Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

The Adaptation Of Regular Elementary Classrooms For Children With Moderate And Severe Disabilities: Inclusion Practices From The Principal's Perspective, Jerry R. Herman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the perceptions of elementary school principals in Tennessee regarding the desirability and feasibility of adapting regular elementary classrooms and programs for the inclusion of children with moderate and severe disabilities. The purpose of the study was to add an administrative dimension to current research on inclusive educational programming for children typically educated in special (CDC) class settings. Data collection for the descriptive design of the study was accomplished by use of a 40 item survey instrument with a 7-point Likert-type scale for each construct (i.e., desirability and feasibility). Four ten item subscales addressed the areas of Staff …

Attitudes And Perceived Needs Of Northeast Tennessee Educators Toward Effecting The Practice Of Inclusion, David A. Cox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the attitudes and perceived needs of Northeast Tennessee educators toward effecting the practice of inclusion in the public schools. The purpose of this study is to determine from the perspective of principals, regular education teachers, and special education teachers their current perceptions of inclusion, and what preparations or changes are needed to help educators succeed in inclusionary practices. The approach of this study is descriptive and utilizes data that was generated by the means of a survey instrument that was developed for use in this study. Areas of data presentation include: examination of demographic information; analysis of …

The Development Of The Parent Effectiveness Test (Pet), Sharon S. Morrison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Not Available.

Professional Development Needs From The Identified Concerns Of School Leaders As The Change Facilitator For Inclusive Schools, Susan H. Belcher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem of this study was to identify the professional development needs of the school leader to facilitate the inclusion of students with handicaps into the regular education program. This was a descriptive study which utilized questionnaire methodology. The Change Facilitators Stages of Concern Questionnaire (CFSoCQ) was the instrument selected as appropriate for the study. Permission was obtained from Dr. Gene Hall at the University of Northern Colorado to reproduce and administer the CFSoCQ. The population of this study was school leaders working in Tennessee public schools. A demographic data sheet and the CFSoCQ were mailed to 500 selected school …

Exclusion: Procedures And Provisions In Western Australia With Special Reference To The Role Of [The] Distance Education Centre In The Accommodation Of Excluded Students, Iyleen Vickers

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The problem at the centre of this research study was whether the educational provisions at the Western Australian Distance Education Centre met the special needs of those students who are classified as "at risk" and those who are excluded from Government schools on disciplinary grounds. Contextual data which related to these students, such as off-campus programs were examined also. The bounded case study was chosen as the research mode to investigate the problem. Distance Education Centre constituted the bounded case, and the Referral Program formed the unit of analysis. Data collection techniques included audio taped structured interviews with relevant personnel, …

Self-Concepts Of Career Level Ii And Iii Teachers And Career Ladder Eligible Teachers In The Public Schools Of Tennessee, Lois C. Myers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a significant difference in the self concept of Career Level II and III teachers and teachers who are eligible to apply but have not elected to participate in the Career Ladder Program in the public schools of Tennessee. The technique of causal-comparative research was used in this study. The Tennessee Self Concept Scale (TSCS), developed by William Fitts, was selected as the appropriate instrument for use in this study. The TSCS is a versatile instrument that measures ten dimensions related to self concept: total level of self esteem, self …

The Relationship Between The Attitudes Of Directors And Instructors And Student Ratings In Remedial And Developmental Studies In Tennessee's Community Colleges, Carolyn H. Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship existed between the attitudes of remedial and developmental directors and instructors and student ratings. A population of 230 full-time directors and instructors and 3,269 remedial students were surveyed in the Fall of 1990. The return rate was 95% for the directors and instructors with the student rate dependent upon instructors administering the instruments. Two instruments were developed--one to measure the attitudes of directors and instructors and one for student ratings of instructors. Seven null hypotheses were formulated; 5 were retained and 2 rejected, at the.05 level of significance. Factor …

Achievement Gains And Losses Of Integrated 5th Grade Resource Room Students: Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School, Yakima School District, 1989-1990, Patricia F. Kincheloe

All Graduate Projects

The achievement gains and losses of integrated 5th grade resource room students at Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School in the Yakima School District were studied. Nine resource room students were pre and post tested for achievement in reading, spelling, and mathematics. Teaching methods included cooperative learning, small and large group instruction, and peer tutoring. The results showed support for the integration of learning disabled students into a whole language, cooperative learning, regular education environment.

Variations In Attitude Between Children In Different Years Towards Peers With Special Physical Needs In A Western Australian Primary School, Natalie C. Robins

Theses : Honours

This study examined the attitudes of regular school students towards their peers with special needs within a Western Australian primary school. Comparisons were made between the children In Years 1, 4 and 7 of a specific school to identify whether any significant variations in attitude were present between the different years. Attitudinal data was collected by presenting an oral questionnaire to one, randomly selected, class of students from each of the three year groups

Tennessee's Administrators' And Supervisors' Level Of Concern Toward Mainstreaming The Classes For Severely Mentally Retarded And The Classes For Multi-Handicapped Into The Regular School, Leah P. Hurst

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem of this study was to determine the level of concern of supervisors and administrators in the state of Tennessee toward mainstreaming classes for the severely mentally retarded and the classes for the multi-handicapped into the regular schools. The Change Facilitators Stages of Concern Questionnaire (CFSoCQ) was the instrument selected as appropriate for the study. Permission was obtained from Dr. Gene Hall at the University of Florida to reproduce and administer the CFSoCQ. A stratified random sample was conducted as representative of the total population of superintendents, special education supervisors, special day school principals, high school principals, middle school …

The Development Of Teacher Training Principles From Identified Teacher Concerns Related To Mainstreaming In A Day Care Center, Susanna M. Floyd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem of this study was to identify teacher training principles which would aid day care teachers in integrating handicapped children into their classrooms. This was a descriptive study which utilized a questionnaire methodology. The questionnaire was administered to teachers of randomly selected day care centers in Tennessee. The sample size was 347. The questionnaire identified from the literature review was the Stages of Concern Questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed to identify concerns of individuals toward an innovation. The instrument was modified to be used in identifying the concerns of day care teachers toward mainstreaming young handicapped children into day …

A Curriculum For The Moderately Mentally Handicapped For Recreational And Leisure Skills, Krista S. Lee

Theses and Dissertations

As a teacher of moderately mentally handicapped. students, I often ask myself, am I doing enough for my students? Am I giving them all I can? My answer at·3:45 p.m., as I walk out of my classroom on tired feet, is an emphatic yes. And I think, even in my rested moment, that I am giving much to my students. We all are. As we look back to where we've come from, we can see the great advances we have made in education for the handicapped. They are being given better education than ever in the ·history of education.

But …

An Alternative View Of Education For Deaf Children: Part Ii, Lil Brannon, Sue Livingston

Publications and Research

How might deaf children acquire one of the primary goals of education literacy in English? This article suggests that literacy in English as well as knowledge of the English language can be acquired concomitantly through developmental reading and writing activities that reflect principles of first language acquisition if students bring to these activities relatable experiences which they have already linguistically represented. Such activities engage students in reading and writing where content and context support them in their attempts to actively understand and convey meaning in English. The end product of, rather than the prerequisite for, this meaningful reading and writing …

A Comparison Of Classroom Teacher Attitudes Toward Mainstreaming (North Carolina, Exceptional Children), Phyllis E. Tallent

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem of this study was to determine if a difference existed between selected classroom teachers' attitudes toward mainstreaming. The Attitudes Toward Mainstreaming Scale (ATMS) was the instrument selected as appropriate for the study. Permission was obtained from Joan Berryman at the University of Georgia, Athens, to reproduce and administer the ATMS. A stratified random sample was conducted as representative of the total population of classroom teachers in North Carolina. A demographic data sheet and the ATMS were mailed to 280 classroom teachers. A 75% return was obtained. The data sheet asked for the sex, present level of teaching position, …

An Alternative View Of Education For Deaf Children: Part I, Sue Livingston

Publications and Research

Quigley and Kretschmer (1982) asserted that the primary goal of education for deaf children should be literacy in English. This article presents an alternative view that there be two primary goals: (a) thinking and learning through the development of meaning-making and meaning-sharing capacities and (b) the acquisition of literacy in English. In this article, the first of these goals is viewed as the more fundamental since it facilitates the acquisition of knowledge while it simultaneously serves as the prerequisite for the acquisition of literacy in English. Because neither direct language instruction nor the exclusive use of English in sign will …

Recruitment And Retention Of Special Educators For Rural School Systems, Margie Oliver-Hay

Theses and Dissertations

There is nothing new about teachers leaving their profession. Teacher turnover has always occurred. But when education loses its most experienced and mature teachers, there is cause for concern. When smaller rural districts lose their best teachers both in regular and special education teacher turnover may be a crises!

Recruitment and retention of special and regular educators is becoming an extremely serious problem for rural areas. Enrollments in college and in education departments are decreasing. Women, who once were the dominant force in the teaching ranks, are being attracted to other fields such as medicine, engineering, computer science, and law. …

A Model Unit For Teaching Career Awareness To Fifth And Sixth Grade Special Education Students, Nancy H. Byers

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to provide teachers of fifth- and sixth-grade special education students with: 1. A career awareness unit on the fast food drive-in industry which includes specific lessons in the curriculum areas of reading, math, language arts, communication skills, health/science, social studies, and art. 2. A pre-postevaluation tool for measuring student's knowledge gained from the unit, student's self-concept, and student's attitude toward school.

Curriculum Outline – Health Education Handicapped, Grades 7-12 Woodside School, Elaine A. Elliott

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of the project was to develop a curriculum in the area of Health that would meet the specialized needs of the Woodside School population.

Utilizing The Special Education Training Program Of Central Washington University As A Model For Five-Year Normal Colleges In The Republic Of China, Jing-Yu Her

All Graduate Projects

The project (model) was primarily an audio/visual program which presented 118 slides to introduce the special education teacher training program of Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington. It consisted of the following parts: (a) introduction to Central Washington University and its campus, (b) introduction to the special education teacher training program, and (c) parent/teacher conference and the Student Council for Exceptional Children. It has been described and interpreted in English and Chinese. The purpose for describing a model of the special education teacher training program of Central Washington University is to suggest a more complete training program for Ping-Tong Five-Year Nonnal …

A Mobile Summer Camp For The Mildly/Moderately Mentally Retarded, Jerrianne C. Sorensen

All Graduate Projects

A mobile camp for the mildly/moderately mentally retarded was designed to provide first-hand experience in the essentials of obtaining food, shelter, and social skills of cohabitation along with their interdependency with flora, fauna, and the topographical environment. The camp design consists of 10 days of camping in tents and staying in motels. The campers travel by bus along the Washington coast, Puget Sound, and San Juan Islands. Areas of academic instruction include plants and animals along the route.

An In-Service Model For The Training Of Secondary Special Education Instructional Aides, Jane H. Evans

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of the project was to develop a workshop to provide on the job training for aides in secondary special education programs in Bremerton, Washington. A needs assessment was conducted to determine the validity of the perceived need and to identify and prioritize training areas. Existing training programs were examined and a literature search conducted. The resulting training model was designed to increase the effectiveness of aides and thereby maximize the delivery of instruction in special education.

The Effect Of A Fine Arts Program On The Intelligence, Achievement, Creativity And Personality Test Scores Of Young Gifted And Talented Students, Geneva H. Dillard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem of this study was to determine if young gifted and talented students who participate in a special program of the fine arts score significantly higher on tests of intelligence, language arts achievement, creativity, and personality than young gifted and talented students who do not participate in the program. For the study 102 students from kindergarten, first, second and third grades were selected. At the end of the study, ninety-seven students were posttested. Five students had moved from the school district. The students were selected for the program on the basis of teacher recommendations and on the basis of …

A Service Delivery Model For A Handicapped Preschool In A Rural Area, Karen Louise Holenbeck

All Graduate Projects

A preschool model for 3-5 year old rural handicapped children is based on developmental skills in the areas of receptive and expressive language acquisition, fine and gross motor movement and beginning cognitive skills. Also included, to facilitate the establishment of a new rural preschool is a list of materials needed to begin the program and a list of free and low cost legal, medical, and assessment services. The need for rural preschool programs is discussed as well as reasons for growth of preschool in Washington state.

The Development Of A Comprehensive Preschool Screening Instrument, Jana Lee Johnson

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this paper was to research criteria for screening for young, handicapped children with the intent of developing a single, comprehensive screening instrument. Analyses of existing screening devices and data from educators in the field were also included in the study.

The resulting screening instrument was designed to assess the developmental acquisition of skills. Major developmental areas included in the screening instrument are language skills, motor development, perceptual skills, cognitive development, social skills, and self-help skills.

Special Education And Pupil Personnel Services Offered By The Utah State Board Of Education, Mark J. Bankhead

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

In the United States responsibility for education is a function of the state, local school districts derive their authority from the state legislature (Graham, 1962). For many years, especially during the 19th century, the only legislative provision for the education of handicapped children was the limited support of state institutions and residential schools. Recent federal court decisions have substantiated the right of handicapped children to equal protection under the law, including an education, and made state departments of education "solely responsible for providing handicapped children with a free and public education appropriate to their individual capacities." (Abeson, 1972, p. 11) …

Educational Opportunities For Pregnant Students In Selected Utah Schools, Pearl Bergeson

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

Education of women has been neglected in many ways throughout history. In recent decades educational opportunities for women have been greatly expanded. Women have become leaders in education and compose the majority of public school teachers. In spite of these strides in women's education, and growing educational provisions for both men and women, some special groups remain neglected.

This investigator is particularly concerned with one special group: School-age girls who are pregnant. Special educational needs of most school-age pregnant girls are not being met. These young women often face insurmountable difficulties in the schools.

Analysis Of Content Of Four Reading Programs For Students With Moderate Intellectual Disabilities, Susan D. Peters

All Master's Theses

This paper presents a content analysis of four reading programs being used by the moderately intellectually disabled in three Intermediate School Districts in the state of Washington. The four programs analyzed were Distar Reading I, Edmark Reading Program, Language Master Card Programs, and Programmed Reading--Webster. The learning characteristics defined for this educational group were perception, discrimi­nation, mediation, retention, concept learning, generaliza­tion, transfer, problem solving, and motivation. Each program was analyzed as to its incorporation of each of the specified learning characteristics.

The Effect Of Systematic Phonics Instructions On The Reading Ability Of An Intellectually Disabled Fifteen Year Old, Sherlive E. Edens

All Master's Theses

This paper presents a case study of the effect of systematic phonics instruction and systematic reinforcement on the reading ability of one intellectually disabled fifteen year old boy. This study way designed to see whether the subject could attain reasonable literacy in a two year period from non-reading status. Evaluation was made along the lines of grade level improvement; the results indicated that systematic phonics instruction with systematic reinforcement resulted in substantial reading improvement.

Recommendations included suggestions for additional research.

Effects Of A Contingency Management Program On Reading Rate And Spread Of Effect With Primary Mildly Intellectually Disabled Children, Leo Carl Beck

All Master's Theses

This paper presents a study dealing with increasing reading rate, with primary, language delayed youngsters. The program was designed to see if rate could be increased with contingent (CRF) as opposed to differential (DRO) reinforcement with no drop in selected variables (comprehension, vocabulary, articulation and auditory discrimination). Reinforcement consisted of tokens paired with social praise. Rate did increase for the duration of the study and the selected variables remained essentially constant.

Recommendations include replication of the study with precise administration of schedules.

Effects Of Contingency Management On Grade Level Achievement Of Secondary Special Education Students, Richard L. Swanby

All Master's Theses

This study presents a comparison of grade level achievement for secondary special education students of non-reinforcement and reinforcement periods. The program was designed for 26 special education students between grade 9 through 12 at Selah High School. A statistical evaluation was done between the non-reinforcement and reinforcement periods.

Recommendation included that the program may be an effective means of educating secondary special education students.