Special Education Administration Commons^™

Expanding Epilepsy Representation: On Education And Awareness, Aliyah Wise

Honors Projects

The present-day American public education system has evolved to try to teach young students about more cultures and people of different lifestyles. However, despite these reforms to push for an inclusive education system, there is still minimal effort to teach students about disabilities and the people who live with them. As a student living with epilepsy, I have observed a lack of education or conversation about this disability. The purpose of this research project is to ask: How does miseducation on epilepsy contribute to harmful stereotypes and lead to real issues for people living with this disability? How should neurotypical …

K-12 Special Education In The South: Where Are We And Where Should We Be Going?, Jack G. Walker

Honors Theses

Throughout the past century, special education has undergone significant transformation and increasing accessibility to those who need it. However, persistent challenges remain. Some of these challenges include but are not limited to teachers still challenged with job stress and paperwork overload, schools faced with lack of funding for the program, and the lack of importance seen by administration on close relationships with parents of said students. These problems can affect all involved and especially the students who deserve the best education experience they can receive. The purpose of this thesis is to look into what has gotten policymakers to where …

Analysis Of Disability Support Resources At Grand Valley State, Calle Faerber

Honors Projects

In order to receive support and accommodations in postsecondary education, students must self-report their disability to the institution they attend. Due to this policy, there are many barriers that students may face in their pursuit of these services. Barriers include fear of negative perceptions of disabilities by faculty or peers, negative perceptions of accommodations, and lengthy documentation requirements. This study aimed to determine the potential barriers for students at Grand Valley State University (GVSU) and what the university is doing to address these barriers. In this study, a total of 28 undergraduate students at GVSU were surveyed and one staff …

School Administrator Preparation In Special Education: A Cross-Case Analysis, Emily Ruiz

Dissertations

Special education has been part of public education for 46 years and has evolved considerably in that time. Despite improvements made in special education law, there remains a disconnect between law and current practices. Several studies suggest this disconnect is associated with administrators’ insufficient preparation for supporting special education in their schools.

This study utilized an explanatory sequential design to study Southern California school principals’ special education preparation. During the first phase of the study, the researcher emailed surveys to administrators who were selected using a stratified random sampling strategy. Unfortunately, the response rate was too low to employ the …

Increasing Awareness Of Inclusive Stem Education Through A College-Level Student Research Group, Sami Kahn, Tiffany Agyarko, Grace Lanouette, Sean Lee, Courteney Wiredu

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

The underrepresentation of persons with disabilities in STEM reflects not only a moral failing in society’s commitment to equity but also a practical dilemma as science benefits from the contributions of people with diverse perspectives. While teacher education programs attempt to address equity at the K-12 level, societal biases and misconceptions about who is “able” in science present persistent barriers for people with disabilities throughout the STEM pipeline, in higher education, employment, and beyond. How can we ensure that students with disabilities will encounter professors, employers, coworkers, and peers who are supportive of their efforts in STEM? To address this …

A Qualitative Investigation Of Secondary General Education Teachers' Perspectives On Their Involvement In Transition Services, Stephen M. Kwiatek

Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory qualitative study was designed to examine the perspectives of secondary general education teachers’ involvement within the transition for all youth, including youth with disabilities. Youth with disabilities continue to find less success than peers without disabilities during postsecondary life. Research has examined special education teachers and transition professionals’ roles within the transition process, but limited research has been conducted relating to general education teachers’ roles. Qualitative data obtained through semi-structured interviews indicate the opportunity for more substantive involvement in transition planning for all students, including those with disabilities. Overall findings suggest that general educators have desired student outcomes …

Middle School Teachers' Experiences With Teaching Self-Regulation Skills To Adolescents With Disabilities, Jessica Traylor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research shows that adolescents with disabilities often lack self-regulated learning skills. Current research further indicates that explicit teaching of self-regulation skills is beneficial to adolescents with disabilities. The site of this study was a local middle school in rural Georgia that did not assess whether or not teachers were explicitly teaching self-regulation skills to adolescents with disabilities. It was unknown, therefore, whether adolescents with disabilities were learning self-regulation skills in school and whether teachers faced problems in teaching these skills. The study sought to explore this gap in knowledge and practice. Zimmerman's self-regulated learning theory and Bandura's self-efficacy theory served …

Using Hand-Held Technologies To Support The Transition Of Youth With Intellectual Disabilities Into Adult Roles, Janet E. Green

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

People with intellectual disabilities (ID) struggle with social interactions that are vital to the development of a high quality of life. Although evidence exists to support the use of technology as cognitive aids for youth with ID, little exists on the use of common hand-held devices for social support. The use of such devices has the potential to level the playing field in adult social roles, helping people with ID make and keep relationships. It is unclear how applications like video chatting might be used to support transition-age youth with ID in adult social roles. Using a framework of modeling …

In Defense Of Idea Due Process, Mark Weber

College of Law Faculty

Due Process hearing rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act are under attack. A major professional group and several academic commentators charge that the hearings system advantages middle class parents, that it is expensive, that it is futile, and that it is unmanageable. Some critics would abandon individual rights to a hearing and review in favor of bureaucratic enforcement or administrative mechanisms that do not include the right to an individual hearing before a neutral decision maker. This Article defends the right to a due process hearing. It contends that some criticisms of hearing rights are simply erroneous, and …

"All Areas Of Suspected Disability", Mark Weber

College of Law Faculty

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires school districts to assess children “in all areas of suspected disability.” It further provides that each child’s individualized education program (IEP) must contain measurable annual goals designed to “meet each of the child’s . . . educational needs that result from the child’s disability,” and a statement of special education and related services that will be provided for the child “to advance appropriately toward attaining annual goals.” Courts have strictly enforced these requirements in the last several years, remedying violations of IDEA when school districts fail to assess in all areas of …

"All Areas Of Suspected Disability", Mark Weber

College of Law Faculty

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires school districts to assess children “in all areas of suspected disability.” It further provides that each child’s individualized education program (IEP) must contain measurable annual goals designed to “meet each of the child’s . . . educational needs that result from the child’s disability,” and a statement of special education and related services that will be provided for the child “to advance appropriately toward attaining annual goals.” Courts have strictly enforced these requirements in the last several years, remedying violations of IDEA when school districts fail to assess in all areas of …

A Review Of Inclusive Education In New Zealand, Denise Powell Ed.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Inclusive education is a worldwide response to the belief that all children have the right to be educated at their local early childhood centre or school. New Zealand’s education system has undergone a series of transformations over the past 20 years, which has included modifications to how schools and their students are funded and managed, and the responsibilities various government departments have for ensuring all children receive the best possible education in a variety of environments. This article outlines those changes, suggests a way forward that will help ensure inclusive education practices in New Zealand match the current policies and …

The Status Of Students With Special Needs In The Instrumental Musical Ensemble And The Effect Of Selected Educator And Institutional Variables On Rates Of Inclusion, Edward C. Hoffman Iii

Glenn Korff School of Music: Dissertations, Theses, Student Creative Work, and Performances

The purpose of this study was to describe the current status of students with special needs in the instrumental musical ensemble and to examine the effect of selected educator and institutional variables on rates of inclusion. An online survey was designed by the researcher and distributed electronically to 600 practicing K-12 instrumental music educators in the states of Idaho, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Rhode Island. While 13.6% of the total school-aged population nationwide received special education services, demographic data provided by respondents revealed that students with special needs accounted for 6.8% of all students participating in bands, orchestras, …

What Is In A Name? Labels And Terminologies Regarding Disability And Special Educational Needs: A Continuing Concern, Anupam Ahuja, Parvez Pirzado

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.