Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Grading For Growth: Using Sliding Scale Rubrics To Motivate Struggling Learners, Dina Mahmood, Hugo Jacobo

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

In an effort to adopt more equitable and humanizing grading practices, this teacher inquiry explores how educators attempted to improve students’ views of learning and assessments by utilizing rubrics on a sliding scale. Using the sliding scale rubric approach to grading provided an opportunity for students and educators to rethink how learning is evaluated. The authors found that the logistics of using sliding scale rubrics as a grading tool does need to be refined and further evaluated; however, the belief that a student can receive a grade based on her or his individual starting point did have some positive implications …

Chapter 7: Learners With Disabilities And Video-Based Instructional Message Design, Charles Thull

Instructional Message Design, Volume 1

Learners with disabilities are entitled to public education that supports their unique needs, but unfortunately, they experience poor post-secondary outcomes when compared to their peers, including lower rates of post-secondary education engagement and employment. Individuals with low incidence disabilities experience lower employment rates when compared to other individuals with disabilities, due to the impact of difficulties with social/communication, self-determination, and executive functioning skills. Researchers have developed video-based instruction with various message design and technology features to support independence for individuals with disabilities, including basic to complex vocational task completion. This chapter will provide useful information for designers, educators, state and …

Como La Mejora De La Educación Especial Depende De La Sociedad, Peyton Locke

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Utilizando la observación participante y no participante, este estudio examina los factores que contribuyen a una educación exhaustiva para los niños y adultos con necesidades especiales. El objetivo de este estudio es investigar los diferentes tipos de educación especial que se ofrecen en la Ciudad de Buenos Aires y, por último, descubrir cómo la educación especial puede ser mejor para garantizar un sistema de educación especial igual y fuerte. Después de pasar un mes observando cinco escuelas diferentes dentro de cada escalafón, además de hablar con diferentes directores y docentes de educación especial, los resultados de este estudio llegaron a …

Motivational Factors Leading To Exceptional Student Education As A Career Choice, Annissa Brockington

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Districts nationwide continue to face the challenge of recruiting and retaining quality teachers for the classroom. The teacher shortage issue is bleaker when seeking teachers to fill some of the most critical subject areas needed such as math, science, and exceptional student education. The purpose of this study was to understand the motivational factors that contribute to an ESE teacher’s decision to remain in the teaching field. Over 600 ESE teachers were surveyed and asked to rate their satisfaction level over a range of multiple factors, and 247 teachers responded to the survey. Using quantitative methodology, a one-sample t test …

A Matter Of Time: English Language Learners And The Rti Process, Eric J. López, Mariya T. Davis

Special Education Faculty Publications (Archived)

The Response to Intervention (RTI) process is being used to assist all students, including English Language Learners (ELLs), who are experiencing academic difficulties and potentially qualifying for special education services. This article discusses suggestions for improving the RTI process by incorporating congruent time frames within the model and aligning it with timing necessary for language acquisition in ELLs. In addition, practical recommendations for expanding the expertise of current and future educators are presented to assist in providing effective services to ELLs students in the RTI process.

The Effects Within A Church Of A Music Program For Special Needs Students, Stephanie Jean Toepoel

Masters Theses

This project investigated the effects that a faith-based music class for special needs students had upon the students, their families, and the participating church body. Two special needs students participated in a four-week faith-based general music class sponsored by their local church. Significant spiritual growth was demonstrated by the families of the special needs students and the church body and was reported in personal interviews and anonymous surveys. The study evaluated the physical, cognitive, and spiritual progress the students demonstrated during the four-week class. Data was collected through researcher observation and journaling, audiovisual recordings, personal interviews of the assistant teacher, …

An Examination Of Oral Argumentation Using Socioscientific Issues Among Secondary Students With Disabilities, Mindy A. Gumpert

Communication Disorders & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The recent science education reforms mandate that all students must receive adequate opportunities to access the science curriculum in order to gain a better understanding of how science and the world works (National Research Council, 2012). According to these reforms, engagement in argumentation is one science practice essential to today’s K-12 science education (Sampson & Clark, 2011). Engagement in argumentation promotes critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills, and has the potential to promote growth of cognitive and metacognitive reasoning (Venville & Dawson, 2010). Additionally, engagement in argumentation using socioscientific issues provides students with authentic links to contemporary real-world social …

The Continuum Of Support For Building Intimacy Knowledge In College For Students With Intellectual And Developmental Disability, Chelsea Vanhorn Stinnett

Theses and Dissertations

Adults with intellectual disability report the same relational and sexual intimacy needs as those without disability, yet experience barriers in accessing intimacy education and engaging in intimacy. Postsecondary education (PSE) programs for students with intellectual disability allow for college students to experience a higher level of autonomy in choice-making they may not have experienced in their family home. The Continuum of Support for Intimacy Knowledge in College Survey (CoSIK-C) was used to examine how PSE programs support college students in building their intimacy knowledge, intimacy education professional development opportunities for PSE staff members, and staff perceptions on factors that could …

Collaboration Within Special Education Transition: Perceptions Of Barriers, Strategies, And Effects Of Collaboration, Elizabeth Magee

Theses and Dissertations

Transitioning students with disability demonstrate poorer outcomes in employment, education, and independent living than peers without disability. Legislation and research aimed at supporting transitioning students has led to increased understanding of initiatives that can better support youth and families. Interagency collaboration for transition planning is a key pillar, but evidence-based research in implementation and effects is limited. Through a single-state survey research design, this study aims to identify the levels and perceptions of collaborative factors among transition professionals, specifically educators, Vocational Rehabilitation professionals, and various community supports providers. Variance in perceptions exist among participant role groups, as well as among …

Apples To Apples: Special Needs Education In The United States And Denmark, Maria Knuckley Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

This comparative case study is designed to uncover varying approaches to teaching students with special needs based on the perceptions and practices of teachers. A closer look is made into the specific experiences of educators that resulted in Learner-Centered approaches to curriculum and instruction. Data was collected through published documents, questionnaires, and interviews of teachers who instruct students with special needs in the United States and Denmark. In the United States, data from educators in a private specialized education program in Georgia was used to compare data from public education teachers in a Danish Municipality. The study builds on current …

Family Engagement In Secondary Transition: Importance, Frequency, And Preparedness Identified By Transition Professionals, Gerda Kumpiene

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine transition professionals' perceptions of the importance of family engagement practices, how frequently specific family engagement practices are implemented, and the perceived level of preparation to implement these practices. The survey instrument was created for the purpose of this study, based on the extant literature review related to the specific family engagement practices that transition professionals implement in their work. A total of 237 transition specialists from 81 South Carolina school districts and 24 South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department local offices participated in the study. To identify the underlying structure of the specific …

Special Education In Catholic Schools Viewed From A Liberatory Hermeneutic, Mary Carlson, Jeffrey Labelle

Journal of Catholic Education

This study explores anew the issue of providing special education in Catholic schools by viewing the ethical implications from a liberatory hermeneutic. By utilizing an interdisciplinary perspective, the research draws upon liberation theology, liberation psychology, liberation pedagogy, and liberation ethics to support the moral mandate for providing education for all God’s children, including those persons with disabilities. The study challenges Catholic educational leaders to reimagine their positions on how schools might promote a more inclusive, liberatory approach to serving the special needs of children with disabilities. Finally, this research provides a Catholic, liberatory, ethical framework for inclusive Catholic education to …

Family/Caregiver Engagement In Early Intervention, Jessica Hawkins

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Research has shown that the early years of child development and intervention that occurs during those years has a large impact on the architecture of the brain which creates a sturdy or fragile foundation for overall developmental and success later in a child’s life (Shonkoff & Bales, 2011). For children with or at risk for disabilities, early intervention programs were developed to assist with increasing a child’s success or closing the gap if one exists. For the purposes of this literature review, the early years and early childhood are referring to children ages birth to age 3. Early intervention services …

The Importance Of Teacher Behavior In Increasing Student Success: Are Teachers Prepared To Meet The Needs Of Students With Emotional Or Behavioral Disorders?, Justin T. Cooper

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

Despite the dissemination of specific instructional practices including High Leverage Practices and other pedagogical strategies that are considered fundamental to the success of students with emotional/behavioral disorders, research suggests that many of these practices are occurring in schools at unacceptably low rates. This research-to-practice gap is not a new phenomenon. This paper provides an overview of some of these specific teacher-driven instructional behaviors and the implications of the paucity of their use in schools. In addition, the importance of the role that teacher preparation programs play, and steps that they can take to alleviate the research-to-practice gap are discussed.

Collaboration With Community Partners To Enhance Clinical Practice, Susan Keesey, Christina Noel, Nancy Hulan, Pete Hoechner

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

Teacher preparation programs are shifting focus to models that integrate pedagogy and coursework into an applied clinical teaching model. Research clearly supports this change to help new teachers prepare for the demographics of today’s classrooms. Teacher preparation is improved through the implementation of high-leverage practices, the key skills new teachers are expected to know and apply. This article highlights a collaborative professional development day designed to strengthen the clinical partnership by developing a shared vision and common language by incorporating high-leverage practices.

Music Therapy’S Role In The Education System, Madison Riley, Tori L. Colson, Moriah Smothers

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

Music therapy is a lesser-known and used related service, yet it provides significant benefits to students that have language, behavioral, and social needs. This article reviews the literature on music therapy, discusses its historical and theoretical roots, and examines its use in educational settings. Special attention is given to therapeutic practices that are geared toward students on the autism spectrum because their social and communication needs are often a good fit for music therapy practices. Recommendations on using music therapy in special and general education classrooms are also made. Additionally, recommendations for including music therapy content in teacher preparation programs …

Choice As An Antecedent Intervention Provided To Children With Emotional Disturbances, Alexandra J. Taylor, Amy Lein

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

Students with ED typically demonstrate social, behavioral, and academic deficiencies within the school setting. This article addresses the antecedent behavior interventions (ABI) of the provision of choice-making opportunities which are an effective practice within the PBIS framework. This study employed a single-subject multiple-baseline across-participants design to examine the effect of choice-making provided in social skills instruction on both academic (i.e., correct responses) and behavioral outcomes (i.e., task engagement, disruptions) for three elementary-aged students with ED.

Results demonstrated improved behaviors of three student participants. All participants showed an increase in task engagement and a decrease in number of disruptions from baseline …

Cross-Cultural Considerations: Raising Language Teachers Awareness About The Importance Of Multiculturalism, Abir El Shaban

Journal of Research Initiatives

Abstract

With the worldwide use of English as a second language (ESL) and globalization, teachers are expected to understand, acknowledge and interact with culturally and linguistically diverse students and integrate their linguistic and multicultural backgrounds in classroom settings. Teachers need to be multicultural to be able to successfully impact their students to be multicultural. This paper provides English language teachers with valuable recommendations based on cross-cultural studies and my experience, as an ESL teacher, on how to be responsive to students from different cultures to empower and enhance their language proficiency skills.

Understanding Equitable Assessment: How Preservice Teachers Make Meaning Of Disability, Melissa K. Driver

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

Disproportionality of historically marginalized populations in special education continues to be a critical concern. The identification of students with disabilities is reliant on valid and reliable assessment that is free of bias. The extent to which this is possible given measurement constraints and an increasingly diverse student population is unclear. How teachers are trained to design, select, administer, score, and interpret assessment data related to the identification of students with disabilities is vastly under-researched considering the significant implications of assessment practices. In this study, six special education preservice teachers engaged in an assessment methods course during their second semester of …

Table Of Contents

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

No abstract provided.

Teaching Addition To Students With Moderate Disabilities Using Video Prompting, Scott A. Dueker, Helen I. Cannella-Malone

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Academic performance for students with moderate to severe disabilities falls far behind their typically developing peers and puts them at risk for continued dependence after school ends. Video prompting is an evidence-based practice that has been used to teach various non-academic skills; however, few studies have focused on using video prompting to teach academic skills other than reading. This study used a delayed multiple baseline across students design to evaluate the use of video prompting to teach single- and double-digit addition to three students with moderate disabilities. Results indicated that all three students improved their accurate completion of addition problems …

A Virtual Assistant On Campus For Blind And Low Vision Students, Amanda Lannan

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

"I want to make the most of my college experience…pass the courses I need to get into law school, make new friends, and travel. Maybe study abroad." These are the sentiments of one undergraduate student. These goals are not so different from those of hundreds of students attending college, yet, the mere fact she is blind creates a completely different perspective. This exploratory study seeks to learn how undergraduate students who are blind or have low vision (BLV), experience Aira, an augmented reality application, as a visual interpreter, in post-secondary settings. Semi-structured interviews illuminated three major themes: (a) accessibility impacts …

Utilizing A Flipped Learning Model To Support Special Educators’ Mathematical Knowledge For Teaching, Tara L. Kaczorowski, Allison M. Kroesch, Mandy White, Brianna Lanning

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Flipped learning is a popular pedagogical approach in K-12 and in higher education (Graziano, 2017), however minimal research exists on the effectiveness of flipped learning in special education teacher preparation courses. Special education teacher candidates enrolled in five sections of a special education math methods course engaged with interactive, flipped “learning lessons” prior to class. During class, they participated in extension activities and lesson planning. The researchers utilized mixed methods to evaluate the impact of performance on and engagement with these learning lessons and found positive predictive relationships with student achievement on all individual summative assignments. Nearly all students agreed …

Using Assistive Technology Tools To Support Learning In The Inclusive Preschool Classroom, Marla J. Lohmann, Katrina A. Hovey, Ariane N. Gauvreau, Johanna P. Higgins

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

For over a century, early childhood experts have discussed the importance of play for young children’s growth and development. Play is critical for the development of young children as it increases learning (Barton, 2015), supports young children in gaining social and communication skills (Dennis & Stockall, 2015), and leads to social awareness and empathy skills (Brown, 2009). However, for young children with disabilities, accessing play and social interactions can prove to be challenging (Fallon & MacCobb, 2013). In order to support preschoolers with disabilities in learning through play, the authors recommend the use of assistive technologies (AT) for (a) communication, …

Using Apple Watch To Increase Behavior Specific Praise And Promote A Positive Learning Environment, Andrew M. Markelz, Benjamin S. Riden

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Effective classroom management is pivotal in special education teachers’ successful interactions with students who frequently engage in inappropriate and undesirable behaviors. One evidence-based strategy to promote positive social and academic outcomes is behavior specific praise (BSP). Yet, regardless of the evidential benefits of BSP, teachers continue to use low rates of praise because frequent student disruptions and general off-task behaviors reinforce teachers to reprimand. Apple Watch is at the forefront of a growing wearable industry and is increasingly common on special education teachers’ wrists. With the assistance of a publicly available application (app), the Apple Watch easily becomes a tactile …

Supporting Student Knowledge Using Formative Assessment And Universal Design For Learning Expression, Lisa A. Finnegan, Katie M. Miller, Kathleen M. Randolph, Kristina D. Bielskus-Barone

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

This article demonstrates an approach for teachers to use outcomes from activities using the universal design for learning expression principle to evaluate student knowledge in content areas. Based on the student’s level of explanation using a variety of expression methods, teachers can determine whether students need additional support for re-teaching a concept or whether students are ready for additional practice or challenge. Various levels of technology can be used for formatively assessing student understanding, from no technology (e.g., paper and pencil) to mid- or high-technology tools found in most classrooms, including computers and tablets.

Infusing Technology Throughout Teacher Preparation Programs To Support Preservice Teacher Development, Aftynne E. Cheek, Whitney A. Idol, Jennie L. Jones, Kara B. Holden

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Teacher preparation programs must be systematic in the way they teach content and pedagogy while providing preservice teachers the tools they need to both be successful and want to stay in the field. Reports such as the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE, 2010) Blue Ribbon Panel report call for teacher preparation programs to use technology to support preservice teacher development of best practice. However, research indicates that there is a disconnect between what is expected of preservice teachers and the way they are taught, especially in the area of technology (Barak, 2017). In an effort to guide …

Using Icoaching To Support Teachers’ Implementation Of Evidence-Based Practices, Kathleen M. Randolph, Mary Lou Duffy

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Coaching in the school setting typically follows a teacher observation by an administrator or coach. Feedback is often delayed and does not allow for immediate error correction. Traditional professional development in schools is often a one-day passive receipt of content or strategies, with no time to practice, implement, or follow-up on the strategy to ensure implementation with fidelity. Combining strategies learned in professional development with iCoaching provides teachers with support to implement evidence-based strategies in their own classrooms with fidelity, and bridges the gap between professional development and implementation. This article discusses how to use iCoaching to support strategy implementation …

Factors Influencing Disciplinary Committee Effectiveness: The Case Of Public Secondary Schools In Ondo State, Nigeria, Akindele Matthew Ige

Journal of Research Initiatives

This study investigated the factors influencing the effectiveness of the Disciplinary Committee in schools, using Public Secondary Schools in Ondo State, Nigeria. Descriptive-survey design was adopted. The 304 Public Secondary Schools in the state were the main population while Principals and Vice-Principals of the schools were targets. Multistage, stratified, and simple-random sampling techniques were adopted to select 40 secondary schools for the study. Three questions and three hypotheses guided this study. A questionnaire, validated, and tested for reliability(r-0.85), and structured on 4-point Likert Scale, was used to collect data, which were analyzed using frequency distribution table, mean, and SPSS package. …

Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Identity, Presence, And Intentionality: A Brief Review Of Literature, Anthony Walker

Journal of Research Initiatives

For too long, education has emphasized a systematized approach designed to maximize efficiency and a standardization of curriculum and pedagogical design. Too often, educational practice framed in Anglo-European norms remain unchallenged and place students whose cultural identity does not align with the dominant norms at disadvantage. In turn, curricula and pedagogies fail to acknowledge the role that culture and identity play in both teaching and learning. Critically oriented and culturally relevant pedagogies have the potential to foster critical thinking, identity development, and equity. This article examines how the tenets of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and identity development into educational practice can …