Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Interactions Between Students With Emotional/Behavioral Disorders And Teachers In The Mainstream Setting, Susan Palese Page

Theses & Honors Papers

The author assessed the self reported behaviors of mainstream academic high school teachers who teach students with emotional/behavioral disorders with respect to preferred consequences for inappropriate student behaviors. Teachers were surveyed from four counties and asked to respond to an inappropriate student behavior with 1) positive reinforcement of the appropriate student behavior, 2) punishment of an inappropriate student behavior, 3) consequence which resulted in student escape from the academic task (negative reinforcement) or a free response of the teacher's choice. Results indicated that 49.6% of teacher responses were examples of positive reinforcement, 25.4% negative reinforcement, 6.4% punishment and 18.6% other …

Vocational Special Education: The Educators' Perceptions Of Program Benefits, Restrictions, And Future Implications., Suzanne V. Pruess

Theses & Honors Papers

The purpose of this study was to investigate the benefits, restrictions, and future implications of vocational education. Using a self developed questionnaire, eight teachers in two south-central Virginia counties were interviewed. The data were analyzed and placed under themes. From the data obtained it was found that these vocational and special education teachers varied on certain areas they think are pertinent in vocational education. Areas that differentiated focused on the value of vocational programs, or how beneficial they are (responses of special educators emphasized this 33% and vocational teachers 66%), and the emphasis of community based instruction as a component …

Establishing A Positive School Climate On The Playground For Students With Serious Behavioral Disabilities: A Collaborative Effort, Mildred Carol Fletcher Garcia

All Graduate Projects

Social skills deficits of students with serious behavior disabilities are often an obstacle to integration into the regular education system. Many of the most troublesome problems occur outside the classroom on the playground due to the lessened structure constraints of the playground environment. As a result, the students are labeled "bad kids" by the teachers and paraprofessionals, are socially rejected by nondisabled peers, and the downward spiral of a negative social "trap" is begun.

The purpose of this study was to create an inservice training packet promoting collaboration between teachers and paraprofessionals providing students with serious behavior disabilities a positive …

Utilizing Applied Behavior Analysis: A Handbook For Teachers Who Are Dealing With Developmentally Delayed Children, Cleresse Sprague

All Graduate Projects

The author's perception is that a need exists for a classroom behavior management handbook targeting developmentally delayed children ages three years through first grade. Several occurrences have prompted this perception: 1. Approach by other teachers asking how to handle certain behaviors 2. Author's own experiences and frustrations 3. Participation in group discussions regarding behaviors The author has chosen to do this study and develop a handbook to meet this perceived need.

The Utilization Of Music Therapy Strategies For Increasing Prosocial Skills In Students With Behavioral Disorders, Marlene Lennia Anunson

All Graduate Projects

A representative sample of music therapy strategies was developed for use by general music teachers in elementary schools. A literature search was conducted in effective social skills training methods and music therapy techniques. The strageties developed can be used by elementary general music teachers to help improve prosocial skills in students with behavioral disorders.

Parent Involvement In The Education Of Their Children With Special Needs, Cindy Ann Cole

All Graduate Projects

The intent of this project is to develop an information packet teachers may use to encourage and enhance parental involvement, in ways that are suited for each child's and parent's needs. Analysis of literature, relevant to parents of children with special needs, has been used to draw conclusions and recommendations regarding appropriate techniques teachers may use to encourage parent involvement in their child's education. The packet includes the following: 1) a questionnaire to assess parents' preferred method of involvement; 2) a parent involvement evaluation form; 3) telephone numbers of support services and resources for parents; 4) recommended activities to help …

School To Work: Community Based Transition Of 18-21 Year Old Students With Mild Disabilities, Jammie Caryle Axon

All Graduate Projects

A community based service delivery plan was developed to meet the individual transition needs of 18-21 year old students with mild disabilities. The transition service was designed to ease the movement of students into post-secondary community life by providing prepatory experiences and community linkages. Students may receive services in the areas of recreation and leisure, vocational, and independent living activities depending on individual need.

Inclusion: A Case Study At Coe Elementray School, Loretta L. Kimball

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to evaluate perceptions of the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of inclusion on the achievement of special needs students and to use this information to increase effectiveness in inclusion programs through the design and implementation of specific teaching strategies. To accomplish this purpose, current literature and research related to inclusion was reviewed. The writer examined how special needs and regular education students are affected and analyzed the variables, strategies and programs which increase effectiveness. The project that follows is a case study of what has been done in the past, what attitudes and perceptions exist and …

Connecting Reasoning And Writing In Student "How To" Manuals, John W. Hill

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Using Colored Overlays On The Reading Skills Of Visually Dyslexic Children, Mitzi D. Waller

Theses & Honors Papers

Reading is a critical skill that all students must learn , but for the child with dyslexia it can be a very difficult task to overcome . A tool that may be used to accommodate a student with dyslexia is that of a colored overlay . The following is a study that examined the effects of colored overlays on the reading skills of one fifth-grade student and one sixth-grade student who are dyslexic . The Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests - Revised and an informal reading assessment were used as the measuring instruments . The results of those two tests were …

The Perceptions Of Students With Mild Mental Retardation Regarding Their Present Program And Preparation For Future Employment, Shirl Carwile

Theses & Honors Papers

Two programs for students with mild mental retardation , a school-based program, and a community ­based instruction program were compared . The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover the perceptions of high school students with mild mental retardation about their present educational experiences and their preparation for future employment. Interviews of four students were obtained and examined to determine common themes among students and across programs .

A Comparative Study Of Self Esteem As It Relates To Alcohol Use Among Inmates With Learning Disabilities And Inmates With No Prior Special Education Services., Lisa Mcvey Reid

Theses & Honors Papers

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between learning disabilities and self esteem as it relates to alcohol use in young men at a correctional facility. A standardized alcohol questionnaire was distributed to those men identified as having a learning disability and to nondisabled men. Subjects were matched according to age and sex. Those students who were identified as having a learning disabilitity had a specially coded survey for identification purposes. Names did not appear on the questionnaire in order to maintain strict confidentiality.

Those men who were receiving learning disabilities services were found to have a …

The Effects Of Goal Setting And Task Selection On Perceived Competence, Intrinsic Motivation, And Spelling Performance Of A Group Of Students With Learning Disabilities, Tracy Lee Osborne

Theses & Honors Papers

The intrinsic motivation, spelling performance, and perceived competence of students with learning disabilities was examined. Eight students with learning disabilities decided which and how many words they would attempt on weekly spelling test.s and chose the practice activity they would complete each day. Each student -set a goal of how many of the words attempted would be correct on the spelling test (i. e., .perceived competence). Harter 's.Scale of . Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Orientation in the Classroom was administered as a pretest . and posttest. No significant difference in mean scores was found on the Harter scale. ·Average spelling test …

Effects Of Sign Language On Letter-Sound Recognition Of A Non-Hearing Impaired, Developmentally Delayed Student, Joanne Bear

Theses & Honors Papers

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of sign language on letter-sound recognition of a non-hearing impaired, developmentally delayed student. A single subject was probed on letter-sound recognition skills and then three letters were selected that the subject did not know. The subject was taught sign language (i.e., fingerspelling for each of the three letters and a sign for a cue word for each letter) to enhance letter recognition skills . Using a multiple probe across behaviors design, it was found that after three weeks sign language improved the subject's performance at letter recognition and naming of …

Transitioning Skills In Students With Learning Disabilities, Gayle W. Anderson

Theses & Honors Papers

A study was conducted in five counties in rural Southside Virginia regarding transitioning skills in students with learning disabilities. The sample consisted of 37 teachers of students with learning disabilities in grades four through eight. The primary purpose of the study was to examine the instructional time spent per week teaching transitioning skills. Transitioning skills were defined as skills directly related to independent, adult living. Results indicated that while the majority of the teachers taught transitioning skills to their students with learning disabilities, less than half had received instruction on how to teach these skills. Less than one third of …

Criteria For Students To Exit From Elementary School Learning Disability Programs, Hannah G. Vaughan

Theses & Honors Papers

Criteria for students to exit from elementary school learning disability programs were studied. A survey was sent to Special Education supervisors in public school districts in Virginia to gather information concerning LD exit criteria. It was predicted that most school divisions would not have criteria for exiting from their elementary learning disabilities programs. Discussion presented possible exit criteria from elementary school learning disability programs in Virginia. Much of the research found focuses on the needs of the regular education teacher or the school division rather than on the needs of the child. Eligibility and exit criteria were surprisingly similar in …

Level Systems In Classrooms For The Behaviorally Disordered, Samantha Kyle

Theses & Honors Papers

This study examines the use of level systems in classrooms for students with behavioral disorders. One hundred surveys were sent to 31 counties in the state of Virginia . The survey was given to teachers of students with behavioral disorders. Seventy three surveys were returned from the 20 participating counties. From this survey it was determined that 52% of the responding teachers are using level systems in their classrooms. It was also determined that 86% use the level system with students who are behaviorally disordered .

Using A Time Delay Procedure To Increase Pragmatic Language Skills With A Child With Neurological Impairments, Karla Gravitt

Theses & Honors Papers

Many studies have researched increasing language skills using a time delay procedure with children with autism and children with mental retardation, but there is little existing literature using a time delay procedure to increase language skills with children with neurological impairments. The purpose of this study was to show how time delay could increase pragmatic skills in a child with neurological impairments . The following single subject study was designed to test the hypothesis that three self care words could be taught, using a time delay procedure, to enable a child with neurological impairments to function more independently in social …

Experiences And Attitudes Of Post-Secondary Students With Learning Disabilities In Public And Private College Settings, Laura A. Goodell

Theses & Honors Papers

Research and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Public Law 101 -476) suggest students with learning disabilities need a transition program from high school to post-secondary education. This study examines the attitudes and experiences of twenty students with learning disabilities who attend three different colleges in Virginia. These students were identified as having a learning disability prior to post-secondary education. One of the colleges that participated was public and co-educational. The other two were private, one all-male, and one all-female. This study also attempts to identify correlations between special education services in the high school and student's attitudes and success …

Profiles Of Promise: Students With Learning Difference Prepare For Optimal Foreign Language Learning, Ludmilla Coven

Dissertations

Many secondary school counselors discourage students with diagnosed native language deficits from foreign language studies. They hold the unsubstantiated belief that these studies would jeopardize their hard-earned gains in native language learning. Research disproves that position, and some writers advocate foreign language study to improve language learning and enhance cognitive strategies. Improvement occurs more readily when the instructor has the expertise to choose from a repertoire of teaching styles the one most compatible with the learning style of the student. With the full inclusion promised by the regular education initiative becoming a reality, this study explores research, design, and team-teaching …

Staff Development Model For A Special Education Inclusion Program In The Northshore School District, John E. Deforest

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to design a staff development model for a special education inclusion program for the Northshore School District, Bothell, Washington. The inclusion model developed was intended for use by regular and special education teachers at the secondary level. To accomplish this purpose, a review of current literature and research regarding the special education inclusion concept was conducted and selected education inclusion models were studied.

Accessibility Of Computers For Students With Mild Mental Retardation, Christopher Paul Stapleton

Theses & Honors Papers

As computers move into America's public schools, their accessibility and use have come under scrutiny. Often individuals with mild mental retardation are considered last in decisions regarding the allocation of technological resources such as computers. The purpose of this research was to determine if children with mild mental retardation have access to computers, and if so, how computers are used by these children. Results indicate that in Virginia's county public school systems students with mild mental retardation have access to computers and use those computers primarily for academic purposes.

Examining The Need For An Elementary/Middle To Secondary School Level Transition Plan For Students With Learning Disabilities, Deborah C. Roller

Theses & Honors Papers

The need for a transition plan to ease the progression of students with learning disabilities from the elementary and middle school grades to the secondary environment was examined in this study. Surveys were distributed and completed by 30 special education teachers in grades 5-8, 10 special education-learning disabilities teachers in grades 9-10, and 42 regular education-content area teachers in one school system. In addition to demographic data on respondents, information was gathered on instruction and student ability in the areas of academic skills, academic support skills, and social/behavioral skills. The characteristics of current modes and levels of planning were also …

The Development Of The Parent Effectiveness Test (Pet), Sharon S. Morrison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Not Available.

The Use Of Collaboration Among General Educators And Special Educators As A Means Of Educating Students With Learning Disabilities, Joan Dooley

Theses & Honors Papers

Progress is being made toward the collaboration between general education and special education. Collaboration is a slow process, however, for it to be effective it takes time, careful planning, and programs to better train teachers. Teachers who are involved in the collaborative process report that time and careful planning are of utmost importance when using collaborative teaching methods to educate students with learning disabilities. Eighty-one percent of general educators and 91% of special educators agree that there is not adequate planning time set aside for collaborative teaching strategies and/or lesson planning. General educators and special educators also agree that there …

Improving The Perception Students With Learning Disabilities Have Of Students With Mental Retardation Through Peer Tutoring, Sarah R. Raffetto

Theses & Honors Papers

A quasi-experimental design was used to test two hypotheses : that peer tutoring would alter the perception that students with learning disabilities held of students with mental retardation and that the peer tutoring program would improve the spelling scores of both the tutors and the tutees . Two classes of 17 students with learning disabilities and students with mental retardation served as the participants. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to calculate the significance of the program. The analysis of the results showed a trend towards improvement in perception that the tutors held of students with mental retardation, but because …

A Comparison Of The Perceptions Of Classroom Environments Between Students In Collaborative Classes And Students In Resource Classes, Mary Ann O'Neill

Theses & Honors Papers

The purpose of this study was to compare the perceptions of classroom environments between students in collaborative classes (n=13) and students in resource classes {n=40) as measured by the Classroom Environment Scale. Due to research limitations descriptive statistics were used to interpret the results of the study . Findings positively favored the use of collaborative teaching as a service delivery model for the instruction of students with learning disabilities .

Nova University Graduate Education Module (Gem) Master's And Educational Specialist Degrees: Pre-Kindergarten Handicapped 1993, Nova University

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice College Archive

No abstract provided.

Deliberate Response Falsification On Corresponding Subtests Of Two Tests Of Intelligence: Indicators For Simulating Mental Retardation, Denis William Keyes

Special Education ETDs

Among concerns inherent in psychological testing is the possibility that examinees might perform less than accurately or honestly when responding to test items (Lezak, 1983). In context of some legal proceedings, individuals may stand to gain by performing poorly on physiological tests (Anastasti, 1988). For example, defendants could attempt to falsify their answers to impersonate an individual with mental retardation for the purpose of raising issues of incompetence to stand trial, nonresponsibility, or mitigation. In some states, a finding of mental retardation may mean the difference between a life sentence and execution for a defendant convicted of a capital crime. …

A Resource Handbook For Planning And Implementing An Integrated Preschool Program, James Wallace Holden

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to design and develop a resource handbook to assist teachers and administrators responsible for implementing an integrated preschool program. To accomplish this purpose, research and literature relative to current integration delivery models, primarily those in Washington State were reviewed. The handbook developed was piloted in the Taholah, Washington School District.