Disability and Equity in Education Commons^™

Art For Everyone: Building Inclusion Into Community Art Centers, Stacie Nussbaum Brennan

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This thesis explores the importance of building an inclusive and accessible community center environment, where people with and without disabilities can participate in programs together. It articulates the need for the Main Line Art Center, a visual arts community center, to develop an action plan that can serve as a model for other art centers in the Greater-Philadelphia region to carry out quality accommodations and accessible programs for individuals with disabilities.

Intersecting & Intertwining Processes: Student-Directed Service Learning And The Demystification Of Special Education, Michael T. Farrell

Graduate Student Independent Studies

High school graduation rates depend in part on successful transitions from middle school to high school. For Special Education students in particular, programs are needed to address their academic, social, and personals needs in preparation for this important developmental shift. Service Learning and the Demystification of Special Education process are two approaches that have proven helpful. The purpose of this paper is to identify the intersecting and intertwining ways that these two approaches can be combined for student success. After reviewing the history and research related to service learning and programs designed to demystify the concept of Special Education, the …

Childhood Mental Illness: Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder, Vicki Wolffe

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Many children are inflicted with psychosis. The following essay is an investigation of the characteristics of mental illness as it appears in youths. Studies have been conducted as to what mental illness looks like in children. Various treatment options are described. The body of this work has been compiled, predominantly, through the review of literature on the subject matter. Limited observation of a child that has been diagnosed with a severe form of psychotic illness has been noted.

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.

Developing A Support Group For Adolescents With Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus Using An Outdoor Adventure Educational Modality, Tara Lynch

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This independent study details the group process aspects of creating an outdoor adventure based support group for adolescents living with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). A review of previous outdoor adventure programs is included, followed by a rationale for the new material. The developmental assessment of teens living with IDDM identifies a need for greater self-confidence, increased independence, and social support. To meet this need, a program that includes aspects of team building, personal challenge, and problem-solving has been created.

A Family-School Literacy Program For Kindergarten Through Second Grade, Kathleen Wright

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Proposes a kindergarten to grade two family-school literacy program based on a balanced literacy curriculum. This program is designed to be carried out over one academic year. The focus of this study is on the family's role in school and in the home on children's literacy development. Includes descriptions of school and after school literacy events with accompanying materials.

Parent Voices : A Study Of The Early Intervention, Cpse And Cse Experiences And Perceptions Of Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Suzy Jensen

Graduate Student Independent Studies

In recent years the number of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) has skyrocketed. In New York City this influx of children needing special services and special education has coincided with changing special education priorities and a major overhaul of the public school system. Added to this has been a lack of knowledge or agreement about the most effective interventions and teaching approaches for children with these disorders.

Six parents, each with a child aged five to nine-years-old with an ASD diagnosis, were interviewed and asked to describe their experiences with Early Intervention, and with CPSE and CSE interactions, …

A Case Study Of A Child Who Is Speech Impaired, Dia Peralto-Ortiz

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This case study is that of a five year old child who is Speech Impaired. It is written by his former teacher who incorporated her first year's work with him, a year of 'play sessions' and present school experiences with research to create an Independent Study.

The areas covered by this study include: Description of Child, Review of the Literature, Family and Developmental History, School History, Play Sessions, Summary, Recommendations and a Bibliography. The Appendices contain the actual educational assessments of this child, from when he began school to the present. these include Speech and Language Evaluation, Psychological Evaluations, his …

Ichthyosis: A Teacher's Manual, Deborah Brewster Vilas

Graduate Student Independent Studies

"Ichthyosis: A manual For Teachers" addresses the needs of children born with a rare, congenital skin disorder. Not unlike children with cancer, asthma or diabetes, children with ichthyosis have special needs regarding their physical comfort and safety in the educational setting. This manual addresses these needs along the developmental continuum. Using Erik Erikson's eight stages of man as a guideline, this manual addresses the physical, medical and psychosocial needs of the ichthyotic child from infancy through adolescence.

Included in this manual is an explanation of the disorder, it's symptoms and treatments. Practical tips for day care workers, teachers, school nurses …

The Use Of Corrective Emotional Experience In Therapeutic Intervention With An Elective Mute Child, Marilyn N. Bisberg

Graduate Student Independent Studies

The purpose of this thesis is to present a case study demonstrating the use of corrective emotional experience in therapeutic intervention with an elective mute child.

There are two portions to this presentation. The first portion of this paper includes review of past and present literature on elective mutism, review of Margaret Mahler's theory of separation-individuation and review of relational/structure theory of object relations. Following the review of the literature is the hypothesis that suggests a correlation between elective mutism and object relations theory.

The second portion of this thesis presents a case based upon this hypothesis, beginning with a …

A Study Of Olga Smyth, Director, High Valley School: 1934 Graduate Of Bank Street, Deborah Stone

Graduate Student Independent Studies

A study is made of the educator Olga Smyth, 1934 graduate of Bank Street. Examins her particular style of working with children, and what it is based on in her history, education, and personality. The continuity of her work and the consistency of her approach is shown, from her days at Bank Street through the making of "Incitement to Reading" (film by L. J. Stone showing her teaching first graders at the Poughkeepsie Day School in the 1950's) to her work at her own school with children whose emotional and learning problems make it impossible for them to succeed in …

The Integration Of Affective And Cognitive Concerns In Educational Programs, Elaine Avidon

Graduate Student Independent Studies

The social and political confrontations of the 1960's forced public school educators to reassess many of their values. Among the crucial issues which resurfaced as a result of this reassess­ment was the basic question of why some students were learning while others were not. This independent project addresses itself to that question. In particular, it presents one approach .which, when used responsibly, can alter the patterns of non-· learning that exist for so many young people attending schools today.

The integration of affective and cognitive concerns has been written about by many educators. It is also the topic of this …

Child's-Eye View, Roberta H. Harris

Graduate Student Independent Studies

No abstract provided.