Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

A Mainstreaming Story: What The Labels Leave Out, Susan Goetz

Thought and Practice: (1987-1991) the Journal of the Graduate School of Bank Street College of Education

Case study of a kindergarten child who defied the labels and evaluation reports and surprised his teachers and classmates.

An Investigation Of The Impact Of Multiple Exposures To New Vocabulary Words Have On Students With Language Processing Disorders, Erin E. Higgins

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research aimed to investigate how fifth-grade students diagnosed with processing disorders best-learned new vocabulary and the role motivation played in success. The district, school, and students were given pseudonyms in order to maintain anonymity. Over the course of three, one-week instructional periods, four students participated in six different oral and written vocabulary activities. They completed an assessment immediately following four days of instruction and again at the end of the study to measure growth in their ability to identify and use the word using a four-point scale. Based on the results of the assessments, they showed …

Parental Directiveness And Responsivity Toward Young Children With Complex Communication Needs, Shari L. Deveney, Cynthia J. Cress, Matthew Lambert

Special Education and Communication Disorders Faculty Publications

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to determine if parent responsiveness to their children with complex communication needs (CCN) during naturalistic play changed over an 18-month period and determine if any such changes were influenced by the child’s overall level of receptive and expressive language development, motor development or differing play contexts. This longitudinal information is important for early intervention speech-language pathologists and parents of children with developmental disabilities for whom the use of parent-directed responsivity interventions may be encouraged.

Method: Over an 18-month period, 37 parents of young children who had physical and/or neurological disabilities …

High School General Education Teachers' Perception Of Iep Accommodations For Students With Asperger Syndrome, Mary Patricia Krones

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative design study was to better understand the experiences of high school general education English teachers who have students with Asperger Syndrome in their classes. More specifically, this researcher wanted to better understand the teacher's perception of the IEP-denoted accommodations the general education teachers are responsible for implementing. Data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, journal entries and collection of artifacts. Findings of this study include: the IEP document and IEP process from the lens of the general education teacher do not provide adequate information when considering the unique needs of students with Asperger Syndrome; …

Perspectives Of Pre-Service Teachers On Students With Emotional Disabilities, Andrea P. Beam, Russell G. Yocum, Elyse C. Pinkie

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Perceptions of working with students of emotional disabilities or who are considered Emotionally/Behaviorally Disturbed (E/BD) is varied across the spectrum. However, one constant that does hold true is that all pre-service teachers have some hesitation in working with such students, especially if they lack any previous exposure to students with E/BD. This study compared pre- and post-test Likert-scale type surveys about pre-service teachers’ (n = 35) perceptions regarding students with E/BD. In between the pre- and post-test, the pre-service teachers were given classroom instruction and were assigned a practicum field experience to observe and work alongside students with emotionally charged …

Capturing Performance: Evaluating Esl Licensure Candidates With The Candidate Assessment For Performance (Cap), Melissa Latham Keh, Emily Spitzman

Special Education Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Wh-Question Graphic Organizer On Reading Comprehension In Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Josh Connelly

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Many students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) struggle with reading comprehension. The study examined the efficacy of using a wh-question graphic organizer to improve reading comprehension of students with ASD. Two eighth grade students in a middle school, self-contained classroom participated in the study. The data revealed that the graphic organizer was beneficial to Student A in improving comprehension. Student B saw a decrease in scores after the introduction of the organizer. Further research is necessary to determine the efficacy of the intervention. As characteristics of ASD can vary greatly from one individual to another, it may be the case …

The Benefits Of Reading Racetrack With Flashcards, A Smartboard And Time Delay Usage In Increasing Sight Word Recognition And Fluency With Special Education Students, Tara J. Leffingwell

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of the study is to determine if the effects of using reading racetrack paired with flashcards and the enhancement of Smartboard technology with three-second time delay will increase the accuracy of Dolch Sight Word reading. The first participant was a second grade male diagnosed with an intellectual disability. The second participant was a fourth grade female born with Down syndrome and diagnosed with an intellectual disability. Data were taken on corrects and errors of selected sight words on a pre-test and posttest and during intervention. A generalization probe was conducted to see if they could read the 28 …

Improving Vocabulary Comprehension For Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing Students, Tammy Gallion

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to pursue the best ways to use visual representation as an introduction to vocabulary to a deaf or hard of hearing student. These techniques were effective for the student to be able to maintain comprehension. The teacher used either use sign language to demonstrate the sign for the vocabulary word or finger spell the vocabulary word, identified the written word, and said the word aloud in the study. The instrument used for the pretest and posttest were ten Dolch sight words: three, yellow, down, jump, help, run, funny, big, little and play. Documentation from …

Teaching Multiple Meaning Words To Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Students Using Contextually-Based Vocabulary Instruction And Metacognitive Skills, Calla Rieger

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of using contextually-based vocabulary instruction and metacognitive skills to teach multiple meaning words to deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students. Deaf and hard of hearing students have limited vocabularies and struggle to understand and use multiple meaning words and as a result, their reading comprehension suffers (Paul, 1987). Furthermore, DHH readers are less likely to use metacognitive techniques such as looking back or rereading a text to monitor comprehension, drawing upon background knowledge to define unfamiliar words, and detecting inappropriate information in passages than their hearing peers (Marschark & …

Using Caregiver Strain To Predict Participation In A Peer-Support Intervention For Parents Of Children With Emotional Or Behavioral Needs, Kristin Duppong-Hurley, Stacy-Ann A. January, Matthew C. Lambert

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Children receiving services for severe emotional and behavioral difficulties are less likely to have parents who are involved in their education and support services. Peer-to-peer family support programs are one approach to increasing the self-efficacy and empowerment of parents’ engagement in the treatment of a child’s mental health conditions. Furthermore, programs providing parental support may reduce the strain and negative consequences caregivers may experience due to the stress of caring for a child with emotional and behavioral needs. Although much is known about the relation between caregivers’ strain and children’s use of mental health services, less is known about caregiver …

Using Motor Imagery To Control Brain-Computer Interfaces For Communication, Jonathan S. Brumberg, Jeremy D. Burnison, Kevin M. Pitt

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) as assistive devices are designed to provide access to communication, navigation, locomotion and environmental interaction to individuals with severe motor impairment. In the present paper, we discuss two approaches to communication using a non-invasive BCI via recording of neurological activity related to motor imagery. The first approach uses modulations of the sensorimotor rhythm related to limb movement imagery to continuously modify the output of an artificial speech synthesizer. The second approach detects event-related changes to neurological activity during single trial motor imagery attempts to control a commercial augmentative and alternative communication device. These two approaches represent two …

The Association Of Preschool Enrollment And The Predictive Traits Of Special Education Identification, Sarie Elizabeth Ates-Patterson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Early childhood education (ECE) consists of educational programs that serve children in the preschool years and are designed to improve elementary school performance. Colorado early childhood education programming has two preschool classifications that include Colorado Preschool Program (CPP) which is determined by a student's risk factors, and the State Preschool Special Education (Preschool SPED) program which is determined by the student's identified disability prior to attending elementary school. For the two cohorts who participated in Colorado preschool programming during 2009-2010 school year, special education and demographic extant data are compared in order to study the subsequent identification for special education …

The Role Of Executive Functions In Classroom Instruction Of Students With Learning Disabilities, Silvana M. R. Watson, Robert A. Gable, Lisa L. Morin

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

In this article, we describe executive functions and their role in determining student academic success. We focus on the executive function difficulties of students with learning disabilities and explain how executive dysfunctions can negatively affect different academic areas (e.g., reading comprehension, mathematics). Finally, we offer ways teachers can modify their instruction to better address the diverse needs of students with learning disabilities who are struggling to perform various academic tasks.

Ua10/1 Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex (2015-2016 Annual Report), Mary Lloyd Moore, Executive Director, Wku Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex

CEC Publications

No abstract provided.

Applied Examples Of Screening Students At Risk Of Emotional And Behavioral Disabilities, Corey D. Pierce, Philip D. Nordness, Michael Epstein, Douglas Cullinan

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Early identification of student behavioral needs allows educators the opportunity to apply appropriate interventions before negative behaviors become more intensive and persistent. A variety of screening tools are available to identify which students are at risk for persistent behavior problems in school. This article provides two examples in which the Emotional and Behavioral Screener (EBS) was used to identify students at risk of emotional or behavioral problems. Example 1 demonstrates how the EBS can be used within a school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports framework to inform decision making. Example 2 demonstrates how the EBS can be used to inform …

Toward A Framework For Reading Lived Experiences As Texts: A Four-Year Self-Study Of Teacher Education Practices, Abby Cameron-Standerford, Christi U. Edge, Bethney M. Bergh

Book Sections/Chapters

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Simultaneous Prompting Delivered By Peers In The General Education Setting, Whitney S. Barnes

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of this research study was to provide training for peer tutors to use simultaneous prompting to increase the percentage of correct responses of sight words by students with moderate to severe disabilities. The study included four students with moderate to severe disabilities in an elementary school setting. A multiple probe (days) design across behaviors replicated across students was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the simultaneous prompting procedure used by peer tutors to teach students with moderate to severe disabilities in the general education setting. The results indicated the peers were able to reliably implement the procedures, but …

Cooperative Learning Activities In Social Studies Classrooms And The Effect On Self-Determination For Students With And Without Individualized Education Programs (Ieps), Carey Anne Aubrey-Martinez

Wayne State University Dissertations

Students with disabilities are spending significantly more time in the general education setting than they have historically. General education teachers are in need of strategies to enable them to work with these students more successfully. Additionally, research shows that all students could benefit from activities geared toward developing self-determination skills.

The purpose of this descriptive study was to see if the use of cooperative learning activities could improve the self-determination abilities of general education students and students with an Individualized Education Program in a social studies classroom. Students were given the American Institutes for Research Self-Determination Scale as a pretest …

Fluency Interventions And The Impact On Comprehension, Colleen Cook

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Reading fluency is understood to be the rate and accuracy of that which is being read and comprehension is the understanding of what has been read. Many studies support the concept that fluency skills support reading comprehension. Many students with specific learning disabilities lack the fluency skills needed for successful reading comprehension. This study provided fluency interventions to elementary students with specific learning disabilities and evaluated any comprehension gains. Students graphed their own fluency gains during the interventions and a pre-test and post-test were given to monitor comprehension. There was in increase in both the average fluency rate for each …

Stereocilia-Staircase Spacing Is Influenced By Myosin Iii Motors And Their Cargos Espin-1 And Espin-Like, Seham Ebrahim, Matthew R. Avenarius, M’Hamed Grati, Jocelyn F. Krey, Alanna M. Windsor, Aurea D. Sousa, Angela Ballesteros, Runjia Cui, Bryan A. Millis, Felipe T. Salles, Michelle A. Baird, Michael W. Davidson, Sherri M. Jones, Dongseok Choi, Lijin Dong, Manmeet H. Raval, Christopher M. Yengo, Peter G. Barr- Gillespie, Bechara Kachar

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Hair cells tightly control the dimensions of their stereocilia, which are actin-rich protrusions with graded heights that mediate mechanotransduction in the inner ear. Two members of the myosin-III family, MYO3A and MYO3B, are thought to regulate stereocilia length by transporting cargos that control actin polymerization at stereocilia tips. We show that eliminating espin-1 (ESPN-1), an isoform of ESPN and a myosin-III cargo, dramatically alters the slope of the stereocilia staircase in a subset of hair cells. Furthermore, we show that espin-like (ESPNL), primarily present in developing stereocilia, is also a myosin-III cargo and is essential for normal hearing. ESPN-1 and …

Curriculum Decision-Making Processes Of Beginning Special Education Teachers, Camille Schulman

The Graduate Review

Teachers are constantly making decisions in their classrooms based on a variety of factors. With a sample of twelve first or second year special education teachers, this participatory action research project explores the decision-making processes in regards to curriculum development. Using group interviews, individual interviews, participant content maps, and a survey, data examining the decisions these teachers make about curriculum in their classroom was collected. These qualitative and quantitative data sets will be coded, analyzed, and compared to identify common elements and themes among participants. Preliminary results show that teachers struggle on a daily basis with different aspects of curriculum …

Perspectives Of Educators In Care And Treatment Programs On The Educational Needs Of Students, Jill F. Kramer

Theses and Graduate Projects

This qualitative research study examined the perspectives of educators working in a care and treatment facility on the educational needs of students enrolled in those programs. This research was conducted by interviewing six educators who were employed with an urban Midwest school district and were assigned to the care and treatment program examined in the study. Data was gathered to determine the participants' views and experiences with the field of education, specifically in the care and treatment program, including classroom management, instructional strategies, and curriculum. The results indicated participants perceived building relationships with students, collaboration between service providers, and engaging …

What Is The Perception Of Struggling Readers On The Impact Of Computer Games On Working Memory?, Kathleen Anderson

Theses and Graduate Projects

Students with learning disabilities are faced with a lifetime of struggles to meet the demands of academics and daily activities. How can special education and classroom teachers effectively ensure that interventions provided to students will meet their needs? Research reports that working memory is no longer fixed but can be improved through targeted training. Computerized working memory training programs are promoted as a means to improve working memory. The purpose of this research was to discover the perception of struggling students on the impact of computerized working memory games on their working memory. In this qualitative research, data was collected …

Parent Perspectives On The Parent-Teacher Relationship In The Case Of Parents Of Children With Special Needs In Doha, Qatar, Corinne Lorence

Theses and Graduate Projects

Parent-teacher partnership is a key element to student achievement and success. While there is a large body of literature that supports the importance of parent-teacher partnership, and literature capturing teacher and parent perspectives alike, there are fewer studies involving perspectives of parents of children with special needs in the Middle East. This qualitative study sought the perspectives of such parents living in a small country in the Middle East. Three mothers of children who attended a special education school were interviewed, and the data was transcribed and analyzed for emerging themes. Despite their diverse backgrounds, participants shared a love for …

A Non-Traditional Learning Environment And Student Success From The Perspectives Of The Students Themselves, Arika R. Mareck

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this action research study is to examine a non-traditional learning environment and student success from the perspectives of the students themselves. This study defines a non-traditional learning environment as a hope- inspired and relational environment with a person a\ized, and relevant curriculum. It is an environment where teachers model collaboration, restorative practices, and compassion through intentional culturally relevant instruction, strength-based assumptions, whole-sfudent relationships, confl ict resolution, and sfudent advocacy and empowerment. The study seeks to understand if typically unsuccessful students (also commonly referred to as at-risk students) can find success if the delivery of their education is …

The Evaluation Of Educational Inclusion Programs For Students With Intellectual Disabilities In Jordan, Ahmad Salem Algolaylat

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

THE EVALUATION OF EDUCATIONAL INCLUSION PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES IN JORDAN

By

AHMAD SALEM ALGOLAYLAT

August 2016

Advisors: Dr. Marshall Zumberg

Major: Special Education

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

This study aimed to evaluate the inclusive education programs for students with intellectual disabilities in Jordan, quantitative and qualitative research methods were utilized in this study to collect data. These methods included the Jordanian inclusive education scale and teacher interviews. The sample of the study consisted of thirty schools and eight teachers from both governmental and private sector, schools and teachers were selected from Amman. To achieve the aim …

The Effects Of Peer Mentoring On Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Keri Tichenor

Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal

The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of students with autism and their peer mentors that may contribute to the success of peer-mediated intervention strategies. Target students and peer mentors were matched based on skill level, age, and preferences; the students participated in a variety of activities throughout a week-long day camp. Peer mentors were taught how to interact with students, and behavior technicians were trained to facilitate these interactions. A qualitative case study was designed to determine patterns across the matched pairs. Findings indicate that peer mentor characteristics and the characteristics of the target student contribute …

An Overview Of The Issues In Evaluating Special Educators: Current Challenges And Recent Developments, Gavin W. Watts

Special Education Faculty Publications (Archived)

Teachers have always been evaluated in some way; yet, current roles in the classroom have shifted to more scientific and data based approaches to teacher evaluation. These specialized approaches to teaching and evaluation have raised questions about using a single or uniform tool to assess educators. Special educators are particularly impacted by teacher evaluations since their roles require unique instructional and behavioral management skills. In addition to the range of technical and socio-emotional competencies, special educators are responsible for ensuring that all of their students' learning and academic needs are met. In this backgrounder, the author first provides a brief …

Easing Reentry Of Incarcerated Youth With And Without Disabilities Through Employability And Social Skills Training, Taryn Vanderpyl

CGU Theses & Dissertations

When incarcerated youth – those with and those without disabilities – face the prospect of reentering the community, they have many obstacles to overcome. Employment requirements are often associated with terms of parole or aftercare. Those who fail to obtain and maintain employment often reenter the juvenile justice system instead of successfully reentering society. Research shows employment is critical for successful transition from incarceration back in to the community. Limited information is available about programs that positively impact post-incarceration employment for juveniles, however. Practitioners face the challenge of selecting effective curriculum, interventions, or supports. Unfortunately, the current knowledge base provides …