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Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

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Harmonica Pedagogy For The Full Inclusion Instrumental Music Classroom, Expanding Opportunities For Students With Disabilities, George Wallace Miklas Jun 2022

Harmonica Pedagogy For The Full Inclusion Instrumental Music Classroom, Expanding Opportunities For Students With Disabilities, George Wallace Miklas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The harmonica was once taught in American public schools coast to coast from the 1920s through the 1940s when imports of harmonicas were curtailed due to World War II's efforts. Since then, American public-school instrumental music curricula have long forgotten the only wind instrument that makes music when the student inhales or exhales. The harmonica provides a natural calming effect to the player and medical benefits, including being a tool for overcoming mental health issues and expressing needs and feelings without words. During the era when the harmonica was taught, pedagogy lacked uniformity. Consequently, confusion about the instrument's unique tuning …


Middle School Staffs' Perceptions Of Bullying And Traumatization Of Special Education Students In An Alternative School Setting, Marlene Williams May 2022

Middle School Staffs' Perceptions Of Bullying And Traumatization Of Special Education Students In An Alternative School Setting, Marlene Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study is to know and understand teachers’ perceptions of bullying, teachers’ perceptions of special education students, and what influences their decision to intervene and assist when observing special education students being victimized through bullying. The theory guiding this study is Aaron Beck’s Cognitive Behavioral Theory’s Cognitive Triangle that suggests that thought influences emotions and emotions influences behaviors, as well in reverse. The data collection process includes individual interviews with eight classroom teachers who work in alternative middle schools. Due to COVID-19, in-person observations were omitted, and the individual interviews were conducted using Zoom …


The Effects Of Demographics, Training, And Experience On The Self-Efficacy Beliefs Of Online Special Education Teachers, Jeanette Huff May 2022

The Effects Of Demographics, Training, And Experience On The Self-Efficacy Beliefs Of Online Special Education Teachers, Jeanette Huff

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Self-efficacy beliefs have been shown to be indicators of student outcomes. They have been extensively studied in the brick and mortar setting and in online schools as well, but they have not been studied by special education teachers in the online setting. A key duty of special education teachers is delivering Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI). This study is a quantitative, predictive, correlational, and causal comparative, study and extends the understanding of the self-efficacy beliefs of special education teachers who deliver SAI in the online setting by using Tschannen-Moran and Woolfolk Hoy’s (2001) Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale to measure self-efficacy …


Be Who You Are: Social Identity And Social Disability As Experienced By 6th Grade Students With Learning Disabilities Educated In The Least Restrictive Environment: A Phenomenological Study, Kimberly P. Johnson Apr 2022

Be Who You Are: Social Identity And Social Disability As Experienced By 6th Grade Students With Learning Disabilities Educated In The Least Restrictive Environment: A Phenomenological Study, Kimberly P. Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe the lived experiences of 6th grade students with learning disabilities educated in their least restrictive environment (LRE) to the maximum extent appropriate sitting next to their non-disabled peers. Two theories guided this study, social identity theory and the social model of disability. Social identity (Tajfel, 1970) addresses individuals' self-worth and self-esteem based on the group they associate with and their rank in the group. Oliver's (1990) social model of disability addresses disability as a social problem rather than a personal problem. The central research question is as follows: what are the …


Best Buddies Club: A Phenomenological Study Of The Non-Disabled Peer Perspective On Socially Interacting With Students With Disabilities, Joanna Marie Cavender Apr 2022

Best Buddies Club: A Phenomenological Study Of The Non-Disabled Peer Perspective On Socially Interacting With Students With Disabilities, Joanna Marie Cavender

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the shared experience of non-disabled peers serving as a “best buddy” to high school students with a disability in the southeastern United States. The theory guiding this study was Vygotsky’s Social Constructivism Theory, where learning between two diverse learners occurs through social interaction with one another, specifically a high school student with a disability and a non-disabled peer buddy. Participants in this study (N=14) were selected from three different high schools throughout one school district, each with active extracurricular Best Buddies Clubs in place. Data were collected through 1:1 interviews, …


Case Study: Exploration Into Principal's Educational Leadership Training And Their Preparation To Lead Special Education Programs In Schools, Tyriq D'Shon Simmons Apr 2022

Case Study: Exploration Into Principal's Educational Leadership Training And Their Preparation To Lead Special Education Programs In Schools, Tyriq D'Shon Simmons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to explore the educational leadership training experiences in special education for school principals of public charter schools in Washington D.C. Guiding this study, is the theory of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), contributed by Shulman (1986), and the social constructivist theory contributed by Lev Vygotsky (1978). These theories seek to explain the relationship between what principals are expected to know and do based on leadership content knowledge and practical application, specifically in terms of leading special education programs in schools. The central question of this study is: What are the experiences of school principals …


Teacher-Student Relationships Influencing Classroom Management Of Challenging Behaviors: A Case Study, Kristen Slifko Apr 2022

Teacher-Student Relationships Influencing Classroom Management Of Challenging Behaviors: A Case Study, Kristen Slifko

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to understand how teacher-student relationships influence classroom management of students with challenging behaviors for teachers of ninth- grade Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS) students at Blue High School. The theory guiding this study was Glasser’s choice theory. All human behavior is driven by the desire to satisfy the five basic needs: survival, freedom, fun, power, and love. Behaviors happen because of personal choices made in an attempt to fulfill those needs. This idea served as a framework for all research and data collection. The method used for this case study was qualitative with …


A Phenomenological Study: The Self-Efficacy Of Twice-Exceptional Students, Lisa Ann Glover Apr 2022

A Phenomenological Study: The Self-Efficacy Of Twice-Exceptional Students, Lisa Ann Glover

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental, phenomenological study was to describe the perceived self-efficacy of twice-exceptional students in a singular school district located in the southeastern United States. The theories which guided this study are Swain and French’s affirmative model of disability, Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory, and Bandura’s self-efficacy theory because students who view their disabilities in a positive sense may have greater self-determination and thus increased self-efficacy. The guiding research question for the study examined the shared perceptions of self-efficacy among twice-exceptional students. Data to examine this question were collected from 10 high school students at East Lake School …


A Study Of K-12 Classroom Teachers' Concerns And Perceived Self-Efficacy In Implementing Inclusive Teaching Practices To Instruct Students With Disabilities, Pankaj Khazanchi Mar 2022

A Study Of K-12 Classroom Teachers' Concerns And Perceived Self-Efficacy In Implementing Inclusive Teaching Practices To Instruct Students With Disabilities, Pankaj Khazanchi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research over the past decade suggests teachers have low instructional self-efficacy/confidence and more concerns about implementing inclusive teaching practices. This quantitative correlational study explored whether reported concerns and demographic variables (gender, age, education, and years of teaching experience) predicts teachers’ instructional self-efficacy with students with disabilities. The Concerns about Inclusive Education and the Teachers’ Efficacy in Implementing Inclusive Practices scales were administered to 123 K-12 classroom teachers in Georgia. Data were subjected to hierarchical linear multiple regression to examine whether systematically adding select demographic variables and teachers’ concern scores to the overall model significantly improved the model’s ability to predict …


A Phenomenological Study Of The Shared Lived Experiences Of Students With Disabilities In Inclusion Classrooms, Michelle Lynette Brown Feb 2022

A Phenomenological Study Of The Shared Lived Experiences Of Students With Disabilities In Inclusion Classrooms, Michelle Lynette Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experience of inclusion for students with disabilities regarding the practice of inclusion at a rural middle school in Southwest Virginia. The theories guiding this study were Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of cognitive development and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The central research question for the study was: What are the shared lived experiences of students with disabilities in an inclusion classroom? Other questions addressed social and academic experiences of students with disabilities in inclusion classrooms. The study took place in intermediate and middle schools in rural Southwest Virginia. Purposeful sampling …


Improving Transition Services For Students With Intellectual Disability At Giles County High School, Catherine Claire Paul Jan 2022

Improving Transition Services For Students With Intellectual Disability At Giles County High School, Catherine Claire Paul

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project was to improve transition services available to high school students with intellectual disabilities in Giles County, Tennessee. The problem was there is a lack of consistent transition planning in Giles County, Tennessee. The central research question was, “How can transition services for students with intellectual disabilities be improved at Giles County High School in Giles County, Tennessee?” This project was conducted through interviews with administrators and educators, surveys of parents, and a document analysis of available information in Giles County for transition services. The information was then coded and analyzed for a mixed-methods research design. …


What Motivates Them To Graduate? A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Students With Disabilities Who Earn A High School Diploma In Title I Schools, Heather Steelman Dec 2021

What Motivates Them To Graduate? A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Students With Disabilities Who Earn A High School Diploma In Title I Schools, Heather Steelman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of students with disabilities in Title I schools that kept them motivated to earn a high school diploma. The central and sub questions explored factors associated with the attainment or fulfillment of basic psychological needs of competence, relatedness, and autonomy, as well as intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors. Title One high school graduates with disabilities, or students who had an individualized education plan (IEP) when they entered high school and continued to have an IEP through graduation, were identified through snowball sampling and participated in this study …


Special Education Teachers’ Self-Efficacy And Job Satisfaction In Youth Development Centers: A Quantitative Correlational Study, Kimberley Kerchelle Simmons Nov 2021

Special Education Teachers’ Self-Efficacy And Job Satisfaction In Youth Development Centers: A Quantitative Correlational Study, Kimberley Kerchelle Simmons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The number of students with disabilities entering youth development centers is increasing exponentially. The youth development center schools that are responsible for providing academic services to these students are inadequately staffed with special education teachers to meet the behavioral and academic needs of juvenile offenders with disabilities. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to explore the relationship between special education teacher self-efficacy and job satisfaction in teachers within the twenty-five youth development center schools located throughout the Georgia DJJ System. The participants completed the Teachers' Sense of Self-Efficacy Survey (TSES) and the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS). TSES was …


Teachers’ Self-Efficacy And Augmentative And Alternative Communication Technology Use, Tamara Therese Parks Oct 2021

Teachers’ Self-Efficacy And Augmentative And Alternative Communication Technology Use, Tamara Therese Parks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Students identified with disabilities and complex communication needs (CCN) add a unique aspect to teaching practice and pedagogy. Both special education and general education teachers play a vital role in providing opportunities for students to learn and succeed. Using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices is one way for students with CCN to access the general curriculum as well as become active participants in the classroom. Research has indicated that teachers’ attitudes and self-efficacy using AAC may affect how well the devices are used in the classroom. Though teachers are expected to provide the necessary supports required by students with …


The Relationship Between General Education Teachers' Expectations For Students With Disabilities And Academic Achievement, Emy Elizabeth Lorigan Oct 2021

The Relationship Between General Education Teachers' Expectations For Students With Disabilities And Academic Achievement, Emy Elizabeth Lorigan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Beginning with the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 and continuing through the passage of No Child Left Behind Act in 2001 and the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, legislation has significantly impacted the quality of education for students with disabilities. Many improvements, including the right to a free and appropriate public education within their least restrictive environment, have aided the academic success of students with disabilities. However, with the introduction of high stakes testing there has been increased pressure to succeed placed upon both the students and the teachers. Beyond unrealistic academic expectations, other factors including …


Perceptions Of General Education And Special Education Teachers Towards Inclusion: A Quantitative Study, Charity Leigh Kinneer Sep 2021

Perceptions Of General Education And Special Education Teachers Towards Inclusion: A Quantitative Study, Charity Leigh Kinneer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the attitudes of general education teachers and special education teacher of the inclusion classroom in the middle and high school levels. Using casual- comparative and survey methodology, the level of agreement or disagreement of these teachers’ attitudes towards the inclusive procedures was assessed in four areas: Planning, Classroom/School Environment, Collaboration/Team Partners, and Resources/Supports/Professional Development. The survey measured general education teachers and special education teachers in the middle and high school levels using a 19- item, five-point Likert scale. To address the research questions, an ANOVA was initially proposed. However, due to the low sample size of administrators …


Mothers Of Students With A Disability: A Phenomenological Study Of Experiences With School Discipline, Mary Jane Harris Jun 2021

Mothers Of Students With A Disability: A Phenomenological Study Of Experiences With School Discipline, Mary Jane Harris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand what school discipline means to mothers of students with a disability at various school districts in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. School discipline was defined as the policies and procedures schools use to manage student behavior. This study was supported by Oliver’s social model theory, Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, and Bandura’s self-efficacy theory. The purpose of data collection in this qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study was to gather data so an empirical analysis could be completed of how mothers of students with a disability define school discipline. Interviews, focus groups, and …


A Comparison Of Special And General Educators' Perceptions Of Collegiality, Jessica Brower May 2021

A Comparison Of Special And General Educators' Perceptions Of Collegiality, Jessica Brower

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The move to an inclusive model has placed additional strain on educators in both general and special education. Collegiality, an identified factor of educator attrition, could serve to reduce that strain. However, little is known about collegiality in education. This quantitative, causal-comparative study examined the differences in perceptions of collegiality among special and general educators from six Mid-Atlantic school districts, using the Teacher Collegiality Scale (TCS). Participants were drawn from a sample population of teachers representing (n = 234) special and (n = 234) general educators. This sample included participants from four states and approximately 235 schools. This sample is …


An Applied Study Examining Inclusion Models In An All-Girls Rhode Island Catholic High School, Shannon Mcmahon Apr 2021

An Applied Study Examining Inclusion Models In An All-Girls Rhode Island Catholic High School, Shannon Mcmahon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this applied study was to seek to solve the problem of a lack of comprehensive special education programming in an all-girls, Catholic school in Rhode Island, that addresses the students’ academic, social, and emotional needs, and to design a proposal of recommendations, using a multi-method approach. Particular attention was given to the merits of peer mentoring as an effective inclusion strategy. The central research question was “How can the problem of lack of comprehensive special education programs for girls be solved at St. Teresa’s Catholic School in Rhode Island?” Data were collected using both quantitative and qualitative …


Practitioner Perception Of The Implementation Of Evidence-Based Practices In The Special Education Classroom: A Case Study, Jolene G. Swezey Mar 2021

Practitioner Perception Of The Implementation Of Evidence-Based Practices In The Special Education Classroom: A Case Study, Jolene G. Swezey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative instrumental case study was to identify factors that inform the decision-making process of 11 special education practitioners for the implementation of evidence-based practices in the classroom at Central Combined School (pseudonym). The theoretical framework for this study is Lipsky’s street-level bureaucracy theory. Street-level bureaucracy theory states that social services workers use discretion to administer required policies. Understanding how special educators act as street-level bureaucrats will provide new insights into teacher perception of the decision-making process for implementing evidence-based practices. The central research question asked, What are the factors that inform the decision-making process for special …


Music Participation And Achievement Scores Among Middle School Students With Disabilities: A Causal-Comparative Study, Ashley Anne Gonzalez Dec 2020

Music Participation And Achievement Scores Among Middle School Students With Disabilities: A Causal-Comparative Study, Ashley Anne Gonzalez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative, causal-comparative study examined the differences in reading and math achievement between students with disabilities who participated in music for two or more years and those who did not. This study’s purpose was to show if participating in music can impact the academic achievement of middle school students as measured by the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR). The covariate in the study was the reading and math STAAR scores from fifth-grade students in the 2015–2016 school year before they participated in middle school music. These students’ eighth-grade 2018–2019 math and reading scores were used to show …


Experiences Of Special Education Teachers Responsible For Training Novice Paraeducators In The Inclusive Setting: A Phenomenological Study, Rachel Lyn Wilbur-Carlyle Sep 2020

Experiences Of Special Education Teachers Responsible For Training Novice Paraeducators In The Inclusive Setting: A Phenomenological Study, Rachel Lyn Wilbur-Carlyle

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study, as outlined by Moustakas, was to describe the experiences of special education teachers serving as trainers of novice paraeducators in the inclusion setting. It occured within the metro-Atlanta area. The theory guiding this study was Lave and Wenger’s theory of situativity. This theory focused upon social practices occurring within relationships amongst communities and supported the inquiry of special education teachers. The central research question that guided the study was: “How do special education teachers who work in the elementary school inclusive settings describe their experiences supervising special education paraeducators?” To support the focus …


A Phenomenological Study On The Lived Experiences Of High School Students With A Reading Disability, Ellen R. Ziegler Aug 2020

A Phenomenological Study On The Lived Experiences Of High School Students With A Reading Disability, Ellen R. Ziegler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Reading is an essential skill for all students. However, students who do not grasp the basic reading skills during elementary school struggle through school. Without basic skills, many of these students are at risk for behavioral issues and a low self-concept. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of high school students with a specific learning disability in reading. The theory that guided this study was the social identity theory as it relates to high school students with a disability in reading to their identity to self and others. The central research question for this …


A Causal-Comparative Study Of Christian School Special Needs Student Test Scores Based On Teacher Degree, Daniel Lee Riley Jul 2020

A Causal-Comparative Study Of Christian School Special Needs Student Test Scores Based On Teacher Degree, Daniel Lee Riley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Special education is a field that is expanding at a rapid pace. A second field of education that has been in existence for only a few decades is the modern Christian K-12 day school. The merging of the two of these phenomena in education creates a research platform that few have studied in unison. There is little research when pairing these two fields, but the need to study them is great. This study will focus on the academic achievement of students with special needs, based upon standardized math and reading test scores, using the Stanford 10 (SAT 10) standardized assessment …


What Works? A Collective Case Study Of Effective Collaborative Practices In Elementary And Middle School Inclusion Classrooms In Southwest Virginia, Shellie Denise Brown Jul 2020

What Works? A Collective Case Study Of Effective Collaborative Practices In Elementary And Middle School Inclusion Classrooms In Southwest Virginia, Shellie Denise Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The advent of inclusive educational practices in the United States in recent decades has prompted a need for increased and improved levels of collaboration among general and special education teachers. The purpose of this qualitative, holistic, collective case study was to develop an in-depth understanding of general and special education teachers’ best practices for effective collaboration in kindergarten through eighth grade public education inclusion classrooms in Southwest Virginia. This study investigated two teams of general and special education teachers who were demonstrating effective collaborative practices. This study sought to answer the central research question: What are general and special education …


A Comparison Of Perspectives Of Special And Regular Education Teachers On Inclusive Education, Bryanan Stefanie Salita Callicutt May 2020

A Comparison Of Perspectives Of Special And Regular Education Teachers On Inclusive Education, Bryanan Stefanie Salita Callicutt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many teachers feel unprepared to meet the educational needs of students with disabilities in the general education classroom setting. Presently, limited information exists about the separate viewpoints general and special education teachers hold about providing inclusive education. The purpose of this causal-comparative study is to compare the perspectives of inclusive education held by general and special education teachers located in the state of North Carolina. The perspective about inclusive education will be measured using the Multidimensional Attitudes toward Inclusive Education Scales (MATIES). The framework guiding this study is the Ajzen theory of planned behavior which explains that one’s beliefs, attitude …


Classroom Teachers And School-Based Mental Health Professionals: A Multi-Case Study, Andrea Spangler Leonard May 2020

Classroom Teachers And School-Based Mental Health Professionals: A Multi-Case Study, Andrea Spangler Leonard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative, multiple-case study was to understand the pedagogy and attitudes of teachers when faced with the presence of school-based mental health professionals in the classrooms in two schools in southwestern Virginia. Semi-structured interviews, with open-ended questions, document analysis, and participant observations were utilized to collect data. The theory that guided this study was Bandura’s (1993) theory of perceived self-efficacy as it related to an individual teacher’s sense of how capable he or she is of creating an environment conducive to learning. The research centered around understanding how a teacher addresses necessary changes to pedagogy and attitude, …


A Description Of The Lived Experiences Of Administrators Supervising Special Education Programs: A Phenomenological Study, Kristen Marie Richtberg Wilkins Mar 2020

A Description Of The Lived Experiences Of Administrators Supervising Special Education Programs: A Phenomenological Study, Kristen Marie Richtberg Wilkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe how novice, public school administrators experience and learn to supervise special education programs. This study was founded in epistemological assumptions that specific knowledge is required to provide supervision for special education programs. This study was additionally framed using Knowles’ adult learning theory, which theorizes that adults bring their personal experiences to bear and are intrinsically motivated to learn information that they need (Knowles, 1970, 1973). For the purposes of this study, adult learning theory related to the lived experiences of administrators as they learn to supervise special education programs. The …


Self-Efficacy Among Special Education Teachers Who Teach Students Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Pamella Tracy Hosley Jul 2019

Self-Efficacy Among Special Education Teachers Who Teach Students Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Pamella Tracy Hosley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study is to determine the relationship between perceived self-efficacy and work engagement among teachers of students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Self-Efficacy data will be gathered using the Ohio version of the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scales (TSES-T) and the student engagement, classroom management and the instructional strategies sub-scales. Work engagement will be evaluated using the Utrecht Work Engagement Total Scale. Participants will be 66 special education teachers who teach students diagnosed with ASD. A bivariate correlational design employing a Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine if there is a significant relationship between …


In The Shadows Of Autism: A Collective Case Study On Life With A Sibling With Autism In A Military Family, Jennifer M. Henderson-Rudling Jul 2019

In The Shadows Of Autism: A Collective Case Study On Life With A Sibling With Autism In A Military Family, Jennifer M. Henderson-Rudling

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this collective case study was to understand the typically developing (TD) sibling's well-being and role in a military family with a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on a military post through the parent and TD sibling perspective. The three theories which guided this research include the social cognitive theory (Bandura, 2001a), self-determination theory (Ryan and Deci, 2000), and family system theory (Bowen, 1966). These theories were utilized to evaluate and better understand the motivations, characteristics, and the social development within the family when one child has a diagnosis of ASD. The research questions were: (1) How …