Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

The Influence Of Student Characteristics On Early Elementary Oral Reading Fluency, Wilhelmina Van Dijk

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) is a widely‐used index of reading ability in early elementary grades; however, little information exists on predictive value of student characteristics on ORF scores (Wang, Algozzine, Ma, & Porfeli, 2011). A three‐step sequential model was used to analyze the influence of student characteristics on scores (N = 2649) on an end of year ORF measure. Results indicate gender, race, lunch status, and English Language Learner status explained 7% of the variance in scores after controlling for grade and school characteristics ΔR 2 = .07, F 8, 2626 = 35.93, p = < .001), and Special Education (SPED) status explained an additional 5% (ΔR 2 = .05 F 9, 2625 = 59.45, p = < .001). The predictive value of several student characteristics changed depending on SPED status, and this was also a significant moderator on grade level (ΔR 2 = .002 F 2, 2623 = 4.12, p = .016). The use of these results in subsequent research is discussed.

The Importance Of Developing Cultural Competence In Working With Families Of Students With Disabilities From The Middle East, North Africa, And Southwest Asia, Soraya Fallah, Wendy Murawski, Zaniar Moradian

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

This article describes the importance of developing cultural competencies when working with families who come from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds. Using a mixed methods study, the experiences of 125 families from Middle Eastern, North African, and Southwest Asian (MENASWA) descent who have children in the U.S. Special Education system were analyzed. The intent of the research was to determine if specific demographics impacted the experiences and perceptions of these families, most specifically their perception of a school’s cultural competency. Survey responses and interviews resulted in numerous suggestions and recommendations that can help educators and administrators to better serve …

Rural Vocational And Transition Assessment Practices For Students With Intellectual Disabilities: What Do Educators Really Know?, Jenna Brendle Ph.D., Kathryn J. Tucker Ed.D., Robin H. Lock Ph.D.

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Transition planning requires quality vocational and transition assessment tailored to the student's needs, strengths, preferences and interests. Limited research is currently available that addresses assessment types and use of results that rural practitioners utilize to aid in transition planning for students with intellectual disabilities (ID). A group of 71 rural educators were surveyed to determine their transition assessment understanding and practices in the rural setting. This descriptive study examined rural educators’ understanding of vocational and transition assessment methods used in their rural settings, the transition assessment instruments they use with students with ID, and the impact that transition assessment has …

The Effectiveness Of Rotated Centers During A Reading Block For Students With Learning Disabilities, Stacey B. Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

Selecting the most efficient reading program for students with special learning disabilities has become a challenge in schools today. Currently the programs that are being produced today are either in a traditional or conventional format, which are typically designed for mainstream and general education students. Neither platform gives much thought to students with learning disabilities. The traditional and conventional reading framework is block teaching for sixty minutes. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of modifying a traditional or conventional reading framework by incorporating reading stations for students with special learning disabilities. This study was conducted over …

Brain–Computer Interfaces For Augmentative And Alternative Communication: A Tutorial, Jonathan S. Brumberg, Kevin M. Pitt, Alana Mantie-Kozlowski, Jeremy D. Burnison

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose--Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) have the potential to improve communication for people who require but are unable to use traditional augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. As BCIs move toward clinical practice, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) will need to consider their appropriateness for AAC intervention.

Method--This tutorial provides a background on BCI approaches to provide AAC specialists foundational knowledge necessary for clinical application of BCI. Tutorial descriptions were generated based on a literature review of BCIs for restoring communication.

Results--The tutorial responses directly address 4 major areas of interest for SLPs who specialize in AAC: (a) the current state …

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The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

No abstract provided.

University Students’ Perceptions Of Social Justice: The Impact Of Implementing A Summer Camp For Children With Disabilities, Ruth E. Jefferson Ed.D., Christina E. Grant Ph.D., Lindsay Rye, Laura A. Bassette Ph.D., Matt Stuve Ph.D., Ryan Heneisen

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

University students who experience real‐world service tend to develop a more inclusive world view and enhanced understandings outside of their personal perspectives. This project combined course objectives, community collaboration, and service provision to identify the impact of students’ understanding of social justice and disability access realities. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of a service‐learning university course on social justice education. The study explored how constructs including empathy, attitudes towards diversity, self‐efficacy, and personal communication (of undergraduate university students) were impacted by interactions with children with disabilities in a summer camp setting that included various activities …

Young Adults With Visual Impairments And Driver's Education: Journeys Of Self-Efficacy, Identity, And Transition To Adulthood, Molly Pasley

Theses and Dissertations

A person’s ability to travel independently can determine whether he or she transitions successfully from one life stage to another. One critically important aspect of independent travel is coming to understand how vehicles move in the built environment. For youth without visual disabilities, this information is addressed in depth in driver’s education courses. In the case of adolescents with visual impairments, the acquisition of this information is more complex and raises a number of complicated questions. In this qualitative study, seven adults with visual impairments ages 18-27 and six of their family members are interviewed to determine the impact of …

The Effectiveness Of A Training Program To Development The Ability To Recognize Facial Expression Of Emotion In Student With Mild Intellectual Disabilities And Its Impact On Theire Social Interaction, Mohammad Kamal Abo El-Fetouh Ahmad Omar

International Journal for Research in Education

This study aimed to identify the effectiveness of the training program to development the ability to recognize emotions through facial expressions among students with mild intellectual disabilities, the sample of this study consisted of 16 students with mild intellectual disabilities from Alhasma institute for intellectual disabilities at Jazan region, between the ages of 9-12 years and range ratios IQ between 50-70, they were divided into two equal groups and homogeneous, one is Experimental group and another is controlled group. The researcher used the Experimental method and using several different tools. The main result is there is effectiveness of the using …

A Program For Teacher Induction, Patricia Lager 7701725, Katherine Bertolini

Empowering Research for Educators

Even though many novice teachers are prepared academically to deal with subject matter, many of them enter the teaching field unprepared for many of the other aspects of teaching such as dealing with grading programs, insurance claims, inventory and various other matters that differ from school-to-school. Often these new teachers feel isolated and unsupported and possibly do not realize what they do not know or the proper questions to ask. This results in nearly 29% of them leaving the field within their first three years and around 39% leaving within their first five years. This project proposes creating a teacher …

Effective Instruction For English Language Learners With A Learning Disability In Higher Education In Egypt, Rania M Rafik Khalil

English Language and Literature

There is a large number of students with learning disabilities (LD) today in many private higher education institutions in Egypt. It is fair to say that their challenges although have gained some attention from academics and researchers that they are still under-studied. Many of those students also happen to be English language learners (ELLs). This complicates matters even more not just for the student with the learning disability, but for the untrained instructor in the classroom. Research indicates that ELLs with LD are less likely to engage actively in classroom tasks and are more prone to failing. Providing an inclusive …

Use Of Peer Buddies In Adaptive Physical Education, Jessica Lynn Kotelnicki

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to observe the participation levels of students with disabilities in an adaptive physical education class when typically developing students are included in the class as Peer Buddies. The goal was to observe if students' performance levels increased while performing with fellow peers. This study was undertaken to see the relationship between students with disabilities participation levels in an adaptive physical education class when peer buddies were integrated. A baseline test was completed in the beginning of the study and participation was observed through class activities as well as abdominal crunches. Data was observed and …

Transforming The Embodied Dispositions Of Pre-Service Special Education Teachers, Gene Fellner, Helen Kwah

Publications and Research

Teacher education programs seek to foster dispositions that welcome student differences in race, culture, language and ability. However, pre-service teachers’ dispositions are difficult to transform because they tend to be aligned with the field of schooling where differences are punished or excluded. This study examines an activity for transforming pre-service teachers’ communicative habitus that was inspired by Bourdieu’s theory that habitus or dispositions are unconsciously embodied and therefore require a bodily counter-training for change. The activity instructed 17 pre-service Special Education teachers to communicate an experience through sound alone rather than words in order to challenge teachers’ deeply embodied communicative …

What Happens When Multi-Disabled Students Are Presented With Functional Sight Words In The Real World Opposed To The Classroom?, Jennifer Nicole Roselli

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to document how students with learning disabilities use vocabulary outside of the classroom and more specifically the importance of functional sight word recognition. This study will support how functional reading instruction can benefit students with learning disabilities by promoting independence. It will also recognize the importance of choosing instruction to best prepare students for their futures outside of school.

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Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

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Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

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Project Based Learning Instructional Design And The Benefits If Brings To Modern Classrooms Specifically In Special Education, Maylynn E. Arntzen

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores and defines what project based learning instruction is, and focuses on the impact it has on both traditional and special education classroom environments. The research examines the issues that schools face in the 21st Century using both traditional instructional design and project based learning, while shedding light on the benefits of the project based learning instructional design. This thesis examines a range student's ages, cultures, socio-economic status, special education needs/abilities, and motivation levels. When implemented, project based learning instruction is able to enhance the social, emotional, and academic achievement capabilities of the students who receive it as …

Reducing Stereotypic Behaviors In Children With Autism, Sianna Banham

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

I’d like to take this time to thank my fiancé, family, peers and friends who supported me throughout this process. I have many people to thank who have pushed me to stay one task and get this thesis done, as I am a huge procrastinator. Thomas, thank you for everything you do. You have pushed me to never give up and helped me reach my full potential. You have believed in since day one, even before I believed in myself. To all my amazing family members, thank you for your constant support and love. Thank you for asking me at …

Teaching Social Skills Or Play: The Importance Of Foundational Skills, Elizabeth Ann Bauman

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to conduct a thorough examination of the current literature related to the background, benefit and implementation of play in teaching social skills to children with autism spectrum disorders. The ability to demonstrate joint attention, demonstrate join attention and participate in functional and pretend play continues to show a correlation with children’s language, cognitive and social skills. Functional and symbolic play provide children an opportunity to practice new vocabulary, experiment with scenarios they have observed, and have social interaction. Children with autism spectrum disorders do not develop these skills easily and naturally as their typically-developing …

The Importance Of Calming Strategies: Teaching Children With Autism, Jennifer Ann Crnobrna

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore the different types of calming strategies that can be used to help children with autism spectrum disorders. There are many different types of calming strategies reviewed because individuals with autism are all unique and have many different kinds of needs. Different strategies are discussed to meet individual needs of an individual on the autism spectrum. The benefits of using different methods to calm students are defined throughout this paper. A detailed definition of terms is listed to better understand vocabulary within the paper. Three different areas, such as lack of communication skills, …