Education Commons^™

A Study Of School Headship In The Context Of Inclusion Of Learning Disabled Students As Perceived By School Staff In Mainstream Secondary Schools In Israel, Tsafi Timor Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The study aims to investigate staff perceptions of school headship in relation to the inclusion of learning-disabled students. The main question is whether head teachers perceived to be leaders develop an inclusive vision towards learning-disabled students more than those who are perceived to be managers. The study relies on the perceptions of head teachers, counselors and teachers in five secondary schools in the Tel-Aviv area, Israel. The method of enquiry that was applied was the interpretive approach which allowed for an analysis via interviews, and elements of the survey approach and documentary analysis. The analysis and conclusion indicated that an …

Diversity And Special Education: Korean Inter-Agency Network (Kin), Cam Cobb

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Diversity and Special Education: Korean Inter-Agency Network (KIN) explores issues relating to ethno cultural identity and special education. The paper outlines potential needs within the Korean-Canadian community, and identifies a source of support that has been developed by the community itself. Cobb concludes that agencies, such as the Korean Inter-Agency Network, can provide a vital link between schools and communities as educators and parents work together to dialogue, and develop formal and informal sources of support for children.

Do Maternal/Paternal Child Relationships Have A Similar Pattern When The Child Has Tourette's Syndrome? A Case Study, Judy Olson Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Although I did not realize it at the time, my first experiences in parenting evolved around a child who was diagnosed with onset pervasive developmental disorder by age five. Due to his hyperactivity, he was prescribed Ritalin. Within two weeks after being given this medication, he developed motor and vocal tics and was diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome (TS) by the time he reached nine years of age. Subsequently, I began a teaching career in special education. During this time, I had guidance by a psychologist and two physicians who taught me a great deal about Tourette’s syndrome (TS). In the …

Making Inclusion Work In Rural Southeast Texas, Fara M. Goulas Ph.D., Lula J. Henry Ph.D., Kimberly Griffith Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Inclusion is a common term and everyday practice in two rural schools in Southeast Texas. A consortium based on a collaborative endeavor between the regional educational service center, the local university, and two rural school districts was established with a common goal, an effective general education environment, and pedagogical sound instruction for students in inclusive settings. Data was collected to assess the impact of the Inclusion Project. Results indicated an increase in positive attitudes toward the concept of inclusion.

Inclusion Literature: Ideas For Teachers And Teacher Educators, Sharon A. Hollander Psy. D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Inclusion is certainly a wonderful idea. Sadly, it does not happen by itself. In reality, teachers are responsible for making inclusion work in the classroom. Every day, inclusive educators are faced with the significant challenge of creating a classroom environment where all children are accepted. Children’s literature can play an important role in this effort.

Signs And Symptoms Of A Stressed System: How To Recognize And Address Child Maltreatment In The Home, Andrea L. Rotzien Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The fact that the disabled are at high risk for maltreatment is well documented (Goldson, 1998; Sullivan & Knutson, 2000; Zeanah & Hamilton, 1998). Reynolds (2001) reported that 39-68% of girls and 16-30% of boys with developmental disabilities would be abused by the age of 18. Westcott and Jones (1999) note that identification, assessment, and prevention is complicated by the communication deficits of this population, their dependency on others, and a tendency for professionals to not report abuse. Thus, it is imperative that professionals understand the risks for abuse and maltreatment in this population. The risks factors and signs of …

Mathematical Disabilities In Elementary School Children, Teresa Oettinger Montani Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

A pilot study was conducted with the lowest performing sixth grade students in two classes in an urban environment. The nine students participating in this pilot study had been performing below grade level for at least two years despite the provision of supplemental services. With direct instruction, slower pace of instruction, mnemonics, math charts, manipulatives, and metacognitive strategies, gains were noted in the students’ performance. Pretest and posttest measure were administered and the results revealed modest gains in calculations and basic fraction knowledge with significant improvement noted with math fluency. The strategies used are known to both general and special …

Exploration Of Vr Acceptance And Ethnicity: A National Investigation, Keith B. Wilson Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The reported study examined whether African Americans, European Americans, Native Americans/Alaskan Natives, and Asians/Pacific Islanders with disabilities would differ in their rates of vocational rehabilitation (VR) acceptance in the United States. The test statistic revealed that a significant difference existed regarding ethnicity and VR acceptance. Moreover, a small but significant association emerged between ethnicity and VR acceptance (Cramer’s V = .023). The results revealed that in the United States, European Americans are more likely to be accepted for VR services than are African Americans. The author discusses possible barriers to VR acceptance for underserved and underrepresented groups in the United …

Attention Deficit Disorder: Are Schools And Physicians Working Together?, Paul Koulouris

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Over the past twenty years, the existence of Attention Deficit Disorder has been documented through hundreds of scientific studies. Schools play a vital role in the early in the early identification of children which ADHD and, in many cases; school personnel coordinate efforts among teachers, parents, physicians, and community resources in the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with ADHD (Sloan, Jensen & Hoagwood, 1999). In their research, (Satterfield and Cantwell 1981) viewed the classroom teacher as the major determining factor in whether a student with ADHD succeeds or fails in the classroom.

Despite the documented importance of close …

Multilevel Assessment And Nondiscriminatory Use Of Results In Planning Individual Education Placements And Plans For Learners With Disabilities, A. Sandy Parsons Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

A multilevel approach to fair and accurate assessment and diagnosis of a learner’s disabilities and the use of this information for determining Individualized Educational Placements and the creation of effective Individualized Education Programs for children based upon diagnosis and assessment data will be presented. These assessment levels address the various areas of child ability, the individual’s performance across various situations and environments, and the use of multiple measures that vary in degree of formality, construct/content, and style of administration. Examples of this multilevel approach and their use will be provided for later discussion.

Nondiscriminatory methods for interpretation and use of …

Welcome, Patricia R. Renick Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Welcome to the 7th edition of the Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education. This particular edition is devoted to the papers presented at the Oxford Roundtable: Addressing the Special Education Needs of Children, convened in March 2003 at Oxford University in Oxford, England. The Oxford Roundtable is a think tank gathering of administrators, college professors, and teachers who come together by invitation to present research and conduct conversations about issues and trends in the field of Special Education. This international assembly provokes thought, shares ideas, and engages in, sometimes spirited, discourse concerning the needs of children with special needs. The following …

Welcome, Patricia R. Renick Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Welcome to the 8th edition of The Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education. This edition has an international flavor because we welcome two articles written by authors in New South Wales Australia and Japan. This edition ends with a book review and some wonderful poetry concerning individuals with disabilities. The issues concerning inclusive education continue to challenge professionals and excite interest and efforts in a growing body of literature concerning these efforts.

Dr. Fara M. Goulas, Dr. Lula J. Henry and Dr. Kimberly Griffith collaborated to produce a research piece concerning Making inclusion work in rural school system. Their writing addresses …

Book Review: From Disrupter To Achiever: Creating Successful Learning Environments For The Self-Control Classroom, Helen Senu-Oke Ed. S.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Levin and Shanken-Kaye have written a text, “From Disrupter to Achiever”, a major contribution to the literature focusing on how to provide positive intervention in a disruptive classroom. The book is presented to the reader as a new model that challenges traditional beliefs and approaches about behavior management in the classroom. The authors focused on how to create a successful learning environment by promoting positive behavior through respectable interaction between teacher and student with the aim of developing student responsibility.

The purpose of the new model introduced by Levin and Shanken-Kaye, is to inculcate in students, the importance of personal …

Poems By David Keiser, David Keiser

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

A collection of six poems by David Keiser: The Possibilities of Eggs, American Disability, Energetic Elizabeth, No Notebook, Ugly Blues, and Principal Poem.

If It Takes A Village, Then We'd Better Educate The Villagers: Preservice Teachers' Attitudes And Beliefs About The Inclusion Of Students With Severe Disabilities, Pamela Pruitt Garriott Ph.D., Lynne Snyder Ph.D., Lilly Tennant Ph.D., Ravic Ringlaben Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes and beliefs of preservice teachers concerning inclusive education for students with severe disabilities. Individual interviews were conducted with 35 preservice teachers to determine their attitudes and beliefs concerning inclusion of students with severe disabilities and to examine the factors that influenced these attitudes and beliefs. Following qualitative data analysis procedures, findings indicated that the preservice teachers were relatively evenly divided on their opinions about where students with severe disabilities should receive educational services. The most significant finding of this study was that the preservice teachers attributed the underlying basis of …

Inclusion Versus Institutionalization: Japan’S Educational Challenge, Leonardo P. Jimenez, Toshiro Ochiai Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Japan has been undergoing educational reforms as social changes continually spur especially with the advent of globalization. With special needs children in its populace, the country lays down its own educational paradigm. This aims to discuss the two scenarios in the Japanese educational system, the inclusion and the institutionalization, which serve as answers to the schooling dilemma of children with disabilities. Inclusion is a confusing issue since it is not explicitly stated in the nation’s public education rulings but in practice, there is inclusion. On the other hand, institutionalization is aptly considered concrete as it is seen in segregated environment …

Illusion Or Reality? Policy And Process In South African Education, Loshini Naidoo Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

This paper examines the current African National Congress education policy in South Africa using a methodological tool derived from critical theory (Jay, 1973; Wellmer, 1971; O’Neill, 1977; Held, 1980; Guess, 1981; Roderick, 1986; Kellner, 1989; McCarthy, 1978, 1991) since it has an emancipatory rather than a manipulative interest in critical inquiry. While much has been written on South African educational policy after the African National Congress victory in 1994, (African National Congress, 1994a; African National Congress, 1994b; Asmal and James, 2001; Carrim, 1998; Chisholm and Fine, 1994; Council on Higher Education, 2000a, 2000b; Department of Education, 1997; Maharaj, 1999; National …

Welcome, Patricia R. Renick Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Welcome to the 6th edition of the Electronic Journal of Inclusive Education.

Providing insight into changing the attitudes of regular educators concerning inclusive practice and knowledge concerning accommodating students with special learning needs is the focus of this edition. We also have an article addressing concerns about the use of behavior modification in public school classrooms. As the conversation continues concerning including students with special needs in regular education classrooms, the need for greater awareness and acceptance of the diversity inherent in the human condition becomes clearer in light of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center. One …

Identifying Accommodations For Inclusion Settings: A Strategy For Special And General Educators, Karen A. Verbeke Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Identifying accommodations for students with disabilities is an important part of the collaboration that must take place between special and general educators as a result of the regulations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 1997). The law has placed more emphasis on having students with disabilities receive the majority of their instruction in “regular” classes with the use of supplementary aids and services. Identifying these accommodations can be a daunting task for new as well as veteran teachers because there are so many possible accommodations. One strategy, PRESS, has been effective in the training of new teachers and …

Pre-Service Teachers' Attitudes Toward Inclusion In A Non-Traditional Classroom, Julie K. Ivey Ph.D., Kathryn Reinke Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of 52 pre-service teachers’ participation in an outdoor education program, for sixth grade students, on their attitudes toward inclusion of students with special needs. A survey was administered before and after the three-day event. After the experience the subjects felt more familiar with the concept of inclusion and realized possible conflicts between expectations of regular classroom teachers and special education teachers. This suggests that experiences in outdoor settings, a learning environment not usually explored, can influence pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion of students with special needs as well as make …

Behavior Analysis: No Defense Required, James D. Dunne Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Many people, professional educators and others, criticize what they call behavior modification because they believe it applies only to animals or people with disabilities and represents little more than the application of good common sense. This paper argues that behavior modification, more accurately called behavior analysis, has produced many procedures that apply to the behavior of people with and without disabilities across a variety of settings. This paper examines 4 behavior analytic teaching strategies (Personalized System of Instruction, Programmed Instruction, Direct Instruction, and Precision Teaching) to illustrate the sophistication and wide application of behavior analysis. It concludes that such behavior …

A Three Dimensional Model For The Inclusion Of Children With Disabilities, Kimberly G. Griffith Ph.D., Mark J. Cooper Ph.D., Ravic P. Ringlaben

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The main thrust of preparation for inclusion has been to prepare the general education teacher as well as the student with exceptionalities for this educational initiative. Students without disabilities are often not the prevailing focus in these efforts. This model is an archetype that enables peers to understand, accept, and care for their classmates with exceptionalities. Students acquire knowledge about disabilities, skills are developed that help them interact appropriately, and activities are provided that influence more positive thoughts and behaviors among all students. A circle is used as a metaphor to explain the relationship of individuals in the class. The …

What Are Teachers Doing To Accommodate For Special Needs Students In The Classroom?, Brenda Stevens, Caroline Everington, Stacy Kozar-Kocsis

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Elementary teachers (N=42) from a district implementing inclusive practice were surveyed to determine: a) if the frequency of curricular modifications made differ by type of student disability, b) if there is a difference in the frequency of curricular modifications made for special and typical students, and c) if a relationship exists between modifications made for special needs students and for typical students. Results indicate the frequency of teachers' curricular modifications does not differ by type of disability; that they make significantly more frequent modifications for special needs students; and that there is a significant relationship between the frequency of modifications …

Taking It Personally: The Role Of Memoirs In Teacher Education, Sharon A. Hollander

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The current popularity of memoirs and book groups is a cue to education faculty. When complemented by discussion groups and writing assignments, memoirs can be used to facilitate the process of inclusion in the schools by teaching both general and special educators about children with disabilities and their families. These works can also promote quality reading and writing, inspire original and insightful responses from students, and foster a sense of community in class. Some advantages and previous applications of this method are described and recommendations for implementation are made.

The National Board For Professional Teaching Standards: Professional Assessment For Teachers Of Students With Exceptional Needs, Ronald G. Helms Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) has established five areas of Exceptional Needs as new certification areas: Early Childhood through Young Adult/Exceptional Needs (birth to 8 years), Mild and Moderately Impaired (5 to 21+ years), Severe and Multiply Impaired (5 to 21+ years), Visually Impaired (birth to 21+ years), and Deaf/Hard of Hearing (birth to 21 + years). Pre K - 12+ Exceptional Needs teachers may now be recognized by their schools, communities, state, and nation as master teachers. Teachers are clearly central to planning, implementing, developing, and modifying NBPTS policies and procedures. Only Special Needs educators will …

Reframing Educational Psychology For The New Millennium, Jill Lindsey North Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The role of education psychology in the 21st century must be to provide a research-based pedagogical foundation upon which preservice and practicing teachers can draw to develop the habits of mind necessary to ensure all students learn. Historically, the field of educational psychology is the study of how people learn (Crowel, Podell, & Kaminsky, 1997). However, the work most associated with the field of educational psychology during the 20th century has been the development of tests and measurements to identify learners' capacities and abilities. Much of the work by educational psychologists has been focused on identifying extremes of performance in …

Book Review: The Paraprofessional's Guide To The Inclusive Classroom: Working As A Team, Patricia R. Renick Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

In a special education program, working with paraprofessionals can be either an asset or a nightmare of tension and conflicting role expectations. As a supervisor of student teachers, the complaint that is heard most often is the difficulty establishing a smooth, coherent working relationship with paraprofessionals in the classroom. Often many school districts do not adequately define the roles and expectations for paraprofessionals and do not provide training and preparation for this position. The purpose of this text is to provide a format and structure for creating just such a working relationship.

Mighty?, Craig Davis

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The following poem was written by a teacher candidate at Wright State University in response to viewing the movie, The Mighty. This movie reveals the challenges and the triumphs two students with disabilities face as they forge a unique and enduring friendship.

Inclusive Elementary Schools And Those Who Lead Them, Mary Ellen Bargerhuff

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

This qualitative study examines how principals' leadership qualities influence effective elementary inclusion programs. Guiding questions address principals' perceptions of the beliefs, knowledge, and behaviors essential to leadership in an inclusive school. Sites for this study were three fully included elementary schools (no self-contained classes) in southwest Ohio. Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews, observations, shadowing, and document review. The conceptual framework of relational leadership, particularly the attributes of caring, collaboration, courage, vision, and intuition organized the study. Findings illustrated that the principals believe relational leadership is necessary for the success of inclusive learning communities; they make collaborative, proactive leadership by …

Lessons Learned From Special Education Leadership Development Knowledge Diffusion And Schools As Organization, Jason Earle Ph.D., Susan G. Clark Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Foundations and Leadership, recognized that to facilitate the successful implementation of IDEA provisions in local schools, educators need a sound conceptual understanding of congressional intent and best practice and opportunities to collaborate in new ways with school organization colleagues. To this end, the State Superintendent's Task Force for the Preparation of Special Education Personnel awarded UA a $25,000 grant to provide school teams, rather than individuals, with the needed skills to implement the IDEA in their organization. Six area school/districts were invited to send a four-person team to attend a series of four weekend workshops centered on the law and …