Early Childhood Education Commons^™

A Study Of Dual-Language Preschoolers With Moderate To Severe Autism: Perspectives And Practices Of Professionals In Boston-Area Massachusetts School Districts, Susan Davison

Educational Studies Dissertations

Abstract

The rate of autism continues to increase globally across cultures and languages. Inequities exist in early access to an autism diagnosis and necessary evidence-based education and related services for dual-language children in the U.S. This qualitative dissertation study investigated the perspectives and practices of 10 educators and therapists working in the Boston area of Massachusetts with dual-language preschoolers with moderate to severe autism. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews on Zoom. Practitioners described their commitment to their students and families. Using a social constructivist phenomenological approach, the data analysis of the practitioners’ responses resulted in seven main findings. Assessment …

Synchronous Distance Language Learning And Critical Visual Literacy Practices In Greek Primary Education, Marianthi Oikonomakou, Emmanouil Sofos, Argyro Kontogianni

Journal of Research Initiatives

Our research, focusing on critical literacy practices in education, demonstrates the outcome of a teaching scenario applied in 2021 in a primary school e-class learning environment with the aid of distant learning tools. Having taken for granted that: (a) covid-19 pandemic has initiated important changes regarding our understanding of language teaching and (b) the extend we expose ourselves to modern multimodal environments, our teaching intervention attempts at displaying how the use of visual grammar can contribute to the critical understanding and production of multimodal texts by junior pupils in the language teaching framework. In the light of the above, through …

Effectiveness Of Music-Infused Aba Strategies On Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Josephine A. Sodano

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Given the nationwide increase in the diagnosis of autism, particularly in the pediatric population, there is obvious value in examining the effectiveness of intervention methods. This research sought to examine the effectiveness of a music-infused approach combined with Applied Behavioral Analysis methodology. The exploratory mixed method design pilot study examined and comprehended the narratives of special education early childhood teachers assigned and trained to deliver a music-infused intervention program within a natural self-contained Applied Behavioral Analysis program, five days a week, 20 minutes a day, for a duration of 6 weeks to a population of ten preschool students, ages 3-5, …

Examining California’S Title 22 Community Care Licensing Regulations: The Impact On Inclusive Preschool Settings, Aja Mckee, Audri Sandoval Gomez, Sardis Susana Rodriguez, Janice Myck-Wayne, Scott Turner, Markus Trujillo

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Access to general education preschool in California has varied for children with disabilities. One reason for the disparity of educational placement is the preschool regulations outlined in California Department of Education’s Title 22: Community Care Licensing guidelines. These regulations, particularly in preschool, support or hinder preschool inclusion. Examining the preschool section of Title 22 through document analysis resulted in identifying three major themes that embrace or deter inclusive practices: (a) language (i.e., supportive language, antiquated language, and ambiguous language); (b) training, experience, and education; and (c) staff-student ratio. California’s educational leaders should consider these results to provide opportunities for preschool …

Exceptional And Able: Supporting The Social Communication Skills Of Gifted Neurodiverse Students In The Classroom, Victoria S. Henbest, Brenda L. Beverly

APLL Lab Presentations

These are the presentation slides from the 2022 MEGA Conference (Mobile, AL) sponsored by the Alabama State Department of Education.

Improving Read-Aloud Instruction In An Autism Preschool Classroom, Amanda M. Bruffy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to look at what literacy strategies can be implemented to engage autistic preschool students during read-aloud instruction. Through this qualitative case study, I conducted research to find strategies that would engage my students in a way that is purposeful, effective, and create instruction where students take something meaningful away from the lesson. The research was conducted in a self-contained preschool classroom with a focus on Autism. A teacher's journal, family questionnaire, observational and anecdotal notes were used and collected to analyze data from read-aloud instruction. The data that was collected was analyzed through the …

Using The Visual Activity Schedule To Improve Self-Regulation Skills For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Atef Abdalla Bahrawi Dr

International Journal for Research in Education

This study aimed to find out the level of using the visual activity schedule to improve self-regulation skills for students with autism spectrum disorder. The study consisted of a sample of 74 male and female students with autism spectrum disorder. The study tool was used to improve self-organization skills, and a program of using visual activity tables was administered, in which the validity and reliability of the tool was calculated. The study found statistically significant differences between the pre and post testing of the experimental group which refers that the training program improved self-regulation skills for the experimental group participants. …

Examining Parental Perceptions And Experiences Regarding Social Skills Interventions For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Mary Jimerson

Special Education ETDs

ABSTRACT

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families often engage in various interventions to address social skills as this is a core area of development and often described as a challenge for individuals with ASD. Although interventions may vary in service delivery and the interventionists’ training and background, all encompass social skills interventions. The purpose of this study was to conduct a qualitative investigation to explore the experiences and perceptions family members had while their child participated in social skills interventions. Five family members participated in this study which included a questionnaire and an individual interview. Qualitative analyses …

Transition: Early Intervention To Preschool, Kim Thiesse

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA) requires all Individualized Family Service (IFSP) plans to address transition. Early Intervention programs must initiate and discuss the transition process from early intervention to school-based services with each family at least 90 days before the child’s third birthday. Transition should be a process of information sharing and planning for each individual family. The transition process can be very stressful for many families because services, service providers, location, and delivery of services change. Preschool is often a family’s first experience with a school environment, successful collaboration and communication through the transition phase enhances the …

Adults Perspectives Of Friendships And Social Interaction Between Students With And Without Complex Support Needs During A Pandemic, Jorden Morales

Special Education ETDs

Social interactions and friendships are important for all individuals including those with complex support needs (CSN). The voices of adults including parents/guardians, primary caregivers, teachers, and related service providers who responded to a survey provided insight into supporting social interactions and friendships for children with CSN during the Covid-19 pandemic This mixed methods study used thematic analysis to explore participants’ responses to open-ended questions while multiple choice questions were analyzed through descriptive statistics. Additionally, this study included a research narrative to speak to the various roles I hold related to this study (i.e., parent, educator, researcher). Three themes emerged from …

Autism: A Teacher's Guide, Kaitlyn Schaps

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Studies have shown that many educators are not prepared to teach children with ASD in their classrooms, as they may not be familiar with the characteristics of these children (Jiar Yeo & Teng, 2020) and do not have the knowledge needed to help them succeed.

In this guide, we discuss the different characteristics of ASD, how they affect a child’s education, how to collaborate with families, and research and evidence based (proven to be effective through research and quality studies) intervention strategies that will assist general education teachers, paraprofessionals, special education teachers, and any other professional in the educational field …

Parenting Isn't Easy: Parent Newsletters For Social/Emotional Learning In Early Childhood, Lauryn Meyer

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Abstract

Most educators know that it is very important to a child’s overall success to be supported socially and emotionally, especially in Early Childhood. We understand that children do not just act out the way they do because they feel like misbehaving. The challenging behavior is usually the cause of some other sort of reaction the child might not know how to explain or verbalize, for example: feeling tired, hungry, or uncomfortable in a certain situation.

In Early Childhood, educators work closely with parents and caregivers in order to continue the same level of learning at home as well. As …

Trauma Healing With The Neurosequential Model Of Therapy And Bal-A-Vis-X, Becky Johnston

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Stigma related to childhood trauma is shifting with the help of advancements in the understanding of neurobiology and interventions that are proving to be effective for healing. There are immense costs and consequences for survivors of childhood trauma and their loved ones that were not so long ago considered irrelevant and the notion that kids bounce back from adversity was previously popular in the psychological community (Perry & Szalavitz, 2017). The broad strokes of Dr. Bruce Perry’s clinical intervention model, The Neurosequential Model of Therapy (NMT) describes a trauma-sensitive, sequential approach to changing the stress response within mental health counseling. …

Supporting Exceptional Learners Through Evidence-Based Practices In Social Emotional Learning And Academic Settings, Lexia Werner

Honors Projects

My honors project will be purposeful in researching the learning strategies that help all students and comparing and contrasting them to strategies that specifically help learners with learning differences and/or have special education plans. These exceptional learners have specialized accommodations or educational plans tailored towards their learning needs. In other words, I will research the teaching strategies that are used in the classroom environment from a standard general education standpoint and strategies that are used, specifically, with students that obtain learning differences. In addition, I will analyze this information by comparing and contrasting the groups of strategies with one another. …

“I Can’T Calm Myself”: Mindfulness In A Special Education Resource Setting, Paige Schmidt

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

The purpose of this study was to examine how brief mindfulness practices influence students receiving special education in a resource setting that provides one-on-one support outside of the general education classroom. The researcher utilized three to five minutes of breathing exercises, stretches, and discussion every day before beginning instruction. Data was collected through observations, pre- and post-surveys, and post-activity interviews. The constant comparative method was used for analyzing data to find emerging or recurring themes in the data collected. Three major themes emerged from the collected data: social-emotional regulation, making a choice, and the flexibility of mindfulness. Through observations, four …

Thinkmed: Inspiring The Future Of Stem, One Project At A Time, Steven Trinh, Lauren Dudley

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

ThinkMED is a nonprofit initiative offering a four-week curriculum specifically designed to develop critical thinking and encourage evidence-based decision making. Each week’s content material revolves around the use of a ThinkBOX science kit containing four (4) wet-lab experiments designed to supplement the curriculum. Each experiment is formulated to be inclusive of all California Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) K-5. At the end of each week, students get the opportunity to speak with university professors & scientists from a multitude of subject areas including chemistry, anatomy, computer science, physiology, and bioengineering. ThinkBOXes are donated to children and families who do not …

Using Peer-Models And Aac To Increase Expressive Vocabulary In Preschool Children With Developmental Delays, Jazmine Wiles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of training peer models to implement the system of least prompts and model augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) on expressive language in children with developmental delays. Using a multiple probe across participants design, 4 students with developmental delays were trained to use a language output app on the iPad to communicate five common phrases. Results for 3 participants indicated a functional relation between the peer modeling and expressive language. One student did not complete the intervention due to excessive absences. In most cases, students increased verbal language. Two participants made …

Social-Emotional Learning Strategies In Special Education: An Action Research Project On The Implementation Of The Ruler Approach To Support Social-Emotional Goals Of Tier-3 Intervention Students, Sonya Hayes

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Addressing students’ social-emotional development as it relates to the academic environment has become increasingly important to teachers, administrators, parents, and to the research community. The purpose of this action research study is to determine if the RULER Approach to Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is beneficial to students with disabilities as an intensive Tier 3 Intervention as they work towards self-regulation of their emotions in order to increase participation in classroom activities. There were two second grade students with diagnosed disabilities selected to participate in this study. In addition to their defined disabilities, they have also shown to have SEL needs that …

Early Childhood Intervention Curriculum Creation: Using Playful Project-Based Learning, Hannah Shullenberger Million

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study is to present an early intervention curriculum incorporating Project-Based Learning (PBL) and opportunities for play. The project aims to answer the questions: What does a Project-Based Learning curriculum model look like in high quality early childhood special education? How does PBL curriculum work in conjunction with play? The created curriculum answers these questions based on a review of research and guidance from three theoretical frameworks: a Vygotskian Tools of the Mind approach (Bodrova & Leong, 1996), implementation of PBL in early childhood (Lev et al., 2020) and the early intervention Building Blocks framework (Sandall et …

The Academic Outcomes And Adverse Childhood Experiences For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jeralyn Danielle Kessler

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to review the literature to examine the academic outcomes and experiences of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There were three research questions to examine academic outcomes, experiences of ACEs, and determine if research has addressed the possible interaction between academic outcomes with ACES for students with ASD. A systematic literature review was completed. Twenty-two articles were coded for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and math and reading achievement outcomes. Studies included within the review indicated that children with ASD are at an increased risk for …

The Effect Of Quaversel On Preschool Students, Kinsley Heckart

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Social-emotional learning (SEL) has become a growing concern and topic in education as students have faced unprecedented times since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020. COVID-19 increased several mental health conditions and decreased critical social-emotional skills. The school where this action research took place implemented a new SEL curriculum called QuaverSEL to better address student needs. The participants in this study included two preschool classrooms, with six students aged 3- to 5-years-old. The study took place over four weeks, and interventions took place in 10-15 minute sessions two times a week. Data was collected before and after the implementation of …

Pathways To Resilience: Lessons Learned From Covid-19, Mary Ann Hollingsworth

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Out of the mouths of youth themselves while in the Covid-19 pandemic - pathways to build and sustain resilience in the life challenges that come our way at all stages of life.

Online Learning For Children With Disabilities During The Covid-19: Investigating Parents' Perceptions, Hasanuddin Jumareng, Edi Setiawan, Asmuddin Asmuddin, Adi Rahadian, Novri Gazali, Badaruddin Badaruddin

The Qualitative Report

This research aims to investigate perceptions from parents who have children with disabilities about online physical education classes during COVID-19. The characteristic of this research was qualitative through interviews towards 36 parents of children with disabilities from 2 provinces in Indonesia that prepared to participate in this research. Data analysis by using thematic analysis of qualitative data, including: (a) Interviews. (b) The transcribed interviews was read repeatedly by the author. (c) Given labeled. (d) Data were sorted based on categorization, coding, and highlighting. (e) A collection of similar phrases. (f) Examining. (g) Arranging the data. (h). Share themes. The study …

General Education Teachers' Perspectives About Their Practices When Teaching Reading Skills To Students With And At Risk Of Learning Disabilities In The Primary Classrooms, Abdulnasser A. Alhusaini, Fahad Mohammed M. Alosaimi

International Journal for Research in Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the perspectives of classrooms’ teachers at the primary grade levels (first, second and third grades) in Makkah about their practices when teaching reading skills (phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension) for classes that involved both students with learning disabilities and at risk of it. Therefore, the researchers designed a questionnaire consisting of 29 items. A total of 39 teachers responded to the questionnaire. The results showed that teachers focused on teaching reading skills in the following order: (1) fluency, (2) comprehension, (3) vocabulary, (4) phonics, and (5) and phonemic Awareness. …

Run, Hide, Or Fight?: Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder And Lockdown Drills, Melissa A. Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

Lockdown drills have become a regular practice in schools across the United States. These drills are currently carried out with little guidance and encompass a general plan with no differentiation for children with disabilities. This is concerning for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), since the skills needed to participate in a lockdown drill may be difficult for them. In the absence of evidence-based interventions, these children and the educators who support them are vulnerable in the event of a real emergency. It is important to understand what training practitioners need to design empirically sound lockdown drill interventions and …

Parent Experience In Preschool Special Education Classroom Setting Decisions, Kaia Kathryn Nordtvedt

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Early childhood is a crucial time in a child's development and is often the entry point for a child experiencing developmental delays in the special education process. Parents play an essential role in the special education process as the child's primary caregivers. This study examined the decision-making process of economically disadvantaged Black and Hispanic/Latinx parents as they provide input on classroom setting decisions during preschool IEP creation. Through in-depth interviews, parents shared their lived experiences as they navigated the special education process and made decisions on classroom settings as part of the IEP team. Document analysis provided additional context in …

A Retrospective Within-Session Analysis Of Interview Informed Synthesized Contingency Analyses For The Purposes Of Quality Improvement Within A University-Based Clinic, Amy Wolfe

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Functional analysis (FA) is a tool practitioners can utilize to identify the function of challenging behavior. An interview informed contingency analysis (IISCA) is a variation of a FA. In an effort to improve patient care within a university-based clinic, a within-session analysis of the first test condition of an IISCA was conducted to determine if a shorter assessment yield results similar to the full IISCA. An alternating treatments design was used to evaluate differentiated rates of challenging behavior across conditions for eleven client cases at the university-based clinic. A single test session was enough to determine the function of challenging …

Developing Self-Efficacy In Mathematics Through Visual Art: An Observational Research Report On A Preschool Child With Exceptionalities, Ever Daw-Powers

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Self-efficacy is a skill that can inspire problem solving, high confidence, and critical thinking skills. As educators seek to create an enriching, inclusive, and engaging academic environment for students with disabilities, it is important to incorporate strategies for building self-efficacy throughout learning. I pose a potential solution to integrate self-efficacy building into mathematical concepts through visual art. The participant in this study is a four-year-old child diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), sensory input issues, and a developmental delay. Over a four-week period, I performed a pre-assessment, four lesson plans, and a post-assessment. I created the assessment to measure …

Using Music Training To Increase Social Responsiveness And Happiness In Children With Autism, Meghan Talarico

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Social skills are imperative for individuals’ success in their daily lives because they are applied in areas such as shared interests and cooperative work and play. This study was a replication with extension of the study on a musical treatment of social skills by Finnigan and Starr (2010). The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of musical and non-musical interventions on the sharing and turn-taking behavior of five children with autism. The participants were four boys and one girl between the ages of 4- and 8-years-old who had a diagnosis of autism and were receiving ABA …

Preschool Whole Group Circle Time: Does More Comfortable Seating Give Rise To Preschooler Engagement?, Roberta Kopel

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Flexible and alternative seating in the classroom has been a topic of research and implementation in the classroom in recent years. At this time, much of the research discovered looked at inflatable cushions, therapy balls, or even low tables using pillows as seats. It has been observed in practice by this researcher that many times what is sometimes labeled as flexible seating is just something that is “cute” and not a regular chair with a back and legs or flexible seating as noted in research findings such as a therapy ball. Thus far, it has been difficult to determine the …