Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

A Teacher’S Use Of Video To Train Paraprofessionals In Pivotal Response Techniques, Adria Murphy, Suzanne E. Robinson, Debra L. Cote, Belinda D. Karge, Trissie Lee

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Research has shown that students with moderate-severe disabilities need direct and frequent social instruction in order to communicate and play with their peers. At the same time, there is little commensurate support for the paraprofessionals tasked with providing this support. It is imperative, then, that paraprofessionals have effective strategies in their repertoire of practices to facilitate social interaction. This investigation examined one classroom teacher's use of video to train two paraprofessionals in Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT), an evidence based practice for students with autism. Findings suggest that the teacher-provided video training was effective in improving paraprofessionals’ PRT implementation, and subsequently, …

High-Preference Strategies And Other Interspersal Procedures For Learners With Disabilities: A Review Of The Literature, Elias Clinton, Tom J. Clees

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Interspersal Procedures (IP) represent a group of interventions that imbed, at varying ratios, requests for individuals to exhibit mastered skills before or within sequences of requests for target skills. Interspersal Procedures include numerous strategies, such as high-probability request sequences, pre-task requests, and high-preference strategies. Such arrangements can increase attempts to perform target or less preferred tasks. The purposes of this review include (a) an overview of terminology related to IP, (b) a discussion of the conceptual basis for using IP, (c) a description of the experimental literature that has used IP with individuals with disabilities, (d) a categorical summary of …

The Effect Of A Social Skills Package On Initiations, Responses, And Turn-Taking In Young Children With Autism, Mary Elizabeth Ortman

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The current study was completed in the Spring of 2015 in an elementary special education classroom. This single-subject ABAB withdrawal design utilized a social skills curriculum, self-monitoring, and video-modeling to increase the initiations, responses, turns-taken, and total duration involved in social play in two first grade males with autism. Limitations included time constraints and the setting of a busy classroom. During 15-minute data sessions, participant one's initiations increased from a mean frequency of 2 during A1 to 28 during B2, responses increased from a mean frequency of 3 to 26, turn-taking increased from a mean frequency of 10 to 29, …

Effects Of A Software Program Vs. Constant Time Delay In The Acquisition Of Sight Words For A Student With Significant Disabilities, Turkie Ali Algharbie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The development of sight words is essential for individuals with significant disability. There is a plethora of research highlighting the acquisition of sight words for this population but to date, most focus on teacher led interventions (Browder, Algrim-Delzell, Spooner, Mims, & Baker, 2009). This study investigated the use of computer technology vs. one-on-one instruction targeting sight words acquisition for a student with a significant disability. Results showed the participant indicated improved performance using the computer based intervention versus the constant time delay instructor led intervention.

Special Needs Children And Mental Health, Nancy J. Carbonell

Faculty Publications

What do these stories have in common? They are representative of many students who experience learning difficulties while at the same time struggling with mental or emotional issues. Special-needs teachers see children like Brandon, Carmen, and Jake in their classrooms every day. It is estimated that in the U.S., 37 percent of children with special needs also need mental-health care. That is approximately one in every three special-needs students! This is particularly challenging for teachers whose training did not include how to deal with children experiencing mental-health issues.

From Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder To Substance Use Disorder: Perspectives From Recovering Addicts, Elena Potovsky

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

People who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are often at high risk of acquiring Substance Use Disorder (SUD). When a diagnosis is determined for a school age child, the special education team mainly focuses on the most obvious problems that occur with ADHD: executive function issues, reading and writing impairments, and disruptive behavior. They may not realize how common it is for those identified with ADHD to also acquire SUD.

The literature revealed that there may be a shared genetic basis between ADHD and SUD, that there is commonly an early onset of SUD for those who have ADHD, …

A Case Study Of The Experiences Of Students With Disabilities Who Did Not Complete High School, Richard Wieringo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This case study explores the experiences of students with disabilities who have dropped out of high school, so as to identify related factors that led to their decisions. Participants included both males and females who were designated as students with disabilities at Ridgeville High School (pseudonym for a Virginia high school) and who dropped out between their third and fourth years of high school, during the 2010 to 2014 academic years. All participants were between the ages of 18 and 24. The case study was conducted through the use of semi-structured interviews, journaling, and observation of the sample population, with …

How To Implement Visual Activity Schedules For Students With Disabilities, Amy D. Spriggs, Wilhelmina Van Dijk, Pamela J. Mims

ETSU Faculty Works

Based on recent literature reviews on the use of Visual Activity Schedules (VAS) for students with intellectual disability and autism, the strategy has been deemed an evidence based practice. Using the literature highlighted in the recent reviews, this article provides an overview of VAS and common skills VAS has been used to teach. Additionally, the authors provide guidelines on schedules variations, creating schedules, and implementing the schedules. Finally, several examples of VAS are included.

Culturally Relevant Parental Involvement: Perceptions Of Mexican Immigrant Mothers In Rural Wyoming, Sandra P. Sanderson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand Mexican immigrant mother's perceptions concerning parental involvement with their children's schools. It provides a perspective on cultural considerations relevant to the implementation of Epstein's model of parental involvement. Eight mothers, two documented and six undocumented, who had emigrated from Mexico and were living in rural Wyoming, were interviewed. The information provided by the participants included descriptions of practices the mothers considered meaningful when involved with their children's education. They shared their own experiences of their school attendance in Mexico and their own parents' involvement with their education. They also shared their understanding …

Post Hoc Analysis On The Effect Of Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention Provided To Preschool Children On The Autism Spectrum, Catherine R. Maxwell Dumont

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) provides a framework for educators to assist children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to increase independence and positive social skills in the classroom (Reichow, 2012). Preschoolers with ASD who do not have access to programs tend to display negative and socially inappropriate behavior, such as acts of aggression, withdrawal, and inability to attend to lessons. Studies on program effectiveness documented that preschool children who received EIBI scored higher on IQ, language comprehension, imitation, expressive language, nonverbal communication, play, stereotyped behaviors and adaptive functioning compared to preschool children who do not receive EIBI. The literature …

The Effects Of “Handwriting Without Tears®” On The Handwriting Skills Of Appropriate Size, Form, And Tool For A Four Year-Old Boy With A Developmental Delay, Colleen Meyers, T.F. Mclaughlin, Mark Derby, Kimberly P. Weber, Milena Robison

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

The ability to write one’s own name legibly is a critical lifelong skill for academic success. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the Handwriting Without Tears® program on teaching a four year-old how to write his first name using proper size, form, and tool. The participant was a four year-old boy in a self-contained preschool setting. A multiple baseline design across letters was employed. The overall outcomes indicated improvement through the use of Handwriting without Tears® materials. The participant enjoyed the procedure and improved his academic skills.

Tiers 1, 2 & 3 Intervention: Sleep And School, Katherine M. Kidwell, Maren Hankey, Donna M. Flores, Tori R. Van Dyk, Alyssa Lundahl, Timothy D. Nelson

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Conclusion

Educators need to take a more active role in identifying and addressing sleep related issues in students in order to maximize their learning potential and to minimize the numerous negative outcomes of sub-optimal sleep and sleep disorders. Specifically, school personnel can educate parents on the importance of sleep and advocate for later school start times for middle and high school students. In addition, when symptoms persist, educators can make recommendations to parents as a part of the SAT and MDT. See Figure 4 for recommendations for schools.

Increasing Rates Of Specific Praise And Otr Provided By Para-Educators In Special Education Classrooms, Jordan Christopher Politte

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Increasing behavior specific praise and the opportunities to respond (OTR) in a classroom increases the likelihood that students will engage in learning activities and socially appropriate behavior. This study was focused to investigate the effects of on increasing para-educator's use of positive praise and the opportunities to respond in small group reading lessons. This study employed four single-subject withdrawal designs were employed in this study. Two were ABAB, the third was ABABC, and the fourth was ABCAC. The interventions consisted of the para-educators receiving training in the area of behavior specific positive praise and opportunities to respond. After each lesson …

Development And Validation Of A Survey Of Knowledge Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Laura Katherine Hansen

Master's Theses

As autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is more commonly diagnosed, having knowledge of the disorder becomes increasingly important for educators, parents, and the general public. Previous research regarding knowledge of ASD, focused mainly on knowledge possessed by those in the educational field, has found that individuals may perceive themselves as possessing average knowledge regarding ASD but have low actual knowledge (as defined by the researchers) regarding specific aspects of the disorder (Williams et al., 2011). Studies support the notion that there is a general lack of knowledge of different aspects of ASD among teachers; however, there has been little research regarding …

“¡Ya Entiendo! Now I Understand!” Parents' Perceptions Of The Diagnosis Process And Early Intervention Services, Jenna Hudson

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

This qualitative research study examined parents’ perceptions on the diagnosis process that identified their children as deaf or hard of hearing and the early-intervention services provided after the diagnosis. It explored how culture influenced the parental perception of information given to them and the ways in which their backgrounds swayed their individual reactions. As a convenience sample, the researcher conducted interviews with six families in the participants’ homes for ease and comfort. After each interview, an observation was conducted to collect data on the family’s interactions during leisure time, focusing on how the parents and their child communicated with one …

Global Competency Teaching Intercultural Communication And Creativity In Universities To Prepare Graduates For The Global Workforce, Cassidy Crawford

University Honors Program

Universities are leaving students vastly unprepared to succeed in the globalized workforce upon graduation, due to a lack of global competency. This article examines the use of intercultural communication and creativity as necessary resources for students to gain global competency. First, global competency is defined. Next, the need for intercultural communication and how this need can be met by universities is discussed in depth. Lastly, the same is done for creativity in the context of the real-world and education. Surveys and statics of employers, professors, and students are applied to this examination. Additionally, methods to integrate intercultural communication and creativity …

I See What You Mean: Strategies For Minimizing Dependence On Words In Teaching, Lisa Lane

Inclusion Across the Lifespan Conference

This presentation focuses on practical strategies for using visual tools in the classroom, allowing language-challenged students with ASD to “see what you mean.”

Enhancing Transition To Employment, Rene Reese

Inclusion Across the Lifespan Conference

Employment is a key goal for students and adults with all different types of disabilities. Yet, obtaining employment remains a challenge.

Students and adults with Intellectual and other disabilities need to be prepared not only to succeed as employees, but also with the tools to acquire jobs. Finding and accessing resources and services can be a lengthy and intimidating process. It is vital to support students, graduates and adults with the tools that they need to successfully transition into the workforce.

This presentation will showcase a comprehensive Job Search Toolkit that can be used independently with little training or assistance …

“It’S Nice To Meet You. Let’S Do Some Inclusion.”, Martha Compton, Celeste Prange, Kaleena Gibson

Inclusion Across the Lifespan Conference

Come hear how one 3^rd grade team went out of their way to welcome and support the teachers and students from a new-to-the-school self-contained class for students with intellectual disabilities and/or autism in a project of grade-appropriate inclusion. The presenters will discuss the power of a positive attitude and combined ownership among staff members. Attendees will be given strategies to create a welcoming classroom community and tips on modifying activities and assessments.

Virtual Inclusion, Nicole Adams

Inclusion Across the Lifespan Conference

Virtual education offers a continuum of special education services, that includes inclusion. Come to find out how inclusion is delivered in virtual schools and learn about of the techniques and tools they use that can be applied in a brick and mortar inclusion setting!