Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Jaepl, Vol. 7, Winter 2001-2002, Linda T. Calendrillo, Editor, Kristie S. Fleckenstein, Editor

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Morris Berman tells the story of his maternal grandfather, who, when he was five years old in 1883 or 1884, was sent to a Jewish elementary school in Belorussia. On the first day of class, the teacher startled the young boy by taking each child's slate and smearing the first two letters of the Hebrew alphabet—aleph and beys—on it in honey. His grandfather's first lesson consisted of eating the letters off the slate. The symbolism of this act is complex, Berman muses, but central to the ritual is the belief that what is real must be taken into oneself, ingested: …

A Study Of The Effectiveness Of A Commercially Available Feedback Training Program In Increasing The Classroom Attending Skills Of Students With Attention Deficit Disorder, Janice M. Digiovanni

Masters Theses

The incidence of attention deficit disorder among elementary aged children has increased dramatically along with reliance on psychostimulant medication. Many parents and professionals seek alternative or supplemental treatments. Neurofeedback training is an alternative intervention that has been researched over the past twenty years with many positive results. The advent of commercially available systems makes neurofeedback training a more realistic and cost-effective option. Such systems must be shown to be effective and practical within a school setting.

This multiple baseline single system experimental study of three male subjects with ADD/HD confirmed that the Play Attention feedback training program by Unique Logic, …

Reducing Aberrant Behavior Utilizing Functional Communication Training In Whole-Group, Small-Group And One-To-One Settings, Twila Dawn Sprowl Figueroa

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Functional communication training (FCT) with extinction, as well as multiple manding choices were utilized to reduce aberrant behavior with three individuals with mild to moderate mental retardation or learning disability. The setting was a self-contained special education classroom for students ages six to 11 years old in an elementary school in South Texas. FCT with extinction was utilized within whole group, small group and one-to-one instruction. The findings indicated that FCT did reduce aberrant behavior and did increase communication for all three subjects. FCT is a differential reinforcement of an alternative behavior (DRA) method which has viable uses within the …

The Music Channel: Integrating The Harp Into The Communication Process Of Children With Autism, Lori A. Kissinger

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study was undertaken to determine if the harp could be used as a communication channel for children with autism. The two research questions guiding this study were: (1) Will a child with autism utilize the harp to try to communicate a message? And (2) if the harp is utilized by a child with autism as a communication channel, can the receiver decode the intended message? Two qualitative case studies using constant comparison analysis were conducted over a six-day observation period. Five predominant responses emerged: (1) initial reaction to the instrument, (2) bonding with the instrument, (3) socialization through …

Effects Of Software Use On The Preparation Of The Individualized Education Programs (Iep’S), Nancy Ann Beukema

Dissertations

Special educators are required to process paperwork mandated by federal regulations for students with special needs. The Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1997 (IDEA ’97, Public Law 105-17) requires the evaluation of students with special needs occur as frequently as their non-disabled peers. An annual review is also mandated for each student’s individualized educational program (IEP), in order to reevaluate the future goals and objectives of the IEPs. A student identified as needing special education services is one who needs specially designed instruction and this instruction must meet the specific individual needs of that student. IDEA ‘97 mandates the need …

Using Self-Monitoring To Increase The Academic Responsibility Of Eighth Grade Mainstreamed Students, Solveig V. Jakobsen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a self-monitoring program on the academic performance of eighth grade mainstreamed learning disabled students ages 13-14. Ten subjects underwent an intervention involving private conferencing on academic responsibility and use of self-monitoring using assignment books. Data was collected on frequency of using assignment books and homework completion for pre-intervention and post-intervention. Data was analyzed for increases in use of assignment books, homework completion, and correlations between self-recorded assignments and assignment completion. The major finding of this investigation was that there was a significant increase in completing assignments on time when …

The Effect Of Music In Education On Self-Esteem And Academic Achievement In Students With Special Needs, Tony E. Surrency

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine and support the premise that participation in a school instrumental music program can affect a student's self-esteem and academic achievement. I will review existing literature, applicable studies, and articles to support my proposal. The sample size is composed of ten students with special needs, nine are classified learning disabled and one is classified learning disabled with autism. The measurement instrument will be a survey questionnaire. Participants will be teachers in my district. Study results indicate that most Regular Education and Special Education teachers measured agree that music education can and does affect …

Participation In Graduate Level Coursework And Self-Efficacy Development Of Provisionally Licensed Special Education Teachers, Amy Corvello Mcginley

Theses & Honors Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine (a) whether participation in graduate level coursework increased the self-efficacy of provisionally licensed special education teachers, (b) whether participation in graduate level coursework increased the self-efficacy of general education teachers and, (c) if there was a difference between the self-efficacy beliefs of the two groups of teachers. A total of twenty-three provisionally licensed special education and general education teachers in rural Virginia responded to both a pre and post questionnaire consisting of 30 items designed to assist the teacher in assessing his/her self-efficacy beliefs. The working hypothesis was that the provisionally licensed …

The Current Training Practices And Perceived Training Needs Of Paraprofessionals In Special Education Programs In Nebraska, Enid Ann Schonewise

Student Work

The purpose o f this study was to determine (a) the current training practices for paraprofessionals as perceived by building administrators, special education teachers, and paraprofessionals in special education programs in the state of Nebraska, (b) the perceived training needs o f paraprofessionals, as viewed by building administrators, special education teachers, and paraprofessionals, (c) the differences that exist between current training practices and perceived training needs of paraprofessionals and the differences that exist in perceptions of building administrators, special education teachers, and paraprofessionals, and (d) the changes that have occurred in training practices since 1982.

Building administrators, special education teachers, …

The Effects Of Rotating Schedules And Weekly Tutoring Groups On The Measured Amounts Of Burnout Experienced By Teachers Who Bedside Tutor Students With Low Response Levels, Cara Davis Tomasco

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if levels of burnout experienced by seven teachers who bedside tutor medically fragile students with low response levels was reduced when two interventions were implemented over an eight week period. Intervention One was rotating half-hour tutoring schedules. Intervention Two was weekly one hour tutoring groups.

The Maslach Burnout Inventory, Third Edition, a self-administered inventory, used to measure occupational stress and burnout, was implemented to gain baseline scores, and scores after Interventions One and Two. The scores were categorized under the subscales Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Personal Accomplishment.

Results showed a decrease in …

The Effects Of Music On The Task Persistence Of Multiple Disabled Children In A Self-Contained Classroom, Lois Lapierre Lang

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of background Mozart music on the task persistence of multiple disabled children in a self-contained classroom.

The subject sample included five children ages five to nine with multiple disabilities including autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, pervasive developmental disorder, and moderate cognitive delays.

The procedure used an A-B-A research design. Baseline data was collected for five consecutive days during morning arrival and individual seat work. This was followed by an intervention of playing background Mozart music during these two time periods for ten consecutive days. Baseline data was again collected for five days. A paired t …

Social Outcomes Of Inclusion On Adolescent Male Students With Asperger's Syndrome, Marc Cannuli

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research is to find whether students who have Asperger's Syndrome benefit in social skills from being included in the regular classroom. Despite the positive effects that may occur for the student being in the regular setting, it is hypothesized that the social skill deficits and behaviors of a student with Asperger' s Syndrome will not affect their success in the regular education setting. A self-contained classroom was compared to an inclusion classroom using four male subjects with Asperger's. Appropriate conversations and two-way conversations were observed. Collection of data consisted of counting occurrences and finding the means …

The Effects Of Sensory Stimulation On Students With Traumatic Brain Injury As Compared To Students With Developmental Disabilities, Eileen M. Bertolino-Russell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine if Sensory Stimulation had an effect on the motor development and communication skills of the students with Traumatic Brain Injury as compared to the students with Developmental Disabilities. Four students participated in this study: two were Traumatic Brain Injured and the other two were Developmentally Disabled.

To establish change over time the students' communication and motor skills were observed individually three times a week for four weeks. Eight domains were covered; responses could be verbal or non-verbal.

The results indicated that Sensory Stimulation proved to be beneficial because all four students showed …

The Effects Of Block Scheduling On Students With Learning Disabilities, Karen Markart-Garofalo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects that block scheduling has on students with learning disabilities, specifically high school students. In retrospect, the surveys offered a comparison between the regular students and the learning disabled. Staff surveys provided insights to areas that need to be addressed relating specifically to the learning disabled student and block scheduling.

Surveys were distributed to 64 learning disabled students, 60 regular education students, and 38 staff members. The surveys were designed to elicit their opinions about block scheduling and how it has had an effect on the students' learning.

It was determined …

A Survey Of Student Participation In The Iep Process, Elizabeth A. Edgemon

Theses & Honors Papers

The purpose of this research was to investigate teachers' compliance with the portion of the IDEA '97 amendments that mandates participation in the IEP process by students 14 and older, or younger than transition is discussed. Researcher-developed surveys were sent to middle and high school special education throughout Virginia. The results of these surveys reflect teachers' compliance with this component of the IDEA Amendments of 1997. Nearly all of the teachers surveyed reported that at least some of their students were present at their most recent IEP meeting and though less than half of those students had any preparation for …

The Effects Of Inclusion And The Virginia Standards Of Learning On Students With Mild Mental Retardation, Heather G. Duffy

Theses & Honors Papers

This study examined the perceptions of general educators towards the educational placement of students with mild mental retardation within the general education classroom and the implications, if any, that the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) have on instructional modifications . The subjects were elementary, middle, and high school general education teachers . The data were collected through a Likert scale questionaire using both descriptive and inferential statistics tested at a .05 significance level. The results indicated no significant differences in the perceptions of SOL based on school level teaching and years of experience. However, the findings did suggest significant differences …

Guarding The Dumping Ground: Equal Protection, Title Vii And Justifying The Use Of Race In The Hiring Of Special Educators, Patrick Linehan

Brigham Young University Education and Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Relationships Between Learning Disabilities And The Original Seven Multiple Intelligences And Strategies To Incorporate The Two Domains, Michael P. Callahan

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

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Relative Kinematics Of The Rib Cage And Abdomen During Speech And Nonspeech Behaviors Of 15-Month-Old Children, Christopher A. Moore, Tammy J. Caulfield, Jordan R. Green

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Speech motor control emerges in the neurophysiologic context of widely distributed, powerful coordinative mechanisms, including those mediating respiratory function. It is unknown, however, whether developing children are able to exploit the capabilities of neural circuits controlling homeostasis for the production of speech and voice. Speech and rest breathing were investigated in eleven 15-month-old children using inductance plethysmography (Respitrace). Rib cage and abdominal kinematics were studied using a time-varying correlational index of thoracoabdominal coupling (i.e., reflecting the synchrony of movement of the rib cage and abdomen) as well as simple classification of the moment-to-moment kinematic relationship of these two functional components …

Language Acquisition In Children With Autism, Tina Taylor

Faculty Publications

By definition, children with autism have deficits in communication. Often, when parents notice that something is "different" about their child, it is that he does not acquire language at the same rate as his peers, that the child uses what language he has in an idiosyncratic fashion (e.g., repeating phrases from videos, using pronouns incorrectly), or that the child appears to understand only that language which might be reinforcing to him (e.g., not responding to "Look at Mommy," but responding to "Do you want a cookie?)" When these "red flags" are apparent, parents should beware of misguided advice such as …

Foreign Languages And Learning Disabled Students: Research And Potential Solutions, Todd Christopher Wheelden

MA TESOL Collection

This paper reviews the latest research on the struggles learning disabled (LD) students have in the foreign language (FL) classroom. Over the last ten years, there have been significant advancements in recognizing the fact that LD students do in fact face greater obstacles when acquiring a FL than their peers do. Over the past five years, advances have been made taking the information garnered from these discoveries and developing appropriate solutions. The paper attempts to summarize the most significant comprehension, reference, and implementation.

The paper begins with an overview of second language acquisition learning disabilities and how they may surface …

Lessons Learned From Special Education Leadership Development Knowledge Diffusion And Schools As Organization, Jason Earle Ph.D., Susan G. Clark Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Foundations and Leadership, recognized that to facilitate the successful implementation of IDEA provisions in local schools, educators need a sound conceptual understanding of congressional intent and best practice and opportunities to collaborate in new ways with school organization colleagues. To this end, the State Superintendent's Task Force for the Preparation of Special Education Personnel awarded UA a $25,000 grant to provide school teams, rather than individuals, with the needed skills to implement the IDEA in their organization. Six area school/districts were invited to send a four-person team to attend a series of four weekend workshops centered on the law and …

Inclusion: What Are Teachers Doing To Accommodate For Special Needs Students In The Classroom, Brenda Stevens Ph.D., Caroline Everington Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Elementary teachers (N=42) from a district implementing inclusive practice were surveyed to determine: a) if the frequency of curricular modifications made differ by type of student disability, b) if there is a difference in the frequency of curricular modifications made for special and typical students, and c) if a relationship exists between modifications made for special needs students and for typical students. Results indicate the frequency of teachers’ curricular modifications does not differ by type of disability; that they make significantly more frequent modifications for special needs students; and that there is a significant relationship between the frequency of modifications …

Preclusion: The Solution To The Inclusion Confusion, Terry L. Shepherd Ed.D., Randel D. Brown Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Many public schools in the United States are implementing inclusion programs; however, some research has shown that students with disabilities are not benefiting from inclusion. Part of the difficulty with inclusion lies with the implementation practices of the schools. Stigmatizing by labeling a child is another concern; even through inclusion, ownership of the child is questionable. It is also illogical to take children from the general education classroom, label them as having a disability, and then return them to the same classroom with modifications and support. Modification and support could easily be provided without referring children for special education services. …

Stages Of Preservice Development In A Professional Development School For Teachers Of Students With Emotional Disturbance, Suzanne Tochterman

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

This study was designed to identify and describe the stages of preservice development in a Professional Development School (PDS) for teachers of students with emotional disturbance. This study investigated two questions: (a) How does a preservice teacher for students with serious emotional disturbance in a one year full time PDS progress through a series of developmental stages, and (b) what are the opportunities that contribute to the learning of the preservice teacher in a PDS?

This was a qualitative study in which seven data sources from preservice teachers were collected over a nine-month period. These included videotaped teaching episodes, informal …

Reframing Educational Psychology For The New Millennium, Jill Lindsey North Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The role of education psychology in the 21st century must be to provide a research-based pedagogical foundation upon which preservice and practicing teachers can draw to develop the habits of mind necessary to ensure all students learn. Historically, the field of educational psychology is the study of how people learn (Crowel, Podell, & Kaminsky, 1997). However, the work most associated with the field of educational psychology during the 20th century has been the development of tests and measurements to identify learners' capacities and abilities. Much of the work by educational psychologists has been focused on identifying extremes of performance in …

Including A Student With An Attention Problem: Strategies For Including A Student With An Attention Problem In The General Education Classroom, Mark S. Brown Ed.D., Patricia Ilderton

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

A student with an attention problem may meet with academic problems when she is placed in the general education classroom. The general education teacher with assistance from the special education intervention specialist should collaboratively develop curriculum and environmental adaptations that will allow the included student to meet with greater academic and social success. This observational study offers strategies for working with a child with an attention problem for both the general education teacher and the special education intervention specialist. Academic and curriculum strategies are presented to proactively address the social and academic strengths of a student with attention problems who …

Life And Times Of Individuals With Mental Retardation: 40 Years Of History, Rhonda S. Black Ph.D., Beverly A. Salas

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

If we look to the not so distant past, we see a history of lost opportunities for employment and the chance to meaningfully contribute to society for individuals with mental retardation (Murphy & Rogan, 1995). Many issues surround why these individuals have not been more included within our society, particularly in the employment sector. Fears, questions, and concerns abound when looking at these issues. Such questions are: Why would I want to hire an individual with mental retardation? How much cost is associated with various accommodations that may be required? What unknowns are involved in hiring a person with mental …

Inclusive Elementary Schools And Those Who Lead Them, Mary Ellen Bargerhuff

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

This qualitative study examines how principals' leadership qualities influence effective elementary inclusion programs. Guiding questions address principals' perceptions of the beliefs, knowledge, and behaviors essential to leadership in an inclusive school. Sites for this study were three fully included elementary schools (no self-contained classes) in southwest Ohio. Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews, observations, shadowing, and document review. The conceptual framework of relational leadership, particularly the attributes of caring, collaboration, courage, vision, and intuition organized the study. Findings illustrated that the principals believe relational leadership is necessary for the success of inclusive learning communities; they make collaborative, proactive leadership by …

Mighty?, Craig Davis

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The following poem was written by a teacher candidate at Wright State University in response to viewing the movie, The Mighty. This movie reveals the challenges and the triumphs two students with disabilities face as they forge a unique and enduring friendship.