Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Teachers' Negative Comments Toward Youth In Foster Care With Disabilities: How Do They Relate To Youths' Problem Behaviors, School Attitudes, And School Performance?, Sunghwan Noh

Dissertations and Theses

A large proportion of youth in foster care receive special education services, and poor educational outcomes are one of the most important difficulties facing these youth. One potential risk affecting the low educational achievements of youth in foster care and special education could be teachers' negative and stigmatizing comments toward them. Teachers' negative and stigmatizing comments could have negative effects on youths' behaviors, school attitudes and school performance. Yet, research on the nature and the impact of teachers' negative and stigmatizing comments remains limited.

Based on labeling and attribution theories, this study investigated the nature and impact of teachers' negative …

The Effect Of Using The Ipad To Enhance Sight Word Acquisition Of Students With Autism, Jeffrey Emerson

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to (a) investigate the effectiveness of the Apple iPad as an assistive technology device to support students with autism spectrum disorders in their acquisition of sight words and (b) examine the social validity of using the iPad in the classroom. The participants were two 2nd and two 3rd graders diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. Baseline data was collected by evaluating student progress of sight word acquisition at the end of each week for three weeks. A multiple baseline across students with AB phases was used in this study. During Intervention, the iPad was integrated …

Adaptation To The U.S. And Religion/Spirituality: Experiences Of Indian International Students, Kirti Potkar

Theses and Dissertations

Religion and spirituality are deemed an important aspect of human diversity, found to be important to people, and have significant impact on different aspects of functioning. Given the rising numbers of international students on U.S. campuses, it becomes important to examine how religion/spirituality impacts their sojourn in the U.S. This study explored the religious/spiritual experiences of Indian international students here in the U.S. using a qualitative approach. Thirteen Indian international students pursuing graduate degrees in the U.S. were interviewed. The interviews were then transcribed and analyzed using a synthesis of hermeneutic methods informed by Kvale (1996). The following themes emerged …

Sprout Film Fest To Feature Kelleher's Film On Autism, Jacqueline Kelleher

Jacqueline Kelleher

The Sprout Film Festival will feature “Dungeons and Distractions,” a film produced by assistant professor in the Isabelle Farrington School of Education, Jacqueline Kelleher, and starring Samantha Markey, a graduate student from the College.

Effectiveness Of Gluten-Free And Casein-Free Diets For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Evidence-Based Research Synthesis, Jie Zhang, Michael R. Mayton, John J. Wheeler

ETSU Faculty Works

In order to better assist practitioners and better serve persons with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families, it is vital for professionals to systematically evaluate the existing body of literature and synthesize its scientific evidence, so that the efficacy of research can be translated to evidence-based practices (EBPs) (Wheeler, 2007; Zhang & Wheeler, 2011). This research synthesis evaluated adherence to EBP standards and analyzed the effectiveness of gluten-free and casein-free (GFCF) diets for individuals with ASD. Four hundred and seventy articles were screened among peer-reviewed journals in English language published through 2010 using the Academic Search Complete search database. …

Impact Of Remedial Reading Interventions On A Secondary Student With Emotional Behavior Disorder: A Case Study, Lucinda Cooper

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Students who struggle with emotional behavior disorders (EBD) often enter high school with reading levels far below those of their peers. At the secondary level, these at-risk students must regularly read and write proficiently in order to demonstrate their literacy achievement and potential for success either in college or on the job. As a result, many EBD students choose to drop out of school instead of daily feeling that they do not measure up. This instrumental qualitative case study examined the impact of the five essential components of reading instruction, teacher modeling, repeated readings, and progress monitoring on the disruptive …

Educational Services For Tibetan Students With Disabilities In India: A Case Study, Britany Anne Barnes

Theses and Dissertations

This case study describes services for students with disabilities at Karuna Home in Bylakuppe, Karnataka, India. Karuna Home is a residential rehabilitation center for students with cognitive or physical disabilities whose parents are Tibetan refugees. The study triangulated data from interviews, observations, and school documents to describe educational policies and procedures, and cultural attitudes toward disability. Results show that the Karuna Home program is undergirded by Buddhist thought and theology regarding care and concern for those in difficult circumstances. The school serves students with a range of mild to severe disabilities and is fully staffed, but teachers and other service …

The Effect Of Project Read On The Reading Fluency And Comprehension Of Third Grade Students With Special Needs, Andrea Derringer

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect Project Read has on the reading fluency and comprehension of third grade students with special needs. This study implemented a two group, pretest-posttest design. The participants were six students with special needs from a third grade inclusion classroom who scored about two grade levels below grade three. A pretest, intervention mid-test, and intervention posttest were utilized to collect data. The independent variables were the use of the Project Read Story Form Literature Connection materials. The dependent variable was the measure of the participants reading fluency and comprehension using the Developmental …

The Use Of Graphing And An Effort And Achievement Rubric To Increase Students' Multiplication Fact Accuracy And Fluency, Joan Hackl

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of self-graphing and an effort and achievement rubric on increasing students' multiplication fact accuracy and fluency. The research design was a two-group pretest/posttest research design. Data was collected from student multiplication math fact quizzes. Students were given the same math fact quiz for a month before a new set of facts was introduced the next month. For each month, the first quiz of the month served as baseline data as no interventions were introduced for those quizzes. The second month of quizzes served as the self-graphing alone data, and the …

Nonverbal Learning Disability (Nld) : A Case Study, Dory J. Weiss

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This paper describes Mary, a fourteen-year-old girl living with nonverbal learning disability (NLD). This case study focuses not only on the daily life of this individual, but also examines the research in the field that speaks to various aspects of the challenges faced by these individuals.

Internationally Adopted Children & Language-Based School Difficulties, Sylena B. Goodman

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This paper will provide teachers with essential information on internationally adopted children's unique language acquisition process and their common language-based school difficulties. It will also address the potential for educational misclassification of internationally adopted children and provide suggestions for IDEA language modifications in order to ensure proper classification of internationally adopted children. Lastly, the paper will discuss a variety of potential supports and interventions for struggling internationally adopted children.

Disability In Hiding : The Effects Of Trauma In Early Childhood And The Implications For Classroom Teachers, Dana Baker

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Seeks to define trauma within the context of early childhood and describe in depth the interrelated neurobiological, behavioral, and psychopathological effects of experienced trauma.

Racial Inequality In Special Education And The Need For Cultural Competence, Nicole Rosado

Graduate Student Independent Studies

For many years, schools in the United States have been dealing with the persistent overrepresentation of students of color in special education. The research suggests a variety of causes for this epidemic. After an analysis of the ways in which racially, culturally and linguistically diverse students are on the receiving end of unequal educational experiences, recommendations for the implementation of culturally competent education will be provided.

Using The Contextual Model Of Learning In A Museum Program To Prepare For Student Visitors With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Mihaela V. Schwartz

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This study presents the findings from the evaluation of two distinct programs developed around the needs of children with autism and their families. Both programs were developed to provide accessible, sensory-rich, project-based learning experiences, where the families with children on the autism spectrum can learn together while pursuing the children's social and behavioral goals and the health of the community overall.

The Effects Of Ipads On The Independent Reading Of High School Students With Learning Disabilities, Jaime Macewen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the use of iPads for independent reading would enhance the reading motivation of ninth grade students with learning disabilities as measured by number of pages read and students' self-reported interest in reading in response to a survey. Its purpose is also to determine whether they would prefer reading on an iPad over reading traditional books. This study used a pretest-posttest group design. The participants were nineteen students in ninth grade. The participants all receive special education services in the resource center classroom. They are enrolled in an intensive reading …

Single Subject Research: A Synthesis Of Analytic Methods, Fahad Alresheed, Brittany L. Hott, Carmen Bano

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Historically, the synthesis of single subject design has employed visual inspection to yield significance of results. However, current research is supporting different techniques that will facilitate the interpretation of these intervention outcomes. These methods can provide more reliable data than employing visual inspection in isolation. This article compares the different techniques, compares the benefits of utilizing these techniques in addition to visual inspection, the limitations of each technique being reviewed, and evidence for combining traditional statistical measures with visual inspection.

The Effects Of Professional Development On Co-Teaching For Special And General Education Teachers And Students, Chelsea Miller, Kevin Oh

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

As we progress into a future where more students with IEPs are in general education classes, teachers must be innovative, creative, and passionate about providing an opportunity for all students to succeed in the classroom. Rather than students with IEPs be taken from their classrooms to receive remedial services from their special education teacher, it is more beneficial to all students and teachers to have education specialists and general education teachers co-teach classes (Conderman, 2011). Education specialists have extensive knowledge in acquisition of literacy skills, how to scaffold, and present information through multiple mediums. General education teachers are experts in …

Implementing Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support In Mathematics: Findings From Two Schools, Erin Donovan, Katharine Shepherd

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

This study examined the benefits and challenges associated with implementing RtI in the area of mathematics in an elementary and a middle school in a rural district in the northeastern United States. We sought to document the ways in which two schools approached implementation of RtI and to explore the issues they encountered with respect to instruction, intervention, and assessment. Five themes were identified that described implementation of the RtI framework: Shifting roles and changing structures, increasing opportunities for collaboration and communication, increasing instructional and assessment support for students who struggle in math, increasing knowledge of support strategies for learners …

Attitudes About Inclusion: Through The Lens Of Practitioners And Novices, Janet R. Desimone, Nancy Maldonado, M. Victoria Rodriguez

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of preservice and inservice education students, towards inclusion in school settings. Graduate students working on their New York State teacher certification in early childhood special education (n= 152) completed a survey, Attitudes Toward Inclusion. The survey addressed the following: attitudes towards various disabilities; perceptions of preparedness to modify instruction for students with disabilities and to meet their needs; willingness to include students with more severe disabilities in their classrooms; placement issues; and impact on general education students. The findings revealed three major themes: 1) inclusion for some students with special …

Teachers Of Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders’ Perceptions Of The Importance Of Selected Professional Standards Of Practice, Mandy E. Lusk, Lyndal M. Bullock

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Utilizing the Council for Exceptional Children’s (CEC) standards delineated for preparation programs in teaching students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), the present study sought to determine how graduates of one teacher preparation program perceived the importance of the standards in their work with students with EBD. Results indicated that graduates viewed the CEC standards as important to their work. Further, a multiple regression model examined specific demographic variables (i.e., total years of teaching experience, positions graduates currently held, graduates’ feelings about working with students with EBD, and their feelings as to causal factors leading to EBD) as predictors for …