Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Increasing Choice-Making And Choice Awareness For Students With Intellectual Disability, Shannon Lynn Sparks

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A number of studies have suggested that when children with disabilities are presented with choice-making opportunities, they can make choices (Bambara, 2004; Carlson, Luiselli, Slyman, & Markowski, 2008; Dibley & Lim, 1999; Manhertz, 2006). Teaching choice-making to students with intellectual disability is an important skill. Students with intellectual disability, when exposed to choice-making, tend to display these skills in future settings as they grow older (Lee, Palmer, Turnbull, & Wehmeyer, 2006). Choice-making research has been limited for high school students with mild to moderate intellectual disability (Dibley & Lim, 1999; Manhertz, 2006; Shevin & Klein, 2004).

The purpose of this …

Investigating The Effects Of A Sentence Writing Strategy And A Self-Monitoring Procedure On The Writing Performance Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, David Rago

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Writing is a tool students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can use to communicate and interact with other people socially and professionally. Strong writing skills may lead to social and economic success, as well as a sense of self-empowerment. Unfortunately, there is very little research related to the use of sentence-writing strategies and self-monitoring procedures to improve the writing performance of adolescent students with ASD. Thus, this study was designed to examine the effects of a sentence-writing strategy and a self-monitoring procedure on the writing performance of adolescents with ASD.

The study included five participants. These participants attended the same …

Postschool Engagement Of Youths With Disabilities In South Carolina: Analysis Of Employment And Postsecondary Education Outcomes Across Three Years, Angela Prince

All Dissertations

For decades, youths with disabilities have had consistently poor postschool engagement outcomes in terms of employment and postsecondary education and training. Student-, school-, and district-level factors have impacted these outcomes in varying degrees. Using three years of postschool outcome data from the South Carolina Department of Education Office of Exceptional Children, this study examines engagement outcome differences for youths with high incidence disabilities (emotional and behavioral disorders, intellectual disabilities, and learning disabilities) using a logistic regression model. Findings indicated the student-level factors of age, race, high incidence disability, and special education exit reason were significant in predicting the postschool outcomes …

Using A Mobile Device To Deliver Visual Schedules To Young Children With Autism, Leslie Nelson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently display an inability to self-regulate (use materials appropriately and refrain from self-stimulatory behavior) and self-monitor (complete each step in a task before continuing to the next step) their behavior and therefore experience a great deal of failure within their respective school and home environments and frequently end up receiving instruction in restrictive, self-contained classrooms. Visual schedules have been used to help students with ASD self-regulate their behaviors in academic and community settings (NPDC, 2010; NSR, 2009). The purpose of this study was to determine whether high-tech visual schedules increase the self-regulation and …

Trainee Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Students With Specific Learning Disabilities, Stuart Woodcock

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Policies on the inclusion of students with special educational needs in mainstream classrooms have focused attention on how general education teachers perceive these students. Furthermore with specific learning disabilities forming a large group of diverse students, and teachers’ attitudes often not changing over the career span, preparing teachers for inclusive education is vitally important. This study aimed to identify the attitudes of trainee¹ teachers towards students with specific learning disabilities and differentiation of the curriculum. Significant differences were found between the attitudes of primary and secondary school trainee teachers, and the influence of training. There were no differences in …

Challenges Students Identified With A Learning Disability And As High-Achieving Experience When Using Diagrams As A Visualization Tool To Solve Mathematics Word Problems, Delinda Van Garderen, Amy Scheuermann, Apryl L. Poch

Special Education and Communication Disorders Faculty Publications

This article addresses a much understudied topic and concern regarding how students of varying ability levels employ visualization as a strategy in mathematics learning. The importance of this topic can be found in its connection to students’ ability to solve mathematical word problems. Many students, particularly students with learning disabilities, often struggle to use visualization as a strategy and this impacts their mathematics performance. The purpose of this article is to present findings from a study that examined the challenges that students—those identified as learning disabled and high-achieving—displayed when using one visualization form, a diagram, to solve mathematics problems. Overall, …

Special Education Teacher Candidates And Mentors: Case Studies Of Collaboration In Pre-Service Field Experiences, Rebecca Lynn Schulte

Dissertations and Theses

Collaboration between general and special education teachers is essential for students with disabilities to have access to general education curriculum and instruction, and improved outcomes in school. The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), and No Child Left Behind Legislation, include mandates that increase demands for collaboration. However, many general and special education teachers report not feeling prepared to step outside traditional roles to collaborate to meet the needs of this population. Collaboration is also a strong element of teaching and special education standards for teacher preparation. Yet, research shows many teacher education programs lack coursework and field experiences that focus …

Acceptance Of Disability In College Students, Brian Charles Carl

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents the findings of a study examining the following questions: How do students in a particular disability group differ from students in other disability groups in the degree to which they accept their disability? How are level of functional impairment and acceptance related? How are an individual's view of disability as a defining characteristic and acceptance related? How are functional impairment and the degree to which disability is seen as a defining characteristic related? Analysis using ANOVA indicated that there was not a significant difference in the level of acceptance between disability groups. Three Pearson's r correlation analyses …

Dose-Effect Vs. Good Enough Level: A Comparison Of Treatment Length And Maintenance Of Treatment Gains At Follow-Up Using The Outcome Questionnaire-45, John M. Suyama

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines psychotherapy response in connection to treatment duration and maintenance of treatment gains. The dose-effect perspective (Howard et al. 1986) first proposed applying medical terminology to investigate a level of exposure to a dose of psychotherapy (in number of sessions) where individuals can expect to receive sufficient benefit (i.e., 48 -- 58% of clients can be expected to sufficiently benefit from therapy by 8 sessions). The proponents of the Good Enough Level (Barkham et at. 2006) argued that mere exposure to therapy is not an effective measure for client benefit, but rather that client responses to therapy vary. …

The Use Of Virtual Reality For Teaching Social Skills To Middle School Students With Autism, Cathleen Fargo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect on using virtual reality for middle school students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) for learning their social conversation skills. Six students participated in the study to learn social skills in a simulated learning environment through six lessons. A multiple-baseline design across students with AB phases was used. The frequency of their initiation, responses to questions, comments, maintaining and closing a conversation, as well as prompt rating scores were recorded to evaluate students' performance. Results showed that the students improved their social skills and liked to learn in such a learning …

Training Pre-Service Teachers In Response To Intervention: A Survey Of Teacher Candidates, Ann-Michelle Neal

Theses and Dissertations

Addressing training in Response to Intervention at the pre-service level has potential to reach educators during their formative years; preparing them to implement research-based practices upon entering the field and building the capacity to do so with more fidelity and less support. While the knowledge levels and perceptions of pre-service teachers are critical to the future success of RTI implementation, the level of training among pre-service educators is less understood relative to their colleagues in the field. This exploratory study was designed to examine pre-service general and special education teachers' perceptions of RTI, and self-efficacy in implementation. A survey, created …

Screening For Emotional And Behavioral Problems In High Schools, Nichole Marie Soelberg

Theses and Dissertations

Screening for emotional and behavioral problems in youth is a well-validated process for elementary-aged children as notable and respected research has provided evidence that children at risk for behavioral and emotional problems can be identified and provided with targeted interventions, which prevent additional problems (Lane, Wehby, & Barton-Arwood, 2005). However, there is a lack of research offering evidence for a behavioral and emotional screening process for high school students. Identifying at-risk youth is a vital component in providing early-intervention services that can remediate problems before they become severe and require resource intensive interventions. This research contributes to the development of …

Bibliotherapy And Bullying: Teaching Young Childrento Utilize Peer Group Power To Combat Bullying, Rebecca Lyn Spencer

Theses and Dissertations

Bullying is a major concern for school-age children. This study compares the use of bibliotherapy and didactic instruction techniques for teaching anti-bullying strategies to young children. The study explores 36 first graders' perceptions of bullying and their perceptions of their roles and responsibilities in bullying situations. In comparison to the control group, students who were taught specific bully intervention skills, both through didactic instruction and bibliotherapy, reflected an increased understanding of bullying, used a larger bully vocabulary, and demonstrated more specific and varied actions in response to bullying from pre-test to post-test conditions. Participants in the group who received didactic …

Using An Ipad To Teach Spontaneous Communication Of Students With Low-Functioning Autism, Deborah Leonard

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of using the Apple iPad to assist students with low functioning autism in learning communication skills. Three non-verbal students identified as having autism and being low-functioning participated in the study. A multiple baseline design with AB phases across academic and social settings was used. During the baseline, students were given access to an iPad with the SonoFlex voice output communication aid (VOCA) application. Some of the students played games on the iPad, but none of them attempted to us it for communication purposes. During the intervention, students were taught to …

Asperger's Syndrome In The Classroom, Erin Ells

The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph.

A German doctor, Hans Asperger, first described Asperger's syndrome in 1944. Asperger's syndrome, AS, has been classified as a type of autism, which itself was first described in 1943. Although no two children that suffer from AS are alike, "typically [they are] viewed as eccentric and peculiar by classmates ... [they] lack understanding of human relationships and the rules of social convention; they are naive and conspicuously lacking in common sense" (Williams). However, children with AS are noted to be of average to above-average intelligence and are characterized to …

Accommodating Accommodations: How A Small Liberal Arts College Certification Program Redefines The New Ell State Mandates, Brent C. Talbot, Kaoru Miyazawa

Sunderman Conservatory of Music Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Curriculum Of Experiences: Environmental Elements That Facilitate Or Mediate Stress, Compassion Fatigue And Burnout Among Educators, Scott David Mcmanus

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects

This study is a qualitative phenomenological exploration of the curriculum of experiences with environmental elements that contribute to, or mitigate, stress, compassion fatigue, and burnout among educators that work with special education students. A convenience sample of 24 participants representing 10 different job types was drawn from four schools in a single school district adjacent to a large metropolitan area in the Southern United States. Focus groups, semi-structured interviews, and prompted journal writings provided data that was systematically analyzed through holistic and contextually sensitive inductive processes to reveal seven emergent themes. Findings include narratives telling the stories of: how participants …

The Effects Of Collaborative Strategic Reading On Informational Text Comprehension And Metacognitive Awareness Of Fifth Grade Students, Margaret Mccown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the effects of Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR) on informational text comprehension and metacognitive awareness of fifth grade students. This study tested the theories of metacognition and social cognition with a focus on self-regulation and self-efficacy. Participating students included a heterogeneous mix of regular education students, students with disabilities, and English learners (ELs). Using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design, this study examined the effects of CSR on informational text comprehension using the Qualitative Reading Inventory-5 (QRI-5) and Georgia's Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). Metacognitive awareness was measured using the Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory (MARSI). Data …

Using An Apple Ipad For Self-Monitoring Of Students With Autism, Erin Rigo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects on using an iPad to self-monitor the behaviors of middle school students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Four students (12-13 years old, 4 male) participated in the study. A single subject design with ABAB phases was used. During the baseline, all students were observed to record their on and off task behaviors in the language arts class. During the intervention, the students were guided by the teacher to create a video of self-modeled on task behavior and saved their self- images into customized "app" called Choiceworks by adding their voice …

Using The Keyword Method And The Smart Board In Vocabulary Instruction For Students With Learning Disabilities, Maria Grace Phillips

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the use of the Keyword Method and the Smart Board presentation in vocabulary instruction for students with Learning Disabilities (LD). A total of five students, ages 8-10 participated in this ten week study. Students were taught using traditional instructional strategies in Reading and Social Studies vocabulary lessons during the baseline. During the intervention, weekly instruction was provided with a Smart Board presentation to demonstrate each vocabulary word with the Keyword Method presented on a Smart Board, such as a mnemonic "catch word", and a visual picture to demonstrate the meaning followed by …

A Comparison Of Read 180 Instruction In A Small Learning Community Versus A Traditional Model, Mary Beth Donohue

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to compare the growth in reading levels of ninth grade special education students who received Read 180 instruction as an intervention. The study implemented an experimental group pretest/posttest design. Both groups received Read 180 instruction for 40 minutes daily. Group 1 participants were part of a pilot small learning community and were receiving Read 180 intervention as a supplement to their English class. Group 2 participants were part of the traditional curriculum and receiving Read 180 instruction as their English class. Data was collected for each group in the form of Lexile scores and …

Effectively Educating Elementary Education Teachers In Dealing With Special Education Students In The Regular Education Classroom, Rebecca Blair, Dr. Betty Ashbaker

Journal of Undergraduate Research

I conducted a survey of 3 BYU elementary education students who completed the CPSE 400 (accommodations for students with disabilities class and are now in the field. Participants were asked to rate how well prepared they felt for various aspects working with students with disabilities in the regular education classroom. Ratings were taken on a scale of 1-4, 1 being unprepared, 2 somewhat unprepared, 3 somewhat prepared, and 4 well prepared. Participants were surveyed on their preparation for the following categories: Pre-referral strategies (strategies used to collect data and aid students before they are referred to special education); Response to …

Perceived Expectations Of Roles In Training And Maintenance Of Augmentative And Alternative Communication Devices, Kathlene Talladay

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices are invaluable tools for people who have difficulties communicating verbally. However, advancements in technology accentuate the need for training to utilize devices effectively. This qualitative research study examined the perceptions and experiences of parents and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) regarding the training in and maintenance of AAC devices. Previous literature reveals the commonality that parents encounter difficulties in learning AAC technologies, as well as updating their child’s devices. Interviews were conducted with parents of children with autism, as well as SLPs, to better understand their expectations concerning who is responsible for assuming specific roles in …

Effects Of The Integrated Symple Readers Curriculum On Expressive Vocabulary Acquisition In Elementary Students With Developmental Disabilities, Loralene Edvalson

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the emphasis society places on literacy, most students with developmental disabilities remain illiterate. One cause for this illiteracy may be that these students lack foundational language skills that contribute to being able to read. Research has shown that, among other contributions, multiple exposures across time increase students' abilities to acquire knowledge. The Symple Readers integrated curriculum plans for multiple exposures to novel picture vocabulary words by building them into all activities across the students' day and week. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the Symple Readers integrated curriculum on expressive vocabulary development. During the …

Understanding Pervasive Language Impairment In Young Children: Exploring Patterns In Narrative Language And Functional Communication, Anna Jeddeloh Waters

Dissertations and Theses

Research has identified language impairment as a pervasive disability (Bishop & Edmundson, 1987; Greenhalgh & Strong, 2001). Classroom communication behaviors have a role in the maintenance of special education eligibility and functional communication difficulties for young children with language impairment. This paper reviews the theoretical and experimental literature on narrative skills and language impairment as well as empirical support for understanding language delays as part of a group of risk factors that affect child development. The present study describes patterns in the communication skills of a small group of young children with a predetermined diagnosis of language impairment using a …

Evaluating A Social And Emotional Learning Curriculum, Strong Kids, Implemented School-Wide, Thomas Jonathan Kramer

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to explore whether Strong Kids could result in improved social and emotional competence when implemented as a school-wide universal intervention. No prior studies have examined this question. This study also evaluated whether teachers could implement Strong Kids as it was designed and whether they viewed it as socially valid. It used a non-equivalent control group design. The treatment school in the study involved 348 students and 17 teachers from a Title I school. School demographics indicated that 61% of students were Hispanic, 37% White, and 2% of other ethnicities. Approximately 82% of the students …

The Effect Of Using The Ipad To Enhance Sight Word Acquisition Of Students With Autism, Jeffrey Emerson

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to (a) investigate the effectiveness of the Apple iPad as an assistive technology device to support students with autism spectrum disorders in their acquisition of sight words and (b) examine the social validity of using the iPad in the classroom. The participants were two 2nd and two 3rd graders diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. Baseline data was collected by evaluating student progress of sight word acquisition at the end of each week for three weeks. A multiple baseline across students with AB phases was used in this study. During Intervention, the iPad was integrated …

Teachers' Negative Comments Toward Youth In Foster Care With Disabilities: How Do They Relate To Youths' Problem Behaviors, School Attitudes, And School Performance?, Sunghwan Noh

Dissertations and Theses

A large proportion of youth in foster care receive special education services, and poor educational outcomes are one of the most important difficulties facing these youth. One potential risk affecting the low educational achievements of youth in foster care and special education could be teachers' negative and stigmatizing comments toward them. Teachers' negative and stigmatizing comments could have negative effects on youths' behaviors, school attitudes and school performance. Yet, research on the nature and the impact of teachers' negative and stigmatizing comments remains limited.

Based on labeling and attribution theories, this study investigated the nature and impact of teachers' negative …

Adaptation To The U.S. And Religion/Spirituality: Experiences Of Indian International Students, Kirti Potkar

Theses and Dissertations

Religion and spirituality are deemed an important aspect of human diversity, found to be important to people, and have significant impact on different aspects of functioning. Given the rising numbers of international students on U.S. campuses, it becomes important to examine how religion/spirituality impacts their sojourn in the U.S. This study explored the religious/spiritual experiences of Indian international students here in the U.S. using a qualitative approach. Thirteen Indian international students pursuing graduate degrees in the U.S. were interviewed. The interviews were then transcribed and analyzed using a synthesis of hermeneutic methods informed by Kvale (1996). The following themes emerged …

Effectiveness Of Gluten-Free And Casein-Free Diets For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Evidence-Based Research Synthesis, Jie Zhang, Michael R. Mayton, John J. Wheeler

ETSU Faculty Works

In order to better assist practitioners and better serve persons with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families, it is vital for professionals to systematically evaluate the existing body of literature and synthesize its scientific evidence, so that the efficacy of research can be translated to evidence-based practices (EBPs) (Wheeler, 2007; Zhang & Wheeler, 2011). This research synthesis evaluated adherence to EBP standards and analyzed the effectiveness of gluten-free and casein-free (GFCF) diets for individuals with ASD. Four hundred and seventy articles were screened among peer-reviewed journals in English language published through 2010 using the Academic Search Complete search database. …