Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

The Effects Of Inclusion For Teachers, Special Education, And General Education Students In General Education Classrooms, Rachel O'Neill

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the current special education policies in place in the United States, solutions must be found in order to equitably meet the academic, social and emotional needs for all types of students found in a classroom. One of the most practiced solutions found in schools today, is the inclusion of special education students in mainstream classrooms. Inclusion can provide many benefits to teachers, general education and special education students when executed properly. When not executed properly, inclusion can cause undue stress to both teachers and students. This literature review will examine the effects of inclusion on teachers, special education, and …

Inclusion Model Impact On Students With Disabilities In Academic Settings, Michael Anthony Adams

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored how the special education inclusion model impacted students with disabilities in several South Georgia counties. The researcher determined there were differences in perceptions and actual progression based on the findings from educators’ survey responses and standardized test results concerning the impact of the inclusion model on special education students in general education classrooms. This difference in perception versus reality emerged as a theme and may be attributed to educator’s negative experiences. Specific interest was given to students with disabilities in the categories of specific learning disability (SLD), emotional behavioral disability (EBD), mild intellectual disability (MI), and other …

Student Perspectives On Peer Supports In An Inclusive Postsecondary Education Context, Courtney Lane Wilt, Mary E. Morningstar

Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This qualitative study investigates the experiences of students with intellectual disability with peer mentors at a large Midwestern inclusive postsecondary education program (IPSE). Participants were students with intellectual disability and peer mentors associated with the IPSE. Students with intellectual disability are valued as partners in developing and sustaining peer mentor supports and their perspectives are emphasized in this study. Data analysis reveals similarities and differences between the students with intellectual disability and peer mentors in their perceptions of friendship, college life, and support needs. Amount of time spent in the program also emerged as a factor in student and peer …

School-Based Speech-Language Pathologist Collaborative Practice: A Literature Review, Kaija R. Elenko

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Background: School-based speech language pathologists (SLPs) are increasing collaborative engagement with educators and other professionals in school settings. Collaborative practice in the general education classroom increased student’s awareness of literacy concepts. The push-in model of service delivery reached students with varied levels of literacy understanding. There is insufficient empirical evidence regarding school-based interprofessional practice (IPP) available to clinicians. Systemic reviews provide a model for educators and SLPs to follow; many professionals hesitate to engage in IPP because there is a deficiency in evidence of success.

Aims: Investigation of the necessary components for successful IPP and the impacts of collaboration on …

Experiences Of Adolescents In The General Education Setting Interacting With Peers With Intellectual Disability, Katie Goldey

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Social interaction is critical to health, quality of life, and linguistic and cognitive development. However, young people with intellectual disabilities are unlikely to have equitable opportunities for social interaction. This may be particularly true of adolescents. This study used qualitative phenomenological methods to examine the lived experiences of students in the general education setting interacting with their peers with intellectual disability. Twenty participants engaged in one on one interviews with the author. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for overarching themes. Four main themes emerged from the data including: (1) Teens just don’t have many opportunities to interact with …

The Voices Of Typers: Examining The Educational Experiences Of Individuals Who Use Facilitated Communication, Aja Mckee, Audri Sandoval Gomez

Education Faculty Articles and Research

As the number of students with autism grows, professionals must find ways to understand how to best educate this student population. Although current research addresses teaching students with autism, studies on educating autistic students with limited or unreliable verbal speech is nominal. In this qualitative study, interviews with eight autistics who type using the method facilitated communication are analyzed in relation to their educational experiences. The study resulted in a number of key findings that play significant roles in the participants' educational experiences, including (a) the notion of disability hierarchy and the presumption of competence, (b) the importance of building …

Teacher Scaffolds During Word Solving In The Context Of The Interactive Strategies Approach-Extended (Isa-X) Intervention, Mary Elizabeth Arcidiacono

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Research has shown that reading intervention which incorporates word identification strategy instruction can help struggling students improve their reading ability (e.g., Gelzheiser, Scanlon, Vellutino et al., 2011; Scanlon, Gelzheiser, Vellutino et al., 2008; Vellutino, Scanlon, Small, et al., 2006). Since poor readers have benefited from interventions which include direct instruction of word identification strategies, my research focused on word identification strategy instruction; specifically, this study examined the types of scaffolds teachers provided to readers as they practiced being strategic word solvers while reading. This study compared the in-situ conversations between teachers using the Interactive Strategies Approach – Extended (ISA—X, Gelzheiser …

The Manifestation Of Stereotypic Repetitive Behaviors In Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder In School Environments, Heather Anne Kurto

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects one in 59 children in the United States (CDC, 2018). ASD is defined as impairments in communication, socialization, and engagement in stereotypic and/or repetitive behaviors (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Much attention is given to the deficits in communication and socialization while stereotypic repetitive behaviors (SRBs) are the focus of interventions to extinguish these behaviors with little understanding of what role these behaviors play for people with ASD. The engagement in and function of SRBs is less prominent in the literature. Stereotypic repetitive behaviors vary in engagement, function and topography. This study examines how SRBs manifest …

Effects Of The Helping Early Literacy With Practice Strategies (Helps) Program On Reading Fluency With English Language Learners, Heeyeon Chung

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the HELPS Program on the reading fluency skills of English Learners (ELs) using a multiple-baseline single case design methodology. Participants in this study included five ELs attending a public elementary school in northern New York State. Students were identified for participation through a review of available records indicating below-average reading fluency skills and/or teacher recommendations based on reading fluency performance in the classroom. Visual analysis and Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) were used to evaluate Words Correct Per Minute (WCPM) scores from the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills …

Teacher Burnout: Measuring, Contributing Factors, And Prevention, Lisa A. Dexter

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One of the most stressful careers a person can chose to have is teaching. (Johnson et al., 2005; Travers, 2001). Teaching demands are high, and the emotional labor of teaching can leave teachers feeling emotionally exhausted, withdrawn, and worn down. Teachers who experience chronic levels of stress can be plagued with what is referred to as teacher burnout. While researchers have identified effective ways of measuring current levels and burnout, the research is just developing in identifying contributing factors and prevention strategies. Self-efficacy is a significant predictor of burnout as well as certain teaching environments. Researchers have identified effective prevention …

Perceptions Of Co-Teaching In Secondary Inclusion Classrooms, Tori Hill

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This study examined secondary teacher and administrator perceptions of co-teaching practices as they relate to preservice and in-service training. In this mixed-methods study, general education math and English teachers and special education teachers in three suburban high schools were given a survey to provide input regarding co-teaching practices in their school/district. The survey results were analyzed to determine trends of variables relating to teacher perceptions. Additionally, interviews with four administrators (three schools and one district) were conducted to correlate expectations, strengths and weaknesses, and training with the results of the teacher survey. Multiple themes emerged, which included collaboration/planning, administrative support, …

The Perceptions Of Aac Professionals On Supporting The Clinical Translation Of Brain-Computer Interface Technology, Kevin Pitt, Miechelle L. Mckelvey, Kristy Weissling, Brynley Klein

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) provide access to augmentative and alternative communication devices by decoding an individual’s neurological activity. However, while BCI developments are progressing in the research setting, barriers still exist in the clinical setting. These must be overcome to support the successful translation of BCI technology into clinical practice which improves patient outcomes. Therefore, to help facilitate the clinical integration of BCI-AAC, our study sought to identify the perspectives of AAC professionals regarding their

Photos For Visual Scene Displays: Input From Interviews With Visual Media Experts, Kevin Pitt, Meghan Salley, Kathrin Sindt, John Mccarthy

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Visual Scene Displays (VSDs) are a promising interface for AAC systems for children and adults. Although recent research has focused on design principles of traditional grid displays, there is comparatively little information on VSDs. Ten individuals with a background in photography and visual composition were interviewed following a brief overview of visual scene displays applied to AAC systems. Interviews were analyzed for themes, lasting around 45 minutes each. Participants gave feedback on principles of composition, how those principles inform their own work, and “quick tips” on matching photos with goals related to communication in VSDs.

Individuals whose natural speech is …

Effects Of Sentence-Combining Instruction For Spanish-Speaking Language-Minority Students: Evidence From Two Single-Case Experiments, J. Marc Goodrich, Michael Hebert, Mackenzie E. Savaiano, Tim Andress

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Research indicates that sentence-combining instruction is effective for improving writing outcomes; however, no studies to date have examined the effects of sentence- combining instruction on the writing skills of Spanish- speaking language-minority (LM) students. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of explicit sentence-combining instruction that focused on correct adjective use when used with Spanish-speaking LM students with poor sentence construction skills. Across two studies, seven Spanish-speaking LM children in third to fifth grade participated in sentence-combining inter- ventions designed to teach adjective placement. Results in- dicated that there was a functional relation between the in- …

Effect Of Pacifier Design On Nonnutritive Suck Maturation And Weight Gain In Preterm Infants: A Pilot Study, Alexander Ziegler, Jill L. Maron, Steven M. Barlow, Jonathan M. Davis

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Background: Pacifiers are effective in promoting oral feeding by increasing the maturation of nonnutritive sucking to nutritive suck in preterm neonates. It is unclear whether pacifier design can influence suck dynamics and weight loss during the first week of life. Objectives: This pilot study examined the feasibility of studying the effect of pacifier design on suck maturation and weight loss in preterm neonates. Methods: Twenty-five preterm neonates (mean [SD] birth weight 1791 [344.9] grams, mean [SD] gestational age 33.1 [1.2] weeks) were studied in a single newborn intensive care unit. Neonates were assigned to either an orthodontic pacifier (n = …

An Examination Of Readiness For Response To Intervention Implementation In A Rural School District In North Carolina, Carla Murray

Doctor of Education Dissertations

In 2015, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Exceptional Children Division proposed policy changes, effective July 1, 2020, on how students with specific learning disabilities are defined, evaluated, and identified. A student in North Carolina is now identified for special education through the use of how they respond to high-quality core instruction and research-based instruction. This study examined this process in a rural school district in North Carolina to determine how schools can support educators who do not have the appropriate background knowledge and skills to sustain MTSS, how educator perceptions influence the sustainability of MTSS, and what can …

The Impact Of The Mtss Framework On Special Education Referral Rates And Eligibility For Specific Learning Disabilities, Tonya Scism Walker

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods study was to examine the effect of the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework on special education referral rates and the eligibility of special education services in the category of specific learning disability at two elementary schools. This study also investigates educator perceptions of the impact the MTSS framework has had on special education referral rates and eligibility. Archival quantitative data on the special education referral rates and eligibility rates in the area of specific learning disability from 2009-2010 to the 2017- 2018 school year were collected from the statewide special education …

Executive Summary Of The Year Four Annual Report Of The Tpsid Model Demonstration Projects (2018-2019), Meg Grigal, Debra Hart, Clare Papay, Frank Smith, Daria Domin, Rebecca Lazo

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

This Fast Fact provides a summary of the findings shared in the Year Four Annual Report of the TPSID Model Demonstration Projects (2018-2019). Findings are shared across multiple categories including employment, vocational rehabilitation, academics, academic and employment supports, residential services, program completion and credential attainment, and one-year outcomes. Conclusions drawn suggest the TPSID model demonstration program has shown that students with intellectual disability can enroll in college, attend courses, and work for competitive wages. The quality of the services provided to students while enrolled in IHEs implementing TPSID programs continues to improve; as do the outcomes of these students.

From The Field: Strategies On Career Development And Employment For Students With Intellectual Disability., Daria Domin

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

This practical guide includes strategies that work to support students with intellectual disability (ID) who are looking for employment opportunities. The strategies shared in this publication were shared with the authors by staff and faculty at six different post-secondary programs for students with ID, and align with the Think College Standards for Inclusive Higher Education; a chart is included to show the alignment.

Using Data-Enabled Performance Feedback And Guidance To Assist Employment Consultants In Their Work With Job Seekers: An Experimental Study, John Butterworth, Alberto Migliore, Kelly Nye-Lengerman, Oliver Lyons, Amy Gunty, Jill Eastman, Paul Foos

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

BACKGROUND:The success of job seekers with disabilities in achieving their employment goals depends in large part on the quality of employment supports that they receive from employment consultants. OBJECTIVE:To test the effectiveness of data-enabled performance feedback to assist employment consultants in implementing standards of effective employment supports. METHODS:A total of 187 employment consultants in 30 states were randomly assigned to intervention or control groups. The intervention group received data-enabled performance feedback and guidance for 12 months, whereas the control group continued with business as usual. Both groups completed baseline and quarterly surveys throughout the intervention. RESULTS:One year after baseline, the …