Education Commons^™

An Analysis Of The Statewide Shortage Of Aba Professionals In New York, Leanna S. Mellon, Noor Syed, Lauren Lestremau Allen

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

Support services for many Autistic students in schools is critical. Behavior analysts are one type of service provider who offer support services in and outside of school settings to Autistic students. As behavioral support services are increasing in educational settings, it is important to ensure there are a sufficient number of professionals trained to provide high quality and compassionate support. However, there may not be enough state licensed providers to meet the growing need of students across the state of New York (NY). The supply of state licensed behavior analysts (LBAs) was calculated for the state of NY, its six …

A Divine Assignment: Church Supports For Caretakers And Children Impacted By Disabilities, Pamela Scretchen

Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry

How can the church provide leadership in the area of inclusion and offer families a place of refuge and support? How does the church care for and teach children with disabilities? As a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst, I have partnered with congregations to start programs for families impacted by disabilities. Here, we show how a family affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder challenged their church to provide a sustainable program. There is hope that the church can lead inclusion efforts and develop special needs support for caretakers. The article reveals one family’s journey in returning to worship with their autistic son and …

Collaborative Challenges Between Educational Accessibility Coordinators And Adjunct Faculty In Supporting Autism Spectrum Students, Tamara Faure, Pietro Antonio Sasso

New York Journal of Student Affairs

Accessibility of educational accommodations has increased but can be frequently inconsistent for undergraduates with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The didactic relationship between educational accessibility staff with faculty, who are increasingly adjuncts, facilitates many course-learning accommodations. This descriptive phenomenological study explored the perceptions and professional experiences of educational accessibility coordinators with adjunct faculty in their implementation of learning accommodation for undergraduates with ASD. Findings from this study suggested that accessibility coordinators negotiated expectations of unprepared adjunct faculty and ASD students to address issues throughout the semester.

Coordinators believed ASD students struggled to navigate their experiences with adjunct professors because they were …

Detect Misconceptions, Construct Competence-Aligned Pedagogical Practices, And Use Instructional Strategies That Decenter Speech As A Means To Include Autistic Students, Chelsea P. Tracy-Bronson, Sara Scribner

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

In this practice-based article, we use data and research to establish the need to examine inclusive-oriented pedagogical strategies to support autistic individuals. We believe that educators who use critical reflection can detect many of the common misconceptions about autism, learn how to re-frame these understandings, and consider different ways to support these students within inclusive classrooms. This article provides innovative pedagogical approaches for competence-aligned instruction, cultivating a web of communication access, bolstering social interaction, and supporting changes in the environment and with sensory experiences. We also describe ways to de-center speech to create a classroom that values dynamic engagement, divergent …

Parents Of Students On The Autism Spectrum Call For Social And Academic Inclusive Practices, Stephanie C. Holmes

Tapestry: Journal of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in Education

Inclusive education practices must incorporate both social and academic inclusion. Before 1975, students with various disabilities did not have the same access to public education as their nondisabled or neuro-typically developing peers. With the passing of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, it was mandated that all schools that receive federal funds must provide equal access to education as a right to students with any physical, behavioral, or mental handicaps. While the mandates have broadened throughout the years, merely having a diagnosis of Autism does not guarantee resources or supports to the student unless there are also academic concerns. …

Effects Of State-Level Funding Systems On Identification Rates Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Michelle Powers, Brad Uhing

The Advocate

Identification rates of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have been increasing since the year 2000, while federal special education funding has remained stagnant. Researchers gathered data from states related to individual state funding systems, per pupil spending and identification rates of students with ASD to determine if state spending or special education funding methods affected identification rates of students with ASD. While specific funding methodology did not predict rates of identification or PPS, a correlational analysis of individual state PPS and ASD identification rates did have significant results. Spending amounts per pupil corresponded to rates of identification for ASD.

Paths To Equity: Parents In Partnership With Ucedds Fostering Black Family Advocacy For Children On The Autism Spectrum, Elizabeth H. Morgan, Benita D. Shaw, Ida Winters, Chiffon King, Jazmin Burns, Aubyn Stahmer, Gail Chodron

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Racism and ableism have doubly affected Black families of children with developmental disabilities in their interactions with disability systems of supports and services (e.g., early intervention, mental health, education, medical systems). On average, Black autistic children are diagnosed three years later and are up to three times more likely to be misdiagnosed than their non-Hispanic White peers. Qualitative research provides evidence that systemic oppression, often attributed to intersectionality, can cause circumstances where Black disabled youth are doubly marginalized by policy and practice that perpetuates inequality. School discipline policies that criminalize Black students and inadequate medical assessments that improperly support Black …

Remote Working And Online Education Among Neurodiverse Individuals, Kendall Smith

Emerging Writers

Many jobs and schools closed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and a vast majority of students and employees found it difficult to resume their education and careers online; however, those on the neurodiverse spectrum found it much harder. Upon first glance, it was easy to see how frustrating and stressful online schooling was for special needs students. Many had difficulty concentrating during virtual lectures or lacked motivation to stay on task. Likewise, many neurodiverse employees found that at-home distractions were far worse than in-office ones, and the loneliness from staying home all day was jarring. But after pulling research …

The Autistic's Guide To Working In Residential Life, Catherine Meyer

The Vermont Connection

No abstract provided.

Being The Curriculum, Alyssa Hillary Zisk

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

This article is a work of creative non-fiction. Part of the work is my reflections on one systemically awkward experience of introducing my neurodivergence, autism, to my classmates in my graduate program in neuroscience. Part of the work engages with theory and neuroscientific/cognitive findings that I either shared during the presentation or encountered since but would have been relevant to the experience. The two parts are intertwined, because life isn't neatly separable.

Building A Strength-Based Support Program For College Students With Autism, Deann Lechtenberger, Wesley H. Dotson, Eriko Fukuda, Rebecca Beights, Jennifer Hamrick, James Williams, Barry Lovelace

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

Abstract

Educational Leaders Can Lead The Way For Increased Academic Achievement For Students On The Autism Spectrum, Stephanie C. Holmes, Jennifer Butcher

School Leadership Review

The problem that drove this study was the increasing number of students with autism entering the school system, and the barriers often encountered for both academic and social inclusion for students on the autism spectrum. Autism Spectrum Disorder, as defined by diagnostic criteria, includes deficits in social-relational communication; social-communication deficits can lead to educational impacts and limit opportunities upon transitioning from the public-school system. The purpose of this study was to examine the barriers to inclusion, from the perspectives of key stakeholders to include Local Education Agency (LEA) representatives, general and special education teachers, school counselors, school psychologists, speech-language pathologists …

I, Too, Sing Neurodiversity, Morénike Giwa Onaiwu

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

The neurodiversity community was envisioned as an inclusive and welcoming space for individuals with neurological conditions such as ADHD, autism, Tourette’s Syndrome, giftedness, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, intellectual disability, NVLD and related diagnoses. The underlying premise of neurodiversity is that people present with various neurological differences and there is value in acknowledging and accepting these differences. Despite efforts made over the past few decades, a growing number of individuals within the neurodiversity community, including people of color, have called for intersectional concepts to be more intentionally and more effectively interwoven into neurodiversity as a whole. Referencing “I, Too,” a decades-old poem …

Fostering Communication Through Physical Activity, Christine E. Ashby, Casey Woodfield, Brianna Dickens, Katherine Vroman, Katie Heath

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

Many individuals with autism experience difficulties with reliable, meaningful communication often impacting their academic and social engagement. As the first and most frequent communication partners, parents of children with autism may struggle initiating or maintaining meaningful communicative interactions, and thus require training, tools, and support. This article describes an approach to coaching parents in fostering meaningful, reciprocal communication through recreational activities as part of a larger physical activity program for parents and families of children with autism. It describes a Cycle of Communication framework as a tool for parents to recognize opportunities to structure and support their children’s communicative attempts …

Capturing Children With Autism’S Engagement In Engineering Practices: A Focus On Problem Scoping, Hoda Ehsan, Monica E. Cardella

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

In the last two decades, pre-college engineering education has increased, with research on pre-college engineering education emerging as a nascent field. However, limited research, if any, has considered aspects of engineering thinking of children with neurodiversity. In line with calls for broadening participation in engineering education, consideration of neurodiverse children is critical. Among various neurodiverse conditions, the number of children with autism is rapidly growing. In addition, studies have shown that individuals with autism have the potential to perform well in activities that require systematizing abilities. Engineering is one such activity. Prior research has provided evidence of the importance of …

The Moon Is Especially Full: Notes On Poetry, Teaching, Tests, And [Autistic] Intelligence, Chris Martin

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

This essay explores the ways in which poetry can help autistic students utilize creative expression and develop tools for self-advocacy.

Including Autism: Confronting Inequitable Practices In A Toddler Classroom, Emmanuelle N. Fincham, Amanda R. Fellner

Occasional Paper Series

As co-teachers in a toddler room, we share a personal narrative about our experiences working with a child diagnosed with autism while in our care. Framed within the competing discourses of the medicalized perspective on disability and the individual, child-centered philosophies of early childhood education, we investigate the inequities we felt in the classroom and make connections to the field of early childhood inclusive education at large.

Music Therapy’S Role In The Education System, Madison Riley, Tori L. Colson, Moriah Smothers

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

Music therapy is a lesser-known and used related service, yet it provides significant benefits to students that have language, behavioral, and social needs. This article reviews the literature on music therapy, discusses its historical and theoretical roots, and examines its use in educational settings. Special attention is given to therapeutic practices that are geared toward students on the autism spectrum because their social and communication needs are often a good fit for music therapy practices. Recommendations on using music therapy in special and general education classrooms are also made. Additionally, recommendations for including music therapy content in teacher preparation programs …

Thinking Inclusion: Analysis Of Grandin’S Strategies For Including Students With Autism In The Classroom, Julia Fama

Sacred Heart University Scholar

This article will focus on how to include students with autism in mainstream schools effectively. I draw on the anecdotal evidence shared by Temple Grandin in her autobiography, Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism. In the text, Grandin argues for: (1) the inclusion of students’ fixations in the classroom, (2) the benefits of social interaction between students with autism and typically developing students, (3) the maintenance of structured activities, and (4) the importance of supportive college professors. I contend that while Thinking in Pictures proposes ideas for successful inclusion, it does not include a sufficient amount of research to …

The Need To Revisit Legal Education In An Era Of Increased Diagnoses Of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity And Autism Spectrum Disorders, Heidi E. Ramos-Zimmerman

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

The ever-fluctuating rhetoric from experts, in the field of neurodevelopmental disorders, has led to outdated notions and perplexity surrounding attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This Article tries to clarify some of the confusion. Better understanding of these disorders is imperative for today’s law professor, since law schools are likely admitting more students diagnosed with ADHD and ASD. This Article discusses the need for change in legal instruction and explores the link between the two disorders. An examination of recent history illuminates some of the commonly held misunderstandings and highlights the disparity in the diagnoses of ADHD …

Exploring Student Diversity: College Students Who Have Autism Spectrum Disorders, Monique N. Colclough Phd

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

Higher education literature advises that college students who have autism spectrum disorders overwhelmingly attend community colleges. However the persistence and retention of college students who have autism spectrum disorders is not well documented. Absent among the existing literature are first-person narratives of college students who have autism. This phenomenological study explored the experiences of college students who have autism spectrum disorders, focusing on the social experiences that impact college persistence and retention. The following research questions guided the study: What are the social experiences of college students who have autism? What role(s) do various social experiences play in the persistence …

Incorporating A Class-Wide Behavioral System To Decrease Disruptive Behaviors In The Inclusive Classroom, Kathleen B. Aspiranti, Alanna Bebech, Kristen Osiniak

Journal of Catholic Education

The Color Wheel System is a class-wide behavioral intervention that provides clear rules and expectations to decrease inappropriate behaviors. We implemented the Color Wheel in two classrooms that included students with autism to explore the effectiveness of the Color Wheel in inclusive classrooms within a Catholic elementary school setting. During implementation, there were large and immediate decreases in inappropriate vocalizations in both classrooms. The majority of the students liked the intervention, and the teachers saw positive changes in student behavior and wanted to use the Color Wheel with future classes.

Examining Jordanians' Attitudes Towards Five Types Of Developmental Disabilities, Najah Zaaeed Drph, Mohammad M. Mohammad, Peter Gleason, Khaled A. Bahjri Md, Naomi Modeste

Journal of Refugee & Global Health

Background: The diagnosis and reported rates of persons with developmental disabilities (PWDDs) in Jordan is steadily increasing. Although initiatives have been implemented to improve the lives of PWDDs, attitudes towards PWDDs hinder successful inclusion in the Jordanian society.

Objectives: To examine the relationship between Jordanians socio-economic status and attitudes towards persons with developmental disabilities: autism, blindness, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and muscular dystrophy.

Methods: Jordanians (N=259), ages 18-65 were recruited for this convergent parallel, mixed-methods study. Participants completed the modified 40-item Community Living Attitude Scale-developmental disability (CLAS-DD) and the modified Intellectual Disability Literacy Scale consisting of five vignettes, representing each …

The Effect Of Project-Based Poetry Writing Intervention On Writing Attitudes Among Students With Severe Learning Disabilities, John M. Bonanni

The Graduate Review

Writing attitudes of three learners with severe disabilities were surveyed in a substantially separate special education classroom within a public school in Massachusetts in order to determine the effect on learners’ writing attitudes after a project-based creative writing intervention in poetry. Writing skills were measured using teacher-created rubrics and attitudes were measured using pre and post survey data. Primary diagnoses of students involved included Intellectual Impairment, Autism, and Traumatic Brain Injury. Findings indicated that the intervention was most successful for the student with autism, moderately successful for the student with Traumatic Brain Injury, and not successful for the student with …

Elucidation Of Effective Professional Development Experiences: Addressing Inclusion For Students With Autism, Jennifer Lee Suppo

Journal of Research Initiatives

Open interviews were conducted with a special education teacher and a general education teacher. The overall guiding question was to provide elucidation of what is needed in a professional development program to meet the needs of both the general and special education teachers who teach children with a diagnosis of autism in an inclusive setting. Overall, the themes of diversity, knowledge and collaboration emerged as important variables for professional development experiences. Furthermore, in-depth knowledge and flexibility arose as important qualities of the facilitator of a professional development experience. Implications are a set forth for the expansion of the study and …

An Investigation Of “Circle Of Friends” Peer-Mediated Intervention For Students With Autism, Mary Schlieder, Nancy Maldonado, Beate Baltes

Journal of Sustainable Social Change

The dramatic rise in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is accompanied by a substantial increase in public school inclusion. A growing body of research supports the need for teachers proficient in evidence-based practices to support such students. One strategy involves using peer support networks like Circle of Friends (CoF) for ASD adolescents. A collective case study was used to investigate experiences of stakeholders relative to a CoF community. Four themes emerged from a cross-case analysis: the influence a CoF partnership initiative has on inclusion, social skills improvement, empowerment, and sense of wellbeing. For the purposes of this article, …