Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Life Skills For Life-Long Learners: Teaching Functional Skills To Elementary Students With Special Needs, Emily H. Derecat

Education | Master's Theses

Though extensive studies exist regarding teaching life skills at the middle school and high school level in special education to support students’ transition to adulthood, a comparable amount of research is still needed to examine the use of life skills-based programs in elementary special education programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate how a six-week intervention using research-based practices targeting specific life skills impacted 2nd - 5th grade students with moderate to severe disabilities. This study involved a group of 7 students with varying disabilities and behavioral challenges, using video and peer modeling to enhance specific life skills …

The Ebp-Cot Assignment: Increasing The Use And Understanding Of Ebps In Preservice Teachers, Margaret Bowman

Honors Theses

This study investigated whether the use of the Evidence-Based Practice-Classroom Observation Tool (EBP-COT) assignment in an introductory teacher education practicum increased the understanding of Evidence-Based Practice-Classroom Observation Tools (EBPCOT). Participants in this study were consenting special education majors in their introductory block practicum course at a mid-south university in the fall semester of 2018. Students were asked to complete the EBP-COT assignment to include focused checklists components and reflections as well as a pretest and posttest. The assignment, pretest, and posttest were analyzed for similarities in increased understanding of evidence-based practices and comfort with the use of evidence-based practices. Overall, …

Motivating The Unmotivated: How Are We Supporting Struggling Readers In Upper Elementary Classrooms?, Maci V. Wood

Honors College Theses

Motivating struggling students to read is a question considered by many general education reading teachers and special education teachers alike. Since student classroom experiences today differ greatly from classrooms of the past in terms of instructional practices and learning supports, scripted materials that seldom cater to student interest have often been promoted due to the pressure of standardized assessment. With little to no student engagement present in the classroom, it is up to the student to find the will to read or to the teacher to utilize alternative strategies in increasing student motivation (Cambria & Gunthrie, 2008). However, there is …

Brookings, South Dakota: Learning Lab, Doriane Paso

Empowering Research for Educators

The following paper explores the possibilities of education in one local setting using both an insider and outsider perspective. Education is a part of society, and as society changes, why should education not change with it?

Alexa?: Possibilities Of Voice Assistant Technology And Artificial Intelligence In The Classroom, Patrick D. Hales, Melissa Anderson, Tonya Christianson, Amber Gaspar, Billi Jo Meyer, Beth Nelson, Krista Shilvock, Mary Steinmetz, Makenzi Timmons, Michelle Vande Weerd

Empowering Research for Educators

The following paper represents the combined effort of 10 educators exploring the experience and use of voice assistant technology in classrooms. This reflection and study of our classrooms looks to better understand both our use of technology and students’ use of technology in very specific ways. Is there a place for voice assistant technology in our classrooms? What benefits are there? What obstacles exist? We tell our stories and experiences here with the intent to provide context and continue the discussion among more of our colleagues.

From Assertion To Conversion: Classroom Management For 21st Century Teachers, Benjamin Halbkat

Empowering Research for Educators

The following position paper provides a new teacher's perspective on modern classroom management. Where is there room for improvement? What might the future hold?

High School Biology Preparation: Do Students Feel They Have Been Adequately Prepared For Introductory College Biology?, Mara Neitzel

Empowering Research for Educators

The purpose of this study was to determine how well students are being prepared in high school for introductory college biology courses. Specifically, the objectives of the study are as follows: To gain a better understanding about how well students feel they have been prepared for college science classes based on their high school education, to gain insight on how college preparation in high school impacts students’ self-confidence, and to determine if the accessibility of advanced education courses is influenced by the size of a high school. A mixed methods survey was distributed to freshman in the fall semester of …

In Support Of The Tinker V. Des Moines Decision, Matthew Olson

Empowering Research for Educators

The following position outlines a case for the Tinker v. Des Moines decision, including a historical and modern perspective. With freedom of speech and protest being a regular part of the discussion about U.S. society and schools, now is a good time to look back.

Mindfulness In The Classroom, Regam Cerza

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, there appears to be an increase in the number of children in grades kindergarten through 12th grade that struggle with issues such as mental illness, anxiety, emotional and behavioral disorders, etc. As a result, teachers are starting to witness more student behaviors in the classroom. Consequently, this impacts the learning environment of all students. Currently, there is a growing trend in the field of mindfulness. Mindfulness interventions have been suggested to help students with behavior regulation, academic performance, and prosocial behaviors. Research also suggests that mindfulness interventions are not only beneficial for students but teachers too. They …

An Investigation Of How Iep Teams Function In Select Michigan High Schools When Developing A Course Of Study Decision For Students With Disabilities, Patrick Mies

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate the ways that Individual Education Program (IEP) teams function when developing a course of study decision for students with disabilities in high schools in 19 school districts from four intermediate school districts in Michigan. Topics included teacher professional development for reaching consensus in IEP meetings and personal curriculum (PC) plans for diploma acquisition by students with disabilities. Special education teachers who work with students with disabilities at the secondary level shared survey information, perceptions, and opinions about their experiences in IEP meetings. Special education directors, with oversight for special education programs, …

Deaffa: An Exploration Of Agricultural Education In Schools For The Deaf And Hard Of Hearing, Sarah Danielle Warren

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

The Kentucky School for the Deaf agriculture program and FFA chapter is the second Deaf FFA chapter in the nation and has proven itself to be unique, successful, and worthy of investigation. This exploratory, collective/intrinsic Case Study examines the historical evidence of agriculture on the school’s campus, collects observations and interviews regarding agricultural education at the school, and provides insight to advise other educational institutions and organizations on the nature of agricultural education in a school for deaf and hard of hearing students.

Promoting College And Career Readiness With Middle School Youth With Disabilities: Lessons Learned From A Curriculum Development Project, Meg Grigal, Lori Cooney, Debra Hart

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

Engagement and academic success in middle school is critically important to ensure students with disabilities complete high school and have a viable path to and through postsecondary education. Although most middle school students say they want to pursue postsecondary education or training, a significant proportion are not actively engaged in college and career readiness (CCR) activities in middle school. This transition in practice article highlights the importance of early CCR instruction for middle school youth with and without disabilities. Lessons learned from developing an online CCR curriculum and implementing it with middle school youth in inclusive middle school settings will …

The Influence Of The "Emotionally Disturbed" Classroom Label On General Education Teachers' Sense Of Efficacy, Giovanna Perricone

Scripps Senior Theses

Students identified as “emotionally disturbed” face resistance to inclusion in classrooms with typically-developing peers on the part of the general education teachers. This study aims to address whether the classroom label of “emotionally disturbed” affects teacher efficacy and whether this relationship is moderated by the amount of applied inclusion training a teacher has received. General education teachers will read identical case studies of a student who either spends some of his school day in an “Emotionally Disturbed Class” or a “Self-Regulation Skills Class.” They will complete a measure of student-specific teacher efficacy and then report how many hours of inclusion …

Editorial/Table Of Contents

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

No abstract provided.

Teaching Science Through Inquiry Based Field Experiences Using Orientation And Mobility, Danene K. Fast, Tiffany A. Wild

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Instruction in science can be difficult for students with visual impairments due to the use of visual instruction that is often used for conceptual understanding. Pedagogical approaches to teaching science continue to evolve, with inquiry-based science instruction as a primary instructional method used in current classrooms.

In teaching students with visual impairments, inquiry is a strategy that has been traditionally been used in orientation and mobility (O&M) instruction, in an effort to teach students with vision loss to explore and make conclusions about their environments through the use of all senses.

The purpose of this review is to outline how …

Indicators And Precipitators Of Special Educator Satisfaction: The Role Of Certification And Advanced Coursework, Jessica Spencer

Dissertations

Special education teachers are leaving the education field at a higher rate than other education professionals. The annual attrition rate for special education teachers is estimated to be between 8-10% of special educators across the United States. These attrition rates are concerning, as they contribute to the shortage of quality special educators. Considering that an estimated 50% of special educators leave their positions within their first five years, researchers have conducted studies examining criteria centered on teacher retention and attrition. This study examined the findings of such studies, and explored the role of how teachers' certifications and obtaining advanced degrees …

A Qualitative Study: How Northeastern Illinois University’S College Of Education Program Successfully Prepares Black Males With A Previous Individualized Learning Plan To Become Teachers, Sunni Ali

Journal of Research Initiatives

As Teacher College Programs throughout the country attempt to increase their numbers of quality educators entering a classroom, one abiding concern remains: how do universities attract and successfully transition black male educators to become K-12 teachers? Such a lasting question has caused several national programs to arise, specifically an initiative consortium (N.I.C) that involved several colleges of education programs to develop and sustain strategies to increase black male teachers in the profession.

This qualitative-interview based study reviews how a teacher college program located in Chicago, Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU), applies N.I.C. external and internal mechanisms to engage black male students' …

Increasing Writing Skills For Students With Significant Multiple Disabilities, Heather Lyne Mcdermott

Theses and Dissertations

Students with severe disabilities struggle greatly in the area of writing. The purpose of this study is to discover how implementing a writing program created for students with disabilities can increase students' letter writing ability. The study used a single subject, repeated measures crossover design using 2 kindergarten aged students during a public school Extended School Year Program. Students were given the Sensible Pencil Pretest, 3 weeks of writing instruction and the same Sensible Pencil test after instruction. This 5-week model showed that students grew in their writing ability at different rates, but all in a positive manner. It was …

Incorporating Multiple Intelligences Within Instructional Strategies, Hannah Smith

Senior Honors Projects

Teachers know there are many different ways to include students’ intellectual strengths within their daily instruction. Howard Gardner (1983) proposed the idea of multiple intelligences to broaden the scope of an individual’s potential beyond simply an IQ measure. Gardner originally grouped the broad range of human abilities into eight comprehensive categories, or in other words multiple intelligences (MIs) including: linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic. Multiple intelligences are used to present and assess students’ intellectual abilities in a variety of ways. This paper summarizes my study on how catering towards students’ measured MIs influence their academic engagement. …

What Makes A House A Home? Supported Living Environments For Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Rose Meadows

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

My research aims to address how supported living environments for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) can best support their stakeholders. This is an inherently human and personal problem, but existing research tackling this problem utilizing a person-centric and/or resiliency theory lens or framework is lacking. My research will use the perspective of parents/guardians and staff/caregivers in combination with existing knowledge and research to create ideas for how to maximize support in supported living environments for adults with ASD and their families. This is a qualitative study that uses a humanized approach and in-person interviews with stake-holders to highlight their …

Preparing Multiple-Subject Pre-Service Teachers To Work Effectively With Students Who Have Autism, Makalah Vosmera

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Commission on Teacher Credentialing of the State of California mandates that teacher preparation programs prepare effective and knowledgeable pre-service teachers to teach all students. Through the use of literature review, interviews and surveys with graduating Liberal Studies students, this senior capstone examines whether Liberal Studies graduating students are being prepared to work effectively with autistic students or not. The findings indicate that they take introductory education courses on autism spectrum disorder along with other forms of disabilities, but they do not receive sufficient breadth and depth coverage on how to work effectively with autistic students in regular classrooms.

The Unsung Heroes And Silent Partners Of The Educational World, Gillian Schneider

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed method study was to identify and describe what paraeducators perceive as factors that lead to effective and sustainable engagement in special education special day classes, and identify what strategies are effective for encouraging discretionary effort as perceived by paraeducators.

Methodology: The participants in the study were 69 paraeducators employed by a Southern California County Office of Education. Participants partook in two research instruments: (a) a 37-question survey and (b) a semi-structured interview.

Findings: Data based on the mixed method analysis revealed that paraeducators are highly committed employees who want to know that they are …

Editorial

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

No abstract provided.

Use Of Peer Buddies In Adaptive Physical Education, Jessica Lynn Kotelnicki

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to observe the participation levels of students with disabilities in an adaptive physical education class when typically developing students are included in the class as Peer Buddies. The goal was to observe if students' performance levels increased while performing with fellow peers. This study was undertaken to see the relationship between students with disabilities participation levels in an adaptive physical education class when peer buddies were integrated. A baseline test was completed in the beginning of the study and participation was observed through class activities as well as abdominal crunches. Data was observed and …

Symmetry Identified In 2-Dimensional Artwork Compositions Using Visuospatial Ability, Theresa Ferg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

At the John Langdon Down Foundation A.C. in the La Escuela Mexicana de Arte Down school in Mexico City D.F., Mexico, art students with Trisomy 21 display the use of a mathematical construct in the painting compositions of their artworks. The mathematical construct is a type of symmetry and it carries a positive affect. This is important because there have been no studies that have investigated the use of the symmetry in the artwork compositions of persons with Down syndrome. The geometric construction of the artwork compositions follows the artistic principle of the Rule of Three and the division of …

Cleft Lip And Palate: An Educational Guide For Families, Ciara Woods

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Cleft lip and palate are craniofacial anomalies affecting more than 200,000 infants in teh United States per year. Although this condition is quite common, parents are often confused and uninformed when they discover their newborn has a cleft lip and/or palate. In time, parents can learn of the surgical repairs and therapies, but what about the management, treatment, effects on education, risk factors, genetics, and any other lasting effects on the newborn? Many parents often wonder if their baby can be fed properly, if the child will have trouble learning to talk, or how to tell relatives and friends about …

Creating Bridges Between Health Care Professionals: Interprofessional Collaboration Between Respiratory Therapy And Speech-Language Pathology And Its Importance For Patient Outcomes, Nafiah Khan

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

In a changing health care industry, it is imperative that different healthcare professionals collaborate to address the state of the patient. Respiratory therapists (RTs) and speech-language pathologists {SLPs) frequently work with the same general patient population in the healthcare setting; however, while RTs typically provide emergency interventions, SLPs work with the patient in the rehabilitative domain. Each profession has a unique understanding of the patient and may encounter an overlap in responsibilities for performing a particular task, including management of tracheostomy tubes and prevention of aspiration pneumonias. This study investigated SLPs' and RTs' perspectives on their interprofessional collaboration. The findings …

Phenomenological Dynamic Of How Adhd Student Recidivism Affects Alternative Education Teacher Services, Lisa A. Charette

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The research problem in this study involved the student cycling, or recidivism, problem associated with specialized education environments. In particular, alternative education students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are cycling in and out of alternative and regular education at a concerning frequency. This student recidivism problem affects the services of teachers who are trying to transform them into permanent regular education learners. The purpose of this study was to obtain specific information from these teachers, via the research questions, as it applies to the theoretical foundation of Bandura's self-efficacy construct, and methodological design of the study. The qualitative method of …

Strategies And Assessments To Support Special Education Students' Writing The Literacy Test, Angelo Caesar Maniccia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many special education (SPED) students are failing the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) despite writing instruction provided by SPED teachers. The purpose of this study was to understand teachers' perceptions about why students were failing the literacy/writing test and document whether evidence-based assessment and writing practices were implemented. Cognitive-behavioral theory served as the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions in this study focused on SPED teachers perceptions regarding students not passing the OSSLT, observations of whether assessment and instruction for writing aligned with best practices, and collecting baseline curriculum-based measurement (CBM) data of SPED students' current writing …