Education Commons^™

Perceptions Of Special Education Supports By School Administrators, Eric P. Oxford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study analyzed the perceptions of special education supports by school administrators. Specifically, this research discussed comparative findings of perceptions of special education supports between building principals and building-based special education team chairpersons in one Massachusetts public school district. The findings are grounded in the district’s inclusive philosophy and its capability to ensure that all students are provided educational opportunities in the least restrictive educational environment. The problem studied was that many students with disabilities who are unable to find academic success within an inclusive academic environment are typically transitioned into a more restrictive—or substantially separate—alternative education setting. It …

An Evaluation Of The Impact Of Professional Development On Accessibility To Online Courses By Students With Special Needs At A Regional Four-Year Public Institution Of Higher Education In West Texas, Dallas Anne Swafford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Evaluation research, including qualitative and quantitative data, was used in this study to determine the impact of professional development on online courses’ accessibility by students with disabilities. The study focused on online courses and course content. Data collection took place in phases and included self-paced, online professional development and one-on-one support sessions, a pre- and postsurvey, and a focus group interview. The study took place at a regional 4-year public institution of higher education in West Texas. Change theory emerged as the primary theoretical lens guiding the research as the study unfolded.

Teachers’ Perceptions Regarding Dyslexia Professional Development Training For Addressing The Social-Emotional Needs Of Children With Dyslexia, Darlene Elizabeth Breaux

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with dyslexia simultaneously struggle with both literacy acquisition and poor selfesteem and undergo social-emotional learning difficulties. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore elementary general education teachers’ perceptions regarding the dyslexia training they received for addressing the social and emotional learning (SEL) needs of children with dyslexia. The conceptual framework guiding this study was the five core competencies for SEL developed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. The researcher used a qualitative description research design involving semistructured interviews. The population included 10 elementary general education teachers who taught in first through fourth-grade classrooms …

Implementing Writers’ Workshop Into The Special Education Classroom, Taylor Denning

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

Writers’ Workshop has developed prominence as a method towards providing authentic writing experiences. The purpose of this study was to determine what happens to student perceptions and quantity of writing when Writers’ Workshop is implemented into a special education setting. This study took place in a self-contained special education classroom of third-, fourth-, and fifth-graders. Data was collected through focus group interviews with the teachers, focus groups with two students from every grade, perception surveys, and writing samples.

Surveys and focus group interviews were completed before and after the implementation. Writing samples were collected at the beginning, middle, and end …

An Instrumental Case Study: Growth Mindset Instructional Best Practices For Learning Disabled Students, Brenda L. Cornell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem that drove this study was that students who struggle in school, especially those with a non-intelligence-based learning disability, suffer from a fixed mindset after years of feelings of failure in school. This mindset causes them to develop maladaptive approaches to learning that inhibit success. The purpose of this study was to describe the best practices of reading teachers who have a reputation for high student achievement and who adhere to a growth mindset in an effort to build a growth mindset culture with their students. This qualitative instrumental case study was conducted through interviews of eleven reading teachers/specialists …