Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

“Re/Imagining Culturally Responsive Educational Practices (Crep) And Effectively Implementing Crep To Meet The Needs Of A Diverse Student Population”, Rena' Glass-Dixon, Shelbie Dixon-Brown

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

The aim of this interactive workshop for educators and administrators is to promote cultural awareness and reflect on the impact that our own cultural influences have on the teaching and learning process. This interactive session will also allow professional educators and leaders to apply culturally informed practices to foster positive school climate, learning and academic achievement relevant to a widely diverse student population. The workshop strives to encourage dialogue between educators, administrators and interdisciplinary/inter-agency team members through the application of evidence-based practices for the development of a deeper understanding of ourselves and how our views as educators, schools and districts …

The Devil Is In Your Closet: 48 Square Feet Can Change Everything, Tracey G. Keim

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Using a "real" grocery list, cash money, and an unexpected situation, attendees put themselves in the shoes (or socks) of the children-at-risk and families who need support in a hands on, solution centered workshop. Workshop participants walk away with culturally relevant materials that will allow them to find funding for a 6'x8' corner of hope--at little or no cash cost. But that makes all the difference in the world.

Bully, Bullies And Bullying: Pejorative Terminology, Alternative Descriptors, And Ethics-Based Interventions, Tom Clees, Todd J. Stephens

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This presentation will present historical perspectives on the use of person-first terminology as related to the impact of contemporary pejorative terminology, including the terms associated with "bullying." Functional alternatives in assessing problematic behaviors will follow. Finally, ethics-based (least intrusive) social skills and behavioral interventions will be exemplified.

Rockets: Reaching Our Community Through Kindness, Education, Togetherness And Stem – A Sustainable Communities Project In Sumter County, Georgia, Crystal Perry

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This poster session highlights the ROCKETS program implemented in Sumter County Schools through UGA Extension. Through the ROCKETS Project in-school sessions, youth with disabilities are provided additional opportunities to belong to a larger group of youth through the Georgia 4-H Program. The ROCKETS Project focuses on Agricultural literacy and STEM education as content areas to cultivate, recruit and graduate the next generation of a highly-skilled diverse workforce.

Differentiated Instruction That Works For “At Risk” Students: Reaching And Meeting The Need, Henry Tellis

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Are you looking for differentiated instructional strategies that reach every student? Come hear how I have learned to meet the learning styles of students in my classroom. This session will provide research-based strategies on how to effectively implement center-based instruction and practical strategies to use in a risk school classroom. Learn how to reach and meet the needs of learners.

Practical Strategies For Regulating Students’ Brains, Kathy Van Horn, Joshua Macneill

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Knowing your students are impacted by trauma is only step one. It is more important to know what to do. This session will cover interventions such as brain breaks, fidgets, student curriculum and service dogs. We will share how we transformed four schools to meet the needs of struggling students. Whether you are an academic, clinical, or administrative staff, you will leave with tangible interventions you can implement immediately.

Effective Instructional Practices For Students With Mild Disabilities: Cognitive And Meta-Cognitive Strategies, Crystal Roberts, Andrea Scandrett, Jessika Washington

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

General Education Teachers, Special Education Teachers, and School Administrators will be able to gain information needed to support students suspected of or identified as experiencing learning disabilities. The presenters will discuss cognitive and meta-cognitive high leverage instructional practices that can be used to improve student engagement and academic achievement by strengthening executive functioning skills to enhance memory, attention and self-regulation.

Instructional Scaffolding Of The Acrl Framework For Information Literacy For Developmental Learners., Fabio Montella

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Information literacy has become a necessary set of abilities for community college students to possess in this age of digital distribution. The plethora of information that is generated at an almost instantaneous rate has brought about the need for an information-literate student body with the ability to both decipher and utilize viable and valid information. However, the attainment of such abilities requires the comprehension of information literacy core concepts. These concepts, while instrumental, may be difficult to grasp without a foundation of practical familiarity, especially for students in developmental education courses.

In this presentation, Fabio Montella, Assistant Professor of Library …

Testing For All: An Exploration Of Disproportionality In The Georgia Alternate Assessments, Kelly D. Childers, Meagan Arrastia-Chisholm, Katharine S. Adams, Heather M. Kelley Ph.D.

Georgia Educational Researcher

Public schools use standardized testing to measure students’ academic achievement at the conclusion of each school year. Students with severe cognitive disabilities are evaluated through the Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA). The purpose of this descriptive study was to describe the demographic characteristics of students who took the Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA) and students who took the Georgia Milestones End of Grade Assessment (EOG) in English/Language Arts using publicly available data from the 2014-2015 academic year. Additionally, the study investigated disproportionality of certain student groups who took the GAA and EOG in English/Language Arts. A series of chi-square analyses resulted in …

The Relationship Between Co-Teaching Partnerships And Student Achievement, Tikki N. Middleton

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Due to legislative mandates schools are required to educate SWDs in the least restrictive environment alongside SWODs, which lead to the rise of co-teaching. However, enhancing the quality of co-teaching partnerships to impact student achievement poses a challenge for many school leaders due to the absence of quantitative data involving the impact of co-teaching on student achievement. The purpose of this study was to identify correlations among the qualities of co-teaching partnerships in grades six through eight as measured by The Colorado Assessment of Co-teaching (CO-ACT), and student growth percentiles from Spring 2019 Georgia Milestones Assessment (GMAS) data in middle …

Increasing College Entrance Testing Vocabulary For Secondary Students With High-Incidence Disabilities, Cynthia C. Massey, Margarett E. Shippen, Margaret M. Flores, Cindy Head

Georgia Educational Researcher

This study investigated the effects of an instructional technology device, specifically, a computer-based graphic organizer, called the Real-World Connections Vocabulary graphic organizer (Ellis, 2015), on vocabulary acquisition for college entrance testing skills of students with high-incidence disabilities. Although graphic organizers have been studied since the 1960’s, there is very little research regarding the effectiveness of computer-based graphic organizers when used with high school students with mild disabilities, and their benefit acquiring college entrance exam vocabulary knowledge, namely, the ACT exam. By means of a single-subject, multiple probe across participants design, this study demonstrated that a functional relation did exist between …

Physical Therapists' Perspectives Of School Functioning For Children With Cerebral Palsy (Cp), Vevian Grace A. Lee

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this study was to use a qualitative participatory action research method – Photovoice – to identify perceived barriers and facilitators to school functioning among school-based physical therapists of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Seven physical therapists made up the participants in this study. The researchers followed the nine-step methodology recommended for Photovoice. During the training session, participants were educated on the background of Photovoice and the purpose of the study. They were given 14 days to take photographs after which researchers used a focus group interview structured by the SHOWeD method. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability …

Motivating The Unmotivated: How Are We Supporting Struggling Readers In Upper Elementary Classrooms?, Maci V. Wood

Honors College Theses

Motivating struggling students to read is a question considered by many general education reading teachers and special education teachers alike. Since student classroom experiences today differ greatly from classrooms of the past in terms of instructional practices and learning supports, scripted materials that seldom cater to student interest have often been promoted due to the pressure of standardized assessment. With little to no student engagement present in the classroom, it is up to the student to find the will to read or to the teacher to utilize alternative strategies in increasing student motivation (Cambria & Gunthrie, 2008). However, there is …

You Must Know Them Before You Can Grow Them, Beatrice "Bea" Lewis

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

It is an inescapable truth that schools must learn as much about their students and their experiences in order to create a culture built on relationships, which is the cornerstone to student learning. The dynamics and complexities of building positive relationships with students are impacted when teachers’ attitudes, values, and biases conflict with school culture. In this interactive “real talk” session, participants will examine their own biases and attitudes that may be hindering the cultivation of positive relationships. Participants will be introduced to a variety of approaches that can be used to evaluate the values, beliefs, and attitudes that are …

Qualitative Content Analysis Of Policy As An Expression Of Educational Theory On Special Education Preschool Placement Options, Jennifer M. Dineen

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study utilized a qualitative content analysis approach where the researcher collected policies and theories to analyze and interpret and to examine the relationship between developmental theories and Georgia preschool policies as they relate to inclusion using archived state policies found on the Georgia Department of Education and Department of Early Learning website. The theories of Vygotsky (1978), Piaget (1936), and Bronfenbrenner (1979) were examined, along with the public policies on Georgia preschool. These policies included Georgia Early Learning Development Standards, Bright from the Start operating guidelines, and Work Sampling System. The researcher found common themes and/or phrases in the …

Student Involvement In Ieps, Lauren Pounds, Joshua Cuevas Dr.

Georgia Educational Researcher

There has been a recent initiative for students to be involved in their Individualized Education Plan. The goal is for students to become self-advocates and learn to develop goals that pertain to their interests. The study examined this process of including students by addressing three questions. First, does student involvement in their IEP lead to greater mastery of IEP goals? Second, does student involvement in their IEP impact academic achievement? Third, in what ways does the Self-Advocacy Strategy, IPLAN, increase student participation in IEP meetings? Three students participated in the study by providing inventory on their strengths, weaknesses, and what …

Actor-Network Theory And Animal Therapy: Uncovering The Relational Ecology Of The Exceptional Student Classroom, Kristin A. Blanton

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Expanding upon the research on ecology in curriculum studies and companion animals, this mixed methods case study aimed to explore how the incorporation of a nonhuman entity impacted the relational ecology of the exceptional student classroom. Utilizing actor-network theory as a theoretical guideline, the goal of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of how the introduction of a therapy dog as a student affected the relational ecology of the classroom by analyzing the dynamic networks of relationships formed between the students and the therapy dog. Relational ecology acted as a conceptual framework within the field of curriculum studies …

Special Education Teachers' Response To Consistent Changes In Curriculum Standards, Megan Fromme

Honors College Theses

This research explored how the changing standards have influenced special education teachers’ efforts to meet the needs of their students, and the teachers’ perceptions of the consistent changes in standards. A narrative, qualitative design was used, which involved eight participant interviews. In each interview, the participants answered questions pertaining to their level of comfort teaching the Common Core Standards and Georgia Standards of Excellence, whether or not they received professional development on the standards, and what they think of the new standards. Currently, there is a paucity of research regarding teacher’s perspectives on curriculum standards, and this research project fills …

A Review Of Survey Data Collected On The Use Of Applied Behavior Analytic (Aba) Based Instructional Strategies By Educators In Pennsylvania Schools, Eric J. Bieniek, Mike Monfore, Matthew Erickson, Ashlea Rineer-Hershey, Richael Barger-Anderson

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This survey was initiated to explore the perceptions and daily practices of Applied behavior Analytic ABA) by educators supporting exceptional learners in public and private school settings in Pennsylvania. This survey explores the degree to which educators are trained, feel confident in and actually carry out a range evidenced based practices following an ABA approach. Results are also presented in regards to barriers that educators feel limit the delivery of ABA based approaches and undermine the fidelity of interventions once introduced in their professional settings.

Building A Better Risk Prevention Model, Steven Hornyak

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This presentation chronicles the work of Houston County Schools in developing a risk prevention model built on more than ten years of longitudinal student data. In its second year of implementation, Houston At-Risk Profiles (HARP), has proven effective in identifying those students most in need of support and linking them to interventions and supports that lead to improved outcomes and significantly reduces the risk of failure.

Shattered Ground: Mental Health Disorders In Children – A Hidden Crisis, Yvonne Hefner

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This session will offer teachers an in-depth understanding of mental health disorders, including basic information about these disorders, background information to assist in identifying early warning signs, and strategies for supporting students that may suffer from a mental health disorder. Teachers will learn classroom strategies that will foster a positive learning environment which will help to support these students

Working Together: Building K-12/College Mentor Partnerships To Support Students With Learning Differences, Tammy J. Graham, Renee N. Jefferson, Koy Mai, Christopher "Gage" Russell, Ashley Cannon, Mary Taylor

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

In an interactive discussion with audience members, presenters will share ideas for developing positive mentor-mentee partnerships between K-12 schools and colleges; discuss the impact of two recently established mentor partnerships, as well as perspectives from college student mentors and K-12 teachers of student mentees with learning differences; collaboratively examine data to discuss potential program adaptations; and provide mentoring activities that audience members can utilize.

Trust Building Tools For Talking With Youth During Times Of Conflict, Bonnie C. Springer, Andrea Crist

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This presentation will provide tools and strategies for turning crisis into opportunity. The skills of Life Space Crisis Intervention provide helping adults faced with the extreme behavior of youth during times of crisis strategies which build trust and connections in meaningful and healing ways; turning crisis into opportunity for at risk youth to develop social responsibility and grow emotionally

Using Cartoons To Make Connections And Enrich Mathematics, Janet St. Clair

Proceedings of the Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (Archived)

The article discusses the integration of cartoons into a finite mathematics college course. However, cartoon integration is appropriate for any educational level STEM course. Students and the author used an online comic strip creator, MakeBeliefsComix.com, to create cartoons that connected concepts to the real world and history. Following Cho, Osborne, and Sanders (2015), students wrote a paragraph about their cartoon and its mathematics. In addition to connecting mathematics to art and writing and unearthing students’ creative side, cartoons helped show the humanistic side of mathematics and promote communication and excitement about mathematics. The author developed a rubric to evaluate students’ …

Using An Apple Ipad And Communication Application To Increase Communication In Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jamy H. Meeks

Georgia Educational Researcher

With the increase in the number of students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it is imperative to determine productive interventions to enhance communication skills. Recent investigations regarding the use of speech generated devices (SGD), such as the Apple iPad, to communicate have been performed with mixed results (Flores, Musgrove, Renner, Hinton, Strozier, Franklin, & Hill, 2012). The researcher used a single subject design, incorporating multiple baselines across settings, for two preschool students diagnosed with ASD in a public preschool during snack time and center time. The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of a SGD …

The Values Grounded Learning Environment: Developing A Positive School Culture And Student Success, Michael J. Redivo Ph.D., Lynn Coleman

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

The Values Grounded Learning Environment training provides educators with a comprehensive positive behavior management model, including basic strategies for effective limit setting and positive reinforcement. It is a user friendly model that can be implemented in a variety of educational settings and provides a framework for thoughtfully responding to student behaviors and emphasizing student and staff accountability.

Pathway To Graduation: A Summer Reading Intervention Project For Middle School Students, Mandy Strong

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Usefulness to Practitioners

This presentation will provide an overview of a summer reading intervention program for middle school students who are struggling readers and exhibit behavioral deficits. The purpose of the program was twofold: (1) to intervene with struggling readers; (2) to use a social skills component to develop motivational skills in participants.

Attendees of the presentation can leave with an understanding of ways to implement summer interventions in an effort to enhance the academic performance of struggling students. This presentation is geared toward administrators, teachers, and university partners on ways to develop future programs to impact achievement.

Teaching The Value Of Work Through School And Community Integration, Sharon Singleton, Jason Bossart

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Bonnie Brae is a 100 year old residential treatment facility for youth at-risk. Recognizing a need to implement experiential learning into our school, we have effectively collaborated and partnered with numerous community non-profit organizations for work experience. Because of this integration, our boys are prepared to successfully transition from the residential environment knowing the importance of interpersonal skills and the value of work.

Increasing Academic Engagement And Compliance With Self-Management And Social Sills Instruction, Tom J. Clees, Todd Stephens Ph.D.

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

The implementation of Self-recording techniques and social skills instruction designed to increase engagement and compliance to teacher directions will be described. Two research studies will be presented in which students with behavioral challenges improved academic engagement and compliance.

A Study Exploring Parents’ And Occupational Therapists Views On Facilitating Social And Emotional Development, Salena C. Neuwar

Honors College Theses

This study examined how parents of a child with a disability and the child's occupational therapist each facilitate social and emotional development among children who have or are currently receiving occupational therapy services. This study first served to identify, through interviews, what social and emotional skills are important individually to the parent and the occupational therapist that the child gains. Through interviews, the researcher investigated the perceptions of how parents and occupational therapists facilitate social and emotional skills. The location of the therapy session was found to be a vital component among parent and occupational therapist interaction. Finally, this research …