Disability and Equity in Education Commons^™

Effective Professional Development Of Teachers: A Guide To Actualizing Inclusive Schooling, Trisha Sugita

Education Faculty Articles and Research

This article examines how inclusive education activities can be facilitated through coaching as a means of professional development. A review of literature on effective professional development practices is discussed, and a recent study focused on individualized peer coaching is examined.

Impediments To Serving Students With Learning Disabilities In A Rural Community College Setting: The Administrative Perspective, Seth Gent

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the challenges rural southern Appalachian community colleges officials face when serving students with learning disabilities. Upon entering community college, learning disabled students are often unfamiliar with many of the expectations that may be necessary to ensure their academic success such as self-disclosing to ensure they are provided adequate services, becoming self-advocates, and navigating requirements of post-secondary education. This study consisted of 15 interviews from five different community colleges across the rural southern Appalachian region in which senior level, mid-level, and front line community college officials dealing with students with learning disabilities were interviewed. A document review …

The Challenges Of Inclusion: Perceptions Of Superintendents, Principals, And Teachers In Mississippi Alternative Schools, Gary Lynn Tune

Dissertations

Alternative schools serve a population of students who have come in conflict with the codes of conduct of their home school district. Students with disabilities are subject to the same codes of conduct and occasionally are referred to alternative schools. These referrals constitute a change in placement mandating alternative schools to provide academic and educational services and supports commensurate to the home school. This includes educating students with disabilities in regular classes. This research sought to ascertain perceptions of superintendents, alternative school principals, and regular and special education teachers regarding how well alternative schools in Mississippi meet the challenges of …

Inclusion: Problems And Potential Solutions In Mathematics Instruction, Lynnea Marie Salscheider

Mathematics Graduate Theses

The purpose of this study was (1) to identify and describe the attitudes and beliefs of general and special education teachers about inclusion and (2) to identify significant recommendations based on teacher attitudes for improving the teaching of mathematics to special needs students using inclusion.

Assistive Technology And Students With Disabilities, Charles J. Russo, Allan G. Osborne Jr.

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

As part of providing a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to students with disabilities, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires school boards to offer assistive technology when necessary to ensure that students receive the educational benefits to which they are entitled.

As important as related services such as assistive technology (AT) are, the Supreme Court noted that school boards must provide such help only to the extent that it is necessary for students with disabilities to benefit from the programming identified in their individualized education plans (Irving Independent School District v. Tatro 1984). Although the related services mandate …

Partnerships With Catholic Colleges Support Schools, Susan M. Ferguson

Center for Catholic Education Publications

Animating our faith and hope for our church and our future, Catholic higher education and P-12 Catholic school partnerships are growing in number and variety. New times call for new measures grounded in respect and recognition of our deep and lasting traditions. Recent events seem to show the way to new endeavors that will bring innovative means to cultivate formation in faith and heighten academic excellence for students in our nation's Catholic schools. Critically considering partnership formation, sustainability and impact creates excitement and spurs action.

Development Of An Integrative-Comprehension Imagery Scale For Children With And Without Autism, Marcy Willard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Autism is a debilitating disorder (Yurov et al., 2007) that is diagnosed in 1 in 88 children in America (CDC, 2012). The autism population overwhelmingly performs weakest in reading comprehension as compared to other academic areas (Chiang & Lin, 2007; Minshew, 1994). This identified weaknesses is concerning because comprehension is understood in the literature as the most critical curricular area (Chiang & Lin, 2007). One potential reason for these comprehension problems could be impaired imagery.

Neuropsychology research has found that children with autism cognitively process imagery differently than typical children, due to their unique brain structures (Just, Cherkassky, Keller, & …

Effectively Teaching Students With Autism In Inclusive Elementary Classrooms, Christine Angelica Mcdowell

All Graduate Projects

Inclusion is a step in the right direction for providing equal opportunities for those with disabilities. Inclusion is the integration of special education students in general education classrooms to the maximum extent which is appropriate for the individual. Court cases throughout history have paved the way for equality for all students. Great movements such as Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2001 began to make a change in the education of students with disabilities. IDEA paved the way for the creation of individualized education plans (IEP) and free appropriate public education (FAPE) for all students and the least restrictive …

Deconstructing Definitions: Repositioning Technological Access & Literacy Within Agent Ability, Carole Reynolds

Department of Humanities Publications

Our society cannot have concerns about access without literacy because they are congruous; neither is distinct nor complete without the other in technological contexts. The United States Department of Education repeatedly calls for more, better, and increased access and literacy to technologies. Our elected officials make national speeches imparting similar rhetoric and ideas. A problem with this particular information dissemination by inherently powerful entities or persons is they make assumptions of what access and literacy are, with minimal definition, and virtually no context of agent ability with technology. These ambiguous terms and deficient definitions have subsequently proliferated in academic scholarship, …

The Effects Of Increased Accountability Standards On Graduation Rates For Students With Disabilities, Mitzie Lee Moore

Dissertations

This research sought to determine if unintended effects of increased accountability standards on graduation rates for students with disabilities existed. Data from one southeastern state were utilized in order to determine if graduation rates were impacted as a result of higher accountability standards. In addition, administrator attitudes on views of NCLB, high-stakes testing of students with disabilities, strategies initiated to exclude students with disabilities from high-stakes tests, and inclusion of all students with disabilities in the growth model. Archival data from 2001 and 2010 were used to compare pre and post graduation rates for significant differences. Survey results were collected …

Teacher Attitudes Toward The Use Of Accommodations In The Classroom And On Standardized Tests, Michele Penny Meadows

Dissertations

Educating students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment necessitates the use of accommodations and modifications to help these students have better access to the general education curriculum. As a result of inclusion, general education teachers are required to teach students with disabilities in their general education classrooms. Even though regular education teachers have assistance from special education teachers, not all general education teachers (and some special education teachers) believe they have the education, experience, or support to teach these students effectively. This study measured general education teacher and special education teacher attitudes toward the use accommodations for special education …

Family Experiences And Children With Autism Who Use Speech Generating Devices, Rebecca Elizabeth Mullican

Dissertations

Semi-structured interviews were used to investigate family experiences with their children with autism who use Speech Generating Devices (SGDs).Six parents were interviewed on two separate occasions about their experiences with their child, ages three-eighteen. Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analyze the interviews. Five super-ordinate themes emerged: (a) Complexity of speech generating devices as tools for communication, (b) Tension between structure and play, (c) Interplay between requesting and social interaction, (d) The fluctuating role of parent advocate, and (e) Building a diverse support network. These qualitative findings can be used to inform families and professionals working with children who …

An Examination Of The Perception Of Special Education Teachers In The Mississippi Delta Toward Their Transition Competencies, Vickie Elaine Curry

Dissertations

Transition from high school to post-school activities is recognized as a serious challenge for students with disabilities (Shandra & Hogan, 2008; Wehman, 2006). The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (2006) outlines the development of the IEP and transition plan as an essential task. However, the preponderance of secondary special educators lacks self-assurance in the ability to address students’ transition desires (Prater, Sileo, & Black, 2000). Little is known about how special education teachers proffer transition services to students with disabilities and the scope to which teachers are equipped and pleased with the services they provide. This quantitative descriptive study …

Navigation And Accessibility For Persons With Disabilities: An Anthropological Study Using Gis On The University Of Arkansas Campus, Deborah Jean Raiees-Dana

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The University of Arkansas was founded in 1871 on the top of a hill overlooking the Ozark Mountains, resulting in a campus that has steep slopes and numerous historical buildings that were not designed with ADA regulations in mind. This makes getting around campus especially difficult for students with limited mobility, and no campus maps exist that include handicapped accessibility features to help navigate the terrain and limited parking options. This study examines this issue using a holistic approach that explores cultural and technological factors to produce a map of the Historic Core District of campus.

Geographical Information Systems enable …

Case 6: Armidale High School, Nsw - Backtrack Community Partnership, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Tender Bridge

Armidale High School is a comprehensive, partially selective high school in Armidale, NSW. The school has about 90 Aboriginal students out of a total school population of just over 600. The school has a range of community partnerships that have been initiated to cater for a wide variety of student career transition programs. Armidale High School (AHS) and BackTrack Youth Works (BYW) have had a strong partnership since 2006, when BackTrack first started working with young Indigenous people in Armidale. Since BackTrack began running programs at AHS, there has been a documentable increase in the number of young people who …

Lack Of Communication Even When Using Alternative And Augmentative Communication Devices: Are We Forgetting About The Three Components Of Language, Gianluca De Leo, Margaret Lubas, Jennifer R. Mitchell

VMASC Publications

[First paragraph] Starting in the early 90s, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices were introduced in special education classrooms. These devices were intended to replace the picture-based communication approaches, such as PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System).

Collaborative Learning And Developing The Capacity As A Reflective Practitioner, Deirdre Goggin, Phil O'Leary

Conference Papers

The BA in Community Development has no final written exams and instead depends on a number of other approaches to assess the students learning. In year 1, semester 1 students take a module called ‘Portfolio Methods for RPL’ which explores the process of RPL, and what a learning portfolio is. More importantly, it requires the students to focus on their prior learning and not experience per se. In the following semester the method is used to report on work placement and to capture the authentic and individual learning of each student. This paper explores the collective approach to documenting work …

Case 3: Waikerie Independent Learning Centre, Michelle Anderson

Tender Bridge

Waikerie Independent Learning Centre provides a flexible learning pathway for disadvantaged young people. Neil White is the Principal of Waikerie High School, and this is their story of seeking to address a real need for some of the youth in Waikerie and surrounding communities.

Perceptions Of Pre-Service Teacher Training Concerning Curriculum Alignment For Students With Developmental Disabilities, Kim Watkins

Education Dissertations and Projects

Legislative mandates require teachers to provide access to the general curriculum for all students in the least restrictive environment. Though policies are in place to ensure high quality instruction for all students, many students with developmental disabilities are still being served in self-contained settings with a life-skills instructional approach only, without the necessary supports for accessing the general curriculum. The purpose of this study was to reveal the extent of pre-service teacher perceptions of teacher training on curriculum alignment in order to improve pre-service teacher training in special education for access to the general curriculum for students with developmental disabilities. …

"Dreams Hanging In The Air Like Smoke": A Personal Reflection Of Factors Influencing Enrollment And Persistence In Higher Education, Kaavonia Hinton-Johnson

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Case 2: Books In Homes, Michelle Anderson

Tender Bridge

Books in Homes provides new books of choice to disadvantaged kids who typically grow up in “bookless” homes. The Programme results in improving literacy and attendance rates in participating schools. Kim Kingston is the Manager of Books in Homes, and this is her story of growing and resourcing a ‘great idea’.

Case 1: The Outdoor Classroom, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Tender Bridge

This storied account of practice looks at the development of a program for boys who, for various reasons – learning difficulties, behaviour, family and emotional concerns – were struggling. ‘The Outdoor Classroom’ project idea grew out of the national ‘Green Corps’ program for 17-24 year old unemployed youth. Waiting until boys were 17, however, did not seem like a good idea; boys were ‘at risk’ of leaving school before then. This is the story of how Anglican Community Care and Tenison Woods College came together to grow and resource ‘The Outdoor Classroom’ to identify and redirect boys who might have …

Conversion Charter School Leaders' Perceptions Of School Change: A Narrative Inquiry, Bridget Dwyer Ramsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Three decades of change efforts in American urban public school districts to improve educational opportunities for students have had a lackluster impact on student achievement. For students living in areas of concentrated poverty, achievement gaps and drop out rates remain unacceptably high. These gaps were brought into stark relief in the city of New Orleans following the devastating flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in August, 2005.

This qualitative study is about school change from the perspective of school leaders who were hired to run the converted Orleans Parish schools. These experienced, former Orleans Parish school administrators took on …

Academic Library Services For Users With Developmental Disabilities: Partnership Of Access And Syracuse University Libraries, Adina Mulliken, Ann Atkins

Publications and Research

Syracuse University Library and Access partnered to provide library orientations to six Syracuse University students who have developmental disabilities. Access is a service that supports college course attendance for students who have developmental or cognitive disabilities. Students with developmental disabilities are being included in college life more and more. As this occurs, academic libraries will be providing more services to this population. We hope Syracuse University’s experience will be useful for other libraries to build on as they develop services. Additionally, we discuss opportunities to improve services for all students by focusing on students with developmental disabilities.

Confounded And Compounded By Language: English Language Learners And High Stakes Testing, Elizabeth Park

Occasional Paper Series

As her students prepare to take their tests to exhibit English proficiency, the atmosphere, writes Park, "becomes military at best, prison-like at worst. Regulations are distributed. Teachers are warned that state examiners may appear unannounced to look for infractions of the myriad rules..." Scare tactics are used to try to assure that the testing activity remains uncontaminated by human desire, fear, or simple boredom.

Comparative Review Of Onsets Of Autism, Treatment Approaches, And The Affects Of Autism On Families Of Young Children, Cathy Morales

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This thesis examines the possible variations of onsets of autism, its symptoms and behaviors, reviews the literature investigating the causes of autism, and explores the experiences of families living with autism. Two treatments for autism are compared and contrasted: the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and the Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship Floortime Model (DIR/Floortime). Included are the completed questionaires from the parents, teachers and therapists of the two children observed.

Ssci, Academic Freedom, And Tenured Professors, Shaomin Li

Management Faculty Publications

In some emerging countries such as China, in order to improve their academic standing, the government specifies an officially recognized list of academic journals for academics to publish their works, such as the SSIC (Social Sciences Citation Index). The author points out the shortcomings of using such an officially sanctioned list, and argues that academic freedom and the tenure system that protects it are key to the development of ideas and knowledge. The inability to establish a tenure system in China may hurt its chance to create world-class universities.

The Catalyst Clemente Project: Making Journalism Education Accessible To Disadvantaged Australians, Trevor Cullen

Research outputs pre 2011

This is a brief commentary on a new initiative to promote engagement with the wider community through the Catalyst Clemente project, which was introduced in Western Australia in 2008. It encourages participants to improve their personal situation through learning and developing essential skills in a supportive environment. It also seeks to promote self-confidence in people at risk of homelessness or physical and mental illness, by encouraging them to take control of their lives and bring about personal change through undergraduate education. The program gives applicants the opportunity to do accredited university courses in the area of the humanities. I was …

It's A Blessing, Douglas E. Abrams

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Perceptions And Knowledge Of Special Education Law Among Building Administrators In A Selected Georgia School District, Patricia Claire Grasso

Dissertations

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has impacted every school district in the United States and significantly altered the role of administrators. Requirements for the administration and supervision of special education have developed exponentially since the enactment of Public Law 94- 142 and its reauthorization as the IDEA.

The purpose of this study was to compare the perceptions and knowledge of building administrators regarding special education law. The following research questions were developed to facilitate this study: (a) is there a difference in the level of knowledge about special education law among building administrators regarding the seven provisions of …