Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Tennessee General Education Preschool Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Preparedness To Teach Young Children With Disabilities, Misty M. Moody

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), local education agencies (LEAs) must educate young children with disabilities in the least restrictive environment (LRE) while ensuring opportunities to learn alongside their non-disabled peers. As inclusive opportunities for preschool-aged children with disabilities continue to expand, general education preschool teachers play an important role in providing instruction that meets the diverse needs of all children. However, limited research has examined general education preschool teachers’ perceptions of their preparedness to teach young children with disabilities, particularly in Tennessee.

This qualitative study explored Tennessee general education preschool teachers’ perceptions of their preparedness to teach …

We All Read: Adapting An Early Literacy Program For Children With Developmental Differences And Their Families, Rachel Podl

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Children with developmental differences face elevated risk for early literacy delays, while their caregivers experience significant difficulty accessing appropriate and supportive resources. This paper describes an adaptation of WeRead, an existing story-time and psychoeducation program through the University of Denver's Baby S.T.E.P.S. Lab, for children ages 0–7 with developmental differences and their caregivers. The program integrated a neurodiversity-affirming read-aloud, a strengths-based art activity, movement and music, caregiver psychoeducation on visual schedules, and collaboration with four community partners. The event drew approximately 65 attendees. A post-program survey, though limited by few responses, indicated that caregivers valued the program's accessibility, community partnerships, …

Exploring The Viability Of A Mobile Platform For Families Of Children With Autism: A Community-Based Approach, Natasha N. Babulal

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Families raising children with autism spectrum disorder face chronic stress, social isolation, and significant barriers to accessing consistent, relevant support. Existing digital tools are largely child-focused, fragmented, and not designed with caregiver well-being or peer connection in mind. This mixed-methods exploratory study assessed the viability of a community-based mobile application designed to address those gaps by connecting caregivers, providing practical strategies, and facilitating access to professional guidance.

The study was grounded in social support theory and the technology acceptance model, and examined caregiver-identified needs, preferred app features, and willingness to engage with a proposed digital platform. Data were collected from …

Equitable Access To Literacy Assessment And Instruction For Students With Cerebral/Cortical Visual Impairment, Tammy Reisman

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Students with Cerebral/Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) represent a growing population of learners whose visual difficulties originate in the brain rather than the eyes. As understanding of CVI has evolved, questions have emerged regarding the most appropriate approaches to literacy assessment and instruction. While some educational approaches emphasize maximizing visual functioning, increasing evidence supports the integration of compensatory skills and multiple sensory channels to improve literacy access. Understanding current literacy assessment and instructional practices is essential to ensuring equitable educational opportunities for students with CVI.

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine current literacy assessment and instructional practices for …

The Development And Validation Of Gains-Id, A Guidebook For Adapting Intervention Sessions For Students With Intellectual Disability, Kayla Mccreadie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Targeted interventions can equip students with intellectual disabilities (ID) with essential academic skills that support positive post-secondary outcomes. However, the lack of interventions specifically designed for this population creates barriers to equitable education. Until more interventions are developed, educators may benefit from resources that help adapt evidence-based practices to meet the needs of students with IDD.

The first manuscript introduces GAINS-ID (Guide for Adapting INtervention Sessions for Intellectual Disabilities). Based on best practices and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), the guide offers examples of adaptations to various intervention components—such as time, materials, environment, …

Exploring The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence Tools On Special Education Teachers’ Workload And Burnout In Colorado: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Rawa Suhail Abu Alsamah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, special education (SPED) teachers face complex workloads, high caseloads, and extensive documentation responsibilities, contributing significantly to burnout and retention issues. The recent integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into educational settings presents promising opportunities to alleviate teachers' instructional and administrative demands. To better understand the impact of AI on SPED teachers, this phenomenological qualitative study explored the lived experiences of licensed K–12 SPED teachers in Colorado who use AI tools in their professional practice. This study also examined how AI tools supported workload management, as well as their perceived impacts on burnout and intentions to remain in …

Remixing Dialogue: A Case Study On Perceptions Of Hip Hop Pedagogy In A Professional Learning Course, Kelly J. Thelen

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This qualitative case study examines how teachers’ decision-making and professional autonomy shift while participating in a Hip Hop Pedagogy Professional Learning course supported by structured FIXIT (Lo & Wachter, 2023a, 2023b, 2023c, 2023d; Wachter & Lo, 2024) game-facilitated dialogue in a rural, culturally and linguistically diverse Midwest community. Grounded in Freire’s (1970) Critical Pedagogy, Ladson-Billings’ (1995) Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (Paris and Alim, 2017), and Adult Learning Theory (Knowles et al., 2005), the study explores the reclamation of agency by teachers in a time of constrained creativity and educator autonomy shaped by strict policy environments, an emphasis on …

Exploring Special Education Teacher Perceptions Regarding Their Role In Promoting Self-Regulation Among K-8th Grade Students, Emily Keyes

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Existing research explores self-regulation in the field of special education, however there has yet to be a body of research that relates specifically to special education teachers’ perceptions of their role in fostering self-regulating students in grades K-8. This narrative qualitative study utilized interviews and observations to extract data from each of the 15 total participants across 9 suburban New Jersey public school districts. Common perceptions of participants included a lack of, or unclear, district vision regarding self-regulation, as well as an absence of explicit professional development. The key findings in this study revealed that self-regulation skills are fostered by …

Vocabulary Knowledge Within Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Hannah A. Lord

Masters Projects

Young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are consistently experiencing a “definitional gap”, where they are able to process vocabulary breadth within labeling but are unable to comprehend text due to the lack of vocabulary depth. The four week vocabulary unit titled “Our World in Words” is created to bridge the gap between vocabulary breadth and depth for first graders. Research in Dual Coding Theory and Cognitive Load Theory provides insight into the use of stable visual anchors with orthographic facilitation, which allows for the disregard of auditory processing, along with an overloaded cognitive load. This framework includes four important …

Effective Science Instruction For Elementary Aged Students With Significant Cognitive And Adaptive Delays, Rabecca L. Juarez

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

In Utah, students begin participating in statewide end-of-year assessments in third grade, with science added in fourth grade. Students with the most significant cognitive and adaptive disabilities participate in the Dynamic Learning Maps® (DLM®) alternate assessment, which measures student performance in English language arts, mathematics, and science aligned to Essential Elements (EE). Despite participation in statewide accountability systems, students with significant cognitive disabilities in a Southwest Utah School District have consistently demonstrated low science performance on the DLM assessment.

The aim of this project was to collaboratively create science lessons for students who participate in the alternate assessment. This project …

A Systematized Review Of Parent Experiences With Special Education Placement In Rural Communities, Madeline Bishop

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Parents of children enrolled in special education programs often face unique challenges, particularly in rural settings where access to resources and communication with school personnel can be limited. This systematized review explores how rural school systems can best support parents during the special education process. A systematized review of articles published between 2005 and 2025 was conducted. A thematic analysis of 20 articles revealed 3 themes following the review: benefits and barriers to rural special education, professional relationships, and parents’ strain and appreciation. Overall findings highlight the importance of the experiences between parents and school personnel regarding special education. Limited …

Students With Borderline Intellectual Functioning: Dropping The Label And Reducing The ‘Line’, Samantha M. Sitzman

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Students with Borderline Intellectual Functioning (BIF) often experience significant academic and social-emotional difficulties while remaining ineligible for many formal special education services, creating challenges in identifying and supporting this population within school settings. This convergent mixed methods study examined school psychologists’ perspectives regarding the challenges experienced by students with BIF, the interventions commonly used to support them, and the systemic barriers associated with service delivery. Twenty-two practicing school psychologists in Virginia completed a researcher-developed survey containing quantitative and qualitative items. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative responses were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Findings indicated that school psychologists …

Parental Engagement For Students With Disabilities In Online Learning, Misty A. Benson

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Parental engagement for online students with disabilities is critical for their learning success (Tundle et al., 2016). When parents are actively engaged in online learning, their children experience positive learner outcomes (Smith et. al., 2016). Research indicates that students with disabilities are rapidly transitioning to fully online learning, with parents playing an active role as their learning instructors.The implication for parents who choose to enroll their children with disabilities in online learning is greater parental engagement in their child's learning.

Tier 2 Literacy Interventions In Low-Income Schools: Implications For Breaking The Cycle Of Poverty, Morgan Koch

Dissertations

This study examined the development of a mastery-based Tier 2 reading and writing curriculum prototype designed to improve the coherence and consistency of literacy intervention in high-poverty educational settings. Using the Design Thinking process, stakeholder feedback from educators, administrators, instructional staff, and parents informed the development of the prototype through the Empathy, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test phases. The curriculum was evaluated by 15 education professionals through a mock implementation, usability survey, and focus group discussion. Findings suggested that participants perceived the prototype as practical, well organized, and supportive of more efficient and consistent Tier 2 literacy instruction, while also …

Making Sense Of The Iep: Teacher Perspectives In Implementation In Suburban Schools, Siranda J. Patchel

All NMU Master's Theses

The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legal requirement and instructional framework to support students with disabilities. However, inconsistency among IEP classroom implementation is a challenge. The purpose of this study was to explore the implementation of IEPs for students with disabilities as reported by general and special educators in suburban settings, in addition to examining educators’ perceptions of their preparedness and comprehension of IEP-related responsibilities.

The qualitative research design incorporated a survey and follow-up interview response analysis of educators who worked in suburban schools. The responses were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach that consisted of open coding and …

Why They Stay: A Qualitative Study Of Experiences Of Veteran Low-Incidence Self-Contained Special Education Teachers Who Remain In The Profession, Jessie Leyden

Dissertations

Persistent shortages of special education teachers in the United States have intensified the need to understand not only why some educators leave, but why others choose to stay. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the experiences of veteran special education teachers working in low-incidence, self-contained classrooms who choose to remain in the profession. With a particular focus on the factors that contribute to their retention beyond the first three years, the study involved a sample of ten low-incidence, self-contained teachers from a variety of states across the country. Using semi-structured interviews, the study explored how these …

Use Of A Task Analysis Application With Video-Prompting To Increase Social Skills For Individuals With Moderate To Severe Intellectual Disabilities, Zachary Hurley

All Dissertations

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities present deficits in both intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior, which can limit an individual’s ability to function independently. Given the different levels of intellectual functioning and adaptive skills, individuals with moderate intellectual disabilities require a level of support in daily situations and environments. However, individuals with severe to profound intellectual disabilities require the most extensive amount of support in daily skills. Research demonstrates that the use of video-based instruction is an effective tool in increasing social skills among individuals with intellectual disabilities. Additionally, conclusions derived from the current review of literature identified gaps in …

An Investigation Of The Use Of Self-Regulated Strategy Development With A Mnemonic On The Fraction Computation Performance Of Students At-Risk For Emotional/Behavioral Disorders, Melissa D. Hullett

All Dissertations

Interventions that help students organize their thinking can reduce cognitive load and support academic, behavioral, and social success. Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) is an evidence-based instructional framework that combines strategy instruction with self-regulation to promote student independence and improve student confidence. A mnemonic has been shown to help scaffold support across all content areas to the level of mastery required by Stage 4 of the SRSD framework ("Memorize It"). In mathematics, where executive functioning demands are high, interventions to scaffold content must provide the metacognitive support needed for a diverse student population. This study used a multiple-baseline design to examine …

Unlocking Potential: How High-Fidelity Plcs Protect First Graders From Over-Identification In Tiered Placement, Tomeka D. Love

All Dissertations

Nationally, the demand for special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has reached an unprecedented peak, serving 7.5 million students (representing 15% of all public school students) in the 2022–23 school year. While national academic discussions regarding socioeconomic hurdles and systemic inequities frequently center on urban environments, minoritized students in rural communities face a persistent and disproportionate over-representation in special education. This trend is driven by complex intersections of geographic isolation, systemic resource allocation issues, and cultural misalignments in assessment practices.

At the local level, Love and Logic Elementary School [pseudonym], a rural K-5 institution, faces …

Effects Of Peer-Mediated Constant Time Delay Instruction On Science Vocabulary Acquisition For Students With Moderate Intellectual Disabilities, Amy S. Roberts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effectiveness of combining peer-mediated embedded instruction with constant time-delay (CTD) procedures to improve Agriscience vocabulary learning among secondary students with moderate intellectual disability who were educated in an inclusive Agriscience classroom. A multiple-probe across participants design was conducted with three students with moderate intellectual disability. Trained peer tutors provided embedded vocabulary instruction during naturally occurring classroom activities. Results showed an increase in independent correct responding for all participants following the implementation of the intervention. Procedural fidelity, interobserver agreement, Tau-U effect size, and social validity data further demonstrated that the intervention was implemented consistently and was viewed …

From Referral To Results: Strengthening Mtss Pre-Referral Practices To Improve Special Education Referral Decision-Making, Capricia K. White

All Dissertations

The steady rise in special education identification rates continues to outpace overall U.S. public school enrollment trends, raising important questions about how students are identified, labeled, and referred for services. Despite South Carolina's MTSS mandate under Act 213, implementation remains inconsistent across schools. As a result, referral decisions may be based on limited evidence of student response to targeted general education supports.

The purpose of this Dissertation in Practice was to examine how a school-based improvement initiative, Project FOCUS (Fidelity, Outcomes, Collaboration, and Unified Support), strengthened MTSS pre-referral practices to support special education referral decision-making. Guided by Improvement Science, the …

Using A Prerequisite Skills Assessment To Identify Effective Communication Modalities For Mand Training, Christine White

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Many children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) need support to learn how to communicate their wants and needs. This study examined three different ways to teach children to request preferred items or activities: using sign language, exchanging pictures, and speaking. We compared how three children learned each communication method to determine whether their existing skills influenced which method was most effective. No clear relationship was found between children's existing abilities and how well they learned each communication method. These findings suggest that selecting the most effective communication approach may require considering each child's individual strengths and learning history rather than …

Student Study Teams For Child Find: Identifying Barriers In A Rural School District, Malynda Ivory

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This project explores the challenges associated with the teacher referral process for students at risk of academic and behavior difficulties in a rural school. The Student Study Team (SST) plays an important role in identifying and supporting students; yet, teacher engagement with the referral process is inconsistent in my K-4 school. Teacher participation in our school is low.  Referrals mostly occur after parent-teacher conferences, and teacher participation in the lower grades (K-2) is noticeably lower than referrals from our 3^rd and 4^th grade teachers. Many factors, including limited understanding of the SST’s purpose, time constraints, and perceived effectiveness …

Implementing Functional Communication Training Through Paraprofessional Preparation In A Self-Contained Elementary Special Education Classroom, Cece Afatasi

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Students with significant cognitive disabilities often experience difficulty communicating their wants, needs, and emotions. When students are unable to communicate effectively, they may rely on challenging behaviors such as aggression or self-injurious behavior to meet their needs. Because paraprofessionals provide much of the daily instructional and behavioral support in self-contained special education classrooms, they play a critical role in implementing evidence-based communication interventions.

The purpose of this professional portfolio was to explore the implementation of Functional Communication Training (FCT) through two related projects. The first focused on preparing paraprofessionals to implement FCT using Behavioral Skills Training (BST), while the second …

Music And Middle School Mathematics, Cheryl L. Hawkins

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

The purpose of this project was to see if music playing in the background while learning essential mathematics skills would make a difference in the learning process of middle school students. For nine weeks I collected data on the scores of the special education students relearning skills they had been previously taught in a general education mathematics class. The students took a baseline assessment, then had 30-40 minutes of instruction spread across two days. They then took another assessment to see what the change was. During the lessons and assessments there was one of three conditions happening, one was silence, …

Comparing Error Correction Strategies In Discrete Trial Training For Children With Autism, Rachael Litchford

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often require structured, evidence-based teaching methods to promote skill acquisition. Discrete Trial Training (DTT) is one such approach widely used in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to teach skills through repeated learning opportunities. However, limited research has compared the efficiency of specific error correction procedures within DTT. This study examined the comparative effectiveness of two error correction strategies, Active Student Response (ASR) and Model-Only, when acquiring tacting skills for children ages 2-10 with ASD. An alternating treatments design (ATD) was used to evaluate each strategy’s impact on skill acquisition, as measured by the percentage …

Asynchronous Intervention For Students With Disabilities On Career Awareness, Erica Rood

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Historically, students with disabilities have fewer opportunities to prepare for post-high school life, and this is especially true when it comes to getting a job. This is also true for those students with complex support needs (i.e., autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, other health impairment). One way to help individuals with disabilities have greater success after high school is to teach them about different careers.

This study was for high school students with disabilities who have complex support needs. It focused on helping them learn about different careers through online modules. The study looked at whether this type of learning …

A Comparison Of The Effectiveness Of Teacher-Led And Student-Supported Variations Of The Good Behavior Game, Patrick Wells

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This project examined the effectiveness of two variations of the Good Behavior Game (GBG) intervention: the traditional teacher-led and a student-supported variation. The traditional intervention has been shown to be an effective intervention for reducing disruptive classroom behaviors. Despite its effectiveness, proper implementation does require additional effort from the teacher—effort that may better be directed toward improving instruction. A student-supported variation of the intervention has the potential to reduce the effort required of teachers who wish to implement the intervention in their classroom. We utilized a nonconcurrent, multiple baseline design with alternating treatment to compare the effectiveness of both versions …

Improving Teacher Adherence To Greeting And Attendance Routines Through Performance And Graphed Feedback, Caitlin Huppi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Schools establish expectations for teachers to create safe, organized, and welcoming environments, but teachers may not consistently follow these expectations throughout the school year. This study examined whether brief feedback could help four high school teachers more consistently greet students and scan IDs for attendance during passing periods. Teachers received graphs showing their performance and brief weekly feedback. All four teachers increased greeting behavior, and three increased attendance scanning. Teachers also rated the intervention as acceptable, feasible, and helpful. These findings suggest that brief feedback may be a practical way for school leaders to support consistent teacher implementation of school-wide …

The Use Of A Novel Decision Making Tool To Support Educators' Use Of Classroom Management Practices, Emma C. Preston

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

We examined the impacts of a novel classroom management evaluation tool that includes a decision-making feature to involve teachers in the selection of a strategy to improve their utilization of classroom management strategies titled the Behavioral Observation and Teacher Support System (BOTSS). We evaluated teacher praise-to-corrective statement ratios and teacher opportunities to respond, as well as student disruptive behavior and teacher social validity. We found that two independent observers scored teacher behavior similarly using the BOTSS, and that the BOTSS process produced moderate effects on teacher behavior. We did not observe an impact on student disruptive behavior. Teachers reported positively …