Disability and Equity in Education Commons^™

Nurturing Difference: The Autistic Student In Professional Writing Programs, Andrea Greenbaum

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

can assist autistic students by providing them with writing opportunities through the classroom, internships, and university publications. Aiding their personal and professional development also serves the university and the community-at-large.

It’S Complicated: Using Facebook To Create Emotional Connections In Student-Professor Relationships, Anthony Atkins

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

How can we use Facebook and other technologies to create emotional and professional connections with students?

Front Matter

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Editor's Message.

Book Reviews, Judy Halden-Sullivan, Ken Delucca, Brad Lucas, Timothy Shea, William Archibald

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Book Reviews

Judy Halden-Sullivan - Practices in Mindfulness

Ken DeLucca - Schoeberlein, Deborah and Suki Sheth. Mindful Teaching and Teaching Mindfulness: A Guide for Anyone Who Teaches Anything. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2009.

Brad Lucas - MacDonald, Elizabeth, and Dennis Shirley. The Mindful Teacher. New York: Teachers College Press, 2009.

Timothy Shea - VanDeWeghe, Richard. Engaged Learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, 2009.

William Archibald - Cummings, Robert E. Lazy Virtues: Teaching Writing in the Age of Wikipedia. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt UP, 2009

Connecting, Helen Walker, Grace Feuerverger, Gesa E. Kirsch, Betsy Newmeyer, Anita Voelker, Allison Brimmer, Debbie Axelrod, Margo Wilson, Catherine M. Nelson, Liang Zhao

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Connecting

Helen Walker - Growing Up

Grace Feuerverger - Mandy

Gesa E. Kirsch - A Teaching Success or Failure?

Betsy Newmeyer - My RIF’d Life

Anita Voelker - Will’s Story

Allison Brimmer - Elitist White Lady Who Tries Too Hard

Debbie Axelrod - Dear Professor

Walker Margo Wilson - Burnishing the Bruises

Catherine M. Nelson - Jimmy

Liang Zhao - Lead by Example

Methods For Encouraging Economic Diversity In Academically Rigorous Courses, Karen Patricia Kraabel

All Graduate Projects

In International Baccalaureate (IB) classes at Thomas Jefferson High School, the economic status of students in honors classes does not reflect that of the school as a whole. The author sought ways to bring more students from impoverished backgrounds into rigorous courses. In this school, there is a strong coincidence between etlmic minority status and socioeconomic status. The author believed that in addressing the economic issue the ethnicity issue would also be addressed. This is a practical issue as well as a pedagogical one, because the school's scores on state-wide standardized tests are lower for economically disadvantaged students than for …

The Forgiveness Classroom: Bringing Together Students From Both Sides Of The Walls Through Deep Listening, Ruth Henderson

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

This essay describes a forgiveness course taught in prisons and on college campuses. The course served as a bridge for Endicott College students and inmates from the Maine Correctional Center at Windham, highlighting how deep listening may reduce violence and promote understanding.

Back Matter

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Back matter.

The Evolution Of A New College Course In Behavior Management: A Case Study In Collaboration And Compromise, Richard L. Mehrenberg Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

This article describes the development of a new behavior management course for both elementary and special education pre-service teachers at a Pennsylvania college. The evolution of the course is detailed through a four stage process:(a) identifying stakeholders, (b) defining priorities, (c) content collaboration, and (d) reaching a compromise. The study concludes with a discussion of what yet needs to be accomplished and strategies for implementation.

Response To Intervention: Right On Track, Charmion B. Rush, Nicole Dobbins Ph.D., Stephanie A. Kurtts Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The purpose of response to intervention, or RTI, is founded on the premise that, with data-based decision making and evidence- based practices, children who otherwise may have been identified with a mild educational disability will receive early instructional intervention and thus have the opportunity to remain with their peers in general education settings. For RTI to be successful, educational professionals need to have the core building blocks for implementation. A comprehensive RTI plan integrates academic interventions with behavioral supports to catch struggling learners early. Identification models that include RTI may lead to better achievement and behavior outcomes for all students. …

Inclusive Practices In Tennessee: An Investigation Of Co-Teaching In Middle Tennessee Schools, Vance L. Austin Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

With the advent of Inclusion (circa 1992) predicated on the principle of the “Least Restricted Environment” (USDOE, 2003) and the recent “No Child Left Behind” legislation, schools and school districts around the country began educating students with disabilities in general education classrooms. Arguments for and against the efficacy of this practice flourished among teachers and researchers alike. Nevertheless, state education and local education agencies (SEAs and LEAs) adopted the recommended initiative and began to institute inclusive practices within most of their schools. This service delivery change created a dilemma for the general education teachers who considered themselves unprepared for the …

Unlv Magazine, Matthew K. Jacobsen, Holly Ivy De Vore, Lisa Arth, Cate Weeks, Greg Lacour, Tony Allen, Afsha Bawany, Barbara Cloud, Gian Galassi, Phil Hagen, Karyn S. Hollingsworth, Michelle Mouton, Erin O'Donnell

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.

Manipulatives In Mathematics Instruction, Jessica Strom

Mathematics Graduate Theses

This paper is a review of research pertaining to the use of manipulatives in middle and secondary school mathematics instruction. It covers the research on the rationale for using manipulatives, the psychology behind learning with manipulatives, the common mistakes when teaching with manipulatives, and the suggested process to follow when using manipulatives in the classroom. There is a large amount of research and information on manipulatives in the classroom. One of the most prevalent topics addresses that the concrete characteristics of manipulatives allow students to progress through a natural learning process on their way to an abstract understanding of mathematical …

Kindergarten Connection: An Early Literacy Intervention Through Home/School/Community Connections, Laurie Card-Roley

All Graduate Projects

Students most at-risk for academic failure are the populations of students classified as English Language Learners; migrant students; special education students; children of poverty; homeless students; students in foster care; children of abuse or neglect; and children with social, emotional, or behavioral concerns. The number of students falling within the at-risk population of students has continued to increase over the years. A program and curriculum called Kindergarten Connection attempts to address these barriers to learning by identifying family, societal and academic concerns prior to kindergarten and connecting families to the school and community resources that will provide the needed support. …

Fernando De Azevedo E A Questão Da “Raça Brasileira”: Sua Regeneração Pela Educação Física [Fernando De Azevedo And The Issue Of The “Brazilian Race”: Regeneration Through Physical Education], Karl M. Lorenz, Ariclê Vechia

Education Faculty Publications

No final do século XIX a nas primeiras décadas do século XX, uma questão que afligia a intelectualidade brasileira era o atraso econômico e social do Brasil, apesar de suas riquezas naturais. A tese que ganhou destaque foi a que atribuía à “degeneração da raça brasileira” a causa do problema. Este pensamento tinha raízes nas teorias raciais europeias sobre a desigualdade das “raças” e na necessidade do controle das categorias sociais estigmatizadas. Fernando de Azevedo, membro e secretário da Sociedade Eugênica de São Paulo, atribuía à mestiçagem da “raça” a fraqueza física e moral do povo brasileiro. Influenciado pelas ideias …

Does A Co-Learner Delivery Model In Professional Development Affect Teachers’ Self-Efficacy In Teaching Mathematics, John J. Ribeiro, Denise Demagistris

Teacher Education

A mixed method study is reported examining teacher efficacy regarding professional development in mathematics instruction for two groups of teachers: in building with peers (N=17) and MAT student co-learners in the classroom (N=14). An end-of-course survey, focus group interviews and pre-post data for the Teacher Self Efficacy Scale were used to investigate:1. What is the difference in teachers’ efficacy regarding mathematics instruction based on the professional development delivery system they experienced? 2. What are teachers’ perceptions of their professional development with peers conducted onsite in district compared with professional development with peers and preservice teachers at a university setting? Descriptive …

Expectations For Career And Social Support By Mentors And Mentees Participating In Formal Elementary And Secondary School Mentoring Programs, Monique Jacob, Robert K. Gable

Teacher Education

Teacher shortages are a nationwide concern, attributable primarily to high attrition rates among new teachers (Ingersoll, 2003; Ingersoll & Kralik, 2004; Ingersol & Smith, 2004). Ingersoll and Kralik (2004) claimed that an estimated 50% of new teachers left the profession within their first 5 years. Reasons for leaving include: isolating and non-supportive teaching environments, poor working conditions and overwhelming teaching assignments (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2005). To support beginning teachers, Rhode Island passed legislation requiring districts to develop a mentoring process (Law 16-7.1-2 Accountability for Student Performance). One variable measuring mentoring success is how closely participants’ expectations for the relationship …

The Impact Of On-Line Training On College Faculty Attitudes And Knowledge Of Students With Disabilities, Wayne M. Pollock

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Due to legislation, advances in technology, and hopefully, a more positive social acceptance, students with disabilities are entering college at a faster rate than has ever been experienced. Data reveal that the largest increase in identified disabilities of incoming college freshmen are in the area of learning disabilities. However, many students with disabilities do not complete their college education, partly due to faculty members' lack of knowledge about various disabilities, less than accepting attitudes, and the lack of accommodations made for them. Using the Scale of Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons (SADP) and the Disability Knowledge Questionnaire, the impact of an …

Introduction: Classroom Life In The Age Of Accountability, Gail M. Boldt, Paula M. Salvio, Peter Taubman

Occasional Paper Series

"For this Occasional Paper, we invited teachers to respond to the ways in which proliferation of standards and testing combined with their own loss of professional control is altering the landscape of American education....Our goal is to raise questions about whether and how educators are balancing the demands of high stakes testing, scripted curricula, and a focus on performance outcomes with the emotional complexity of classroom life."--The editors

Effective Inclusion Practices, M. Alyssa Barnes Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

This study examines effective instructional practices, which support the inclusion of students with special needs. Eight teacher and administrator participants completed interviews about their experiences working in a full-inclusion environment. In addition, the research includes narratives based on observations from the school. The findings summarize five practices essential in successful inclusive environments. These strategies include assessing the whole child, performance-based assessments, and use of visuals, specifically graphic organizers, and collaboration. Finally, the data demonstrate the idea that all of these practices benefit students with and without disabilities.

Creating A Warm And Inclusive Classroom Environment: Planning For All Children To Feel Welcome, Jessica L. Bucholz Ed.D., Julie L. Sheffler

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The type of classroom environment that a teacher creates and encourages can either increase or decrease a student's ability to learn and feel comfortable as a member of the class. The classroom environment should do as much to foster cooperation and acceptance as the teaching methods that the teacher uses. This article describes a number of methods to help teachers plan for and create a classroom that welcomes and supports all children.

Language Module, April Dixon

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

A study of children with learning disabilities and of children without provides a clear picture of the acquisition of language development of children. Language skills are generally typical of children at different age levels who do not have diagnosed learning disabilities. Language skills of the learning disabled are generally atypical due to constraints placed on the child during critical learning periods by the disability. Analyzation of the data in this study shows a correlation between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and language development in young children. Strategies can be implemented by classroom teachers to enhance the acquisition of language.

Clarifying Research Synthesis On Inclusion: Using The Inclusion Definition Instrument (Idi), Kimberly Rombach Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Synthesizing research on inclusive education is essential to developing a wide-scoped view of knowledge that has been gathered from previous studies. There are key components central to the practice of inclusive education that need to be revealed to fully understand the context of inclusive classrooms. This article distinguishes the need for contextually defining inclusion and introduces the Inclusion Definition Instrument (IDI) that can assist researchers to better identify specific characteristics of the context of their studies on inclusion.

Voices Of Classroom Managers: Their Realities Of Full Inclusion, Oi Yee Monica Ratcliff Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of the three regular education teachers about full inclusion practice in a metropolitan elementary school. This study was intentionally designed as a participatory and constructivistic inquiry. Through the process of classroom observations, participant observations and in-depth interviews, this study was attempted to answer three research questions: (1) What are the perceptions of regular education teachers who participate in the full inclusion program? (2) What are their perceptions about student learning? and (3) What are the advantages and disadvantages of full inclusion? Findings revealed three themes that were related to …

Welcome, Patricia R. Renick Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Welcome to the Spring/Summer 2009 Edition of The Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education. The conversation concerning inclusion continues to reflect and international representation. However in this edition we have a number of voices unique to this culture and this perspective.

Kimberly Rombach of State University of New York College in Cortland provides a synthesis of the research concerning inclusive education. Additionally, the article introduces an Inclusion Definition Instrument (IDI) to help researchers identify specific characteristics of inclusion aid in their research.

Norma S. Blecker, Richard Stockton, and Norma J Boakes of Stockton college of New Jersey survey both general and …

Implementation Of Inclusive Education In Brunei Darussalam: Review Of Possible Implications For School Counselors, Lawrence Mundia Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The paper looked at the provision of counseling services to students in government schools after the implementation of inclusive education in Brunei Darussalam. The creation of the Special Education Unit and the Division of Counseling and Career Guidance (both in the Ministry of Education) to coordinate the respective services was a welcome decision in the right direction. Inclusion, however, may have expanded the role of school counselors in many ways and possibly brought other unforeseen problems. Thirteen identified and selected factors that may impact negatively on the work of school counselors under inclusion are discussed. In addition it was observed …

"Welcome To Holland: Characteristics Of Resilient Families Raising Children With Severe Disabilities", Thomas Knestrict Ed. D., Debora Kuchey Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

This descriptive study sought to examine the resiliency factors families developed when faced with the challenges of raising a child manifesting a severe disability. The study compares and contrasts how families managed the additional responsibility and stress of raising a child with special needs. The study seeks to identify, the key characteristics present in resilient families allowing them to not just survive but thrive.

The study found that there is relationship between resilience and Socio Economic Status (SES). The study also found that having the time and the ability to reflect was key to reconfiguration, which is seen as crucial …

Guiding Principles For Educational Programming, Randy L. Seevers Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

This article presents the outcome of a reflective study where pre-service teachers created visual representations of principles that guide their teaching in the inclusive classroom. Based on evaluations and reflections of the activity, results suggest that creating the visual representations served as an effective tool in helping pre-service teachers recognize and support children with disabilities in the inclusive classroom. Examples of the completed projects are included.

Saying Yes To Freestyle Volunteering: Doubting And Believing, Judy Lightfoot

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

My formerly academic interest in Peter Elbow's work developed fresh relevance a few years ago after a member of my family was diagnosed with schizophrenia. To volunteer "outside the box" with individuals who suffer from mental illness or homelessness, I needed a skeptic's doubt as well as an enthusiast :S belief But the first step was believing.

Reflections From A Grateful Guest Edit, Peter Elbow

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

No abstract provided.