A “How To Guide” Of Tier 2 Reading Interventions, Nolan Coyle

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

My topic is a “how to” guide in the area of tier 2 classroom interventions for literacy focused particularly for grades 4-6. As someone who has worked in special education for 5 years, I occasionally get students on my caseload and I wonder if they could have succeeded in the general education classroom with appropriate interventions. At other times, students have progressed so rapidly that I wonder if interventions were ever implemented. Perhaps the wrong interventions were implemented, or maybe interventions were not implemented properly. In my own practice the number of students receiving reading services on my own caseload …

Late To The Game: A Phenomenological Study Of The Educational Experiences Of Females With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Tammara Clevenger

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the K-12 educational experiences of females with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The theory guiding this study is Bandura’s social cognitive theory, as it states that people are the operators of their lives, and not passive entities within their environment. However, individuals with ASD often have difficulties with social communication, communication interaction, and restricted, repetitive behaviors, which impact their ability to regulate themselves in various environments. The study used transcendental phenomenology to understand the K-12 educational experiences of females with ASD. A total of 10 participants were used. The participants and their …

Professional Development And Training For The Inclusion Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Pre-Kindergarten: A Phenomenological Study, Melinda K. Parsons- Shadid

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences utilizing professional resources to aid in the early childhood education development of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder for teachers at charter schools in a large city in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The problem is that there are limited professional resources to reduce early childhood education teachers' ability to educate students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder within the general classroom. One central research question and three sub-questions explored the purpose and problem of this study, which were guided by social cognitive theory. The central research question …

Special Education Teachers' Experiences Addressing Mental Health Concerns In Students With Comorbid Disabilities: A Phenomenological Study, Alison L. Simmons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of special education teachers in public schools regarding addressing mental health needs in their students experiencing comorbid disabilities. The theory guiding this study was contextual organizational framework as it applies to individual special education teachers addressing comorbid mental health concerns in their students. The research addresses the central research question: What experiences within the organizational context(s) do special education teachers describe with regard to working with special education students with comorbid mental health disorders? All participants were special education teachers in either elementary or secondary schools, who …

Educators’ Perceptions Of Exclusionary Discipline For Students With Disabilities In A Manifestation Determination Review: A Case Study, Jenell R. Huska

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to understand K-12 educators’ knowledge of the characteristics of students with disabilities and how their ability to implement evidence-based practices shaped their perceptions of their role in making decisions regarding exclusionary discipline in a Manifestation Determination Review (MDR). The central research question included: How do K-12 educators’ perceptions regarding organizational support affect the decisions they make concerning exclusionary discipline for students with disabilities in a Manifestation Determination Review? Eisenberger et al.’s (1986) Organizational Support Theory (OST) guided this study. OST relates to educators’ perceptions regarding how their organization supports them in making decisions regarding …

Recommendations To Improve Social-Emotional Learning For Students With Disabilities At The Virginia School For The Deaf And The Blind In Virginia, Rebecca J. White

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to provide recommendations to improve social-emotional learning for students with disabilities at The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind in Virginia. The problem is that social-emotional learning practices need improving since 80% of teachers at The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind reported a lack of social and emotional skills in students on the yearly Needs Assessment Survey (The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind Needs Assessment Survey, 2022). The rationale for this research is the importance of improving the development of social-emotional skills in students with disabilities. …

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Elementary Teachers In Inclusion Classrooms, Julie Elise Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of elementary teachers in inclusion classrooms. The theory which guided this study was Bandura’s (2006) social cognitive theory as it related to the lived experiences of teacher preparedness for teaching in inclusion classrooms. Successful inclusion-setting outcomes were attributed to a teacher’s perception and attitude toward disabilities and their ability to teach them. This study was designed to answer the following central research question: What are the lived experiences of teachers regarding their preparation for teaching in elementary-level inclusion classrooms? Three sub-questions were used to understand the lived …

An Evaluation Of Rural Access To Education, Caroline Ackerman, Kera B. Ackerman

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

In Kentucky, educators serve over 100,000 students who qualify for special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Given Kentucky's topography, and the designation of 86 of the Commonwealth's 120 counties as rural, it's essential to understand how the socioeconomic and geographic qualities of the state impact the students being served. Previous research has indicated that nearly a quarter of children in Kentucky live in poverty, with the highest rates existing in rural Eastern Kentucky counties. This statistic, compacted with the knowledge that high-need children in poverty are more likely than their peers to have a disability …

Lessons Learned: Considerations For Enhancing Principal Preparation Programs With Inclusive Special Education Practices, Ellen G. Casale, Stacy Leggett

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

Western Kentucky University has a long-standing history in preparing principals. Recognizing the ever-growing importance of explicit training in supporting students with disabilities, we applied for and received a minigrant from the Kentucky Excellence in Educator Preparation to enhance our curriculum to address this need. In this article, we provide an overview of the context for this need and provide considerations for principal preparation programs considering enhancing their own curricula. Implications are provided.

Pediatric Anxiety Disorders And Their Accommodation In The Classrom, Olivia Hobson

Honors Theses

This project is an exploration of the origins, neurology and impacts of pediatric anxiety disorders, as well as the research-backed best practices for their accomodation within the school classroom setting.

Implementation Of Rti As A Part Of Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support: What Teachers, Administrators, And Teacher Educators Need To Know, Susan Polirstok, Joseph A. Hogan

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is an outgrowth of Response to Intervention (RtI). The various systems of support for students and school communities provided through these programs are integral to modern education and embedded in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) of 2004. While there are many benefits to the implementation of MTSS and RtI, there are various obstacles that can hinder successful intervention programs. The absence of consensus across districts and states with respect to program development and implementation creates confusion. This article addresses considerations and concerns related to MTSS and RtI. Discussed are underlying principles, challenges …

The Inclusion Of Classroom-Related Dispositions In Teacher Evaluations, David K. Griffin

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

This paper examines various approaches to evaluating the classroom teacher and discusses the inclusion of dispositions in the evaluation process. A random sample of 150 teachers were asked to complete an online survey focusing on the inclusion of dispositions in their formal evaluations. They were asked to report what specific dispositions were evaluated, and if the specific dispositions were operationally defined. A summary of their responses to the survey items is discussed.

Cultivating Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Approaches To Social And Emotional Learning For Students With Or At-Risk For Emotional And Behavioral Dis/Abilities, Sharde Theodore, Lindsay Romano, Fanica Young, Danica Moise, Tahnee Wilder

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

School policies are largely driven by perceptions and expectations for how students should behave academically and socially, yet these practices often lack the cultural relevance and sustainability required to support racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse (RELD) students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral dis/orders (EBD). Similarly, many evidence-based practices for behavior do not consider internalizing behaviors (e.g., anxiety, toxic stress), exemplifying a critical need for equitable practices aimed at supporting the prosocial and emotional needs of RELD students with or at risk for EBD. Given the multifaceted social, emotional, and behavioral needs of RELD students with or at …

Basic Needs Fulfillment And Course Completion Rates For Online University Students With Disabilities: A Quantitative, Non-Experimental, Causal-Comparative Study, Ashleigh M. King

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental causal-comparative study is to determine if there is a difference in the percentage of courses completed between online university students with disabilities who are experiencing food and/or housing insecurity and those who are not. Students with disabilities at universities are less likely to complete courses than peers without disabilities, and while this discrepancy is often blamed on disability, other factors that impact student performance must be examined to determine if intersecting factors that disproportionately impact people with disabilities, specifically food and housing insecurity, may be contributing to decreased percentages of course completion. The theory …

Work-Based Learning Experiences And Students With Intellectual Disabilities: A Qualitative Case Study, Jessy Logan Richard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this embedded single-case study was to understand how participation in work-based learning experiences (WBLE) prepares students with intellectual disabilities (ID) for successful post-school competitive employment. The theory guiding this study was Kolb’s experiential learning theory, as it systematically explains the four stages of learning that learners go through during WBLE. This embedded single-case study investigated the experience of 12 work site supervisors supervising students with an ID while participating in WBLE at a restaurant and a hotel and one student who participated in the WBLE. Data were collected using individual interviews, document analysis, and focus groups. The …

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Educators And Service Providers In The Identification Process Of Minority Students For Special Education In East Tennessee Elementary Schools, Paula R. Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of educators and service providers in identifying minority students in special education in Tennessee elementary schools. The theory guiding this study was Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. This theory emphasizes cultural tools and their functions in understanding a different culture. It also provides a framework for researchers to investigate how education links individuals to their culture. The study’s sample consisted of ten participants, including general education teachers of core content areas, school psychologists, speech-language pathologists, and ELL teachers from three elementary schools in Tennessee. I used the triangulated research strategy …

Language Learning Disabilities: Adolescents Receiving Psychological Therapy In Addition To Speech Language Therapy, Katelyn Grace Mcnair, Catherine L. Cotton Phd.

Undergraduate Research Conference

Specific learning disabilities are among the most common disability categories, in which students receive special education and/or related services in schools, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (2023). Research has shown an increase of understanding in the areas of reading, writing, and spelling in individuals with learning disabilities. More recently, Ghiasi, Sedrpoushan, Abedi, Soltani (2022), noted students with learning disabilities have a lower level of achievement, motivation, self-esteem, and a high level of depression. Advances in language literacy remediation, may not be enough to overcome factors such as decreased self-esteem and fear of failure (Wolter, DiLollo, Apel, 2006). …

Occupational Therapy's Role In Supporting Individuals With Down Syndrome Through An Employment Program, Jenny Rossopoulos, Susan Macdermott

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This poster presents the implementation of an existing employment program, EmployAble to a new group of individuals with Down syndrome. The presentation outlines the methods, program design, and curriculum. Additionally, this capstone project aims to explore the support mechanisms for individuals with disabilities in the workplace and the education of employers regarding inclusive employment practices.

Adaptive Sports And Fitness Night, Kendra Clary, Drew Gannon

SACAD: John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days

In Health and Human Performance, an overarching objective is to address the obstacles that restrict physical activity in daily lifestyles. At Fort Hays, we are dedicated to expanding community inclusion and reaching diverse populations, promoting our commitment to diversity and inclusion excellence.

Mission Statement:

Empowering Community Through Inclusive Movement

Vision Statement:

Our adaptive sports and fitness night cultivates community engagement, builds relationships, fosters motor and skill development, and promotes health and well-being for individuals of all abilities.

A recent systematic review found that only 9% of adults with ID meet the minimum requirement of 150 min of moderate to vigorous …

Eds 702: The Young Child With Special Needs, Lingyu Li

Open Educational Resources

This introductory course addresses the concept of disability and the field of special education. It will also consider the social, cultural, and economic context surrounding the education of young children (birth to 8 years) with a wide range of developmental delays and disability conditions. Pertinent legislation, intervention with families, developing Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs), Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and issues of advocacy will be studied within the context of the continuum of service delivery (home-based, center-based, and school-based interventions). (15 fieldwork hours required.)

Classroom Reintegration For Children And Adolescents With Traumatic Brain Injuries, Alli Perkins, Mary Greer, Keith Mcwilliams

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The purpose of the poster presentation is to increase the present knowledge regarding the process of school-based reintegration for children and adolescents who have experienced a traumatic brain injury. As children and young adults spend an average of 32 hours per week in the school environment, parents, educators, and rehabilitation professionals are ideally positioned to collaborate with one another to facilitate the reintegration process and enable students to return to their primary occupations of educational participation, social participation, play, and leisure. The presentation includes information from the development and implementation of a program for parents, families, and educators of those …

The Transition To Adulthood For High School Students With Special Needs, Athena Hays, Mary Jan Greer, Jinna Danser

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The reason for many special needs students not engaging in occupations after high school is because many guardians have not had to navigate this type of transition before and are not provided enough education on what these opportunities include before their students graduate. Many students with special needs do not optimize their engagement in the community because guardians are not being provided with education on post-graduate opportunities.

The purpose of my Doctoral Capstone Project is to develop an educational transition service program for special needs students as well as guardians and teachers of these students preparing for high school graduation …

Go Beyond Compliance: Use Individualized Education Programs To Answer Strategic Questions And Improve Programs, Adrienne D. Woods, Marie C. Ireland, Kimberly Murphy, Hope Spark Lancaster

Speech-Language Pathology Faculty Publications

Purpose: The most significant document to ensure effective and compliant design, implementation, monitoring, and enforcement of a program of special education services in the United States is the Individualized Education Program (IEP). Although IEPs have been used to document procedural compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for individual students, IEPs also provide extensive data that can and should be used by a variety of stakeholders including speech-language pathologists (SLPs), school administrators, and state education agencies to design targeted professional development and collectively improve programs, processes, and outcomes in special education.

Method: We summarize existing literature on the …

Transitional Periods Of Individuals With Autism: A Parental Perspective On Services, Kennedy Rogers

Senior Theses and Projects

This study looks at the experiences and perceptions of parents with children who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) aged eighteen or older and have experienced a significant transition out of high school. By using a qualitative method of interviews and analysis, as well as two rounds of coding, I explored the nature of program options as well as the challenges of the individuals with Autism during this time of their life. This study looked at the challenges in the transition as well as some potential insights to helping ease the challenges.

From The Editors, Michele H. Koomen, Thomastine A. Sarchet-Maher, Jessica Williams

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

JSESD remains a venue for the dissemination of research and practice related to the education of students with disabilities in the science classroom and laboratory since 1998. Volumes #1 through 11 were published in a print format. Starting with Volume #12, the journal has been published online and Open Access. Having JSESD in the Open Access format maximizes access for readers and authors and allows the journal to remain economically sustainable. JSESD is proud to now be publishing articles in both PDF and HTML formats (the HTML versions can be accessed through a link from the main articles’ web-page).

How Prerequisite Skills Training Affects Math Achievement Scores For Students With Learning Disabilities: A Quasi-Experimental Control Group Study, Timothy Reedy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest control group design, while controlling for math achievement pretest scores, was to investigate the impact prerequisite skills instruction has on math achievement scores for ninth-grade pre-algebra students with specific learning disabilities (SLDs) in math. While there have been several studies on how prerequisite skills affect students with learning disabilities in elementary school, very little research has extended into high school. Convenience sampling was used in the study and included 70 students from a high school that serves students across the state of Pennsylvania. The Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) was used …

The Impact Of Social Emotional Beliefs On Teachers' Self-Efficacy: A Correlative Study, Amber Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, corelative study was to determine if Social Emotional Learning (SEL) beliefs had an impact on teacher self-efficacy amongst teachers within a suburban school district population. Social Emotional Learning programs aim to address students’ negative social and emotional concerns. These negative social and emotional concerns amongst students also have a negative impact on teachers. This study served to educate and provide school level administration data on whether SEL beliefs impact educator self-efficacy. This investigation can guide school districts on developing appropriate and targeted professional development for specific subgroups of teachers. For this study, a sample of …

Inclusion For Asd Students In The Mainstream Setting, Stephanie Rohwer

Graduate Teacher Education

This comprehensive review delves into the complexities surrounding the education of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The exploration begins by addressing educator, parental, and paraprofessional perspectives. It reveals challenges related to a lack of autism competence among teachers, managing student behavior, and the pursuit of alternative placements by parents seeking tailored educational experiences. Examining the historical context of ASD, considering its neurodevelopmental nature, emphasizes the importance of continuously evolving teacher preparedness to meet the diverse needs of students. The studies draw attention to the multifaceted challenges educators face, particularly in the absence of consistent training in evidence-based practices (EBPs) …

Perceptions Of School Leaders On Inclusion And Their Role In The Successful Development Of An Inclusion Program For Preschoolers With Disabilities, Cheryl A. Myrie

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is the administrative law that governs special education services and how students with disabilities should be educated. When students are found eligible for special education and related services, the law states that the general education classroom should be the first placement considered where students receive services. Research reveals that the state of New Jersey has traditionally been a state where students with disabilities are educated in separate classrooms and schools, and in 2021 the state was ranked the worst in the United States when it came to including students with disabilities in the general …

Special Education Teacher Preparation In Saudi Arabia: Qualitative Interview Design, Salman Almughyiri

The Qualitative Report

This study explored preservice special education teachers’ perceptions regarding special education teacher preparation courses, practicum, and evidence-based practices they recently completed. The participants of the study included five preservice special education teachers from two universities, Shaqra University and King Saud University, in Riyadh. A variety of qualitative interview designs, such as semi-structured interviews and in-depth interviews were employed to gather the data. This involved conducting a total of 15 interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Additionally, peer debriefing and member checks were used to increase the credibility of the study and help prevent personal bias. The study …