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Full-Text Articles in Education

The Lived Expereinces Of Immigrant Families Who Have A Child With A Disability: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology, Korin Lopez Apr 2024

The Lived Expereinces Of Immigrant Families Who Have A Child With A Disability: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology, Korin Lopez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences for immigrant families in the United States who have a child with disabilities. The central question guiding this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study is: What is the lived experience of immigrant families who have a child with disabilities? The theory guiding this study is Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory as it provides a lens to examine the influence and impact the ecological systems have on immigrant families' perceptions of raising a child with disabilities. This study included ten participants who immigrated to the United States from around the world. Data was …


Educators’ Perceptions Of Exclusionary Discipline For Students With Disabilities In A Manifestation Determination Review: A Case Study, Jenell R. Huska Apr 2024

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 …


Veteran Identity And Academic Accommodations: Another Conflict, Valerie Groll Dec 2023

Veteran Identity And Academic Accommodations: Another Conflict, Valerie Groll

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Colleges and universities have seen an increase in student veteran enrollment to include student veterans with disabilities. Inconsistencies and inaccurate reporting systems have created conflicting data about veterans’ success in higher education making it difficult to find accurate data-driven research related to student veterans creating challenges when institutions of higher learning are assessing the needs of student populations and the programming needed to support them. Reporting inconsistencies identifying student veterans is not the only problem. There is also limited research regarding the use of academic accommodations among student veterans with disabilities. The purpose of this quantitative causal comparative study is …


Predictors Of Self-Efficacy Of Christian School Teachers Toward Inclusion Of Students With Disabilities, Lisa Halsey Joyner Nov 2022

Predictors Of Self-Efficacy Of Christian School Teachers Toward Inclusion Of Students With Disabilities, Lisa Halsey Joyner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative correlation study was to determine how accurately self-efficacy for inclusion of students with special needs could be predicted from a linear combination of predictor variables (pre-service training in special education; in-service professional development on topics related to special education; years of teaching experience) for general education teachers in Christian schools. When the factors that predict teachers’ self-efficacy for inclusion of students with disabilities (SWD) are understood, school leaders can tailor more effective professional development and training to improve the willingness and effectiveness of teachers to create inclusive school environments. An online survey of teachers’ self-efficacy …


Consideration Of Why Some Chiropractic Students With Disabilities Choose Not To Utilize Academic Accommodations: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Karen G. Canup Nov 2022

Consideration Of Why Some Chiropractic Students With Disabilities Choose Not To Utilize Academic Accommodations: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Karen G. Canup

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of students with disabilities (SWD) at a chiropractic college in the United States that led to their decision not to utilize the academic accommodations available to them. The theory that guided this study is Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory. This qualitative study was conducted using the transcendental phenomenological approach. The research participants were students enrolled in a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) program who had received a diagnosis that made them eligible for academic accommodations at any point in their academic career. The researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with participants, followed …


The Involvement Of Parents Of Students With Disabilities In Rural Early Head Start Programs: A Case Study, Cassandra Annette Justice Oct 2022

The Involvement Of Parents Of Students With Disabilities In Rural Early Head Start Programs: A Case Study, Cassandra Annette Justice

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative collective case study was to describe parent participation for home-based educators and parents at an Early Head Start home-based program in rural Appalachia. Parental participation in the Early Head Start home-based program was generally defined as the active participation of children with disabilities’ parents in a home-based program guided by home-based educators through the implementation of early intervention services. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs guided this study, as it relates to both identifying barriers that may prevent parents from being involved and illuminates how Early Head Start educators help families meet growth and developmental needs. The …


Leaders And Restraints: Investigating How Attitudes Of School Leaders Predict The Number Of Physical Restraints, Sarah S. Ulmer Aug 2022

Leaders And Restraints: Investigating How Attitudes Of School Leaders Predict The Number Of Physical Restraints, Sarah S. Ulmer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigates how attitudes of school leaders predict the number of physical restraints that occur in schools that serve students under IDEA. This study focuses on the attitudes of school leaders from the geographical regions of Virginia in public and private schools. The “Educational Leadership and Behavioral Interventions” survey was used to gather research from 33 schools within Virginia. After collecting the data through the survey, the data was analyzed using a predictive correlation research design. The bivariate linear regression was used to analyze the predictor and criterion variables using SPSS. Based on the results of the data analysis, …


Harmonica Pedagogy For The Full Inclusion Instrumental Music Classroom, Expanding Opportunities For Students With Disabilities, George Wallace Miklas Jun 2022

Harmonica Pedagogy For The Full Inclusion Instrumental Music Classroom, Expanding Opportunities For Students With Disabilities, George Wallace Miklas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The harmonica was once taught in American public schools coast to coast from the 1920s through the 1940s when imports of harmonicas were curtailed due to World War II's efforts. Since then, American public-school instrumental music curricula have long forgotten the only wind instrument that makes music when the student inhales or exhales. The harmonica provides a natural calming effect to the player and medical benefits, including being a tool for overcoming mental health issues and expressing needs and feelings without words. During the era when the harmonica was taught, pedagogy lacked uniformity. Consequently, confusion about the instrument's unique tuning …


Best Buddies Club: A Phenomenological Study Of The Non-Disabled Peer Perspective On Socially Interacting With Students With Disabilities, Joanna Marie Cavender Apr 2022

Best Buddies Club: A Phenomenological Study Of The Non-Disabled Peer Perspective On Socially Interacting With Students With Disabilities, Joanna Marie Cavender

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the shared experience of non-disabled peers serving as a “best buddy” to high school students with a disability in the southeastern United States. The theory guiding this study was Vygotsky’s Social Constructivism Theory, where learning between two diverse learners occurs through social interaction with one another, specifically a high school student with a disability and a non-disabled peer buddy. Participants in this study (N=14) were selected from three different high schools throughout one school district, each with active extracurricular Best Buddies Clubs in place. Data were collected through 1:1 interviews, …


Serving Special Education Students In The Music Classroom: Accommodating And Advocating For Learners With Exceptionalities, Kathryn Lambert Dec 2021

Serving Special Education Students In The Music Classroom: Accommodating And Advocating For Learners With Exceptionalities, Kathryn Lambert

Masters Theses

Music education programs positively impact the lives of students both socially and emotionally. As the following research suggests, music may have an even greater impact on students with disabilities or exceptionalities. Due to the lack of accessibility, funding, time, training, and other issues, opportunities in music education programs may be limited to groups of students who may not fit the standard music education student profile. As teachers of common core classes may struggle to accommodate students with exceptionalities and may feel as if they are lacking in resources or other needed preparation to adequately serve these students, these struggles are …


An Investigation Of Teachers' Descriptions, Understandings, And Perceptions Of Intervention And Prevention Tactics Addressing Students With Disabilities: A Collective Case Study, Will Lela Combs-Jones Apr 2021

An Investigation Of Teachers' Descriptions, Understandings, And Perceptions Of Intervention And Prevention Tactics Addressing Students With Disabilities: A Collective Case Study, Will Lela Combs-Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this collective case study was to describe and understand teachers' perceptions of anti-bullying intervention and prevention strategies, or programs, that address the bullying of students with disabilities in elementary schools found throughout a large, suburban school district that is in the central region of the United States. The theory that guided this study was Bandura's (2002) social cognitive theory, which describes how individuals' (teachers specifically) self-efficacy beliefs play a significant role in considering and dealing with situations. The guiding research questions that evoked participant responses and revealed their self-efficacy beliefs surrounding the phenomenon included delving into the …


Exploring The Lived Experiences And Coping Strategies Of Parents Of Children With Profound Intellectual And Multiple Disabilities, Anne Glaeser Hubach May 2020

Exploring The Lived Experiences And Coping Strategies Of Parents Of Children With Profound Intellectual And Multiple Disabilities, Anne Glaeser Hubach

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences and coping strategies of parents of children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) in Central Virginia. Research questions used to frame this study are: How do parents of children with PIMD describe their experiences as parents of children with PIMD? How do the parents of children with PIMD describe the impact of their experiences on their well-being? How do the parents of children with PIMD describe their understanding of and perspectives regarding their children’s disabilities? How do parents of children with PIMD describe the impact of …


The Effect Of A Social-Emotional-Behavioral Framework On Middle School Student Achievement: A Causal-Comparative Study, Meredith Nicole Ford Jordan Dec 2019

The Effect Of A Social-Emotional-Behavioral Framework On Middle School Student Achievement: A Causal-Comparative Study, Meredith Nicole Ford Jordan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With heightened accountability requirements, schools are under pressure to produce academic results while addressing behavioral challenges. The implementation of social-emotional-behavioral frameworks has improved behavioral outcomes in students, but the impact on academic outcomes has yet to be answered. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that the full implementation of a social-emotional-behavioral framework produces the desired academic outcome results and growth on state-standards achievement tests in students with disabilities at the middle school level. Ninety-two Virginia middle schools formed the sample population. Three settings implemented a three-tier framework for one-two (MSA) years, three-four years (MSB), and five years plus …


A Quantitative Analysis Of Virginia Public School Special Education Due Process Cases And Their Resolutions From 2004-2016, Valerie Beaudoin-Saunders May 2017

A Quantitative Analysis Of Virginia Public School Special Education Due Process Cases And Their Resolutions From 2004-2016, Valerie Beaudoin-Saunders

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Special education-related lawsuits are a concern to school systems. They are time-consuming, expensive, and contentious. School and parental relationships become strained when litigation is involved. This study analyzed data from the Virginia Department of Education’s due process database over a 12-year period of time to note common disabilities involved in special education litigation. Specific characteristics from each case were noted to determine if there was a trend in the frequency of due process cases: the sex, grade, age, disability, and outcome. The data was obtained from the Virginia Department of Education’s Office of Dispute Resolution and Administrative Services. The purpose …


Teaching Special Education In The Es/Fl Classroom, Melinda Koerth Apr 2016

Teaching Special Education In The Es/Fl Classroom, Melinda Koerth

Senior Honors Theses

English language learners (ELLs) are growing in number in the United States school system. With this increase in population comes the task of providing quality and appropriate education for these students. A great part of this responsibility falls on instructors of English as a Second/Foreign Language (ES/FL) courses. As with every other content area, the possibility of having students with disabilities and disorders in the classroom exists. However, in the context of language acquisition unique obstacles and pitfalls exist which are particular to this field. Providing services for ELLs with special needs is a major concern in the realm of …


Comparing Types Of Student Placement And The Effect On Achievement For Students With Disabilities, Patricia Mason Nov 2013

Comparing Types Of Student Placement And The Effect On Achievement For Students With Disabilities, Patricia Mason

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Since implementing No Child Left Behind, schools have improved student achievement while also preparing students for the 21st century. Schools continue to strive for 100% proficiency in all subgroups by 2014, but achievement gap exists for students with disabilities. This study used a causal comparative research design to test the concept of co-teaching by comparing types of placement for students with disabilities and the effect on student achievement. For this study, placement was considered where the student received instruction in either a general education class or a co-taught class during 9th through 11th grade. Student achievement was based on the …


Examining The Relationships Between Secondary General Education Teachers' Attitudes Toward Inclusion, Professional Development, And Support From Special Education Personnel, Lynn Wogamon Nov 2013

Examining The Relationships Between Secondary General Education Teachers' Attitudes Toward Inclusion, Professional Development, And Support From Special Education Personnel, Lynn Wogamon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This correlational research study examined the relationships between secondary general education teachers' attitudes toward inclusion, hours of professional development in topics related to special education and hours of support from special education personnel addressing the needs of students with disabilities received weekly. The research also investigated whether this information could be used to predict secondary general education teachers' attitudes towards inclusion. General education teachers in six South Carolina high schools completed the Scale of Teacher Attitudes Toward Inclusive Classrooms (STATIC) and a demographic survey that asked about hours of professional development in special education topics and hours of support received …


Functional Story-Based Instruction About Hand Washing To Teach Emergent Literacy Skills And Hand Washing Skills To Three Elementary Students With Significant Intellectual Disabilities, Glenda Hyer Aug 2012

Functional Story-Based Instruction About Hand Washing To Teach Emergent Literacy Skills And Hand Washing Skills To Three Elementary Students With Significant Intellectual Disabilities, Glenda Hyer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study used a multiple baseline across participants design to evaluate the effects of Functional Story-Based Instruction about hand washing on the independent and correct emergent literacy responses and independent and correct hand washing responses of three elementary students with significant intellectual disabilities in small inclusive reading groups. Data were collected during baseline, intervention, and generalization phases, and then analyzed using visual analyses. The result of the study indicated a functional relationship between the independent and dependent variables. Social validity indicated Functional Story-Based Instruction about hand washing was an effective approach for teaching both emergent literacy skills and hand washing …


Mobile Modeling: Using And Creating Ipad And Ipod Apps To Shape Students With Disabilities, Carolyn Wicks, Amanda J. Rockinson-Szapkiw, Justin M. Tucker Nov 2011

Mobile Modeling: Using And Creating Ipad And Ipod Apps To Shape Students With Disabilities, Carolyn Wicks, Amanda J. Rockinson-Szapkiw, Justin M. Tucker

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Modeling is a technique that is often used to teach new skills to students with disabilities. Modeling is effective for teaching communication, social, and functional living skills to students with emotional, behavioral, and cognitive disorders (Werts, Caldwell, & Wolery, 1996). Video modeling and audio prompts can be as effective as live modeling (Murzynski & Bourret, 2007; Rehfeldt, Dahman, Young, Cherry, & Davis, 2003). In fact, some researchers have suggested that video modeling results in more rapid acquisition of skills than live modeling and may even be more generalizable across environments (Charlop & Milstein ,1989). With the introduction of mobile devises, …