The conceptual frameworks that underpinned this study were self-determination theory …

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Middle And High School Teacher Perceptions Of Training To Manage Disruptive Students, Kelly Mero Aug 2020

Middle And High School Teacher Perceptions Of Training To Manage Disruptive Students, Kelly Mero

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

Schoolteachers report a lack of resources and training to manage disruptive student behavior that presents as antisocial, problematic, and/or symptomatic of mental illness. Disruptive student behaviors have a negative impact on students socially and academically. The social cognitive theory and social learning theory guided the research questions to examine differences in perceptions of 195 urban general and special educators in middle and high school regarding their skills to manage disruptive student behavior and teachers’ need for professional training to manage disruptive student behavior. A 2X2 between-groups nonparametric survey research design was used, and the two dependent variables were measured using …

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Discipline Policies And Preschool Special Education Students' Personal-Social Skills, Amanda L. Tamagni, Andrea M. Wilson Apr 2020

Discipline Policies And Preschool Special Education Students' Personal-Social Skills, Amanda L. Tamagni, Andrea M. Wilson

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Preschool special education students’ lack of personal–social skills is affecting their kindergarten readiness and placing them at risk for exposure to school discipline in a large school district in the Southeastern United States. The purpose of this quantitative investigation was to examine the relationship between the quality of school discipline policies and personal–social skills of preschool special education students within the focus district. Data collection included archived personal–social skills scores, as measured by the Battelle Developmental Inventory–2 (BDI-2), of 354 preschool special education students. Four trained educators rated the effectiveness of the schools’ discipline policies using the Teaching and Guidance …

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Hidden Curriculum In A Special Education Context: The Case Of Individuals With Autism, Mona F. Sulaimani, Dianne M. Gut Mar 2019

Hidden Curriculum In A Special Education Context: The Case Of Individuals With Autism, Mona F. Sulaimani, Dianne M. Gut

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This article examines the issue of hidden curriculum as it pertains to the experiences of individuals with disabilities, primarily those diagnosed with autism disorders. Examining the assumptions regarding the hidden curriculum, this article explores the challenges these assumptions create for individuals with autism. We provide suggestions for how these challenges could be overcome through the use of specific strategies.

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Outcomes Of The Boss Classroom Management Program Among Adults With Intellectual Disabilities, Mick Needham, Peter Ross, Karen Slonski, Steven Wells, Andrew W. Wood Mar 2019

Outcomes Of The Boss Classroom Management Program Among Adults With Intellectual Disabilities, Mick Needham, Peter Ross, Karen Slonski, Steven Wells, Andrew W. Wood

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

There is a current and growing need for evidence-based practices aimed at improving the social skills of adults with intellectual disabilities (ID). Despite an abundance of research on strategies to improve the social skills of young children with ID, there is limited research on interventions aimed at improving prosocial behaviors of adults with ID. A behavioral skills training approach was used to teach frontline, direct support professionals (DSPs) to implement a classroom management strategy called the Behavioral Opportunities for Social Skills (BOSS) program with adults with ID who lived in the community. The results showed that DSPs’ delivery of behavior-specific …

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Lebanese Elementary Teachers' Perceptions About Metacognitive Skills For Students With Learning Disabilities, Tassoula Semaan Bassous Jan 2019

Lebanese Elementary Teachers' Perceptions About Metacognitive Skills For Students With Learning Disabilities, Tassoula Semaan Bassous

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers in Lebanese schools are still using outdated traditional strategies for instructing students with learning disabilities (LD). The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to understand Lebanese elementary teachers' perceived barriers to providing effective metacognition skills instruction and increase the understanding of how teachers are supporting students with LD to use metacognitive strategies to enhance their own learning. The conceptual framework used to ground the study was Flavell's metacognitive theory. The purposeful sample included 12 elementary special and regular education teachers selected from 6 different Lebanese schools in 5 areas in Lebanon. Each teacher participated in a semistructed …

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The Role Of Animal-Assisted Interventions In Communication Skills Of Children With Autism, Jennifer Ann Friedrich Jan 2019

The Role Of Animal-Assisted Interventions In Communication Skills Of Children With Autism, Jennifer Ann Friedrich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties with social communication and prosocial behaviors. Due to a lack of social communication and social interaction skills among children with ASD, special education teachers are tasked with providing meaningful social opportunities to them to facilitate their learning of these skills. Special education literature lacks research studies about how dog-based animal-assisted interventions (AAI) can improve social communication outcomes for children in a school setting. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study, guided by Bowlby's theory of attachment and the human-animal bond concept, was to explore, describe, and improve the understanding of …

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Middle School Teacher Perceptions And Implementation Of Special Education Coteaching, Leanne Marie Henning Ratcliff Jan 2019

Middle School Teacher Perceptions And Implementation Of Special Education Coteaching, Leanne Marie Henning Ratcliff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Coteaching is a mandated practice in which students with disabilities are educated in the general education setting among their peers, but it often is not effectively implemented. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of both middle school general education and special education teacher relative to coteaching parity and barriers to effective coteaching practices. Friend and Cook's conceptual framework of collaboration, outlining the importance of understanding roles when working in teams, supported the purpose and design of this study. The research questions were designed to investigate the extent to which the general and special education teachers share …

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Teachers' Perception Of Common Core State Standards On Students With Learning Disabilities, Sarah Shabazz Jan 2019

Teachers' Perception Of Common Core State Standards On Students With Learning Disabilities, Sarah Shabazz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Common Core State Standards were written and implemented to prepare all students for college or career readiness including students with disabilities. Students with learning disabilities often have significant difficulties and face challenges when the instruction is framed within The Common Core State Standards. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of special educators on teaching students with learning disabilities using The Common Core State Standards. The two conceptual frameworks used in this study were the Universal Design for Learning and The Zone of Proximal Development. The research questions focused on teachers' perception regarding students with …

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The Effects Of Common Core State Standards In Mathematics On Inclusive Environments, Byron S. Jordan Jan 2019

The Effects Of Common Core State Standards In Mathematics On Inclusive Environments, Byron S. Jordan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) require students with learning disabilities in mathematics to use a range of cognitive, skills, and foundational numerical competencies to learn and understand complex standards. Students with learning disabilities in mathematics experience deficits in cognitive processes skills and foundational numerical competencies which have emerged as underlying barriers associated with mastering CCSSM. Examining the impact of high-stakes assessments on readiness for college and careers and student achievement may provide evidence that deficits in cognitive processing skills and numerical competencies can impact achievement levels. Using the cognitive theoretical frameworks of Bandura and Gagné, along with …

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Metacognitive Reading Strategy And Emerging Reading Comprehension In Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Natasha Cox-Magno, Peter Ross, Kathleen Dimino, Andrea Wilson Nov 2018

Metacognitive Reading Strategy And Emerging Reading Comprehension In Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Natasha Cox-Magno, Peter Ross, Kathleen Dimino, Andrea Wilson

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This article ventures to address the gap in special education practices by providing a metacognitive reading strategy to support the emerging reading comprehension skills of kindergarten students with intellectual disabilities. Historically, students with intellectual disabilities have low reading comprehension skills that can impede their overall academic success. There is a gap in practice regarding the identification and effective use of evidence-based reading comprehension instructional strategies for students with intellectual disabilities. Guided by Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s constructivist theories, the purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a metacognitive reading strategy on the emerging reading comprehension (ERC) skills of …

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Transforming Inclusive Education: Nine Tips To Enhance School Leaders’ Ability To Effectively Lead Inclusive Special Education Programs, Cammy Romanuck Murphy Jun 2018

Transforming Inclusive Education: Nine Tips To Enhance School Leaders’ Ability To Effectively Lead Inclusive Special Education Programs, Cammy Romanuck Murphy

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Principals and assistant principals, collectively referred to as school leaders, play instrumental roles in ensuring the success of inclusive special education in the schools they oversee. However, school leaders continually report they lack the knowledge and skills to effectively oversee quality inclusive special education programs. There are very few training programs available to school leaders that focus on leading inclusive special education programs. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to provide school leaders with nine tips, along with 11 immediately implementable practical strategies, to improve upon the inclusive special education programs in their schools. Topics include pertinent definitions, …

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An Examination Of The Student-Focused Transition Planning Process In A Rural Setting, Pamela Lynne Brezenski Jan 2018

An Examination Of The Student-Focused Transition Planning Process In A Rural Setting, Pamela Lynne Brezenski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the local state special education transition aged postoutcome survey measurements, high school students with disabilities (HS-SWDs) continue to demonstrate problems with unemployment, independent living, and postsecondary education as they transition to adult life. HS-SWDs receive instruction from transition planning teams (TPTs) to address educational attendance, independent living, agency collaboration, and employment skills. When these knowledge and skills are not acquired, HS-SWDs cannot gain employment or attend postsecondary institutions. The purpose of this qualitative, bounded case study was to explore the TPT members' perspectives of the transition planning process. Kohler's transition taxonomy guided this study. The research questions were used …

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The Relationship Of Parental Involvement And Reading Achievement Of Ninth-Grade Students, Florence Ann Mayhall-Andrews Jan 2018

The Relationship Of Parental Involvement And Reading Achievement Of Ninth-Grade Students, Florence Ann Mayhall-Andrews

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The local high school and school district have failed to achieve adequate yearly progress in reading due to the poor performance of 9th-grade and special education students on the annual state reading assessment. There may be numerous factors leading to the low scores, but researchers have suggested that students whose parents are engaged in their education have more academic success than students whose parents have minimal participation. An explanatory survey design was used in this quantitative study to identify the involvement activities of parents of 9th-grade students and determine if there was a relationship between their involvement and their child's …

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Parents' Perceptions Of Transition And Postsecondary Services For Their Children With Disabilities, Elizabeth Joyce Strong Jan 2018

Parents' Perceptions Of Transition And Postsecondary Services For Their Children With Disabilities, Elizabeth Joyce Strong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students with intellectual and other disabilities who age out of transition programs or graduate from high school may experience marginalization as young adults. There exists scant literature on the perceptions of parents about access to employment and services for their adult children with disabilities. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how parents perceived educational services, financial burdens, social isolation, and lack of access to employment for their children with intellectual and other disabilities. Critical disability theory and transformational theory constituted the study's conceptual framework. The research questions concerned how parents perceived access to services related to financial …

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General Education Teachers' Perceptions About Inclusion Of Students With Emotional-Behavioral Disabilities, Alison Patton Jan 2018

General Education Teachers' Perceptions About Inclusion Of Students With Emotional-Behavioral Disabilities, Alison Patton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some general education teachers do not have the training, tools, and supports to work with the diverse needs of students with emotional-behavioral disabilities. The purpose of this case study was to develop a deeper understanding of how general education teachers perceive students with emotional-behavioral disabilities to better understand the issues related to effectively work with these students in the classroom. The conceptual framework for this study was Ajzen's theory of planned behavior. Fifteen general education teachers' definitions of an emotional-behavioral disability, perceptions of students with emotional-behavioral disabilities, training and supports by the school districts, and descriptions of classroom interactions were …

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Teachers' Perceptions And Attitudes Towards Inclusive Education In Sierra Leone, Christian Sesay Jan 2018

Teachers' Perceptions And Attitudes Towards Inclusive Education In Sierra Leone, Christian Sesay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Salamanca Accord advocating the implementation of inclusive education for learners with special needs was signed in 1994, as well as the Convention of the Right of Person's with Disabilities in 2006. Yet, Sierra Leone faces challenges to implement fully inclusive education in schools. The purpose of this mixed-method study was to examine teachers' attitudes towards inclusion in mainstream classrooms. The conceptual framework for this study was premised on Azden's theory of planned-behavior, which maintains that attitude and behaviors are products of experiences acquired. Using a Spearman rho correlations and descriptive statistics to analyze the data, gender, age, educational background, …

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Self-Efficacy Of Novice And Experienced Special Education Teachers Of English Learners, Deborah Escalante Montoya Jan 2018

Self-Efficacy Of Novice And Experienced Special Education Teachers Of English Learners, Deborah Escalante Montoya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Special education teachers in California acquire advanced degrees, credentials, and authorizations to serve students with disabilities who are English language learners (SWD-ELLs), yet continue to be challenged to meet the complex instructional needs of these students. Performance on statewide tests of achievement show continued disparities between the academic achievement of SWD, ELLs, and their non-disabled English-only speaking peers. Bandura's theory of self-efficacy was the theoretical foundation for this research study given that teachers' perceptions of their abilities across the span of their careers can directly affect the achievement of their students. To compare and examine the self-reported sense of self-efficacy …

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Elementary Teachers' Perspectives Of The Support Facilitation Instructional Model, Deborah Afolabi Jan 2018

Elementary Teachers' Perspectives Of The Support Facilitation Instructional Model, Deborah Afolabi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem in an elementary school in Southern Texas was poor reading performance on grade level and progress monitoring tests for students with disabilities (SWDs). SWDs may learn to read proficiently when reading instruction is provided using the support facilitation model (SFM) that features a special educator who helps SWDs in literacy or mathematics in inclusion settings. The purpose of this bounded qualitative case study was to explore the perspectives of special and general education teachers about SFM. The universal design for learning framework, used to plan lessons based on how students learn, guided this study. The research questions focused …

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Empowering Teachers Through Empathy To Decrease Special Education Referral Rates, Amy Heger Jan 2018

Empowering Teachers Through Empathy To Decrease Special Education Referral Rates, Amy Heger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As mandated in Maryland public schools, principals cannot suspend students for infractions coded in the categories of disrespect and insubordination. To manage these behaviors, teachers need effective supports from educational leaders. The purpose of this case study was to explore a possible relationship between administrative supports and special education office referrals for disrespect and insubordination at a rural East Coast 8-12 school. The administration provided differentiated professional development by offering options that would meet the varied needs of teachers for classroom management. The theoretical foundation for this study was Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which was used to assess teachers' needs …

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Metacognitive Reading Strategy And Emerging Reading Comprehension In Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Natasha Cox-Magno Jan 2018

Metacognitive Reading Strategy And Emerging Reading Comprehension In Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Natasha Cox-Magno

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Historically, students with intellectual disabilities (ID) have low reading comprehension skills that can impede their overall academic success. There is a gap in practice regarding the identification and effective use of evidence-based reading comprehension instructional strategies for students with ID. Guided by Piaget's and Vygotsky's constructivist theories, the purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a metacognitive reading strategy on the emerging reading comprehension (ERC) skills of kindergarten students with ID. A single-participant, multiple baseline design with graphical visual analysis was used across 4 kindergarten students with ID to illustrate the influence of the reading intervention. All …

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