Education Commons^™

A Comparison Of Two Pre-Referral Intervention Committees, Tammy L. Kouser

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to descriptively analyze two pre-referral intervention committees in a New Jersey suburban school district. The committee is also labeled Pupil Assistance Committee (PAC).

The sample was the two committees observed by the researcher. Questionnaires were also filled out by referral teachers to suggest effectiveness of the committees. The referral teachers vary in age and sex.

This study yielded the following findings: the make up of the committees were very similar, the format of the two committees greatly differed, the number of interventions and time spent on students varied between schools, the effectiveness suggested by …

A Study To Determine The Effectiveness Of Computer Assisted Instruction In The Basic Mathematics High School Curriculum, Karen S. Osborne

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of computer assisted instruction in the basic mathematics high school curriculum.

A 31 day study took place using a population of 25 9th grade basic mathematics students from Washington Township High School. These 25 students were split into two samples. The two samples tested were a control group consisting of 12 students who received the traditional lecture-oriented instruction, with assign-study-recite a common procedure and innovation and experimentation minimal. The experimental group consisted of 13 students who received the traditional lecture oriented instruction along with CAI. Each sample was given a …

The Impact Of Interscholastic Activity Program Participation On Self-Concept, Melanie L. Lawrence

Theses and Dissertations

Self-concept is one of the most important constructs in an individual's life. It is the backbone of personal development. The purpose of the present study is to determine whether adolescent students participating in an interscholastic athletic program (basketball) accomplish more substantial gains in self-concept than their non-participant peers. The Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS:2) was used to assess the baseline data of 40 high school students. Twenty of the students composed the non-active control group, while 20 students composed the experimental, active group. After a ten-week interval, post-test data was gathered. Although results differed based on individual scores, on the average, …

The Effects Of A Cross-Age Peer Tutoring Read Aloud Program On Learning Disabled Resource Room Students, Jeffery G. Wellington

Theses and Dissertations

Preventing school failure of special education students is an issue of immense proportion. Apart from academic needs, many special education students have needs in other areas such as improved self esteem, social skills and behavior that far outweigh the needs of regular education students. This study was designed to investigate the effects of a cross-age peer tutoring read aloud program on sixteen fifth and sixth grade learning resource room students. The subjects' self concept, behavior, discipline referral rate and absenteeism rate were examined in a pre/post intervention design. The subjects were required to tutor by reading aloud to third grade …

A Study To Integrate The History Of Mathematics Into The Geometry Curriculum, Karen M. Laszecki

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to integrate the history of mathematics into those topics found in a high school geometry curriculum and to determine the current extent of this integration During the last decade, the History in Mathematics in Education Conference (1990) and the History and Pedagogy of Mathematics Newsletter (1992) are examples of recent efforts to use the history of mathematics as an integral part of the curriculum.

Fifty-one teachers from forty high schools in southeastern Pennsylvania responded to the History of Mathematics in the Classroom questionnaire, which was developed from a review of literature. Geometry teachers rated …

Utilizing Creative Movement To Enrich The Growth And Development Of Preschool Handicapped Children, Sandra R. Barnett

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether exposure to a creative dance instructional program would promote growth in the areas of language development and motor skills with preschool handicapped children. Eight youngsters were selected to serve as an experimental group while eight others served as a control group receiving no formal instruction.

The Learning Accomplishment Profile (LAP) and the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales and Activity Cards Test and a Help Checklist served to assess levels before and after the program of instruction.

The results of the study indicated that growth in receptive and expressive language development as well …

A Compilation Of Modifications And Accommodations Used By Regular Education Teachers In An Inclusion Program, Susan F. Mcnally

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compile a list of modifications and accommodations regular education teachers use in their classrooms to help classified students succeed in an inclusion setting. Data were collected using a questionnaire, observations, and interviews with teachers in kindergarten through grade six (with grade five omitted). Fourteen regular education teachers in two school districts, representing four elementary schools, participated in this study. Data were compiled in four areas: (1) classroom demographics; (2) teacher education; (3) specific modifications and accommodations used by teachers; and (4) specific teacher needs for future inclusion settings, Information was presented in the …

Significant Factors Contributing To The Successful Inclusion Of Students With Moderate To Severe Disabilities Into General K-2 Classrooms, Bonni Rubin-Sugarman

Theses and Dissertations

Since 1975 a federal law has made the local school district responsible for the education of ALL children living within its geographical boundaries, This law, originally known as the Education of All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142), and now known as IDEA or The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, guarantees that children with disabilities will have a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. This free and appropriate public education would afford children with disabilities the opportunity, to the maximum extent possible, to be educated in their neighborhood school alongside their non-disabled peers.

The purpose of this …

A Study To Determine The Rate Of Participation Of Special Education Students In Extracurricular Activities And Factors Inhibiting Their Participation, Lyn Vetter

Theses and Dissertations

This study compared special education students who join extracurricular activities versus those that do not join, and identified factors that inhibit participation in the various extracurricular activities that are offered. Twenty special education students at the seventh and eighth grade levels enrolled in the Mullica Township Middle School were interviewed individually during their study hall period to determine the extent of their participation in extracurricular activities. Their responses were recorded and analyzed to determine the rate of participation. The groups were then divided into participants and non-participants and responses were content analyzed. Results showed that the majority of the sample …

A Comparison Of Special Needs Children's Development Of Letter Naming And Letter-Phoneme Production In A Traditional And A Whole Language Classroom, June M. Mosher

Theses and Dissertations

This study compared the gains made in recognition and naming of the 21 consonant letters of the alphabet as well as production of the phonemes to the letters by two special needs groups of children from the ages of five to ten. One group of seven students received instruction in a traditional class, with the teacher presenting one letter of the alphabet per week. The second group of eleven students was taught in a whole language class, with an emphasis on reading and writing without isolated instruction in individual letters. The children were pretested in October, 1996 and posttested in …

The Effect Of A Word Processing Program On Secondary Students With Mild Learning Disabilities In Essay Composition As Compared With Essays Produced Using Paper And Pencil, Donna J. Ewing

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of computer based word processing versus paper and pencil in essay composition. This study used a repeated measure and an alternating treatment design to compare student performance in constructing essays under two experimental conditions a.) using a computer based word processor and b.) using paper and pencil. Analysis of error rate and measure for each student indicated varied improvements under the computer condition for composition length, length of sentences, grammatically correct sentences, paragraph development, content area, composing time, misspellings, and grammatical errors. Participants included twenty-five secondary students with mild learning disabilities.

The …

A Survey Of Attitudes Toward The Proposed New Jersey Special Education Administrative Code Revisions, Michael W. Gasky

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the reaction of teachers to five proposals for reforming special education. These proposals include the achievement of the Core Curriculum Content Standards, inclusion of exceptional students in state and districtwide assessments, child study team revisions, classification changes, notice reduction, and the redefining of consent. A fifteen closed-ended question survey with five Likert-type rating scale optional answers was developed. Seventy-three graduate students in education participated in this study. The categorical data was illustrated through charts, graphs, and crossbreak tables. Survey analysis revealed that 52% supported the policy proposals, 35.9% were in opposition, 11.2% indicated no opinion, and 0.9% …

A Study To Determine Whether Students Using The Sra Spelling Mastery Program Will Learn To Spell More Words As Compared To Students Utilizing The Graham And Freeman Strategy, Brian Shakespeare

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to determine if the use of the SRA Spelling Mastery Program with emotionally disturbed students would increase the amount of words they could spell as compared to similar students who utilized the Graham and Freeman five step study strategy. All the students in the study have been described as having attentional difficulties. After the completion of the placement test, intervention was begun. Intervention consisted of one hundred words selected from the SRA Spelling Mastery Program. Both the SRA and the Graham group had weekly spelling tests consisting of the same ten words. Unit tests …

The Development Of Grading Procedures For Students With Educational Disabilities Attending Regular Education Classes, Kathleen Sharp Sweeder

Theses and Dissertations

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act states that children with disabilities must be educated, to the maximum extent possible and appropriate, in the regular education setting with non-handicapped children. The purpose of this study was to develop grading procedures for students with educational disabilities who attend regular education classes. Current district policies, the teachers' procedures for grading students, and the best practices presented in literature were investigated. Is grading students with educational disabilities in the regular education setting a concern for teachers? Should this school district develop a grading policy for students with educational disabilities? A teacher questionnaire was developed …

A Comparison Of Self-Concepts Of Children Placed In A Pull-Out, Resource Center Versus An In-Class Support Model, Stephanie A. Scafario

Theses and Dissertations

Since inclusion is becoming a popular practice in many schools, its effects on children with learning disabilities must be considered. A child's self-concept is an important factor which often influences his success in academic, social, and emotional domains. Therefore, the effect that placement in a full day, in-class support classroom has on students with learning disabilities was investigated. A sample of 28 students with the classifications of perceptually impaired or neurologically impaired from grades 3, 4, and 5 participated in the study. Two groups were studied. One group received special education services through in-class support classrooms, while the other group …

A Study Of The Effectiveness Of A Whole Language Instructional Approach In Stimulating Emergent Literacy Development Among At-Risk Kindergarten Students, Eileen C. Baxter

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a whole language instructional approach as a means of stimulating the emergent literacy development of kindergarten students determined to be "at risk." Meaningful growth on reliable observation surveys would indicate a possible correlation between the use of whole language instructional techniques and emergent literacy development.

A review of the literature indicates that young children acquire emergent literacy concepts and skills most efficaciously when they are immersed in a print-rich environment in which a variety of forms and functions are used in meaningful activities.

The study consisted of thirty students …

A Survey Of Employers Of Persons With Moderate Mental Retardation And Review Of A Vocational Curriculum, Nancy A. Armbruster

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to determine the vocational skills employers of persons with moderate mental retardation required for successful employment and to evaluate the vocational curriculum at Burlington County Special Services School to determine if those same skills were being implemented. There was wide agreement regarding the importance of vocational education and the need for employers to provide information concerning skills needed for successful employment.

The methodology employed in this project consisted of interviewing five employers of individuals with moderate mental retardation. A questionnaire was administered to determine the skills employers felt were important for schools to teach. …

The Comparative Effects Of Manual Drafting And Computer Assisted Drafting On Secondary Students' Sectional View And Auxiliary View Drawings, Glenn R. Smith Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the comparative effects CAD and manual drafting have on the effectiveness of teaching technical drawing techniques to secondary students. The problem of the study was to compare CAD and manual methods using the sectional view and auxiliary view techniques of Technical Drawing on second level Mechanical Drawing students.

The researcher, as the teacher, taught the concepts of the two technical drawing techniques, sectional view and auxiliary view drawings. During each section of the study, one group was assigned to complete drawings using the computer assisted drafting method and the other group used …

A Comparison Of Strategy Instruction And Sequential Instruction Of Verbal Math Problems, Eva L. Surowicz

Theses and Dissertations

This research study was conducted to test the effectiveness of strategy instruction and sequencing practice problems in teaching fourth grade students to identify the correct algorithm for solving one-step multiplication and division problems. Forty-eight students were assigned to one of three experimental groups: strategy-plus-sequence, strategy only, or sequence only. The results indicated that students in the strategy only group and the strategy-plus-sequence group scored significantly higher than did students in the sequence only group. Findings indicated that strategy teaching was more effective than sequencing problem type. Implications for instructional design are discussed.

Does Student Adherence To An Aptitude-Achievement Discrepancy Formula Exclude Students Who Are Truly In Need Of Special Education Services?, Lisa R. Vizthum

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to review current practices of Child Study Teams when classifying a student as perceptually impaired in order to determine if children are being misclassified, and also to determine if strict guidelines will really lower the numbers of children being classified as perceptually impaired. A second purpose was to survey districts as to what programs they currently have in place in order to discourage students from dropping out of high school.

A survey/questionnaire was sent to 22 Directors of Special Services in a given county. A total of 12 districts responded, representing a participation rate …

A Survey Of Selected Southern New Jersey School Districts To Determine Effects On Special Education Of Policy Changes Proposed In August 1996, Heidi Roman Chausse

Theses and Dissertations

Twenty-three of thirty districts surveyed respond to questions addressing the implications of proposed amendments to NJAC 6:28, presented by Dr. Klagholz in August 1996. Statistical data was obtained regarding district size and special education populations. Responses investigated areas of Child Study Team, classification, programs, P2R, curriculum and assessment, case management and outside agency licensure The results were tabulated and significant findings were evident.

The most provocative findings show uncertainty on the part of the districts as to the effects of these proposed changes on special education. The respondents indicate concerns that these changes will lead to increased litigation and a …

The Effect Of An Active Parental Program On The Musical Achievement And Musical Affectiveness Of Elementary Instrumental Music Students, Mary Frances Bushong

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the musical environment in the homes of elementary instrumental music students. The problem was to investigate the effectiveness of an active parental involvement program on their child's music achievement and music affectiveness.

Prior to the investigation, the researcher sent a home music environment survey home to all those students who signed up for instrumental lesson in the spring of their third grade year. One of the questions asked the parents if they would be willing to participate in the experiment the following September.

Once the school year started, times and dates were …

Rowan Image 1997, Rowan College Of New Jersey

Yearbooks

Rowan College of New Jersey yearbook for the Class of 1997; 192 pages.

Contents: Image is Everything p. 2, Seniors p. 17, Sports p. 87, Activities p. 134, Faculty & Administration p. 164, Farewell p. 181, Yearzine 1997 p. 182.

Yearbook staff members are not identified.

Teachers' Attitudes Toward The Inclusion Of Young Children With Special Needs Into Regular Early Childhood Classes, Marilyn I. Forbes

Theses and Dissertations

All children have special abilities and special needs that make them unique individuals. Most teachers work with children who have a wide range of abilities and learning styles. Early childhood teachers are no exception. They may have children enrolled in their classrooms who have subtle learning disabilities, significant physical, mental or emotional problems, high intelligence, or conditions which limit speech and motor development. Teachers may not have been taught that the continuum of development is similar for all children, but that timetables may vary. This thesis examines staff attitudes toward the placement of young children with special needs into regular …

A Study Of The Effects Of Shared Peer Reading On Students' Reading Attitudes, Christine Ellen Arsenis

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of shared peer reading on students' reading attitudes. It was hypothesized that students who participate in shared peer reading would show significant reading attitude improvements, as measured by the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey, over students who do not participate in shared peer reading. The study was a quasi-experimental design consisting of students in two first grade classrooms. Twenty students from each classroom participated in the study. One class was identified as the "participation group" and the other class was identified as the "nonparticipation" group. Both groups were first pretested using …

Study Of The Effects Of Inclusion On The Academic Progress Of Regular Education Students, Tracy Alcoy-Clouser

Theses and Dissertations

It was the goal of this study to evaluate the effectiveness of the Team Approach to Mastery (TAM) program on the Metropolitan Achievement Test (MAT) scores of regular education students in the TAM classroom. The hypothesis suggested that the TAM students would do as well as or better than the students in the non-TAM classroom.

This study observed the progress of twenty-nine fourth grade students that live in a rural area with an urban school population. A pretest posttest design was used. The dependent variable was the MAT, and the TAM program was the independent variable.

An analysis of the …

A Study Of Students' Attitude Toward School Climate As Compared Within A Conflict Resolution Group And A Traditional Group, Dawn D. Kelly-Pearson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to evaluate students' attitudes toward school climate. One group received Conflict Resolution training and the other group received no training. The program, SCRC, Students Creative Response to Conflict was designed to empower students by giving them the tools to confront and resolve problems that develop on a daily basis. The program focuses on five major areas: affirmation, communication, conflict resolution, cooperation, and bias awareness/appreciation of differences.

The sample group was drawn from four fourth grade classrooms. Each group consisted of thirty-six subjects. There were 61% males and 39% females. Further, 64.6% were Caucasian, 31.7% …

Correlational Study Of Self-Concept, Social Self-Perception, Academic Self-Concept And Behavior Problems Among Elementary School Children, Malthi Lingaraju

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships, if any, between General Self-Concept, Social Self-Perception, Academic Self-Concept, and Behavior Problems among elementary school children. Twenty-two third grade students participated in this study. The Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory was used to measure self-concept. Social Self-Perception and Academic Self-Concept were measured by subscales of the Coopersmith Inventory. The Connors' Teacher Rating Scales-39 was used to measure the general dimension of behavior problems. Findings from these two measures indicated a significant positive correlation between General Self-Concept and Social Self-Perception; General Self-Concept and Academic Self-Concept, and Social Self-Perception and Academic Self-Concept. There was, …

General Educators And Their Needs For Inclusion Classrooms, Lisa B. Minkin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the perceptions of available inclusion supports by elementary teachers and their attitudes toward inclusion education. This correlational study used a non-random, convenience population: all thirty-nine members taught in a common district that implemented inclusion. They completed a closed-ended questionnaire which measured attitudes toward inclusion and their perceptions of available supports.

The research yielded inconsistent evidence related to the null hypothesis. Attitudes of teachers concerning inclusion and their perceived level of supports were not found to be statistically related. However, there were corresponding percentages of those who considered substantial resources …

Student Ethnicity And Teacher Expectations, Daisy Mercado

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between student ethnicity and teacher expectations and how these expectations were communicated to students through the types of questions they were asked. The subjects for this study were twenty-two second grade students. The first phase of the study consisted of observations in which the questions asked by the teacher and the ethnicity of the student were recorded. They were later categorized as low order and high order questions. Finally, a Chi square test was used to determine if there was a significant relationship between ethnicity and teacher expectations. The study revealed that no significant relationship …