Education Commons^™

Today's Threats Prove To Be Tomorrow's Promise: Higher Education In 2027, Theodore J. Kowalski

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

The effects of technology on the instructional mission of this nation's colleges and universities have been both positive and negative. While an estimated two million students, many of whom would not have had access to higher education a few decades ago, are already engaged in distance learning, this gain has been paralleled by a proliferation of inferior, profit-driven institutions and degree programs. Some observers already have predicted the demise of the modem university, claiming that a small number of independent, entrepreneurial scholars and an army of low-paid adjunct instructors using the Web and cable television will replace regular faculties in …

We Want To Play Too, Peter J. Titlebaum, Kate Brennan, Tracy Chynoweth

Health and Sport Science Faculty Publications

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that persons with disabilities be integrated to the maximum extent possible, and that these persons cannot be excluded from participation. Intramural directors need to be proactive in this area. The benefits of intramural sports are vast, and they help many students become part of the college community.

Forming an alliance with the Disability Services on campus, the first step, is the most vital aspect of making these programs successful. It is important to remember the difference between what can be done and what must be done. Even with the best of intentions, it …

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 …

Planning And Managing School Facilities, Theodore J. Kowalski

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Nearly half of the nation's school buildings need to be renovated or replaced. This book provides a knowledge base for administrators to plan and manage construction projects, and addresses specific planning tasks including public opinion polling, enrollment projections, financial planning, selecting architects and other professionals, and managing facilities once they are operational.

Theodore Kowalski addresses the administrative procedures associated with planning and managing school facilities. As noted at the outset, practitioner interest in school facilities has been growing rapidly in recent years because decades of neglect, poor planning, and cost cutting have created a situation in which large numbers of …

Factors Influencing Teachers' Decisions To Refer Students For Special Education Evaluation, Amanda R. Perry

Masters Theses

This study examined the factors that influence teachers to refer students for psycho-educational evaluation. Fifty seven teachers from Midwest and Southwest suburban and rural school districts completed a questionnaire designed to gather information about the factors teachers consider when referring students for evaluation, as well as their opinion of the etiology of Learning Disability and their preferences for services. Results indicated that the most influential factors in participants' referral decisions were low achievement and behavioral problems. The majority of teachers agreed that eligibility decisions should be based on the child's needs. However, there was no agreement that an ability-achievement discrepancy …