Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

A Case Study On The Application And Implementation Of Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports For Students With Emotional Disabilities In Alternative Education, Kira Candelieri Marcari

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Alternative educational settings are serving students with emotional disabilities (ED) at an increasing rate; however, there a paucity of research examining the effectiveness of these programs. A review of the existing literature targeting students with problematic behaviors, supports the use of a positive, preventative, proactive, and systematic approaches such as the three-tiered, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS) framework. Although findings suggest that the PBIS framework is associated with favorable outcomes for students with ED in both traditional and nontraditional settings, few studies have explicitly examined whether PBIS can be effectively modified to fit the needs of students with ED …

A Survey Of Registered Behavior Technicians: Initial And Ongoing Training And Support, Gabriela Mcwhorter Zapatero

Communication Disorders & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) benefit from early intervention, specifically applied behavior analysis (ABA). ABA is often implemented by paraprofessionals who are known as registered behavior technicians (RBTs). For many years, educators have known the value of corrective feedback in relation to skill acquisition. In this case, emphasis was placed on the proclivities of the staff in regard to feedback. This mixed methodology study examined the various strategies currently utilized to instruct RBTs, as well as their preferences for initial and continued training. Results indicated the majority of RBTs who responded to the online survey were being trained …

Online Behaviors Of Teenagers On The Autism Spectrum, Amelia Anderson, Abigail Phillips

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The Internet can be a source of connection and support for teenagers on the autism spectrum. This study explores how teenagers on the autism spectrum who identify as library users spend time online by addressing the following research questions: How do teens on the autism spectrum participate in the online environment? And, how do teens on the autism spectrum make sense of social media? Quantitative and qualitative data was analyzed from nine participants, recruited through online discussion forums. Implications suggest a potential role for educators and librarians to offer opportunities and support in creating and building online connections.

The Effects Of Teacher-Delivered E-Coaching On Paraeducators And Students, Annemarie L. Horn, Marcia L. Rock, Andy M. Markelz (Ed.)

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Paraeducators play a vital role in providing special education services to students with disabilities, yet they often enter the classroom with inadequate training. Using a multiplebaseline across participants research design, we evaluated the effects of job-embedded bug-in-ear (BIE) coaching delivered to paraeducators on their use of behavior specific praise (BSP) while working 1:1 with transition-age students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Results showed all paraeducators used optimal rates of BSP during the intervention condition while receiving immediate feedback from the special education teacher (i.e., eCoach). High rates of BSP were sustained over time, and changes in expressive social and communicative …

Using Eye Tracking To Explore Visual Attention In Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Anne M.P. Michalek, Jonna Bobzien, Victor A. Lugo, Chung Hao Chen, Ann Bruhn, Michail Giannakos

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Video social stories are used to facilitate understanding of social situations for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study explored the use of eye tracking technology to understand how adolescents with and without ASD visually attend to video social story content and whether visual attention is related to content comprehension. Six adolescents, with and without ASD, viewed a video social story of visiting a dental office. Eye gaze metrics, including fixation duration and count, and visit duration were collected to measure visual attention, and a knowledge assessment was administered for comprehension. Results indicated adolescents with ASD fixated and maintained …

Literature Review: Progressive Time Delay As An Instructional Method For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Mindy Medrana, Natalia Allen

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

We conducted a review of the literature on articles published between 1990 and 2020 that measured the effects of progressive time delay (PTD) on skill acquisition in students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In all, 11 experimental research articles, each of which employed a single-case methodology, were deemed appropriate for our review according to inclusionary criteria. We analyzed studies according to methodological details, including participant information, dependent variables, skill acquisition, generalization, and follow-up measures. Findings from our review support the efficacy of PTD as an instructional procedure used to teach students with ASD. That is, all of the reviewed empirical …

Internet-Of-Things Devices In Support Of The Development Of Echoic Skills Among Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Krzysztof J. Rechowicz, John B. Stull, Michelle M. Hascall, Saikou Y. Diallo, Kevin J. O'Brien

VMASC Publications

A significant therapeutic challenge for people with disabilities is the development of verbal and echoic skills. Digital voice assistants (DVAs), such as Amazon’s Alexa, provide networked intelligence to billions of Internet-of-Things devices and have the potential to offer opportunities to people, such as those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), to advance these necessary skills. Voice interfaces can enable children with ASD to practice such skills at home; however, it remains unclear whether DVAs can be as proficient as therapists in recognizing utterances by a developing speaker. We developed an Alexa-based skill called ASPECT to measure how well the DVA …

Lessons From The Past And Challenges For The Future: Inclusive Education For Students With Unique Needs, William Evans, Robert A. Gable, Amany Habib

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

The school-age population of students is becoming increasingly more culturally and linguistically diverse. There is mounting recognition that English Learners (EL) represent a unique group of students who have special educational and linguistic needs. This article considered the needs of learners with diverse special needs such as (a) learning and behavior challenges and (b) English Learners identified as students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE). We highlighted some potential lessons to be learned from past-to-present efforts to serve students with behavior problems. Selected evidence-based practices were featured that are applicable to learners with special needs, thereby supporting the development …

District Promotion Policies For Students With Disabilities: Examining Principal Interpretation And Implementation, Latoya Exum Floyd

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The number of students receiving special education services have steadily increased in the United States over the past decade. Students with disabilities (SWD) historically score lower on high stakes tests, and they require considerations beyond academic achievement for promotion. The growing number of SWD and accountability measures included in district promotion policies has resulted in a wide range of principal interpretation of district promotion policies. A principal’s interpretation of district promotion policies affects the district’s high school graduation and dropout rates. Therefore, unclear promotion policies can lead to inconsistent interpretation; which can lead to greater retentions and dropouts for SWD …

Retaining Special Education Teachers: The Relationship Between School Leadership And Special Education Teacher Retention In A Low-Income School, Amanda Elizabeth Jones

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

School districts across America are struggling to recruit, hire, and retain qualified teachers in the classroom (Wushishi, Fooi, Basri & Baki, 2014; Simpson, Whelan & Zabel, 1993). In 2006 the national teacher replacement cost in America averaged approximately $2.2 billion per year (Borman & Dowling, 2008). A once highly esteemed profession is now one faced with many positions left unfilled and students without instructors. The influence of teacher shortages across content areas can be felt by students and teachers alike (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2019). Although general education teachers leaving their classrooms can negatively impact students in various situations, those students …

Effects Of Bug-In-Ear Technology On Specific Praise Statements Given By Paraeducators To Transition-Age Students With Autism, Olga Karadimou, Sierra Lotts, Annmarie Horn

College of Education & Professional Studies (Darden) Posters

This investigation experimentally evaluated the effects of eCoaching with Bug-in-Ear (BIE) technology on the use of contingent specific praise in three paraeducators working in a special education transition classroom. A trained special education teacher provided performance-based feedback in real-time as paraeducators worked one-on-one with transition-age students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and comorbid intellectual disability (ID). As such, we used a multiple baseline research design to evaluate the effects of the independent variable (i.e., eCoaching). Results indicated that eCoaching using BIE technology increased the use of contingent specific praise given by paraeducators as they worked one-on-one with students. Increased rates …

Developing Speech-Language Pathology Students’ Grammatical Identification Skills Through Gamification, Emerson Lopez Odango, Anne M. P. Michalek, Corrin Richels, Jane Roitsch

College of Education & Professional Studies (Darden) Posters

Background: Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are communication experts required to analyze and interpret a variety of language components (Schuele, 2010). Language sampling is a form of communication analysis and is used with adult and pediatric populations. SLPs collect and analyze language samples in an effort to make evidence-based diagnostic and intervention decisions. When analyzing a language sample, sentences must be deconstructed along a variety of parameters. At Old Dominion University (ODU), the undergraduate Communication Sciences and Disorders program requires students to identify broad and specific grammatical categories during language sample analysis in preparation for clinical experiences.

This research involves the design …

Development And Validation Of The Students With Learning Disabilities School Counselor Self- Efficacy Scale: A Psychometric Study, Rawn Alfredo Boulden, Jr.

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

School Counselors play an important role in the success of all students. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) and the Council for The Accreditation of Counseling And Related Educational Programs (CACREP) emphasizing the importance of school counselors in supporting the diverse needs of all students. Despite the efforts of the aforementioned association and accrediting body, the verdict is mixed regarding school counselors’ self-efficacy to counsel and support students with learning disabilities. This quantitative study aimed to develop and validate the Students with Learning Disabilities School Counselor Self-Efficacy Scale, an instrument that assesses school counselors’ belief in their ability to counsel …

Autism Spectrum Disorder Students: A Survey Of Rural Community College Educators, Pamela Love Hanks

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The number of students diagnosed with autism in public schools is increasing and this special population is now enrolling in colleges and universities. At the K-12 level, numerous supports are provided consistent with federal law; equivalent supports are not required in the postsecondary classroom. Student success often depends on the relationships built in the academic setting. From an instructional perspective, faculty members may have little or no training, limiting their understanding and support of this growing population of students, complicating relationship building. There is a dearth of literature available on the effective training of community college faculty who work with …

Physical Education Teachers' Attitudes Towards Teaching Zumba To Children With Disabilities, Evelina C. Brandon

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of physical education teachers toward teaching Zumba to children with disabilities during physical education classes. Sixty-two physical education (PE) teachers (Mean Age = 42.13, 15 males, 47 females) participated in this cross-sectional survey design study. The survey data was analyzed using Pearson correlation methods, independent t tests, and the Cronbach’s coefficient technique to measure correlation, variance between participants, and the reliability and validity of the survey. Findings indicated that physical education teachers believed that teaching students Zumba in PE class would be beneficial and effective for students with disabilities. This …

Using The Question-Answer Relationship Strategy To Improve Listening Comprehension In Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Lisa A. Phalen

Communication Disorders & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

A well-established research base indicates that many children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience deficits in reading comprehension skills. There is currently limited research which examines the relation between the communication and language impairments in ASD and emergent literacy skills in early childhood. Listening comprehension has been identified as one emergent literacy skill closely linked to reading comprehension development. The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of the question-answer relationship strategy (QAR) and QAR cue cards as a shared book reading intervention package on the listening comprehension skills of children with ASD. A single-subject concurrent multiple-baseline …

Comparison Of Motor-Enhanced And Visual-Enhanced Interventions For Grammar In Young Children With Developmental Language Disorder, Alisha P. Springle

Communication Disorders & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Up to 7.6% of children demonstrate a developmental language disorder (DLD), which can persist through adulthood, causing difficulty with academic achievement, social relationships, and financial stability. Grammar development, as a hallmark of DLD, is an important area of need for these children. Existing grammar interventions do not clearly distinguish the sensory input techniques that meet these children’s neurobiological instructional needs. This adapted alternating treatment design study implemented intervention using systematic paired visual and verbal and systematic paired motor, i.e. standardized gestures, and verbal sensory input techniques. A moderate-strong functional relation between intervention techniques using motor supports on grammatical outcomes in …

Building Collaborative Partnerships To Increase Postsecondary Education Opportunities For Students With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Annemarie L. Horn, Kimberly M. Bean, Selena J. Layden, Judith E. Terpstra, Karen C. Holloway

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Transitioning from high school to the next phase of life can be especially challenging for youth with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (IDD). Federal mandates are in place to provide individualized transition services to students with disabilities up to age 22; however, there is variability in the location of service delivery. A growing number of school districts have partnered with institutions of higher education (IHE) in an effort to enhance postsecondary education (PSE) opportunities for individuals with IDD who are between the ages of 18-21. While there are some differences in PSE programs, the core foundational component is constant across …

Statistical Analysis Of Fnirs Data: Consideration Of Spatial Varying Coefficient Model Of Prefrontal Cortex Activity Changes During Speech Motor Learning In Apraxia Of Speech, Rachel Johnson, Jennifer Matthews, Norou Diawara, Rachel Carroll

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Apraxia of speech is an impairment in the planning and programming of speech typically accompanied by aphasia (language impairment) secondary to a left hemisphere stroke. It is unknown if the structural and functional connections to the damaged area implicate the integrity of the cognitive functions of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The present study examines the feasibility of measuring hemodynamic activity in the PFC in response to the structure of practice and during treatment. This multiple-baseline single case-design study involving two individuals with chronic acquired apraxia of speech measured the hemodynamic changes in PFC activity during treatment across the intervention period …

Scoring Morphology In Measures Of Spelling And Written Morphological Awareness: A Scoping Review, Victor A. Lugo, Kimberly A. Murphy, Emily Diehm

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Chapter 7: Learners With Disabilities And Video-Based Instructional Message Design, Charles Thull

Instructional Message Design, Volume 1

Learners with disabilities are entitled to public education that supports their unique needs, but unfortunately, they experience poor post-secondary outcomes when compared to their peers, including lower rates of post-secondary education engagement and employment. Individuals with low incidence disabilities experience lower employment rates when compared to other individuals with disabilities, due to the impact of difficulties with social/communication, self-determination, and executive functioning skills. Researchers have developed video-based instruction with various message design and technology features to support independence for individuals with disabilities, including basic to complex vocational task completion. This chapter will provide useful information for designers, educators, state and …

An Examination Of Oral Argumentation Using Socioscientific Issues Among Secondary Students With Disabilities, Mindy A. Gumpert

Communication Disorders & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The recent science education reforms mandate that all students must receive adequate opportunities to access the science curriculum in order to gain a better understanding of how science and the world works (National Research Council, 2012). According to these reforms, engagement in argumentation is one science practice essential to today’s K-12 science education (Sampson & Clark, 2011). Engagement in argumentation promotes critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills, and has the potential to promote growth of cognitive and metacognitive reasoning (Venville & Dawson, 2010). Additionally, engagement in argumentation using socioscientific issues provides students with authentic links to contemporary real-world social …

An Overview Of Dyslexia: Definition, Characteristics, Assessment, Identification, And Intervention, Jane Roitsch, Silvana M. Watson

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Background: Dyslexia is a developmental brain-based type of learning disability that affects a person's ability to read and spell words. Best estimates place 5 percent to 10 percent of the population with the condition, but the incidence of dyslexia is challenging to pinpoint, as the definition of dyslexia varies throughout research. Objective: The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of dyslexia, its characteristics, assessment and identification, and intervention techniques for the condition. Results: Although the disorder varies from person to person, common characteristics among people with dyslexia include difficulty with phonological skills, low accuracy and fluency of …

Examining Self-Contained And Integrated Physical Education Experiences Among Individuals With Visual Impairments, Rebecca Coffey

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Introduction. While research to date has examined the views of individuals with visual impairments toward integrated public-school physical education, little attention has been given to examining perspectives toward experiences at residential schools for those with visual impairments. By understanding the perspectives of those who attended physical education in both contexts, researchers can gain valuable information about particularities that can make experiences meaningful or challenging. The purpose of this study was to examine how individuals who experienced physical education in both integrated and residential school settings viewed their physical education class experiences. Methods. This study utilized a retrospective interpretative phenomenological approach …

Students With Learning Disabilities, Pair Programming And Situational Motivation, Shana L. Pribesh, Wu He, Silvana M. Watson, Debra A. Major, Li Xu, Ling Li, Xin Tian, Anjee Gorkhali, Yuming He

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Persons with learning disabilities (LD) are underrepresented in computer science and information technology fields despite the explosion of related career opportunities and interest. In this study, we examine the use of pair programming as a collaborative intervention in with computer programming and compare students with learning disabilities to students who do not have learning disabilities. We concentrate on situational motivation constructs which tap into the desire to meet goals and acquire skills. We find that students with LD and similar students without LD fare the same. For the both groups, three of the four situational motivation subscales increase after the …

The Effects Of Teacher Coaching In The Lincing Routine On The Vocabulary Knowledge Of Secondary Students With Disabilities, Dana W. Cho

Communication Disorders & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

A pretest-posttest time series design controlling for teacher coaching was used to evaluate the effects of the LINCing Routine to support secondary students with disabilities while increasing students’ vocabulary knowledge. Two special education teachers and 26 secondary students with disabilities participated in this study. Student performance was investigated in terms of increased accurate use of the LINCing Routine and overall improvement of vocabulary knowledge while controlling for teacher coaching. The dependent variable increased and remained stable throughout intervention. Pretest and posttest results were also favorable. Students reported average social validity while teachers reported high social validity for the intervention. The …

The Effect Of Choice Of Ipad-Delivered Math Independent Practice Of Elementary Grade Students With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Characteristics, Nora A. Altaweel

Communication Disorders & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

A choice-making strategy is an antecedent control that has proven to be effective for students with problem behaviors. Because students with Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may display disruptive behaviors and show poor academic performance, it has been suggested that incorporating choice-making strategies into academic instruction could serve to increase academic engagement and task accuracy. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of iPad-based choice-making opportunities during math independent practice on each participant's task engagement, time required to complete task, task accuracy, and task completion, as well as the teacher and participants perceptions of social validity of the intervention. …

Examining The Effectiveness Of Video Instruction On Teaching Daily Living Skills To Adolescents And Young Adults With Intellectual Disability, Annemarie L. Horn

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Independently performing essential daily living skills enables individuals to become more self-sufficient adults. Those with intellectual disability (ID) tend to require direct instruction and repetition to successfully aquire everyday tasks. Many adults with ID continue to show deficits in this domain, affecting independent living abilities (Luftig & Muthert, 2005). Video-based instruction holds promise in increasing autonomous functioning while decreasing reliance on staff. This review of the literature examines the effectiveness of using video instruction (VI) to teach daily living skills to adolescents and young adults with ID. Acquisition, generalization, and maintenance of target skills are examined across the literature. A …

Predicting Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Student Success: Executive Functions And Standardized Admission Tests, Jane E. Roitsch

Communication Disorders & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Within the next three years, the number of available speech-language pathology (SLP) jobs is projected to increase by 18% (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018). The most logical response to the escalating market demand would be to increase the number of students admitted into SLP graduate programs. However, this may not be as simple as it sounds.

Successful training of graduate SLP clinicians requires the professional, emotional, financial, and time commitments of the program’s clinical and academic faculty. The accreditation status of graduate SLP programs is based in part on graduation completion rates and students passing the national examination in SLP, …

Demystifying Research: Accessing & Understanding Evidence For Clinical Practice, Kimberly A. Murphy, Meredith Poore Harold, Mary Huston

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

The demands on clinicians for evidence-based practice (EBP) are great. However, many speech-language pathologists have received little to no training in how to ‘do’ EBP. In this presentation, we aim to describe and provide practical suggestions for two of the steps in EBP—accessing, then reading and interpreting research to inform clinical decision-making. Our goal is to give clinicians the tools and confidence they need to grow into expert clinicians.

Learner Outcome 1: Describe the components of evidence-based practice (EBP)

Learner Outcome 2: Identify ways to access research

Learner Outcome 3: Identify steps in reading and evaluating the …