Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Preservice Teachers' Perceptions Of Their Perspective Transformations: A Case Study, Victoria Caruana

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Utilizing a case study approach, this study explored the perspectives of preservice teachers as they relate to working with students with disabilities in inclusive classroom settings. Preservice teachers' perceptions about the extent, if any, their learning experiences during teacher preparation contributed to their perspectives was examined through a sequential exploratory design that employed both quantitative and qualitative data. The findings of this case study of six (6) elementary and secondary preservice teachers indicated that the experiences they had during their final student teaching (internship) were the most meaningful triggers of their perspective transformations. The findings further indicated that four (4) …

A Mixed Methods Study Of How The Transition Process Impacts The Autonomy Of Pre-Service Secondary Mathematics Teachers, Linda Kasal Fusco

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This mixed methods study sought to identify the impact that transition into the practice of teaching had on the autonomy of pre-service secondary teachers of Mathematics.  It was based on the belief that a Mathematics teacher’s autonomy depended on: beliefs about Mathematics and how it was learned, reflections on the teaching practice, and social constraints of a secondary school culture. Data was collected between January 2009 and March 2010.  In Phase I (Quantitative) the participants (N = 30), selected from ten State University of New York teacher preparation colleges and universities, completed five instruments to quantify the three factors of …

Empowering Special Education Clients Through Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Lessons Learned For Current Clients And Future Professionals, Patricia E. Roberts, Kelly Whalon

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Development Of The Personal Strengths Intervention (Psi) To Improve Self-Determination And Social-Emotional Levels In Postsecondary Students With Learning Disabilities And/Or Adhd: A Multiple Baseline Study, Jennie L. Farmer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Students with learning disabilities and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience decreased academic and social-emotional outcomes when compared to their peers without disabilities. Self-determination, positive psychology, and cognitive theories of learning offer suggestions for improving these outcomes. The purpose of this study was to develop The Personal Strengths Intervention (PSI) and investigate its impact on levels of self-determination and the social-emotional functioning of postsecondary students with learning disabilities and/or ADHD. PSI integrates key elements of self-determination, positive psychology, and cognitive theories. ADHDA multiple baseline design with seven participants was used to examine the intervention effects over time. Results indicate PSI …

Kujichagalia! Self-Determination In Young African American Women With Disabilities During The Transition Process, La Tonya L. Gillis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the role that self-determination played in the transition process for young African American women with disabilities who exited high school with a special diploma and participated in a local transition program. Factors under study included the young women's autonomy, self-regulation, psychological empowerment, and self-realization (Wehmeyer, 1996).

This examination of the perceptions of the transition process of young African American women with disabilities involved in-depth interviews with five young women and their parent or guardian. Additionally, The Arc's Self-Determination Scale (ASDS) and the Parent Self-Determination Practice Survey (PSDPS) were administered to determine the …

Perspectives Of Teachers Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders Regarding The Factors Related To Their Intent To Remain In The Profession, Glenda Esther Koshy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined factors related to the intent of special education teachers of students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) to remain in the profession. A modified Working in Schools: the Life of a Special Educator (WSLSE) survey, developed by Miller, Brownell, and Smith (1999), was utilized to explore the relationships between factors associated with Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Model (1977) and the special education teachers' intention to remain in the field of teaching students with ASD. Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Model (1977) includes the Microsystem, Mesosystem, Exosystem, Macrosystem, and the Individual domain.

Multiple regressions conducted as the method of data analysis revealed …

Guided By The Spirit: Understanding Student Behavior And Theological Philosophy Through The Lens Of Secondary Catholic School Teachers, Angela Marie Mucci

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how secondary Catholic school teachers perceived problem behavior exhibited by students with or without disabilities based on their theological philosophy. Using the methods identified in grounded theory, seven secondary Catholic school teachers were interviewed to gain an understanding of the extent to which a theological philosophy was reflected in their perceptions, responses, and policies towards behavior challenges/problems. In order to conceptualize and contextualize the notion of a "theological philosophy," this study utilized three tenets of Catholic Social Teaching (dignity of the human person, common good, and preferential option for the poor and …

Enrollment Of Students With Disabilities In Career And Technical Education, Cory C. Johnson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The enrollment patterns of students with and without disabilities in Career and Technical Education (CTE) were examined. Data were collected from the transcripts and Individualized Education Plans (IEP) of 27 students with disabilities and the transcripts of 27 students without disabilities from three school districts at the end of their senior year. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical analyses to describe differences between the enrollment patterns of students with and without disabilities as well as between students with different types and severity of disability. Overall, students in special education earned more CTE credits than students in general education. Additionally, …

Effective Professional Development For Teachers Of Students With Autism, Erin Marie Torruella

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The number of students with autism is on the rise. The main treatment for children with autism is their education. It is essential that teachers are prepared to work with students with autism. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a teacher training workshop held by Area Education Agency 267. Fifty-one participants of the workshop training responded to a survey regarding their implementation of strategies learned, their understanding of the content and strategies learned, the change in their planning and delivery of instruction, and the impact on their students' achievement.

The study found that the training …

Digging Deeper: Enriching Transition To Adult Life Outcome Research Through Life-Histories, Jennifer Johnson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Post-secondary outcomes for students with and without disabilities have been documented in transition research for over three decades. However, despite efforts to improve outcomes by the field of transition, former students with disabilities outcomes have remain lower than their non-disabled peers. Historically, the data, which has been collected mostly by means of survey research, has focused on what has happened to students since they exited school. Despite valiant efforts to improve adult outcomes, what has remained unclear, is why post-school outcomes have not improved in the areas of employment, post-secondary education, independent living, personal/social relationships, and community involvement.

Missing from …