Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

The Inclusion Experience, Claire Vanostenbridge, Melissa Grimsley, Jane Dibridge, Debra Whatley, Emilie Westmoreland

Inclusion Across the Lifespan Conference

Inclusion benefits everyone in the room, students and teachers alike. During this presentation, attendees will learn about the benefits of co-teaching, talk to current co-teachers, how to work with others effectively, and some unique experiences that inclusion classrooms can offer to their students. This includes but is not limited to various co-teaching styles, daily starter activities, literacy methods and activities, and differentiated note-taking.

Supporting Assistants In Inclusive Settings, Wendy Balough

Inclusion Across the Lifespan Conference

Special Education assistants can be used to support programs of students in general education classrooms, but their effectiveness is only as good as the training and supervision they receive from teachers and administrators. Come to this session to pick up practical management and training tips for working with assistants.

Winthrop Think College-Postsecondary Options For Students With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities: Living On Campus!, Sara Oxenfeld, Barbara Oley, Kevin Rauppius, Jonathan Turner

Inclusion Across the Lifespan Conference

Winthrop Think College has moved on campus. Four WTC students and residential peer mentors live on campus and work on independent living skills. The audience will hear from the Winthrop Think College Students about how living on campus is helping prepare them for their postsecondary goals.

Strategies For Promoting Success In Inclusive Mathematics Classrooms, Jenny Root, Luann Davis, Chelsi Brosch

Inclusion Across the Lifespan Conference

A brief overview of the "big ideas" in mathematics for elementary/middle grades will be provided followed by evidence based strategies for teaching grade-aligned mathematics skills to students in inclusive classroom. Participants will practice selected strategies for embedding instruction within typical mathematics routines.

“Stuck In The Middle”, Christina Hammond Dempsey

Inclusion Across the Lifespan Conference

Positives and concerns that resulted from a year of full inclusion/co-teaching in sixth grade and how we changed our service delivery model to be sure every child’s needs are met. This presentation will also include strategies for middle level teachers for academics, technology (apps that may be helpful), behavior and motivation for students with mild to moderate disabilities.

Club Unify, Emily Sirico, Alexis Pattinson

Inclusion Across the Lifespan Conference

We will be discussing Club Unify. We will go over what it is, the components of the program, who can participate, how to get started, the benefits of the program, and who to contact for more information.

A Few Simple “Tweeks” = Successful Students In My Class: Creating A Successful Learning Environment For All Learners In The Classroom, Susan S. Williams, Chastity Baccus

Inclusion Across the Lifespan Conference

A regular education classroom is filled with many students of varying talents and abilities. By implementing simple ‘tweeks’ in teaching, routines, and procedures, teachers can make a tremendous difference in the success rate for a child on the autism spectrum as well as the other students in the classroom. The presenters will provide straight forward strategies that each attendee will be able to implement upon leaving the session. These are proven strategies that the presenters currently use and will be sharing. Although the focus of the presentation will be on the inclusion of students on the autism spectrum within the …

Winthrop Think College-Postsecondary Options For Students With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Tanner Crossnoe, Dominic Cianciosa, Brittany Black, Alexis Pattinson

Inclusion Across the Lifespan Conference

Winthrop Think College is a postsecondary option for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Our goal is to prepare students for competitive employment and active participation in local communities. Session will highlight experiences from first year of our program. The audience will hear from the Winthrop Think College Students and Peer Mentors.

Special Needs Planning 101: Securing Your Child’S Future, Ryan F. Platt

Inclusion Across the Lifespan Conference

You are invited to an Educational Experience that will empower you to build a solid planning foundation for you, your loved one and your entire family. You will not only learn about wills, trusts, the ABLE Act, Special Needs Trust, Guardianship, Defining your child’s lifetime needs, Government Benefits, Proactive Tax Strategies, Communication Techniques, but you will also learn the importance of integrating all the necessary pieces into a cohesive plan, so the vision you have for your child’s life can become a reality whether you are here or not.

Beyond Inclusion! Inclusive Programming Options, Wendy Balough

Inclusion Across the Lifespan Conference

Gather ideas to define or redefine inclusion in your district, school or classrooms. We will explore inclusive practices that help connect students with general curriculum and classroom participation. The emphasis will be on practical tips, research-based strategies, and useful classroom examples and include roles and responsibilities, co-teaching, curricular modifications, and using para-educators.

High School Literacy Instruction For Students With Developmental Disabilities In General Education Classrooms, Kathryn Haughney, Caryn Allison, Diane Browder

Inclusion Across the Lifespan Conference

This session will describe the elements of Alternate Achievement Literacy (AAL), including the use of grade-aligned, chronological age-appropriate materials, evidence-based instructional practices and supports for teachers and students. Inclusion will be discussed in depth, especially as it pertains to meaningful academic inclusion in typical Language Arts high school classrooms. Examples will be shown of group literacy instruction including both student s with significant disabilities, students with autism and their typical peers. Instruction is delivered by general education teachers, special education teachers and typical peers.

The Ins And Outs Of Co-Teaching, Krystine Blocker

Inclusion Across the Lifespan Conference

My journey as an inclusion teacher and the lessons I’ve learned regarding what works and what does not. Tips for teachers on co-planning, co-teaching and co-assessing as well as strategies to keep all students engaged in instruction!

Inclusiveness At Work: Think College Partners With Macfeat Laboratory School, Erin Hamel, Liz Mcnelly

Inclusion Across the Lifespan Conference

This presentation describes the partnership that exists between Winthrop’s Macfeat Laboratory School and THINK College. Winthrop University’s THINK College Program aims to “provide an inclusive post-secondary education experience to students with intellectual disabilities to prepare them for competitive employment and active participation in local communities with as much independence as possible” (http://www.winthrop.edu/thinkcollege/). Since 1895, Macfeat Laboratory School has served Winthrop University and the community as a research, demonstration and training center for best practices in early childhood education. Macfeat has two preschool classes for three and four year olds and one multi-age kindergarten class. The school provides a …

Online Curriculum For Evangelism Training For Adults With Special Needs, Sidney A. Carmichael

Senior Honors Theses

The purpose of this project is to address the discrepancy between Liberty University’s mission to train all individuals to be Champions for Christ and the lack of access to higher education for individuals with disabilities. My role in this project will be to come alongside the School of Education (SOE) in helping to write the curriculum, create the activities and manage the creation of a new online program that teaches Bible foundations and evangelism strategy. This project will be developed after consulting literature of best practices for teaching adults with disabilities using online technology. The outcome of this project has …

From Adolescence To Adulthood: Analyzing Multiple Perspectives On The Transition From High School To Post-School Life Through A Multi-Case Study Design, Gregory Knollman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the transition experience of three individuals with intellectual disabilities, members of their family, their former transition program coordinator, and members of their support network including current employers or support service providers. This qualitative study used Bronfenbrenner’s (1977) ecological model and Kohler’s (1996) Taxonomy for Transition to frame three case studies designed to capture the transition experience of young adults with disabilities who exited a university-based, school district funded, transition program.

Using Bronfenbrenner’s (1977) ecological perspective, which focused on a behavior or interaction of people across multiple environments, the aim was to interview …

Deaf Children’S Science Content Learning In Direct Instruction Versus Interpreted Instruction, Kim B. Kurz, Brenda Schick, Peter C. Hauser

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This research study compared learning of 6-9th grade deaf students under two modes of educational delivery – interpreted vs. direct instruction using science lessons. Nineteen deaf students participated in the study in which they were taught six science lessons in American Sign Language. In one condition, the lessons were taught by a hearing teacher in English and were translated in ASL via a professional and certified interpreter. In the second condition, the lessons were taught to the students in ASL by a deaf teacher. All students saw three lessons delivered via an interpreter and three different lessons in direct ASL; …

What I Taught My Stem Instructor About Teaching: What A Deaf Student Hears That Others Cannot, Annemarie Ross, Randy K. Yerrick

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Overall, science teaching at the university level has remained in a relatively static state. There is much research and debate among university faculty regarding the most effective methods of teaching science. But it remains largely rhetoric. The traditional lecture model in STEM higher education is limping along in its march toward inclusion and equity. The NGSS and Common Core reform efforts do little to help university science teachers to change their orientation from largely lecture-driven practice with laboratory supplements. While it is impossible to address all diverse student groups, the need for accommodations tend to be overlooked. As a Deaf …

The Use Of Pre-Correction By Pre-Service Teachers, Brook Heard

Georgia Undergraduate Research Conference (Archived)

Theoretical Framework

The use of pre-correction strategies by pre-service teachers can, in theory, reduce the number of problem behaviors in the classroom, and greatly increase desired behaviors. By reducing the amount of problem behaviors through pre-correction, the pre-service teachers will spend less classroom time having to address the undesirable behaviors and instead, will be able to increase the amount of time he/she has to teach the lesson planned for the day.

Methodology Data

The pre-service teacher will choose a focus learner and identify a behavior that can be operationally defined such as, the focus learner getting out of his/her seat. …

Characteristics Of Effective Communicative Partners For Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd), Mardee Anne Kohlmann

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study identifies communicative and non-communicative characteristics of spouses of veterans with PTSD as discussed by the participants. Due to the exposure to traumatic events, language abilities of soldiers are often affected, commonly delaying the retrieval of memories, as well as analysis and production of everyday speech. These symptoms make it difficult to perform the communication behaviors that are conducive for healthy relationships. Improved acceptance and acknowledgment of PTSD in veterans by the armed services has increased the demand for preventative and therapeutic methods being used to treat returning veterans assimilating back into society. Qualitative methodology was used in this …

Living With Students: Lessons Learned While Pursuing Tenure, Administration, And Raising A Family, Michael Humphrey, Janet Callahan, Geoff Harrison

Early and Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This case study is centered on two faculty-in-residence: one pursuing tenure and raising a young child while living in the residence halls and one an established professor and associate dean raising two teens while living in the residence halls. This case study offers two unique perspectives of faculty-in-residence at various stages in their career, living in residence with their students, working closely with students outside a typical classroom, all while managing professional and familial obligations.