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 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 …

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, …

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 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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 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 …

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% …

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 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 …

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 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 …

Integrating Multicultural Literature Into The Curriculum At Pyne Poynt Family School, Camden, New Jersey, Corlette Mays

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis documents the importance of multicultural literature in educational environments and provides strategies for implementing the literature into the curriculum. Without the knowledge and the background of what's available in this particular genre and how it can used effectively, integration of materials into the curriculum cannot occur.

The African American and Hispanic American bibliographies were developed from the materials in the Pyne Poynt Family School Library to be used as teaching tools for the staff when developing resource based units of instruction and assignments. With this awareness, usage of the multicultural materials in the collection should increase over a …

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 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 …

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 …

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 …

Within-Year Persistence Of Students Enrolled In Graduate And Professional Programs: The Influence Of Background, Graduate/Professional Experience, Academic Aspirations, Expected Earnings, And Student Financial Aid, Susan Clark Deangelis

Theses and Dissertations

The implications of graduate and professional student attrition are felt by many--the individual, the institution, business and industry, the education system, and society as a whole. Yet, very little research has been conducted on the factors which influence the persistence of graduate and professional students. Such data could reduce graduate and professional student attrition through the development of educational programs, institutional and public policy, as well as to identify types of students for whom specific policies should be developed to encourage persistence. To address this need, a new logistic model of graduate and professional student within-year persistence based on the …

A Descriptive Study Of Motivation Factors Leading To The Selection Of A School-To-Career Transition Curriculum By High School Students In Arkansas, Virginia Stevenson Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of the study was to identify elements that encourage high school students to select the school-to-career curriculum. The study included elements from successful school-to-career programs, background of the history of vocational legislation, and an examination of motivation theories including goal-setting, needs satisfaction, and choice. A survey was administered to 175 students in four districts in Arkansas. Students were given open- and closed-response questions to determine their present interest in the school-to-career curricula and elements they considered motivational. A univariate analysis was conducted. Responses were placed in a frequency distribution. The responses from the surveys indicated enrollment would increase …

Matriculation And Nonmatriculation Of Applicants To The University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff, Kaleybra Mitchell Morehead

Theses and Dissertations

The problem of this study was to identify the factors that influenced the decision of admitted first-time freshmen applicants to matriculate or not to matriculate at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in the fall semester of 1995. Participants were randomly selected from 793 first-time applicants. The population consisted of 529 matriculants and 264 nonmatriculants; ultimately, 52 matriculants and 26 nonmatriculants were surveyed via telephone interviews. The chi square was applied to the data. Over 50% of the nonmatriculant sample indicated that the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff was their first choice. However, nearly half of the nonmatriculants …

A Descriptive Case Study Of An Alternative Education Program For Credit-Deficient Youth: The Graduate Academy, Virginia M. Wallace

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to analyze and evaluate the development and implementation of an experimental, school-within-a-school alternative environment, the Graduate Academy, after the first year of implementation. The study addressed those factors which set the Graduate Academy apart from the traditional school setting including the intake process, recruitment of teachers, selection of curriculum, staff development, incentives, ecological factors, parent involvement, and school-business partnerships. The subjects of the study were high school students who shared credit deficiency as their common risk factor. The methodology used was the descriptive narrative case study chosen because of the complexity of the alternative …

Crisis Of Affiliation: The Merger Of Arkansas Agricultural And Mechanical College With The University Of Arkansas, Gary S. Gaston

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the applicability of Kurt Lewin's Force Field Theory to the merger of Arkansas A&M College and the University of Arkansas System in 1971. The merger followed Lewin's change process: unfreezing, moving, and refreezing. This study also examined the applicability of Hugh Thompson's '21 Suggestions for a Successful Merger' as a framework for addressing the variety of issues in an institutional merger. This examination asked five questions: What were the forces moving Arkansas A&M toward a merger? What were the forces opposing the merger? What preparation went into the merger? What was the political process for the merger? …

The Relationship Among School Climates, Pupil Control Ideologies, And Relative Frequency Of Student Suspensions In Pulaski County Elementary (K-6) Schools, Julia Brown-Rauton

Theses and Dissertations

Student discipline in the public schools has been a major public concern. Public elementary schools in school districts in and around Little Rock, Arkansas are faced with rising numbers of discipline referrals resulting in out-of-school suspensions. This study examined three questions: (1) Is there a significant relationship between elementary school climates (open, closed, mixed) and the relative frequency of suspensions? (2) Is there a significant relationship between elementary school teachers' and principals' pupil control orientation, humanistic or custodial, and the frequency of suspensions assigned? (3) Is there a relationship between school climate and pupil control ideology? Certified teachers, principals, and …

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 …