Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Back Matter

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Editors' Message

Leaping into Uncertainty: Teaching and Learning beyond Logic and Reason

In 1846, Soren Kierkegaard set forth the limits of logical systems and objective truth, neither of which can shed light on the important questions of life. “In logical systems,” the nineteenth century Danish philosophy argues, “nothing may be incorporated that has a relationship to existence, that is not indifferent to existence” (141) because a logical system is purely speculative. Existence is an actuality, a doing. Logical systems cannot account for the necessary leap in life between almost doing something—thinking about doing something (and Kierkegaard’s example is taking the …

Spontaneous Facial Motility In Infancy: A 3d Kinematic Analysis, Jordan R. Green, Erin M. Wilson

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Early spontaneous orofacial movements have rarely been studied experimentally, though the motor experiences gained from these behaviors may influence the development of motor skills emerging for speech. This investigation quantitatively describes developmental changes in silent, spontaneous lip and jaw movements from 1 to 12 months of age using optically based 3D motion capture technology. Twenty-nine typically developing infants at five ages (1, 5, 7, 9, and 12 months) were studied cross-sectionally. Infants exhibited spontaneous facial movements at all ages studied. Several age-related changes were detected in lip and jaw kinematics: the occurrence of spontaneous movements increased, movement speed increased, the …

The Missing Body–Yoga And Higher Education, Judith Beth Cohen

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Using her own yoga practice as a basis, this author argues for more bodily involvement in learning and offers several exercises she has used to accomplish this.

Graduate Bulletin, 2006-2007 (2006), Minnesota State University Moorhead

Graduate Bulletins (Catalogs)

No abstract provided.

Inclusion Of Students With Mild Disabilities: Accessing The General Curriculum, Cecily Ornelles Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Inclusion in general education classrooms is generally believed to have many benefits for students with disabilities. However, relatively little is known about the process of successful inclusion. The broad purpose of this study was to explore the process of inclusion. It sought to discover the variables that may have contributed to the learning experiences and outcomes of two students with mild disabilities in a general education classroom. The intent was to document the students’ experiences as they related to instruction, their peers without disabilities, and teacher supports in an effort to aid teachers and others in implementing inclusion in classroom …

Spotlight On Inclusion: What Research And Practice Is Telling The Field, Emily C. Bouck Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Inclusive education needs continued exploration, as current research is ambiguous. This paper presents data across three related studies regarding inclusive education for secondary students with high incidence disabilities. One study represents a survey of curriculum and instructional environments for secondary students with mild mental impairment and learning disabilities, another presents data that explored interactions across inclusive and pull-out educational settings between students with mild mental impairment and their peers and adults, and the final study explored education in pull-out educational settings for students with cross-categorical disabilities. Overall the studies revealed that inclusive education is not a clear solution and must …

Toronto's Korean Canadian Community: 1948-2005, Cam Cobb

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Ethnicity, the influence of stereotyping – whether it is overt or not - and personal identity intersect on a daily basis. But what is ethnicity? One could argue that it is a flexible idea, or as Weber (1968) notes, a matter of “subjective belief” (p. 389). According to Troper and Weinfeld (1987) “the definition of an ethnic group involves a sense of shared history, real or imagined (p. 106).” I include these two definitions of ethnicity because they both acknowledge the subjective nature of ethnic identity. Reflecting on subjectivity, however, raises questions concerning the interplay between ethnicity and stereotyping. To …

Improving Parent Involvement For Culturally And Lingustically Diverse Parents Of Middle School Students With Disabilities From Urban Settings In Suburban Schools, Michelle Urquhart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to address the need for improved collaborative experiences for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) parents of students with disabilities. Historically, these individuals have had limited interactions with special education services and professionals, particularly at the middle school level. To improve the collaborative relationship between CLD families and schools, the study offered collaborative training sessions designed to provide opportunities for parents to build on their current knowledge base and skills for effective partnerships with school personnel. The goal of the training was to increase the types and frequency of school involvement by CLD parents. The participants for …

Important Factors For Consideration When Litigating Special Education Due Process Hearings, Partick O'Halloran

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Meeting The Federal Mandates: Research On Effective Reading Instructional Programs And Implications For Classroom Teachers, Sekhar Pindiprolu, David Forbush, Lori J. Marks

ETSU Faculty Works

Both the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) mandate (2001) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) (2004), call for use of scientifically validated reading instructional practices, curricula, and accountability for successful learning outcomes. This paper highlights one of the reading programs identified as scientifically validated by independent research groups and discusses its implications for classroom teachers. On the other hand, we do not embrace the idea that other reading programs are ineffective. We believe that there is no one single method or program to teach all children effectively. However, we believe that use of programs that have been …

Quality Communication With Parents, Michelle Meier

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review looks at quality communication between the parents of children with special needs and school personnel. Advantages and problems with communication will be discussed. Also, discussions will focus on the use of communication between educators and parents of children with special needs over the past five decades. The influence of public laws on communication between these groups will be examined.

In addition, the advantages and problems involved in this communication will be drawn from the literature and guidelines will be identified that are needed for effective communication between educators and parents of children with special needs. Lastly, conclusions …

Reading Comprehension Strategies For Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Susan Reese

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper was to describe Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), its possible causes, characteristics, treatment options, and instructional strategies used for teaching reading comprehension to people with this disorder. ADHD is characterized by inattentiveness, hyperactivity, or impulsiveness to a degree beyond what is considered normal for the person's age.

While the exact causes are unknown, research is beginning to reveal that the disorder is brain based and genetic in disposition. Presently there is no cure for ADHD, but treatment options are available which include medications and/or therapies. Reading comprehension strategies to assist people with ADHD include chunking, …

Teaching Characteristics And Practices Which Affect Language And Literacy Development For Students With Complex Communication Needs, Laura King

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined teacher characteristics and practices identified as effective through current research for teaching students with complex communication needs. For this population, communication issues are more complex than those typically encountered in other settings. Specifically, the researcher asked: what are the desired characteristics and practices for this population, and are the desired characteristics and practices present in current settings? Working with six teachers in a large urban school district, this study utilized a multiple case study design. Criteria for participation included the teacher as the primary reading/language arts instructor for a student who used an augmentative and alternative communication …

Interrelationships Among Language Skills, Externalizing Behavior, And Academic Fluency And Their Impact On The Academic Skills Of Students With Ed, J. Ron Nelson, Gregory J. Benner, Stern Neill, Scott A. Stage

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

There is growing interest in understanding the factors that influence the academic achievement of students with emotional disturbance (ED). Structural equation modeling was used to test the interrelationships among language skills, externalizing behavior, and academic fluency and their impact on the academic skills of students with ED. Results showed that language skills exerted a significant proximal effect and distal effect on academic skills. The effect of language skills was mediated through academic fluency (path coefficient = .389) but also had a proximal effect on academic skills (path coefficient = .359). However, externalizing behavior failed to have a statistically significant effect …

Coordinative Organization Of Lingual Propulsion During The Normal Adult Swallow, Erin M. Wilson, Jordan R. Green

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Lingual propulsion during swallowing is characterized by the sequential elevation of the anterior, middle, and dorsal regions of the tongue. Although lingual discoordination underlies many swallowing disorders, the coordinative organization of lingual propulsion during the typical and disordered swallow is poorly understood. The purpose of this investigation was to quantitatively describe the coordinative organization of lingual propulsion during the normal adult swallow. Tongue movement data were obtained from the X-Ray Microbeam Database at the University of Wisconsin. Movement of four pellets placed on specific tongue regions were tracked in 36 healthy adult participants while they swallowed 10 cc of water …

Differentiating Phonotactic Probability And Neighborhood Density In Adult Word Learning, Holly L. Storkel, Jonna Armbrüster, Tiffany Hogan

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to differentiate effects of phonotactic probability, the likelihood of occurrence of a sound sequence, and neighborhood density, the number of words that sound similar to a given word, on adult word learning. A second purpose was to determine what aspect of word learning (viz., triggering learning, formation of an initial representation, or integration with existing representations) was influenced by each variable.
Method: Thirty-two adults were exposed to 16 nonwords paired with novel objects in a story context. The nonwords orthogonally varied in phonotactic probability and neighborhood density. Learning was measured following 1, 4, …

A Study Of New Jersey's Assessment And Accountability System For Students With Disabilities And Its Impact On Special Education Services, Julie Moul Gardner

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Use of high stakes assessment for special needs students is a key element in the current educational reform movement. State assessment systems use these tests to determine and report school accountability scores, distribute school funding, and assess school rewards and sanctions. The impact of including these students' test score on the district accountability reports has not yet been determined. Directors of special services, the primary individuals for supervising or coordinating district special education programs, have an extensive understanding of administrative and functional knowledge of special education services and are therefore able to provide insight concerning the impact of accountability on …

Teaching Functionally Equivalent Replacement Behaviors To Students With Problem Behavior: What? How? Why?, Robert L. Morgan, E. Vasquez

Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Teaching Pretend Play Skills Toa Student With Autism Using Video Modeling With A Sibling As Model And Play Partner, K. A. Reagon, Thomas S. Higbee, K. Endicott

Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling Faculty Publications

We taught a four-year-old boy diagnosed with autism and his older brother to engage in four pretend play scenarios using video modeling. The older brother acted in the video models with a typically developing peer. Both the participant and his sibling successfully engaged in the four scenarios during intervention as well as maintenance and generalization probes conducted in their home. This case study illustrated that siblings of children with autism can perform in video models as well as engage in pretend play with their sibling with autism. In addition, the child with autism may benefit from sibling-oriented interventions as indicated …

Classroom-Basedfunctional Analysis And Intervention For Students With Emotional/Behavioral Disorders, G. L. Wright-Gallo, Thomas S. Higbee, K. A. Reagon, B. J. Davey

Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling Faculty Publications

We conducted functional analyses of disruptive behavior in a classroom setting for two students of typical intelligence with emotional/behavioral disorders (E/BD) using the classroom teacher to implement functional analysis conditions. The functional analyses suggested that both participants' disruptive behavior was maintained by escape from task demands and access to attention. Based on this information, we implemented a DRA procedure in which participants could request either escape or attention while disruption was placed on extinction. DRA decreased the disruptive behavior of both participants and the schedule of reinforcement was successfully thinned to a level that was practical for the classroom teacher …

Promoting Positive Behavior: What Works And What Doesn’T, Marilyn Likins Ph.D., D. Andrews

Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Exploring Intersectionality In Education: The Intersection Of Gender, Race, Disability, And Class, Amy J. Petersen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to explore the intersection of gender, race, disability, and class within education. Specifically, I examined the educational experiences of African American women labeled with a disability and from a disadvantaged socio-economic class. Employing qualitative methodology and methods, I interviewed four adult African American women from disadvantaged socio-economic groups to gain a deeper understanding of their lived educational experiences.

The story that emerged from this research was each participant's strength. Their stories revealed that each woman persistently and continually engaged in the world around them in order to negotiate, evade, and resist the dominant ideology …

Components Of Inclusion, Jodi Janssen

Graduate Research Papers

As a special education teacher, I have always had a personal desire for inclusion to happen, and believed it could have benefits for all children of identified disabilities. After a recent transfer to a new school, the administration informed me I'd be teaching kindergarten with full inclusion for my special needs students. I was very excited about the prospect, but I was not armed with any solid information on how to approach a full inclusion model. As the school year progressed, my team and I forged ahead and I began researching what literature had to provide on the components needed …

The Effects Of Including Peers In Social Skills Training For Students With Autism, Cortney Boulden

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review examined the effects of including autistic children with typically developing peers in social skills training programs. The benefits and limitations of the study were discussed concerning how peer models affected the performance of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Guidelines were presented to implement a social skills program. Also, conclusions and recommendations were drawn from the literature to improve social skills in autistic children by including them with typically developing children in a learning setting.

What Are Appropriate Interventions And Treatment Programs For Children With Severe Autism In An Educational Setting?, Michelle Leicht

Graduate Research Papers

This project describes professional development sessions to assist educators in implementing interventions and treatment programs for children with severe autism in an educational setting.

The questions this project will address include: (1) What interventions and treatment program for children with severe autism are available to use in an educational setting, (2) What research supports interventions and treatment programs for children with severe autism, (3) How can they be implemented into the classroom, and (4) How can professional development sessions be implemented to assist teachers?

The professional development sessions described in this project include four two-hour sessions. The purpose of these …

Iep Team Decision-Making Process In The Reintegration Of Special Education Students: A Qualitative Analysis Of Exiting Decisions, Kenneth G. Hayes

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to take an in-depth look at the decision-making process that an IEP team goes through regarding the reintegration of special education students. In particular, this study looked at the exiting criteria used by an IEP team in determining whether or not a student should be exited back into the general education classroom prior to graduation. Furthermore, using Raven's (1992) Power/Interaction Model as the theoretical framework, this study also looked at the beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes of an IEP team that were adopted through the processes involved in exiting students from special education programs.

The …

Iep Meetings: What Are The Strategies That Make An Iep Meeting Successful?, Maria T. Cashman

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

All students who receive special education services have one thing in common. They each have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) designed specifically for him/her. The IEP is a valuable document that guides the special education services for a student. It is imperative that parents have a significant role in the development, implementation, and review of the IEP.

For this study, interviews were used to understand the strategies that assist parents in achieving active participation during their child's IEP conference. Six parents of sophomore, junior, and senior high students were interviewed. Three parents were identified as "involved", which means they were …

There Are No Winners Here: Teacher Thinking And Student Underachievement In The 6th Grade, Sue L. Pettit

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The following ethnographic study was conducted with 6^th grade teachers in a middle school that has been stigmatized by the public as a failing school and cited by the government as a School in Need of Assistance according to the No Child Left Behind Act. The purpose of the study was to examine what teachers believe about persistent underachievement in order to shed light on whether teacher beliefs inform teachers' efforts to ameliorate underachievement. As my study progressed, my research data suggested that teachers use a faulty testing curriculum that guarantees poor student performance and only serves to confirm …

Relationship Between Pre-Service Physical Education Teachers’ Value Orientation In Curriculum Decisions And Attitudes Towards Teaching Students With Disabilities, Wing Yin Tai

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between pre-service teachers' value orientation in making curriculum decisions and their attitudes toward teaching students with disabilities. Results of this study will provide suggestions for current teacher education curricula and help pre-service teachers meet the demands in inclusive settings. Participants in this study included 49 volunteer junior and senior students at the University of Northern Iowa majoring in Physical Education (Teaching). Data collection in this study was achieved through a questionnaire that included the Value Orientation Inventory (VOi-SF) and the Physical Educators' Attitudes toward Individuals with Disabilities III (PEATID-III). The …