Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Culturally And Linguistically Relevant Content Area Instruction For Diverse Students With Learning Disabilities, Shaqwana Freeman-Green, Melissa Driver, Peishi Wang, Jessica Kamuru, Dia Jackson

Faculty Articles

Culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students comprise a substantial population of students with learning disabilities, and are historically disproportionately represented in spe- cial education. To effectively teach CLD students with learning disabilities, teachers should integrate evidence-based practices and culturally sustaining pedagogy in their practice. This article highlights several practical examples of culturally sustaining evidence-based practices across the content areas of mathematics, reading, and writing. Suggestions for practice and future research are presented in the article.

Comparative Effects Of Words Plus Pictures And Words Alone On The Reading Comprehension Of Youth With Disabilities, Lindsay Caudill

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

This study compared the effectiveness and efficiency of two instructional conditions on the reading comprehension of fifth and sixth grade students with moderate and severe disabilities. A words plus pictures and words alone condition were examined through the use of an adapted alternating treatment design replicated across 3 participants. Results indicated that the effect was minimal, with words plus pictures being slightly more effective.

The Effects Of Using Constant Time Delay To Teach Digraphs To Elementary Students With Mild Disabilities, Sara Schuer

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Constant time delay (CTD) is a near-errorless response prompting procedure that involves a presentation of a stimulus, a delay interval, and a controlling prompt. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of teaching vowel/consonant digraph sounds to children with mild disabilities using constant time delay. A multiple probe (conditions) across behaviors design, replicated with three students, was used. The results indicated that CTD is effective in teaching vowel/consonant digraphs to elementary students with mild disabilities which then generalize to reading words containing those same digraphs.

The Relationship Between Stress And Quality Of Life In People With Multiple Sclerosis: The Mediating Role Of Resilience, Byung Jin Kim

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system encompassing the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerve, in which the patient’s immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues. Due to the unpredictable characteristics of the disease, MS can lead to an unusually high level of stress and may negatively impact the individual’s QoL. Resilience is a psychological structure that shows positive coping and adaptive ability from difficult or stressful situations. Resilience also indicates a buffering effect on the stressors of individuals with disabilities and serves to protect psychological health and function from disability. The purpose of this …

Lessons From The Past And Challenges For The Future: Inclusive Education For Students With Unique Needs, William Evans, Robert A. Gable, Amany Habib

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

The school-age population of students is becoming increasingly more culturally and linguistically diverse. There is mounting recognition that English Learners (EL) represent a unique group of students who have special educational and linguistic needs. This article considered the needs of learners with diverse special needs such as (a) learning and behavior challenges and (b) English Learners identified as students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE). We highlighted some potential lessons to be learned from past-to-present efforts to serve students with behavior problems. Selected evidence-based practices were featured that are applicable to learners with special needs, thereby supporting the development …

Understanding Discourse Of Co-Teachers In Middle School Mathematics Inclusive Classrooms, Amanda Lannan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The researcher in this study investigated the verbal discourse moves of co-teachers in middle school mathematics classrooms to solicit students' mathematical thinking with a specific focus on students with disabilities. In this examination of two classrooms, students received high-level mathematics instruction from expertly trained co-teachers. A quantitative analysis of the video transcripts using a validated tool for coding teacher behaviors was used to examine the content and context of mathematical discourse in each of the classrooms. The researcher examined qualitative data using a critical discourse framework. Three themes emerged from the discourse analysis: (a) empowerment of co-teachers, (b) strategic use …

Using Wearable Assistive Technology To Improve Time Management Of Students With Disabilities In A School-Based Employment Training Setting, Jonathan Solomon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

All areas of life require time management, but those skills are especially integral and require a different level of accountability for an individual to be successful in academia or when employed (DiPipi-Hoy et al., 2009; Macan et al., 1990). A study by Janeslätt et al. (2015) measured daily time management of adults and found individuals with cognitive disabilities possessed low daily time management skills compared to neurotypical peers. In a study by Button et al. (2019) the majority of college students with disabilities at one university who sought out support services spent most of their time working on the area …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Teacher Interactions With Students With Special Needs, Travis Depuydt

All NMU Master's Theses

This qualitative, phenomenological research study was designed to study the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on teacher interactions with students with special needs during the mandatory school closures that took place during March of 2020. This study consisted of seven interviews with special education teachers, from three different districts, located in Menominee and Delta counties in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Participant responses to interview questions (See Appendix C), revealed six common themes:

1. Inability to consistently connect with students and a lack of participation amongst students.
2. Lack of training and no prior online teaching experience.
3. Lack of available technology …

Universal Design For Learning’S Successful Implementation: What Can Administrators Do?, Monica Grillo

Graduate Research Posters

Administrators have a unique position to influence teacher attitudes by creating an inclusive school culture and providing instructional leadership. Implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a critical issue for public schools in our country. UDL is an inclusive framework based on the science of learning. It supports and removes barriers to learning for all students while maintaining high expectations. Federal education policies have called for inclusive instruction based on UDL principles. Nevertheless, our educators and administrators are not sure they believe in it and do not know what exactly it is or how to implement it with fidelity. Previous …

Co-Teaching Practices Of General And Special Educators In Secondary Science Classrooms, Samantha Jolene Ringl

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

The purpose of this study was to establish current levels of co-teaching implementation and to explore teachers’ perceptions of co-teaching and co-teacher relationships. This study also examined whether there is a relationship between teachers’ perception of their co-teaching relationship and their perception of co-teaching implementation in their classrooms. Analysis revealed that teachers generally have positive perceptions of their co-teaching partners and relationships, and these perceptions did not significantly differ between science teachers and special educators. However, this study found that teachers are not regularly planning lessons together, sharing the workload in the classroom, or choosing co-teaching models together. This study …

Using Online Games To Engage Students In Transition Skills, Emily Miller

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

For this project, a game will be designed to assist students in transition skill-building. It will be presented at a minimum of one teacher's conference, and after the conference, I will be assisting in designing custom games for conference participants if they request to have a game made. During the conference, I will be talking about my experiences with using the Breakout EDU platform to design educational games and how learning the platform went for me. It will be a very beneficial experience for me, learning how to utilize an engaging online platform that I can use in my future …

An Inquiry Into The Relationship Between Individuals Who Are Blind Or Visually Impaired And Suicide, Henry Joseph Tyszka

Wayne State University Dissertations

In the United States, death certificates document pre-existing conditions only when they directly contribute to a death. This precludes generating data in the event of a suicide involving a blind or visually impaired individual and for that reason existing suicide data is scarce for this population. This Grounded Theory study, with the participation of a Licensed Professional Counselor, interviewed twenty blind or visually impaired individuals utilizing the CDC Self-Directed Violence survey instrument to determine the level of stressors that were experienced by the participants as well as the nature and number of protective supports, amongst other factors. The study reinforced …

An Lre Placement Loophole: A Critical Policy Analysis Of Lre Placement In Defining Disproportionality Of Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Students In Special Education, Arti Sachdeva

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The policies adopted by the Exceptional Children’s Education Act (2016) enabled disproportionality within LEAs by overlooking undocumented classroom removal practices, underestimating the monitoring and reporting criteria, and overlooking non-dominant cultural and linguistic groups within the Colorado community. In this critical policy analysis, I used quantitative methods to analyze and explore the difference between the odds ratio calculation of culturally and linguistically diverse students (CLDS) in special education with a least restrictive environment (LRE) of 40% and greater compared to Colorado’s acceptance of the federal mandate of the minimum requirement of the student LRE of less than 40% and alternate school …

Coaching Paraeducators To Accurately Record Student Response Data During Direct Instruction, Paige J. Carter Phd

Theses and Dissertations

Paraeducators serving students with disabilities outnumber special education teachers in the United States (Stewart, 2019; U. S. Department of Education et al., 2018). Paraeducators regularly provide instruction without the benefit of regular and effective training. One of the duties associated with instruction is the collection of instructional data. The purpose of this study was to examine a combination of training and coaching on the accuracy of recording student responses. In addition, a teacher-as-coach model was examined for feasibility with existing time and resources. A multiple baseline across participants design was planned. Special education teachers and paraeducators at a public separate …

How Do Special Education Teachers View The Phenomenon Of Black Male Overrepresentation In Special Education?, Lelon B. Jeffers

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

As the student population in many U.S. public schools grows increasingly more diverse, the need to assess the educational practices utilized in public schools grows as well. It is imperative for educators to make a concerted effort to ensure the rights and needs of minority students are being addressed in public schools. It is the duty of educators and policy makers to protect those students who are most marginalized by society. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the phenomenon of Black male overrepresentation in special education, and to ascertain the views and perspectives of special education teachers …

Teaching Special Education In The Midst Of Covid-19: Current Conditions Of Delivering Special Education Services During Distance Learning, Kalvin Davis

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The COVID-19 outbreak led to restrictions, school closure, sickness, hospitalization, humanitarian crisis, and the rise of death total. With efforts from healthcare and government officials, the best reactive response was to limit personal interactions amongst large groups and to keep a certain distance to limit the spread of COVID-19. With these limitations, school environments have drastically changed to meet student’s educational needs by using distance learning. Special education provides an opportunity to educate students who have specific educational, social, and behavioral needs in which they are given individualized education programs (IEPs) where principles are met for their services. As education …

Inclusive Academic Education & Vocationally-Oriented Transition Predictors’ Association With Post-Secondary Outcomes Of Youth With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Joshua P. Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Despite efforts through legislation to increase the engagement of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in competitive integrated employment (CIE) and post-secondary education, outcomes remain poor. However, recent policy has emphasized CIE as a preferred outcome and created new opportunities to engage individuals with IDD in post-secondary education. Likewise, research into the transition of youth with disabilities has revealed several predictors of post-school success including inclusive education and a variety of vocationally-oriented experiences. Previous research had not determined whether students with IDD received both inclusive academic education and vocational transition experiences or how these predictors might interact. The purpose …

Will They Stay Or Will They Go? Analysis Of The 2019 Doe Working Conditions Survey, Jonathan D. Becker, Valerie Robnolt, Kasey Dye, Erica Ross

MERC Publications

This report is part of the MERC Teacher Retention study. This study was designed to identify patterns of teacher retention in the MERC region and to determine the school and system-level factors driving them. The study also provides an overview of state and regional policies and programs relevant to teacher retention, and includes evaluations of existing policies and initiatives to determine efficacy and cost benefit. Teacher shortages continue to be a problem in the United States. While a range of policy solutions have attempted to stem the loss of teachers, at the base of many of these efforts is the …

Teaching Strategies Leading To Success In Self-Contained Classrooms, Sonja Michelle Robinson-Madden

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation addressed the strategies used in self-contained classrooms that lead to the success of students with intellectual disabilities in Jamaica. The study was prompted by the poor performance of primary schools in teaching delivery as evidenced in the National Inspectorate Report. The views of successful teachers were collated in order to provide meaningful research data that can be used to improve the effectiveness of teachers regarding their teaching strategies and engagement of their students in the teaching-learning process. In addition, the research findings may be used to inform policies regarding the education of special needs students who are …

Investigating The Determinants Of Mobile Computer Acceptance By Special Education Teachers, Rashed Alsulami

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The development of special education teaching has recently been shifting to highlight the importance of integrating technology to this essential field of education. The integration process, however, requires teachers to “buy in” to facilitate implementation and use of such methods for improving instructional practice. Thus, there is a need to investigate factors that affect special education teachers’ acceptance of using mobile computer devices as an instructional tool. The purpose of this study was to investigate the determinants that predict Saudi Arabian special education teachers’ behavioral intention of using mobile computer devices as an instructional tool in their classrooms, as well …