Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Use Of An Interdependent Group Contingency To Improve Homework Completion, Homework Accuracy, And Achievement Of High School Students With Disabilities, Maria Carrino Kennedy

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Homework is a frequently utilized teaching strategy in elementary and secondary classrooms. The completion of homework has been shown to have a strong positive effect on students' academic achievement across content and ability levels. Moreover, research suggests a stronger positive relationship between homework and achievement at the upper grade levels. Numerous interventions, both at home and at school, have been employed to increase students' level of homework completion and/or accuracy. The present investigation employed a single-subject reversal design to examine the effectiveness of an interdependent group contingency, with randomized components, on the homework completion, homework accuracy, and the academic achievement …

Incorporation Of Equine Assisted Therapy In University Curriculum, Shelby Y. Sabati

Animal Science

Equine-assisted activity and therapy incorporates physical, mental and language treatments through equine movement to remediate medical conditions or impairments in clients. For all the opportunities that equine-assisted therapy provides there is little education on the practice. The focus of this project is to present the process, benefits and limitations of adopting an equine-assisted therapy course at California Polytechnic State University so it may be used as a reference for future course proposal.

Objective: The aim of this proposal is to offer insight into Equine-assisted therapy, understanding how to integrate the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) International curriculum into the …

Preparing The Next Generation Of Higher Education Faculty In Special Education, Laurie U. Debettencourt

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

There is a shortage in the number of funded doctoral programs in the field of special education. As a result the number of higher education faculty who are trained in the knowledge and skills necessary to train the next generation of special education teachers is critically low. This article describes a doctoral program funded by the Office of Special Education that is currently in its third of four years. Several key goals of the program address the skills needed by the next generation of special education higher education teacher educators. The goals cover teacher preparation, professional development, and academic research. …

Addressing Social, Emotional, And Organizational Goals For A Child With An Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd) Using The Cognitive Orientation To Daily Occupational Performance (Co-Op) Approach, Gina M. Czmowski, Shea L. Willert, Sarah K. Nielsen

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have social, emotional, and organizational skill deficits which are frequently addressed through behavioral based skills training. However, these approaches often do not result in generalization of skills. This case study sought to understand if the Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP), a problem-solving approach, is effective for addressing social, emotional, and organizational goals with a child with an ASD. Pre and post-intervention assessments indicated an improvement on all three client-centered goals, with the client transferring his goals and problem-based strategies to the community. Analysis of video recordings of the intervention sessions indicated the …

Blindness And Selective Mutism: One Student’S Response To Voice-Output Devices, Mary Holley, Ashli Johnson, Tina Herzberg

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

This case study was designed to measure the response of one student with blindness and selective mutism to the intervention of voice-output devices across two years and two different teachers in two instructional settings. Before the introduction of the voice output devices, the student did not choose to communicate using spoken language or gestures while at school. As a result of this intervention, the student consistently communicated her choice of a preferred activity, responded independently to social greetings, and more consistently expressed her wants and needs. She responded “yes” and “no” to questions and made significant gains in pre-reading skills.

“Tengo Que Habla Español. Yo No Entiendo Ingles!”: A Qualitative Case Study On A Bilingual Child With Autism Spectrum, Hyun Uk Kim, Marilyn Roberti

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Language differences in children with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) often lead professionals to believe that children with ASC cannot or should not become bilingual, thus advising parents with a child with ASC raised in a bilingual household to adhere to English only. Emerging studies, however, attest that children with ASC can become bilingual, and that there are no language differences between bilingual and monolingual children with ASC. Although these findings are promising, very few studies investigated external factors, such as cultural expectations, school practices and other pertinent factors involved in raising and educating children with ASC bilingually. Drawing from video-and …

Sources Of Stress Among Parents Of Children With Intellectual Disabilities: A Preliminary Investigation In Saudi Arabia, Mubarak S. Aldosari, Lisa A. Pufpaff

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

This study identified differences in sources of stress between parents of male children with intellectual disabilities in Saudi Arabia. Seventeen pairs of parents completed the Parent Stress Index (Abidin, 1995). Each pair of parents had a male child diagnosed with intellectual disability who either attended an institute for male children with intellectual disability or a special education classroom attached to a public elementary general school in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. Results indicated higher perceived stress levels in Saudi mothers compared to fathers regarding the overall parent-child relationship, the child’s individual characteristics, and the parent’s characteristics. Implications provide research-based …

Attachment Changes Post-Conversion In Committed Converts Tothe Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, Laura Jane Page

Theses and Dissertations

Religious conversion has been described as a “spiritual transformation” where converts experience an “intimate ‘union’ . . . [with] divine presence” (Sandage & Shults, 2007). To better understand motivators of conversion, several studies have examined how attachment patterns affect the likelihood, and speed of religious conversion (e.g., Granqvist & Hagekull, 1999; Granqvist & Kirkpatrick, 2004; Kirkpatrck, 1998; Kirkpatrick & Shaver, 1990; Schnitker, Porter, Emmons, & Barrett, 2012). Converts' changes in personality, self-definition, and meaningfulness following conversion have been noted (Halama and Lačná, 2011; Paloutzian, Richardson, & Rambo, 1999). However, little, if any research has been conducted examining changes in attachment …

Developing An Understanding Of Quadratics Through The Use Of Concrete Manipulatives: A Case Study Analysis Of The Metacognitive Development Of A High School Student With Learning Disabilities, Tricia K. Strickland

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

This case study analyzed the impact of a concrete manipulative program on the understanding of quadratic expressions for a high school student with a learning disability. The manipulatives were utilized as part of the Concrete-Representational-Abstract Integration (CRA-I) intervention in which participants engaged in tasks requiring them to multiply linear expressions and factor quadratic expressions embedded within contextualized area problems. The case study focused on a representative participant, Marcia, who demonstrated significant gains from pre- to post-intervention assessments. The qualitative analysis provided descriptive data which offered insight into the reasons for these gains. Results indicated that the manipulatives supported metacognition through …

Perceptions Towards Special Education Of Japanese Parents Of Children With Special Needs In The United States, Yuki Ikezaki, Janice Myck-Wayne, Adrian W. Jung

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

The purpose of this study was to examine Japanese parents of children with disabilities’ perceptions towards special education in the United States. This study included 40 participants who were born and raised in Japan and they are now living in the United States. The results revealed that most Japanese parents still maintained some negative perceptions towards special education from its history of labeling individuals with disabilities as “abnormal” in Japanese culture. Moreover, a majority of participants agreed that America’s special education was more focused on each individual’s needs and promoted independence whereas Japanese ideas of special education was mainly focused …

Elementary Principals’ Perspectives On Newly Graduated General Education Teachers’ Abilities To Teach Students With Disabilities In Inclusion Classrooms, Darla Jane England

Dissertations

Increasing numbers of students with disabilities are being educated in inclusive settings within elementary public schools across the United States. General education teachers are being hired to fill these positions, yet the characteristics principals view as necessary for them to be effective in such classrooms had yet to be explored. This study captured data on the knowledge, skills, and experiences candidates, coming directly out of college, should and do possess in order to be effective inclusion teachers. Principals’ perspectives on inclusion, as well as possible predictors for such perspectives, were also examined.

An online survey was used to collect the …

Stakeholder Perceptions Of The Special Education Referral Process For Black Males Based On Ace: Administration, Culture And Environment, Malik Douglas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal comparative study is to contribute to the understanding of Critical Race Theory by using a parametric test to compare the independent variable of human characteristics to the dependent variables of Administrative, Cultural, and Environmental/ Hereditary (ACE) factors to develop a picture of parents'/guardians' and educators' attitudes about factors that may explain the overrepresentation of Black males in special education programs. A total of 162 participants completed a self-reporting demographic characteristic survey and the Gresham survey to provide information on the attitudes towards the administrative, cultural, and environmental/hereditary factors that may be correlated with the overrepresentation …

Articulating A Vision: A Case Of Study Of Democracy, Education, And Prisoner Rehabilitation In A Day Reporting Center, Gregory A. Jones

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Abstract

Unfortunately, little or no time is spent on transitioning inmates back into society, especially those with physical and mental disabilities. One support service that is being taken into consideration is the Day Reporting Center. Day Reporting Centers are highly structured nonresidential programs. Parolees report to the center on a daily basis, submit to drug tests, and are enrolled in various counseling, education, or vocational classes. Whereas most centers have strict monitoring and surveillance of parolees, one center that stands out in its alternative approach of self-governance is the San Bernardino Day Reporting Center in San Bernardino, California. There, the …

The Efficacy Of Charter Schools In The San Bernardino City Unified School District Meeting The Needs Of Students With Disabilities, Gregory A. Jones

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Abstract

The aim of charter schools is to provide equal learning opportunities for all children, particularly those with disabilities; the results, though, are mixed. Some charter school students fare better than traditional school students, while others do worse. The exception is students with disabilities, where they excel and outperform in the charter school environment. This is not the case with San Bernardino City Unified School District charter school students with disabilities. Not only do they not outperform their regular education peers, but actually regress in their academic performance.

Middle School Transition: Faculty And Parent Perceptions Of The Academic, Procedural, And Social Changes That Occur Between Elementary And Middle School, Barbara Mckeon

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of parents and faculty regarding the transition from a private special education school to the middle school environment. Research was conducted using a mixed methods design to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of those directly involved with the transition process. Seventeen participants, nine parents and eight faculty participated in both the interviews and questionnaire processes. Social competence, academic competence, procedural challenges, maturational readiness and program planning were dominant themes in this study. The study examined the academic, procedural and social changes that occur in middle school from the stage-environment fit …

The Effects Of Implementation A Chapter Of Best Buddies International On The Frequency And Durating Of Social Interaction Of Students With Intellectual Disabilities And The Attitudes, Beliefs, And Experiences Of Students With Disabilities, Elizabeth Holloway

Specialist in Education Degree (Ed.S.) Theses

High school students with intellectual disabilities are often not socially included with their peers (Carter, Hughes, Guth, & Copeland, 2005). In order to address this concern, the researcher investigated the effects of Best Buddies International as an intervention on the frequency and duration of social interactions of high school students with intellectual disabilities and their peers without disabilities as well as the effect on the attitudes and beliefs of members of Best Buddies International without disabilities related to relationships with peers with disabilities. A total of 21 high school students between the ages of 16 and 19 participated, 4 of …

Effects Of Corrective Reading Decoding On The Reading Fluency Skills Of Students With Mild Intellectual Disabilities, Kate Long

Specialist in Education Degree (Ed.S.) Theses

Reading skills are an essential part of daily life. For students with mild intellectual disabilities, learning the reading skills necessary for everyday life is a difficult task that requires the use of a reading intervention. This study investigates the effects of a specific reading intervention, Corrective Reading Decoding, on the reading fluency skills of middle school students, ages 11-14, with mild intellectual disabilities. The study took place in a self-contained special education classroom in a suburban school system in the southeastern United States. Intervention took place daily for two reading groups, Decoding B1 and B2, until each level was complete …

Effective Strategies For Co-Teaching, Felicia O. Batts

Specialist in Education Degree (Ed.S.) Theses

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to determine how co-teaching training using the five models of co-teaching and the eight components of the co-teaching relationship impacts the relationship of co-teachers. Most teachers enter into a co-taught class setting with little to no experience as a co-teacher and this impacts the dynamics of the relationship. The participants in this study were faculty from one public elementary school in the Southeastern United States. The participants included 5 special education teachers and 5 general education teachers. The co-teaching pairs taught grades K-5. The effects of co-teaching were examined using a pre/posttest design …

Difference In Science Achievement For Students With Learning Disabilities Taught In Small Group Versus Inclusion Setting., Elizabeth G. Yeager

Specialist in Education Degree (Ed.S.) Theses

Placement of students with disabilities in their least restrictive environment (LRE) is an important part of a student’s individualized education plan (IEP). The debate as to whether LRE is a full inclusion classroom or mainstreaming a student into an inclusion classroom for part of the day and allowing them to be in a small group classroom when needed has yet to be determined based on the literature available. Therefore the research question for this study was as follows: what difference is there in learning for secondary students with learning disabilities in the area of science when taught in a small …

Response To Intervention Training Programs At The Secondary Level, Deborah H. Strickland Mrs.

Specialist in Education Degree (Ed.S.) Theses

Abstract

There is a lack of training for secondary teachers on the implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI). Literature shows that high school principals and assistant principals, as well as special education directos, from around the country agree that the implementation of RTI at the secondary level is not working as well as it should due to time constraints, inconsistencies in programs and lack of training. A teacher without any prior RTI training and a student with an RTI Tier 2 goal are used to research the progress of the student toward his RTI goal before and after the teacher …

A Special Educators Insight On Stigma, Student Performance And Job Satisfaction : Who Determines Educational Success?, Claudette Mincey

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This study describes the views, perceptions and thoughts of special education teachers at a New York City public school in Brooklyn, NY.

Special Needs In The Community, William Lightle

Senior Theses

Currently, there are very few summer camps for children with special needs. I co-founded a special needs camp called Camp Chip and Love for children who have mild physical and mental disabilities. The camp was created to help give special needs children the opportunity to become involved in a summer camp and introduce them to golf, tennis, and arts and crafts. Starting a camp is very challenging. I was responsible for ordering supplies, t-shirts, trophies, obtaining medical releases for the participants, and registration of campers. I made this camp free of charge by going to different corporations and asking for …

Supporting Students With Disabilities In Transition: A Case Study Of A College Mentoring Program, Virginia Sue Atkinson

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

This case study explored the experiences of participants in a university-based mentoring program in which graduate students in special education mentored undergraduate college students with disabilities (mentees). The program provided support in self-management skills for mentees and learning experience for mentors. Interviews, observations, document review, and a survey were used to collect data. Mentees’ disability diagnoses, high school experiences, personal and educational histories, and support needs varied, as did transition challenges and degree of collegelevel agency and self-advocacy. Undergraduates, citing mentor support, reported that the program was helpful in addressing self-management needs. Findings suggest that mentees’ self-identified needs (for structure, …

The Development And Evaluation Of A Planning Guide And Inservice To Assist Middle School Personnel In Serving Students With Disabilities Via 504 Plans, Aimee Miller

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 specifically prohibits the discrimination of individuals with disabilities who participate in federally funded programs, including public education. Public education is a major recipient of federal funds and has struggled to apply the law to their practice. As the Office of Civil Rights (the administrator of Section 504) became more rigorous in enforcing this legislation, schools became more frustrated with the vagueness of the requirements and the eligibility standards. To date, schools still lack explicit direction and instruction on how to help students that may qualify for added accommodations, but do not qualify …

Picture Books And Literacy Development For Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing, Lichelle Slater

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

In the past decade, research has focused on children’s literature and how it can facilitate literacy development (LaCour, McDonald, Tissington, Thomason, 2013; Lee, 2010). Although current research has identified the importance of age-appropriate literacy development for children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH), few studies have explored the character representations depicted in current picture books, and their cultural and individual impact on children who are DHH. To gain a better understanding of the availability of books in which deafness or hearing loss is addressed, or books in which children who are DHH are featured characters, a search of …

The Mainstream Kindergarten Teacher's Perspective Of Pragmatic Skills Of Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing Aligned With Common Core Standards, Marianne Ingram Huish

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Pragmatics, or social/emotional skills are learned early in life by most typically developing children (DeLuzio, Girolametto, 2011). According to the American SpeechLanguage-Hearing Association (ASHA), social/emotional skills involve three major communication strategies. These include 1) using language for different purposes such as greeting, informing, requesting, 2) changing language depending on the relationship with the listener, and 3) following conversational and storytelling rules such as taking turns in conversation, staying on topic, using non-verbal signals, and maintaining appropriate body position and eye contact (ASHA, 2013). Social/emotional skills among children entering into the mainstream kindergarten setting, according to early childhood core state standards, …

Increasing Teacher Instructional Behaviors While Engaged In Direct Instruction Through The Use Of Videotaping, Linda Olson

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

First year special education teachers enter an extremely complex and challenging profession. Even those who come from strong university preparation programs need substantial coaching to become effective in the many responsibilities of a special education teacher. Among the crucial targets of this kind of coaching program are basic, essential, effective teaching skills. This creative project took place within the context of a broad mentoring program developed by the author. It focused on evaluating one component of that program: video-supported coaching on essential effective teaching skills. The teaching skills here were: (a) providing frequent opportunities for student responses (OTRs), (b) error …

Comparison Of Two Word Learning Techniques And The Effect Of Neighborhood Density For Late Talkers, Shari L. Deveney, Cynthia J. Cress, Robert Reid

Special Education and Communication Disorders Faculty Publications

The investigators compared two techniques for teaching expressive vocabulary to late talkers: modeling with an expectant pause and modeling with an evoked child production. They also explored the influence of neighborhood density on children’s real word learning. Three late talkers (ages 25–33 months) received two alternating vocabulary treatments (expectant pause and evoked production) in the home. Two participants were identified as having an expressive language delay, and one participant was identified as having an expressive and receptive language delay. During the expectant pause treatment, the clinician paused several seconds after each target word model, looking at the child expectantly. In …

Idea And Alternative Dispute Resolution: A Primer, Charles J. Russo, Allan G. Osborne Jr.

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) procedures are the cornerstone of the provisions in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that mandate the timely resolution of disagreements between parents and school officials.

ADR procedures are in the form of mediation and resolution sessions that are held before culminating in due process hearings. The sessions are designed to be speedier, less costly, and less adversarial than litigation. Subject to infrequent exceptions, disagreements can be subject to judicial review only after parents and education officials have exhausted the administrative remedies under the IDEA. The provisions establish time frames that parties must meet before …

Dual Language Learners Home Literacy Environment: A Training Workshop For Head Start Professionals, Kerry A. Shea

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Given that demographic statistics in early childhood settings show an increase in the number of children who are Dual Language Learners (DLLs), it is necessary to provide early childhood education professionals with information and skill-building opportunities regarding how to best serve DLL children. Head Start, a federally funded preschool for children and families living in poverty, provides services for an increasing number of DLLs. Head Start professionals are in need of effective professional development about DLLs and their families. This study examined the effects of a training on Head Start professionals' knowledge and skills for working with DLL families. Participants …