Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

A Study Of Assistive Technology Competencies Of Specialists In Public Schools, Betsy B. Burgos

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Despite the rapid proliferation of assistive technology implementation, studies have revealed that a number of professionals that provide assistive technology services do not have adequate competencies to recommend and deliver assistive technologies in school settings. The purpose of the study was to examine the competencies of assistive technology specialists in Florida K-12 public schools, and identify training opportunities that may have helped them achieve professional competence in the evaluation and provision of assistive technology devices and services across AT service providers from different preparations.

The study applied quantitative and qualitative methods to determine answers to the following six research questions: …

Investigating First Year Education Students’ Stress Level, Gretchen Geng, Richard Midford

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper investigated the stress levels of first-year education students who undertake teaching practicum and theory units during their first year of teacher education program. First, 139 first-year and 143 other years’ education students completed the PSS-10 scale, which measures perceived level of stress. Then, 147 first-year education students completed an online questionnaire to identify the particular stressors in their learning experience. The first-year education students had significantly higher stress levels than other years’ education students, (p < .01). Contributing stressors included academic work commitment; completing placement and related performance assessments in schools and at university; having a good understanding of the requirements of professional teaching, such as classroom management, and working with mentor teachers; and conflicting work and family commitments. These findings provide greater understanding about the stressors experienced by first-year education students and usefully inform ways to help this group achieve their study and career goals.

Read180 Computer Software By Gender And Ethnicity On Reading Achievement For Identified Special Education Students, Sherrie Bayles

College of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to conduct an independent study to determine the effectiveness of the READ 180 reading intervention program when implemented with middle and junior high school students with disabilities. To address the first and third hypotheses, gender (male versus female) and change over time (fall, mid-year, and at the end of the school year) served as the independent variables for sixth/seventh and eighth/ninth grade students with disabilities, respectively. For the second and fourth hypotheses, ethnicity (White versus all non-White students) and change over time served as the independent variables for sixth/seventh and eighth/ninth grade students with …

Can Analyzing Spatial Relationships Through Geographically Weighted Regression Improve Our Understanding Of Low School Attainment? A Gis-Based Analysis Of Census And Acs Data, William England

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In this study I present a relatively new technique for analyzing a recurring problem in our communities. Using a set of innovative and relatively new modeling methods, I demonstrate ways in which it is possible to directly account for, capture, and visualize the spatial variability in the relationships between U.S. Census data from 1990 and the recent low-school-attainment landscape in both the Omaha and Lincoln Public School (OPS) districts in Omaha and Lincoln, NE. Low school attainment in adults is a correlate of a host of troubling health and economic factors, which, in turn, have an impact on a child's …

Providing The Fuel (And Passing The Flame), Todd Pagano

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

At the risk of opening with a cliché statement- at the heart of the most effective mentor is a burning passion. The fuel for this passion is a desire to convince, not just try to, but actually convince your mentee that you care about their success (be it in the classroom, career, or personal life). I am guilty of believing in, and living by, this cliché. However, despite passion being my primary motivator, I am not unwilling to admit that rationale for mentoring can sometimes transcend this ethically normative line of thinking. I believe that there are also sometimes quantitative, …

Ex Ovo Omnia, Todd Pagano

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

One of history’s most diverse thinkers metaphorically depicted humanity’s dangerous reliance on nonrenewable energy resources as an unborn chick in an egg. American philosopher, poet, scientist, and mathematician, Buckminster Fuller, described the nutrients in an egg as the temporary and extinguishable support required for the development of an unhatched chick. Once the nutrients are depleted, the chick must break from its shell and cultivate its own mechanism for survival. Symbolically, he explained that the human population must view the use of earth’s finite resources as the nutriment in an egg that can be provisionally relied upon in order to provide …

Stakeholder Perceptions Of The Special Education Referral Process For Black Males Based On Ace: Administration, Culture And Environment, Malik Douglas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal comparative study is to contribute to the understanding of Critical Race Theory by using a parametric test to compare the independent variable of human characteristics to the dependent variables of Administrative, Cultural, and Environmental/ Hereditary (ACE) factors to develop a picture of parents'/guardians' and educators' attitudes about factors that may explain the overrepresentation of Black males in special education programs. A total of 162 participants completed a self-reporting demographic characteristic survey and the Gresham survey to provide information on the attitudes towards the administrative, cultural, and environmental/hereditary factors that may be correlated with the overrepresentation …

Teaching The Universal Language Of Creativity: A Guide To Training., Carlie R. Arnone

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Teaching the Universal Language of Creativity: A Guide to Training.

The purpose of education in any regard is to provide knowledge and information, to teach something. Parents, educators, and professionals alike are experiencing some difficulty in education, in that they are not being properly taught how to nurture some particular needs of individuals with developmental disabilities, specifically on how to use creativity to do so. Educators, parents, and professionals in the field need to start advocating for a balance between strict regulations and creativity. In the recent years, there has been quite the push for creativity and innovation in businesses, …

From The Co-Editors

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

From The Co-Editors

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

From The Co-Editors

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

Increasing The Accessibility Of Science For All Students, Samantha Langley - Turnbaugh, Glenn Wilson, Lynn Lovewell

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This paper evaluates the accessibility of selected field and laboratory high school science activities, and provides suggestions for increasing accessibility for students with disabilities. We focused on GLOBE (Global Learning Observations to Benefit the Environment) protocols, specifically the new Seasons and Biomes investigation currently being developed as part of the GLOBE program. Five university students with disabilities majoring in science or technology were recruited to test the GLOBE protocols, and 10 protocols were evaluated for accessibility. Based on our results, we make several suggestions with regards to instructions, equipment, safety, outcomes and activity significance that will increase the accessibility of …

From The Co-Editors

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

From The Co-Editors

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

The Impact And Effectiveness Of Student-Centered Classroom Structure, Amie P. Westberg

Mathematics Graduate Theses

The purpose of this paper is to explore the effectiveness of student-centered learning as an alternative classroom structure. It is important that we continually reflect on our teaching methods and explore alternatives that can help give our students the best chance to succeed. While the literature is mixed with regard to which classroom style is best, there are many sources showing the benefits of student-centered instruction over a strictly teacher- centered classroom. Sources also showed that teachers do not need to choose exclusively one style of teaching, and that a blended classroom using a variety of teaching styles can be …

Aac Camp As An Alternative School-Based Service Delivery Model: A Retrospective Survey, Janet L. Dodd, Darla K. Hagge

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

School-based speech-language pathologists are obligated to apply evidence-based practice and document progress of their students’ response to intervention in compliance with federal law. The purpose of this preliminary study was to explore the effects of an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)–based intervention provided in a camp format and begin the exploration of examining strategies to monitor and document progress. Through the use of a survey, data were also collected regarding the demographics of camp attendees and their response to the camp-based intervention model. Results indicated children with autism and intellectual disability comprised a significant portion of the children referred for …

Comprehensive Multi-Disciplinary Assessment Protocol For Autism Spectrum Disorder, Janet L. Dodd, Lauren K. Franke, Jeanette K. Grzesik, Jenna Stoskopf

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

Legal mandates established under IDEA specify a student must be assessed in all areas of suspected disability. Never is this task more overwhelming than its application to the assessment of a student suspected of a diagnosis of autism. The assessment of an individual suspected of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis is a complex task and is dependent on the integration of information gleaned from assessments conducted by an array of professionals, each with their own distinct area of expertise. The purpose of this article is to introduce the Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Assessment Protocols-Autism Spectrum Disorder, referred to as the CMAPs, …

On Being Transminded: Disabling Achievement, Enabling Exchange, Anne Dalke, Clare Mullaney

Literatures in English Faculty Research and Scholarship

We write collaboratively, as a recent graduate and long-time faculty member of a small women’s liberal arts college, about the mental health costs of adhering to a feminist narrative of achievement that insists upon independence and resiliency. As we explore the destabilizing potential of an alternative feminist project, one that invites different temporalities in which dis/ability emerges and may be addressed, we work with disability less as an identity than as a generative methodology, a form of relation and exchange. Mapping our own college as a specific, local site for the disabling tradition of “challenging women,” we move to larger …

Food Landscapes: A Case Study Of A Cooking And Art- Focused Program For Teens Living In A Food Desert, Jessica R. Norris

Theses and Dissertations

This study constructs themes and propositions about the experiences of youth participants in the fall 2013 Food Landscapes program at the Neighborhood Resource Center in Richmond, Virginia. During the program, youth participated in cooking-based volunteerism with adults with disabilities and created short videos about their experiences. In this study, I analyzed pre- and post-program participant interviews, twice-weekly program observations, and facilitator reflections to understand how Food Landscapes affected youths’ conception of community engagement and communication strategies. This case study offers insight into how youth experience after-school programming of this design. Based on my findings, youth develop and rely upon a …

Mathematics Interventions: A Correlational Study Of The Relationship Between Level Of Implementation Of The Accelerated Math Program And Student Achievement, Deborah Walker Driesel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Current legislation, such as No Child Left Behind (2001) or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004), has increased accountability for schools for the education of all students. These laws require schools to provide interventions for struggling learners, as part of the Response to Intervention process (IDEA, 2004). Accelerated Math (AM), published by Renaissance Learning, is a scientifically based program designed to supplement quality instruction as part of the RtI process. This correlational study examined ex post facto data using pre and posttest scores on the STAR Math Test in relation to amount of classroom time dedicated to AM instruction …

Can The Differentiated Math Classroom Be A Reality?, Carl Jeff Morris

Mathematics Graduate Theses

Imagine a math classroom that looked more like a Google workplace where collaboration, teamwork, and innovation are the centerpieces. Instead of just students sitting in rows passively learning about the nature of mathematics, picture a classroom of students in small circle discussing mathematics. This could range from groups working together on a problem solving strategy for a newly learned concept, students helping students using technology as an aid, another small group receiving intervention from the teacher, or individual students making or viewing instructional math videos. All of this according to research focused on classroom differentiation; specifically in middle school and …

The Effects Of Collaborative Strategic Reading On Informational Text Comprehension And Metacognitive Awareness Of Fifth Grade Students, Margaret Mccown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the effects of Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR) on informational text comprehension and metacognitive awareness of fifth grade students. This study tested the theories of metacognition and social cognition with a focus on self-regulation and self-efficacy. Participating students included a heterogeneous mix of regular education students, students with disabilities, and English learners (ELs). Using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design, this study examined the effects of CSR on informational text comprehension using the Qualitative Reading Inventory-5 (QRI-5) and Georgia's Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). Metacognitive awareness was measured using the Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory (MARSI). Data …

A Comparison Of General Education Co-Teaching Versus Special Education Resource Service Delivery Models On Math Achievement Of Students With Disabilities, Tammy Nash

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Recent legislation in education mandates that students with disabilities be given access to the general education curriculum in order to reach higher academic standards. To meet these requirements, co-teaching has become a popular service delivery model for instruction of students with disabilities within the general education setting. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to compare math achievement of secondary students with disabilities in general education co-taught math classes to students with disabilities in special education resource math classes. Participants included 145 high school students with disabilities from four large suburban schools in Northeast Georgia. Learning outcomes were measured by …

Chartered Sites Of Exception : Problematizing The Construction Of Bare Life For Exceptional Populations In The United States Educational System, Jonathan Michael Mcintosh

Graduate Student Independent Studies

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the influence of deregulation policies in charter schools through a site of exception analysis and the resulting effect on exceptional populations in these schools.

Landscapes To Learnscapes: Exploring Schoolyard-Based Education, Emily I. Palena, Caroline T. Spurgin

Pitzer Senior Theses

This thesis explores schoolyard-based education as a viable and necessary method for rectifying the shortcomings within the American public school system and the Nature-deficit Disorder epidemic. We argue that schoolyard-based education should be fully integrated into the school system, not in the sole form of popularized school gardens, but as a standard teaching method. We show this using extensive research and a case study of three elementary schools in Claremont, California.

Cultivating Democracy At One High School Intervention Program For Latinos At Risk Of Dropping Out, Margaret Sauceda Curwen, Keith Howard

Education Faculty Articles and Research

In California, where this study takes place, it is estimated that 85,000 students drop out of high school annually. Consequences are often linked to economic and social issues including long term economic costs to the state and the likelihood of lesser participation in voting and civic engagement (Rumberger, 2012). This account documents one high school’s alternative intervention program that includes online academic credit recovery and socio-emotional guidance leading to graduation for Latino students who are at risk of dropping out. Findings highlight the program’s support for these students in gaining confidence in self, envisioning themselves in the community and, for …

A Case Study Of The Impact Of An Intervention Scheduling Model On Academic Achievement In English And Mathematics By Students In Need Of Remediation, Dora Harvey

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This case study explored the impact of a scheduling intervention on the Georgia High School Graduation Test standardized achievement test scores of students identified as in need of remediation in the content areas of English and mathematics, paired with the perception of this scheduling model from key informants in the study. Students in the scheduling intervention were enrolled in a year-long, alternating content-day block scheduling model. The quantitative portion reviewed Georgia High School Graduation Test score data for students who participated in a modified block (referred to as Schedule Two) results were analyzed, indicating passing percentages, and number for each …

The Relationship Between The Level Of Special Education Instructional Support Segments And The Academic Achievement Of Students With Emotional Behavior Disorders, Marykay Berry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Researchers have extensively studied the effects of placement on academic and behavioral interventions for students with disabilities and have found varying results. A correlational research design was used to determine if there was a relationship between the level of special education support (amount of time spent with special education support) for students with emotional behavior disorders (EBD) and student achievement in reading and math as measured by performance on the Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). The study included 81 students with EBD in a small rural school district in Georgia in grades six through eight over the 2007-2008, 2008-2009, …

Functional Story-Based Instruction About Hand Washing To Teach Emergent Literacy Skills And Hand Washing Skills To Three Elementary Students With Significant Intellectual Disabilities, Glenda Hyer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study used a multiple baseline across participants design to evaluate the effects of Functional Story-Based Instruction about hand washing on the independent and correct emergent literacy responses and independent and correct hand washing responses of three elementary students with significant intellectual disabilities in small inclusive reading groups. Data were collected during baseline, intervention, and generalization phases, and then analyzed using visual analyses. The result of the study indicated a functional relationship between the independent and dependent variables. Social validity indicated Functional Story-Based Instruction about hand washing was an effective approach for teaching both emergent literacy skills and hand washing …

Perceived Efficacy Of Beginning Teachers To Differentiate Instruction, Michelle K. Casey, Robert K. Gable

Teacher Education

A two-phase, sequential mixed-methods design was used to assess perceptions of teacher efficacy (10 item survey, alpha = .90) to differentiate instruction for N = 36 graduates from one MAT teacher preparation program. Research questions addressed levels of self-efficacy, perceptions of preparedness, teaching tenure, and number of certifications held. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA and t-test procedures. A focus group with N = 10 purposively selected 2010 graduates and interviews with N = 2 graduates each from the 2008 and 2009 classes, and N = 2 faculty were conducted. No significant relationships were found for tenure and …