Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Pre-Service Interdisciplinary Training In Autism Spectrum Disorders, Terisa P. Gabrielsen, Phd

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This project was designed to give mentoring experience to students across disciplines who were seeking additional knowledge and training in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Participation in the project was intended to benefit students by giving them more knowledge within their field and across disciplines, helping future patients and clients with ASD and to enhance applications to specialty and graduate programs in related fields. Students produced a large (attendance=150) interdisciplinary training workshop for the community and developed a website collection of autism resources for clinicians and families.

Tiers 2 & 3 Intervention: Threat Assessment, Ana M. Cathcart, Elisabeth J. Kane, Reece L. Peterson

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Conclusion

Understanding why students behave aggressively and violently can be a challenge. Even more challenging is trying to prevent aggressive and violent student behavior. Although serious violent acts by students, such as a shooting, are rare, it is still vital to be able to assess, evaluate, and deter potential threats in schools. Researchers suggest that schools create policies and procedures to evaluate and assess threats and violent student behavior. Also, researchers recommend that schools utilize the threat assessment approach to help facilitate the process of evaluating and assessing threats (Cornell & Sheras, 2006). Even though there has not been extensive …

Parents Of College Graduates With Learning Disabilities: Practices And Factors Attributing To Their Children's Preparation For Postsecondary Education, Alexander Johnston Hale

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate and describe parenting practices that parents believe were effective in helping prepare their children with LD for college enrollment. Participants were chosen from among the parents of students interviewed by Cook (2010). Six parents (three couples) volunteered to be interviewed by phone. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed using hermeneutic phenomenological methodology. Under the category of Parent Practices, themes emerged in the areas of early identification, self-advocacy training, and home accommodations, and under the category of Family Factors, themes emerged in the areas reading, expectation, and normalization. Findings are discussed …

Chinese International Students Attending American Universities: How Can We Help You? A Qualitative Study On Chinese International Students' Acculturation Experiences, Zhen Li

Theses and Dissertations

Given the increasing number of Chinese international students attending American universities, an important study would be to consider problems arising during these students' initial transition period, as they acculturate into the American culture and educational system. Taking this information into account, university counseling centers, campus services, and those who interact with and support these students would be better able to assist in easing the initial and ongoing stress of living in a foreign country and adapting to a new way of life. Thirteen Chinese international students participated in qualitative interviews conducted in Mandarin Chinese, each participant's native language. Each participant …

Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions Of Students With Learning Disabilities: Using Mixed Methods To Examine Effectiveness Of Special Education Coursework, Renée A. Greenfield, Megan Mackey, Gretchen Nelson

The Qualitative Report

As the number of K-12 students with learning disabilities educated in general education classrooms grow, it is essential to examine the preparation and perceptions of pre-service teachers (N=15) who will educate students with learning disabilities. Within the context of an undergraduate learning disabilities method course, this study examined how pre-service teachers perceived students with learning disabilities as well as the effectiveness of particular course experiences, including fieldwork with students with learning disabilities, video vignettes, lesson planning, assigned reading, and center-based instruction, in shifting perceptions. Using a convergent, mixed method design, teacher educators at a university in the northeast used surveys, …

Parental Perceptions Of Independence And Efficacy Of Their Children With Visual Impairments, Michael P. Munro, Maricela M. Garza M.Ed., Janiel R. Hayes M.Ed., Elizabeth A. Watt M.Ed.

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

Raising any child to become successful and self-sufficient presents challenges to all parents; however, the complexity of the decision-making in parenting may become more intricate for parents of children with visual impairments. It can be a challenge determining the balance between intense overprotection for reasons of safety versus the encouragement and attention to the participation in unique or challenging learning experiences. Parents of children with visual impairments may also struggle to find the fine line between viewing the child through he lens of the impairment (as other or less than) versus treating the child in the same manner other …

The Role Of Family-Led Disability Organizations In Supporting Families With Hearing-Related Concerns, Diane D. Behl, Janet Desgeorges, Karl R. White

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

A survey was conducted with state level chapters from Family Voices, Parent Training and Information Centers, and Parent–to-Parent USA to understand their current activities support families of children with hearing-related concerns and to identify gaps in their ability to support families of children who are D/HH. these organizations reported that they are contacted with parent requests for information in regard to family support opportunities, early intervention, referral sources pertaining to hearing concerns, financial help, and providing information about legal rights. Results showed that the greatest challenges for these organizations were related to needing to connect families to financial resources pertaining …

Off The Lip Conference - Transdisciplinary Approaches To Cognitive Innovation. Conference Proceedings, Sue Denham, Michael Punt, Edith Doove, Martha Blassnigg, Raluca Briazu, Kathryn Francis, Agi Haynes, Guy Edmonds, Adam Benjamin, Matthew Emmett, Iris Garrelfs, Christopher B. Germann, Joanna Griffin, Diane Humphrey, Bryanna Lucyk, Christie Purchase, Rachel Sansone, Emily Baxter, Amy Ione, Frank Loesche, Abigail Jackson, Alexis Kirke, Eduardo Miranda, Luke Rendell, Simon Ingram, Yutaka Nakamura, Gi Taek Ryoo, Eugenia Stamboliev, Michael Straeubig, Chun-Wei Hsu, Pinar Oztop, Mihaela Taranu, Sundar Sarukkai, James Sweeting, Minami Hirayama

Off the Lip Conference - Transdisciplinary Approaches to Cognitive Innovation

The promise of cognitive innovation as a collaborative project in the sciences, arts and humanities is that we can approach creativity as a bootstrapping cognitive process in which the energies that shape the poem are necessarily indistinguishable from those that shape the poet. For the purposes of this conference the exploration of the idea of cognitive innovation concerns an understanding of creativity that is not exclusively concerned with conscious human thought and action but also as intrinsic to our cognitive development. As a consequence, we see the possibility for cognitive innovation to provide a theoretical and practical platform from which …

Tier 1 Intervention: School Climate And Culture, Elisabeth J. Kane, Natalie Hoff, Allison Heifner, Shir Palmon, Reece L. Peterson

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Conclusion

A vast amount of research supports the idea that positive school climate has many benefits for school systems. The positive benefits affect students, staff, families, and the local community. Benefits range from improved academic achievement, personal and mental health, and relationships; as well as reduced bullying, victimization, suspension, drop out, and teacher turnover. Appropriate assessment and intervention procedures are key to reducing the gap between research and practice. Although school climate enhancement is not a simple or quick task, it is a crucial piece of school improvement and can have profound effects on student wellbeing and academic success.

Tier …

Parental Directiveness And Responsivity Toward Young Children With Complex Communication Needs, Shari L. Deveney, Cynthia J. Cress, Matthew Lambert

Special Education and Communication Disorders Faculty Publications

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to determine if parent responsiveness to their children with complex communication needs (CCN) during naturalistic play changed over an 18-month period and determine if any such changes were influenced by the child’s overall level of receptive and expressive language development, motor development or differing play contexts. This longitudinal information is important for early intervention speech-language pathologists and parents of children with developmental disabilities for whom the use of parent-directed responsivity interventions may be encouraged.

Method: Over an 18-month period, 37 parents of young children who had physical and/or neurological disabilities …

Easing Reentry Of Incarcerated Youth With And Without Disabilities Through Employability And Social Skills Training, Taryn Vanderpyl

CGU Theses & Dissertations

When incarcerated youth – those with and those without disabilities – face the prospect of reentering the community, they have many obstacles to overcome. Employment requirements are often associated with terms of parole or aftercare. Those who fail to obtain and maintain employment often reenter the juvenile justice system instead of successfully reentering society. Research shows employment is critical for successful transition from incarceration back in to the community. Limited information is available about programs that positively impact post-incarceration employment for juveniles, however. Practitioners face the challenge of selecting effective curriculum, interventions, or supports. Unfortunately, the current knowledge base provides …

Differences In Physical Activity Participation, Screen Time, And Body Mass Index For Children With Learning Disabilities And Typically Developing Children, Andrew Q. Pawlick

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

TOPIC: There is a vast body of research revealing low levels of physical activity, excessive use of electronic media, and increasing obesity rates for children in the United States and Europe. This study measures differences in physical activity, screen time, and Body Mass Index (BMI) between typically developing (TD) children and children with learning disabilities (LD). METHODS: The study included 404, thirteen year old Irish children with an LD diagnosis and 440 randomly selected 13 year olds that are typically developing. Children self-reported on how many days in the past two weeks they participated in moderate to vigorous …

Graduate Bulletin, 2016-2017 (2016), Minnesota State University Moorhead

Graduate Bulletins (Catalogs)

No abstract provided.

Short­‐Term Test-­Retest Reliability Of Informal Phonological Analysis For 2­‐Year‐Old Late Talkers, Jordan Gearheart, Ann Walker, Shari L. Deveney

Special Education and Communication Disorders Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

This poster discusses: Background, Research Question, Method, Results, Conclusions, Clinical Implications, and Limitations & Future Directions.

Nsu Certificate Of Advance Graduate Studies Curriculum 2016, Nova Southeastern University

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

No abstract provided.

Hearing Parents Of Children With Hearing Loss: Perceptions Of The Iep Process, Robin Fern Stegman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This phenomenological study investigated the nature and extent of the support parents received during IEP development. The study was informed by Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory. Participants, located in a Northeastern state, were 10 hearing parents of children who had been diagnosed with hearing loss at birth and were between ages 5 and 12. Data were in-depth interviews that were analyzed, coded, and organized into themes using an inductive approach to analysis informed by Hatch. Results indicated that parents believed they needed more guidance on what to expect during the first IEP meeting, that advocating for appropriate accommodations for their child …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Inclusion In Elementary Classroom Settings, Delicia Peacock Peacock

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inclusion classrooms were introduced in the United States in 1990 when the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act required that special education students be instructed in a general education setting. Ensuing changes in instructional formats have caused role confusion for special and general education teachers, resulted in mixed attitudes toward teacher responsibilities, and lowered teachers' sense of efficacy about being able to teach their students. Guided by Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory, this bounded case study design in a rural elementary school in a southeastern state was used to understand the perceptions of general and special educators regarding their work in …

From Rainman To Rainmaker: A Presentation Of Jim’S Journey And Rapidly Advancing Technologies: Integrating Proven Behavioral Therapies With Emergent Measurement And Testing Advances Will Result In Transformational Progress In Autistic Individuals, Richard Zajac

CMC Senior Theses

The autism treatment status quo was reviewed and accompanied by a narrative contextualizing past and present progress with my younger brother Jim’s journey with the condition, sharing proposed next steps for bettering the current state of affairs in the space. The impetus for this piece was to share in the lessons of Jim’s life thus far and the revelations of those who have supported him, as well as to determine ways to create more impactful, lasting change in the limited window of early intervention therapy whilst empowering individuals on the spectrum to optimize for their skills and talents rather than …

Exploring Barriers To The Generalization Of Social Skills Interventions For Children Diagnosed With Asd: A Qualitative Analysis Of ‘Youth Engagement Through Intervention’, Zachary Shindorf

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Many children who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have difficulty with social skills and maintaining friendships. In turn, many social skills interventions have been developed to aid in the treatment of children diagnosed with ASD. Children with ASD, however, have difficulty generalizing the skills learned in social skills interventions to more natural settings like the home and school. This study, therefore, explored the barriers to the generalization of a social skills intervention, Youth Engagement Through Intervention (YETI) for children with ASD. Barriers to the generalization of YETI were explored through the qualitative examination of parents’ acceptability of the …

Sibling Experiences: Living With Young Persons With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Tina Dyches, Beth Ward, Brianna Smith Tanner, Barbara Mandleco, Donna Freeborn

Faculty Publications

Like other young people, those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have an impact on siblings in both positive and negative ways. Research indicates positive attributes include maturity and responsibility; positive self-concept; less quarrelling and competition; admiration for the person with ASD; and satisfactory sibling relationships. Negative attributes include fear of frightening or violent behavior, decreased sibling intimacy, and social and emotional difficulties. However, most research relies on information from parents/teachers, rather than from siblings. Therefore, this qualitative descriptive study explored experiences of 11 brothers and 11 sisters living with a young person with ASD through audiorecorded semi-structured interviews. Analysis revealed …

Experiences Of Neurotypical Siblings Of Children With An Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Qualitative Exploration, Stacie R. Keirsey

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

In recent years, the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been on the rise, prompting a simultaneous increase in scientific study regarding cause, impact, and intervention (Hughes, 2009; Ravindran & Myers, 2012). Research has proposed advances in the treatment of the individuals diagnosed and focused efforts on scholastic, parental, and professional intervention and supports. However, the siblings of ASD children have largely been neglected in this scientific investigation. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore neurotypical siblings’ experiences in living with a child diagnosed with ASD. Seven adolescents were selected using criterion, convenience, and snowball sampling. …

The Impact Of Globalization On Access For Individuals With Disabilities, Katherine Williamson

Honors Theses

This comparative ethnomethodology study is focused on the global context elements that help explain public policies and its consequences on types of access available to individuals with disabilities in the United States Midwest and West Africa. The goal of this study is to identify the role of individuals with disabilities in a global society by answering two research questions. First, what are the public policies in place for physical, social, and educational access in the United States Midwest and West Africa? Second, how is physical, social, and educational access being provided in the United States Midwest and West Africa? The …

Development And Validation Of A Survey Of Knowledge Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Laura Katherine Hansen

Master's Theses

As autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is more commonly diagnosed, having knowledge of the disorder becomes increasingly important for educators, parents, and the general public. Previous research regarding knowledge of ASD, focused mainly on knowledge possessed by those in the educational field, has found that individuals may perceive themselves as possessing average knowledge regarding ASD but have low actual knowledge (as defined by the researchers) regarding specific aspects of the disorder (Williams et al., 2011). Studies support the notion that there is a general lack of knowledge of different aspects of ASD among teachers; however, there has been little research regarding …

Culturally Relevant Parental Involvement: Perceptions Of Mexican Immigrant Mothers In Rural Wyoming, Sandra P. Sanderson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand Mexican immigrant mother's perceptions concerning parental involvement with their children's schools. It provides a perspective on cultural considerations relevant to the implementation of Epstein's model of parental involvement. Eight mothers, two documented and six undocumented, who had emigrated from Mexico and were living in rural Wyoming, were interviewed. The information provided by the participants included descriptions of practices the mothers considered meaningful when involved with their children's education. They shared their own experiences of their school attendance in Mexico and their own parents' involvement with their education. They also shared their understanding …

Tiers 1, 2 & 3 Intervention: Sleep And School, Katherine M. Kidwell, Maren Hankey, Donna M. Flores, Tori R. Van Dyk, Alyssa Lundahl, Timothy D. Nelson

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Conclusion

Educators need to take a more active role in identifying and addressing sleep related issues in students in order to maximize their learning potential and to minimize the numerous negative outcomes of sub-optimal sleep and sleep disorders. Specifically, school personnel can educate parents on the importance of sleep and advocate for later school start times for middle and high school students. In addition, when symptoms persist, educators can make recommendations to parents as a part of the SAT and MDT. See Figure 4 for recommendations for schools.

Living With Students: Lessons Learned While Pursuing Tenure, Administration, And Raising A Family, Michael Humphrey, Janet Callahan, Geoff Harrison

Early and Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This case study is centered on two faculty-in-residence: one pursuing tenure and raising a young child while living in the residence halls and one an established professor and associate dean raising two teens while living in the residence halls. This case study offers two unique perspectives of faculty-in-residence at various stages in their career, living in residence with their students, working closely with students outside a typical classroom, all while managing professional and familial obligations.

Adolescent Females With High-Functioning Asd: Self And Mothers’ Perspectives Of Their School And Social Experiences, Lindsey Land

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is currently 1 in 68 (Centers for Disease Control, 2015) and research in this area is growing, high-functioning individuals on the spectrum are often overlooked. This is because of their relatively milder symptoms. The recent collapse of Asperger Syndrome (AS) with autism in the most recent version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5; APA, 2013) also has obscured the differences that may exist between those with higher vs. lower levels of functioning. Among youth with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (HFASD), girls are a particularly understudied and potentially vulnerable group. Previous research …

Test-Retest Reliability Of Independent Phonological Measures Of 2-Year-Old Speech, Katherine Wittler, Shari L. Deveney

Special Education and Communication Disorders Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

This poster discusses: Background, Research Question, Methods, Results, Conclusions, Clinical Implications, and Limitations & Future Directions.

Bibliotherapy As An Intervention For Aggressive Elementary Children, Kari Newman

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the effect of bibliotherapy as an intervention for aggressive elementary children at a residential treatment center in the western United States. Bibliotherapy was provided for six children, three boys and three girls, ages 9 to 11, Caucasian and Hispanic, who took part in one of two groups. The study involved a multi-baseline design, beginning with a baseline phase, followed by two separate intervention phases comprised of eight sessions of bibliotherapy. Data gathered from almost daily observations along with pre- and post-intervention ratings of aggressive behaviors indicated that four of the six students demonstrated notable decreases in observed …

Tiers 2 & 3 Intervention: Suspension, Scott Fluke, Natalie Hoff, Ana Cathcart, Reece L. Peterson

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Conclusion School suspension has been used for many years as a disciplinary consequence. Research has shown that Zero Tolerance Policies are associated with increasing use of suspension, often for minor violations such as tardiness, dress code infractions, and minor classroom misbehavior. Suspension has been shown to be relatively ineffective, failing to change student behavior, leading to future suspension, lower academic achievement, and eventual dropout. Moreover, suspension has been used disproportionately with minorities and students with disabilities. As a result a variety of efforts are underway to develop strategies to identify alternative disciplinary consequences, and to implement other procedures which have …