Education Commons^™

Educator Knowledge And Usage Of Evidence-Based Interventions For Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders In Special Education Programs Across California, Thelmisha Vincent

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the extent to which evidence-based interventions being utilized with students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) by general education teachers, special education teachers, and behavior interventionists working in K-12 special education programs on comprehensive public and non- public school campuses in California.

Methodology: This mixed method study identified commonly used instructional strategies for students with (EBD) in public and non-public school settings. Respondents were purposefully chosen from general education teachers, special education teachers, and behavior interventionists across California. The data from online survey and interviews were analyzed through factorial ANOVA, descriptive …

Parental Experiences Participating In The Positive Behavior Intervention And Support Process In Schools, Siddiq Meer Siddiq Ahmed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of parents of children with challenging behavior regarding their involvement with, and interest in, the Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) process within school systems. The overarching research question was what are the lived (perceived) experiences of parents of children with challenging behavior regarding their involvement in the PBIS process? From this main question, there were five subsidiary questions that were addressed: How do parents of children with challenging behavior involved in the PBIS process describe their lived experiences? In what ways have parents made meaning out of their experiences …

The Power Of Partnership: Understanding The Dynamic Of Co-Teaching Pairs, Amanda M. Lozolla

Education (PhD) Dissertations

The co-teaching relationship is the foundational structure upon which a co-taught classroom is built. Co-teaching is often defined as a general education teacher and a special education teacher teaching a group of heterogeneous students together. Born from inclusion, co-teaching attempts to reach all learners. With this service delivery model comes challenges and a large learning curve, so a strong foundation is imperative. Literature and educational scholars have expressed that the foundation of co-teaching is the relationship between teachers. Authors in the literature have stressed the importance of the relationship however, little to no research exists studying the dynamics of the …

A Survey Of Teacher Attitude Regarding Self-Awareness And Inclusive Education Of Special Education Students, Brooke Parvi

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Self-awareness is not something that develops individually or in solitude. Merriam-Webster (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2019) defines self-awareness as, “an awareness of one's own personality or individuality.” Schools have started to increase their understanding of the relevance of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and have been progressively providing more training in this area to their teachers. Inclusion happens when students with disabilities to mingle and learn with typically developing students; learn from each other and experiencing social expectations together. Research has indicated that students with learning and behavior disabilities lack social and emotional skills, specifically self-awareness skills.

In this study, educators were …

To What Extent Do Young Adults With Disabilities Report Their High School Educational Experiences Prepared Them To Transition To Employment Or Post-Secondary Education, Marlee Jones

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This study examined the post school outcomes for young adults with disabilities having participated in special education programs while attending high school. An electronic survey was used to collect information from a population of previous special education students ages 18 to 19 years from a school district in the state of Utah. After sending the survey to approximately 275 former students, the researcher received responses from 4 individuals; a 1.45% response rate. The survey data were examined to identify overall satisfaction of participants’ high school education. Current participant employment rates, as well as post-secondary education enrollment was examined. No conclusions …

Increasing Bullying Awareness In Elementary School Special Needs Students, Maria Olvera

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Students with learning disabilities are two to three times more likely to be bullied than nondisabled peers (Banks, 2009). Students in special education need to be continually taught to identify the signs of being bullied and when to speak up to an adult if they are being bullied due to them being a hire target. It is important to teach students about expressing their feelings and identify common bully characteristics. Students with disabilities are already addressing challenges in the academic environment. There are many risks that can develop from a special needs child who is not reporting bullying at school …

Special Education And Parental Decision-Making Experiences: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Cheryl Y. Solomon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to investigate the decision-making experiences of parents/guardians relative to an offer of Special Education Services for their child. The participants for this study were 10 parents of children in one suburban county in the northern Virginia region who made decisions regarding acceptance of Special Education Services. The children of participating parents were of varying ages and types of disabilities. The two theories that guided this research and helped explain factors that influenced parents’ special education related decision-making experiences were the grief cycle (Haley, Hammond, Ingalls, & Marin, 2013) and decision theory (Dewey, …

The Effects Of Hands-On Equations On Math Achievement Of Ninth Grade Students, Chauncey Andrice Scott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Each year, ninth-grade students across the United States of America fail to meet the national standards in mathematics. Students struggle to grasp the concepts needed to produce correct answers to math problems. Ninth grade students with disabilities, especially in the southeastern region of the United States, consistently fail the math portion of the Georgia Milestones Test. As a response to this problem in Georgia, Hands-On Equations by Henry Borenson represents a possible solution for many students failing to meet the standard in ninth grade mathematics. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine the difference between the mathematics …

Coming To America For The Good Of A Deaf Child: The Case Of Joy, Angi Stone-Macdonald

Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Publication Series

Families of children with disabilities must make difficult choices about providing health and educational services that their children need and finding an environment where they can be socially accepted. In this study, parents from Kenya whose daughter is deaf weigh their desire to provide the best life for her against their desire to use their professional expertise to help people in Kenya. This article examines the role of cultural beliefs about disability in this family's experience. It highlights issues that deserve further research to learn more about how to meet immigrants' needs in special education, especially immigrant families from African …

Enhancing Pedagogy Through Acue Certification, Janelle Espling

Q2S Enhancing Pedagogy

As instructors, there is an incredible responsibility to deliver content that is true to the standards of which the institution requires. But not only is it necessary to deliver content, it is necessary to deliver content in a way that promotes student learning, promotes student success, and an engages higher levels of thinking. The Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) Course in Effective teaching practices provides instructors evidence based strategies that do just that. As the reflections display, applying these strategies achieves the University goal to support students towards learning, success, and higher levels of thinking.

Implementing Growth Mindset Learning In The Special Education English Language Arts Classroom, Jody Brenteson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The capstone question investigated in this project was, how can a growth mindset curriculum be successfully integrated in a special education English language arts classroom? It catalogues one teacher’s formation of an English Language Arts growth mindset curriculum intended for use in small group, special education ELA classrooms. The curriculum was designed by the author with the objective of developing a growth mindset in the guiding audience. Described herein is the proposed use of the curriculum as well as measurements of effectiveness and future implications on a teacher’s career, classroom development, and educational progress of her socioeconomically disadvantaged students.

An Equitable Educational Experience For All: Strategies For Secondary General Education Teachers To Meet The Learning Needs Of Special Education Students Learning In Their Classrooms, Joseph Z. Walker

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone project focuses on the issue of providing equitable educational experiences for all students. More specifically, the project examines the most effective strategies for secondary general education teachers to provide modifications, accommodations, and differentiation for special education students in the areas of instruction and assessment. A central tenet of contemporary special education policy is the principle of inclusion. In accordance with this principle, students with special needs are increasingly learning in the general education classroom among their peers. This places an additional responsibility upon general education teachers to ensure that they are meeting the unique learning needs of special …

A Focus Group Analysis Of Interdisciplinary Knowledge Held By Special Education Teachers And Community Rehabilitation Service Providers, Tabitha Pacheco

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This research study describes the current understanding of high school special education teachers and community rehabilitation providers (CRP) staff regarding the direct transition services available through each party, the challenges and barriers encountered by each party, and recommendations for improving collaboration between special education teachers and CRP staff to improve student outcomes. Current research emphasizes the importance of interagency collaboration and that collaboration can improve student post-secondary outcomes. The method included three focus groups. Thematic analysis revealed key themes in the areas of experiences, questions, barriers, collaboration, and recommendations. The results and recommendations from this study may provide guidance for …

The Effect Of Joint Training On Knowledge And Attitudes Of Career And Technical Education And Special Education Professionals, Crystal Emery

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Career and technical education (CTE) is a set of career-focused courses and pathways that provide students with technical skills and knowledge which can lead to future employment and postsecondary education. Concentration in a career and technical education pathway while still in high school supports job exploration for school-age youth and is correlated with higher levels of full-time employment after high school. This is especially true for students with disabilities. Special Education (SPED) is the educational support system for students with disabilities. CTE and SPED professionals have struggled to effectively collaborate to serve students with disabilities. Infrequent and inconsistent communication between …

A Reflective Approach To Building An Inclusive Classroom And School Community For Students In Special Education, Yama Moua

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Teachers today have a responsibility to teach a wide range of learners in the general education classroom. Federal laws in the United States such as Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), and Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) were implemented to ensure that all children are held to higher expectations and with appropriate services to learn in public schools. At the same time, researchers have demonstrated that a teacher’s experience, lack of support in the classroom and varied belief on inclusive education can impact the outcome of achieving inclusion. The purpose of this research is …

Self-Efficacy Among Special Education Teachers Who Teach Students Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Pamella Tracy Hosley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study is to determine the relationship between perceived self-efficacy and work engagement among teachers of students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Self-Efficacy data will be gathered using the Ohio version of the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scales (TSES-T) and the student engagement, classroom management and the instructional strategies sub-scales. Work engagement will be evaluated using the Utrecht Work Engagement Total Scale. Participants will be 66 special education teachers who teach students diagnosed with ASD. A bivariate correlational design employing a Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine if there is a significant relationship between …

The Effects Of Peer Mediated Instruction On Students' Knowledge Of Basic Math Facts, Jazmine Fields

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to: (a) to examine the effectiveness of peer mediated instruction (PMI) on student knowledge of basic math facts, (b) explore how PMI effects the on task behavior of students, and (c) evaluate how students' satisfaction with using PMI as a learning strategy in a mathematics classroom. Three second grade students, two males and one female, with IEPs participated in the study. A single subject ABAB design was used. The study examined if PMI can be utilized to assist students in increasing their knowledge of basic math facts as opposed to utilizing traditional ways of …

The Lived Experiences Of Black Males In Special Education: A Phenomenological Study Of Parents And Students, Ashonta Lashonda Wyatt

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

Black males rank highest among students who choose to leave school; are suspended, expelled, or kicked out of school; score poorly on tests; have low GPAs and high rates of referral and placement in special education; and are underrepresented in gifted education (e.g., NCES, 2005; Whiting, 2004) as cited in Whiting (2006a). The purpose of this study was to generate an understanding of the attitudes and beliefs related to special education referral and placement of Black males as perceived by six Black students and their parents. The focus of this phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of six …

Co-Teaching As A Vehicle To Inclusion In A Diverse Suburban Middle School: A Case Study, Luis Correa

Dissertations

Many school districts across the United States have adopted, or are considering adopting, full inclusion to meet academic and social-emotional needs of increasingly diverse student populations. Co-teaching has become a popular approach for districts committed to inclusion. This study is about a Midwestern school district which more than 10 years ago committed itself to inclusion and co-teaching. The primary research question was: How do we make co-teaching more effective in the Fairview School District? A survey was sent to 120 co-teachers from three middle schools about their experiences with co-teaching in the areas of sharing responsibilities, co-teaching relationships, planning time, …

Supporting High Quality Teacher Preparation: Developing A Mentoring Program For New And Early Career Special Education Faculty, Harriet J. Bessette, Katie Bennett

The Advocate

As any new or early career faculty member in the academy can attest, the early days of one’s career in higher education can be daunting, often evoking feelings of unsteadiness, tentativeness, and low self-efficacy. Despite knowing the landscape, academic neophytes are required to navigate the social and political rungs, negotiate participation on university, college, and department committees, develop and/or enhance their research niche, and demonstrate uncompromising proficiency as a teacher, mentor, supervisor and advisor. This paper explores strategies and principles that were adopted by one department within a teacher preparation program to establish a mentoring program for new and/or early …

Lesson Study: Professional Development For And Collaboration Between General And Special Educators, Natalie Corsini

Education | Master's Theses

While much research addresses the benefits of collaborative professional development, such as Professional Learning Communities and Lesson Study, special educators are often left out of these opportunities. This research focuses on the problems related to limited and specialized collaboration between general and special educators. In addition, special educators are leaving the field at high rates, and often report feelings of isolation and disconnect. This study builds upon current research, with the purpose of explaining how Lesson Study impacts collaboration between general educators and special educators. An explanatory sequential mixed methods approach was used to provide a multifaceted view of the …

Harmonizing Social Emotional Learning For Students With Special Needs, Deema Shihadih

Education | Master's Theses

Students with intellectual disabilities (ID) typically face difficulties with social emotional skill sets, yet many classrooms for students with ID do not incorporate social emotional learning in the curriculum. Modifying SEL programs to fit the needs of students may be an appropriate solution, however, little research exists exploring the effects of modifying various SEL programs to fit the needs of students with intellectual disabilities (ID). This research explores the benefits of modifying multiple social emotional learning (SEL) programs to best fit the needs of students with intellectual disabilities. Qualitative methods were used in order to investigate how SEL programs and …

Teacher Perception Toward Students With Certain Disabilities In The General Education Setting, Tara Lynn Broussard-Harshaw

Theses and Dissertations from 2019

Teacher expectation for student success in the classroom is an effect size that can be used as an indicator of student success. Students with disabilities such as Autism, emotional disturbance, specific learning disabilities or other health impairments are often viewed as being unable to be as successful in a general education classroom than their peers. There were 11 participants in this study. Participants were from the northwest corridor of the state. Participants were public school general education teachers. They varied in range from Kindergarten through grade 12. This study reinforces the need for general education teachers to have a better …

Voices From The Margin: A Qualitative Study On The Perspectives Of Economically Disadvantaged, Black Students Identified As Learning Disabled, Nadine Duncan

Doctor of Education in Special Education Dissertations

This study explores the perspectives of four economically disadvantaged, Black students who have been labeled as learning disabled and placed in the Special Education program. The voices of the students interviewed are used to develop unique, first-hand understandings of the cause of disproportionality among poor, Black children in Special Education with a learning dis/ability. Results from the data collected through individual and group interviews suggest that students do not regard themselves as dis/abled as they find themselves capable of learning and executing non-academic tasks that relate to their lived reality. Therefore, I argue that a historical, and therefore systemic, devaluation …

Primary Factors Impacting Burnout In Special Education Teachers, Jenna Kulberg

Culminating Projects in Special Education

Many factors may lead to burnout of special education teachers. Teachers are faced with overwhelming caseloads, student behaviors, job duties, and a history that has been inconsistent with appropriate supports for students with special needs. The studies that were reviewed offered information that directly correlated with burnout. There was much focus on the three areas addressed by the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educator Survey (MBI-ES). The three areas of burnout according to this survey were emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishments. Studies completed showed tendencies towards the emotional exhaustion being directly related to the highest rate of reasons for burnout among special …

The Relationship Between Overrepresentation Of Minority Students And Explicit And Implicit Bias, Robyn Peterson

Culminating Projects in Special Education

The disproportionality of minority students referred to or qualifying for special education exceeds the number of minority students in the total school population. Many minority students will receive special education services in a secluded program or classroom. It can prevent students from receiving the appropriate education guaranteed to them. A teacher’s explicit or implicit bias could be a factor in determining the reason why disproportionality of minority students is referred to or qualify for special education services. The research indicated a trend on the over-representation of minority students being referred to or receiving special education services. However, the research on …

Functional Communication Training And Autism Spectrum Disorders, Danielle Dominguez

Culminating Projects in Special Education

Functional Communication Training and Autism Spectrum Disorders

African-American Christian Female Missionaries In Nyasaland, Congo, And Liberia: Perpetuation And Resistance At The Intersections Of Blackness, Gender, Disability, And Christianity, Karen Yvette Dace

Doctoral Dissertations

Events are taking place in the United States today regarding blackness, gender, disability, and Christianity, and the perceived place of those with black and brown bodies. Current efforts have focused on blackness and gender, blackness and disability, gender and disability, and disability and Christianity; but there has not been concerted efforts focusing on the historical intersections of blackness, gender, disability, and Christianity and how these intersections help in understanding the contemporary black social movement and the climate in which we now live.

The purpose of this qualitative study sought to understand the narratives of Christian mission agencies and how African-American …

Music And Music Therapy And Its Effects On Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Allison L. Roberts

Culminating Projects in Special Education

Music and Music Therapy and Its Effects on Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Special Education Teachers' Self-Efficacy Regarding Improving The Reading Comprehension Of Students With Working Memory Deficits, Amy Miller

Theses and Dissertations

Significant discrepancies in reading comprehension rates exist for students with disabilities compared to their grade appropriate peers. Educational neuroscientists suggest that identifying breakdowns in the cognitive processes required for reading comprehension and applying specialized strategies have significant implications for improving the reading proficiency of students with working memory deficits. Despite the availability and implications of educational neuroscience, a significant gap between theory and classroom practice exists. The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods research study was to examine special education teachers’ self-efficacy regarding their ability to increase the reading comprehension of students with working memory deficits. The quantitative phase, …