Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

A Systematic Review Of The Quality Of Reporting In Mathematics Meta-Analyses For Students With Or At Risk Of Disabilities Coding Protocol, Gena Nelson

Early and Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this document is to provide readers with the coding protocol that authors used to code 22 meta-analyses focused on mathematics interventions for students with or at-risk of disabilities. The purpose of the systematic review was to evaluate reporting quality in meta-analyses focused on mathematics interventions for students with or at risk of disabilities. To identify meta-analyses for inclusion, we considered peer-reviewed literature published between 2000 and 2020; we searched five education-focused electronic databases, scanned the table of contents of six special education journals, reviewed the curriculum vitae of researchers who frequently publish meta-analyses in mathematics and special …

Proportional Reasoning Interventions In Special Education Synthesis Coding Protocol, Gena Nelson

Early and Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of document is to provide readers with the coding protocol that authors used to code nine group and single case design intervention studies focused on proportional reasoning interventions for students (grades 5-9) with learning disabilities (LD) or mathematics difficulty (MD). The studies yielded intervention effects ranging from g = −0.10 to 1.87 and from Tau-U = 0.88 to 1.00. We coded all of the studies for variables in the following categories: study information, intervention features, dependent measures, participant demographics, LD and MD criteria and definitions, instructional content, study results, and quality indicators for group and single case …

Response To Intervention In Early Childhood Education, Kendyl Young Hinson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to review literature on Response to Intervention (RTI) at the early childhood level. RTI has become increasingly prevalent within K-12 settings. Less research exists for the expansion within early childhood settings. A systematic review of literature was conducted and all available literature on RTI in early childhood education since 2004 was identified and reviewed. Articles were sorted into three broad categories for review: (a) combined, (b) academics, and (c) social emotional behaviors. The review indicated the different behaviors recommended to be examined within the early childhood setting, types of assessment methods used, and interventions …

Saudi Special Education Teachers’ Perspectives On The Use Of Ipads To Enhance Communication Skills For Students With Autism, Adil Alghamdi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored teachers’ perceptions of rough-and- tumble (R&T) play in early childhood education in Saudi Arabia. The literature on rough-and-tumble play in Saudi Arabia is limited in scope, and more research is needed to explore teachers’ perceptions on this type of play for early learners. The pertinent literature reveals that R&T play, which includes running, jumping, fighting, wrestling, chasing, pulling, pushing, and climbing, among other rough playful activities, can positively impact learning and development across psychosocial, emotional, and cognitive domains. Teachers’ understanding of R & T play is key, and the attitudes of Saudi early childhood teachers who are …

Professional Development For Working With Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders And Teacher Self-Efficacy, Alison Johnson, Lina Soares, Antonio P. Gutierrez De Blume

Georgia Educational Researcher

The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the effect of teacher professional development for working with students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and teacher (N = 56) self-efficacy in the general education classroom. A pretest/posttest quasi-experimental research design was implemented. Teachers in one randomly assigned school received professional development training on research-based practices in working with students with autism to determine if the training had any effect on their perceived self-efficacy ratings and teachers in the other school were randomly assigned to serve as the control (i.e., no additional professional development training was provided during the research phase). …

Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports In An Early Education Center, Karisa Gratton

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

With so many uncertainties in childcare centers all across America (especially in a world of COVID-19), it is crucial to have Positive Behavioral Systems and Supports (PBIS) in place to ensure success in learning environments for all children. Typically speaking, the center that I work in has four classrooms, with each teacher directly in charge of their own students. In a normal school year, teachers also are given the opportunity to interact and work with students from other age groups, giving all children a chance to form relationships with each adult. However, in a COVID-19 world, these interactions are non-existent, …

Empower: An Adaptable Writing Intervention, Carly Dinnes

The Nebraska Educator: A Student-Led Journal

EmPOWER is a six-stage writing intervention designed by speech-language pathologists to improve the expository writings of school-aged children with language learning and executive function disabilities. The intervention uses scaffolded instruction to transform struggling students into independent and self-regulating writers by training the students to use a variety of supports (e.g., graphic organizers, checklists) and strategies (e.g., referring back to the writing prompt) throughout the writing process. Many key features of the EmPOWER approach to writing instruction directly support components described in cognitive models of writing, which indicates that EmPOWER is a theory-guided writing intervention that may benefit a wide range …

Effects Of The "Write Sounds" Program On Handwriting And Phonics Skills, Pam Bazis

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Reading and writing rely on related foundational literacy skills (e.g., phonological processing, phonological memory, phonemic awareness; Brooks et al., 2011; Graham & Hebert, 2010, 2011; Sanders et al., 2018). Therefore, students struggling with reading often have writing problems, including handwriting (Kandel et al., 2017; Sanders, Berninger, & Abbott, 2018). It is often difficult to determine the source of writing difficulties as they could come from uncertainty in how to form the graphemes, poor spelling skills, or organizational deficits (Berninger et al., 2008). This study aimed to determine the usability, feasibility, and promise of an integrated handwriting intervention on 33 students …

Using Teach Me To Talk Interventions To Improve Language In Children Birth- Three Years Old, Hannah Hendry

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The propose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of using Teach Me to Talk strategies from Speech Pathologist Laura Mize, with children from the birth to three-year-old early intervention program. The study looked at children who have communication needs based on qualifying scores after completing a special education evaluation and the use of specific interventions to increase their language. The researcher wanted to determine students’ improvement with their communication goals and how parent involvement supports their learning. The study was originally structured around weekly home visits that were ongoing since the child qualified for special education services. Parents …

Exploring The Attitudes Of Students Enrolled In A Teacher Certification Program Through A Disability Awareness Documentary Film Intervention, Eunhye Choi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Negative attitudes towards individuals with disabilities can lead to a lack of opportunities in society as well as educational settings. Therefore, it is essential to promote positive attitudes to provide equal opportunities and rights to individuals with disabilities. However, there have been insufficient attempts to explore the attitudes of students enrolled in teacher certification programs. Diverse disability awareness programs have been utilized to enhance positive attitudes, and documentary films are frequently used to deliver such interventions. The current study implemented a series of documentary films as an intervention tool and examined the effects of the disability awareness documentary film intervention …

Writing Interventions For Students With Specific Learning Disabilities, Phillip Rose

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Only 27% of U.S. eighth graders are at or above grade level proficiency in writing (National Center for Education Statistics, 2012). Students with specific learning disabilities frequently exhibit skill deficits in planning, organizing, and writing conventions, and show inadequate awareness to write strategically (Troia, 2006). The purpose of this study is to examine evidence-based writing interventions aimed at enhancing the writing skills of students with specific learning disabilities and then to indicate which interventions were proven to be effective. The results of a variety of studies of writing intervention strategies have been reviewed. Specific instructional strategies that were successful in …

The Experience Of Students With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder During The Transition To Middle School, Hannah M. Berry

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The transition to the middle school setting from elementary school has been the subject of research for decades as data shows a decline in academic success, socio-emotional health and motivation for students. There is a lack of research based transitional programs to support the needs of students at this time, specifically those with special needs. Though the name and specific criteria for students with ADHD has shifted, the impact this neurological disability has on students and learning is comprehensive. Symptoms of this disorder reach and affect each part of the student and their school experience, as well as those around …

Effect Of A Sensory Integration Intervention On Aggressive Behavior In Alternative School Elementary Students, Joshua Anthony Lutz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quasi-experimental time series designed study was to determine the effect of a sensory integration intervention on aggressive behavior of students enrolled in an alternative elementary school for students with disabilities. Twenty (20) students participated in the study. Data was collected through behavioral observations over the course of 16 consecutive school days with the individual student’s frequency of aggressive behaviors in four domains being recorded on 8 days with a weighted vest on and 8 days without a weighted vest on. The four observed and recorded domains were verbal aggression, aggression toward property, aggression toward self, and …

A Sentence Construction Intervention For Elementary-Aged Spanish-Speaking Language-Minority Students With Writing Difficulties, Tim Andress

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The present replication study used a multiple probe across participant single-case experimental design to measure the effect of a sentence construction intervention on Spanish-speaking language-minority students with writing difficulties. Participants were two males and one female, aged eight to ten. Dependent variables tracked were frequency of correct word sequences, incorrect word sequences, complete sentences, and incomplete sentences written in one-minute sentence construction probes. A pre-and post-test five-minute paragraph probe served as a secondary measure to determine whether sentence-level instruction improved paragraph-level writing. Results were an increase in frequency of correct word sequence and complete sentences for all participants, as well …

Investigating The Use Of An Emotional Intelligence Intervention With Young Elementary Students Receiving Services In A Self-Contained Setting For Students With Emotional Disturbance, Kristin Lian Withey

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

While there is a longstanding call for all students to succeed, students receiving special education services under the label of emotional disturbance (ED) are at an increased risk for minimal school and life outcomes, ranging from poor classroom grades and increased expulsion to high rates of incarceration and drug use. Although there are extant interventions, these often rely on extrinsic motivation or are begun after research suggests behaviors have become habit. Because of this, there is a call for earlier intervention that teaches students requisite skills. One such developmentally appropriate practice that has yet to be explored with students receiving …

Under The Umbrella: Redefining The Spectrum Of Autism, Samantha Cartolano

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This research examines the scope of how autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have changed over the history of special education. From Dr. Leo Kanner’s initial study in 1943 to the present-day DSM-5, the diagnostic criteria for an accurate identification of autism in children has been extremely varied, resulting in an increased prevalence rate and confusion as to what actually constitutes ASD. A major discovery by Wing and Gould in 1979 brought to the forefront the concept of a spectrum of disorders within the autism category. Leading to an over-diagnosis of children requiring related services and supports in schools and at home, …

The Application Of The Specific Learning Disability Exclusionary Clause As Practiced By Virginia School Psychologists, Kaitlynn Carter

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

When special education eligibility is being determined under Specific Learning Disability, the exclusionary clause needs to be carefully considered. The current study was concerned with the exclusions of cultural factors, environmental or economic disadvantage, and limited English proficiency. The study used a semi-structured interview to explore when and how the exclusionary clause is considered by school psychologists in Virginia and what type of impact it has on eligibility decisions. Ten school psychologists were contacted via the email database of the Virginia Department of Education and completed a phone interview. Grounded theory was used to investigate the themes and ideas regarding …

Parent Implemented Adapted Dialogic Reading With Preschoolers With Autism, Mckenzie Ward

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The current study examined the role of a novel, adapted dialogic reading curriculum and its impact on preschoolers with autism and their interactions with their parents during shared book reading. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the curriculum on the effects of child social reciprocity and parents’ feelings of competence and confidence when trained on implementation strategies. Pre- and post-test measures were conducted for four parent-child dyads to measure the impact of adapted dialogic reading on child social reciprocity and parents’ feelings of competence and confidence. Although the sample size was small, clear trends were …

The Impact Of An Exercise Intervention On Stereotypical Behaviors In A Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder., Kirsten Nouzovsky

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of an exercise intervention in reducing stereotypical behaviors in a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A single subject A-B-A-B design with a repeating baseline was used for this investigation. The research design will be implemented to determine if an exercise program (i.e., cycling) impact the frequency of stereotypical behaviors demonstrated by a child with ASD. Results indicate that an exercise intervention has the potential to decrease stereotypical behaviors in a child with ASD. While stereotypical behaviors have always been shown to decrease immediately after physical exercise-based interventions (Kern et …

Increasing Self Regulation Skills In Students With Emotional/Behavioral Disorder, Jessica L. Ronkainen

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students who qualify under Emotional/Behavioral Disorder (EBD) for special education services can exhibit significant external behaviors that significantly interfere with their educational progress. EBD students who exhibit these significant behaviors often also exhibit significant difficulties with self-regulation. Difficulty with self-regulation can be due to biological factors or environmental factors. EBD students need research based, intensive interventions to increase their self-regulation skills, which will therefore reduce externalizing behaviors. Interventions need to be implemented across the student’s entire day including interventions with parent interactions, school-wide interventions, interventions in the general education environment and interventions in the special education environment. Interventions in the …

Effects Of Dialogic Reading In A Special Day Class, Donna Senn

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Early Childhood Special Education provides services to children aged three to five years. A predominant identifier is very low communication skills (Shevell, et al, 2003; Kaiser & Roberts, 2011; Robertson & Ohi, 2016). Dialogic Reading techniques have demonstrated successes in various settings (Hargrave & Senechal, 2000; Whitehurst et al., 1988; Trivette & Dunst, 2009). The rationale for this study was grounded in Rogoff’s, “apprenticeship in thinking” (1990, p. 7) theory. The research literature reviewed centered on three primary lines of inquiry namely, 1) The social aspect of language learning; 2) Speech and language interventions; and 3) Dialogic reading strategies. This …

Using Discrete Trial To Teach Functional Play Skills, Courtney Marie Furtaw

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects that discrete trial training could have on the functional play skills of four male preschool students diagnosed with autism. In order to determine the effectiveness of discrete trial training as an intervention, baseline data was first collected for two weeks on the four students through observations of a thirty minute group playtime in the morning of their MD preschool classroom. The baseline data demonstrated that all four students were only engaging in functional play for a limited amount of time. Next, a discrete trial training program was created for each individual student focusing on functional …

Using A Language And Literacy Intervention To Increase Autistic Students' Social Interactions With Peers, Ellyn Goerdt

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This paper explores the research looking at an intervention done with four preschool students with autism-like tendencies. Two of the students are on the autism spectrum and two students show autism-like tendencies and deficiencies. All four students struggled in social situations and play with their peers. The intervention provided for all four students was a checklist of skills needed to be successful in a social situation; group games, cooperative play and cleaning up. The article review discusses many supports provided and areas of need for young and adolescent students on the autism spectrum. The results of the intervention showed that …

Utilization Of A School Specific Intervention Manual To Increase Teacher Perceptions Of The I&Rs Process And Reduce Special Education Referrals, Jacqueline Jade Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

One of the primary purposes of the Intervention and Referral Services (I & RS) process is to assist school staff in addressing students' learning, behavior, or health needs (N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.1 [a]). This study sought to improve I & RS process and student outcomes in a southern New Jersey elementary school that services students from grades Pre-Kindergarten through second grade. At the outset of the study, school administrators reported that an area of need was to formulate an intervention resource for the school's I & RS committee and teaching staff. It was determined that an online/interactive intervention manual would be created …

The Effect Of Font Type On Sight Word Reading Performance Of 4th And 5th Grade Students With Reading Disabilities, Denton S. Warburton

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Reading interventions are a crucial component to combat barriers associated with reading difficulties. Within the education realm, nearly 50% of students who receive special education supports have a Specific Learning Disability (Gargiulo, 2006). As a result, the development and implementation of effective and targeted interventions is critical. Christian Boer developed a font called Dyslexie to help remediate reading difficulties of individuals with Dyslexia (Boer, 2011). However, studies by de Leeuw (2010) and Pjipker (2013) provide inconsistent supportive evidence, regarding the effectiveness of Dyslexie. The current study sought to examine the effectiveness of Dyslexie as compared to Arial on sight word …

The Effect Of A Font Intervention For 4th And 5th Graders With Dyslexia, Steven L. Powell

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Dyslexie is a font developed by Christian Boer specifically to enhance reading fluency in students with dyslexia. The present study examined its potential impact on the performance of 36 4^th and 5^th grade students with SLD on story reading. We found that Dyslexie, when compared to other common fonts that have been adjusted to control for Dyslexie’s large size and spacing, appears to have no effect on readers’ ability to read text correctly, comprehend text, or read faster.

Effects Of Executive Function Skills Instruction On Classroom Behavior, Michelle Whitham

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Executive functions, a set of interrelated processes that facilitate organization and self control, impact many aspects of academic and social success. This study investigates the benefits of executive function skills instruction on classroom behavior. Factor analyses reveal executive function orients around three distinct but interrelated factors: inhibition, working memory, and flexibility. Using a spiraling curriculum eight fourth and fifth grade students from a suburban Title 1 elementary school were directly taught these skills over ten 30 minute sessions. Using a pre/post survey of behavior indicative of executive function, both students and teachers expressed mixed results suggesting some impact of the …

Literary Devices: Effects Of Classroom Management On Student Engagement With 1:1 Devices, Elizabeth Parker

All Master's Theses

The study compares two different classroom management strategies in a 5th and 6th grade classroom using an iPad based intervention. The students participated in 10 sessions of a language and grammar intervention on the Moby Max program. During five of the sessions, the teacher actively monitored the classroom, walking around the room, and redirecting students as necessary. For the other five sessions, the teacher used data from the intervention and monitored and redirected students from her computer screen. The data collected included the number of corrections given to each student by the teacher, the number of minutes the program considered …

Closing The Achievement Gap In Mathematics For Students With Learning Disabilities Utilizing The Resource Room As An Intervention, Esta H. Brownstein

Theses and Dissertations

Students with learning disabilities are placed in general education classrooms in increasing numbers. Many of these students receive additional services in Resource Room programs taught by a special education teacher. The intent of this study was to determine if students with disabilities, who were struggling in mathematics, increased achievement utilizing Resource Room instruction as an intervention. Students in the study were in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades and performed at least one grade level below expectations for that grade in mathematics. All of the students had a specific learning disability. This study investigated the correlation, if any, between the amounts …

Assessment Of The Impact Of Reading Mastery Implementation On A Group Of First To Third Grade Students Receiving Special Education Services, Christopher Martin Jones

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

Reading Mastery was instituted with a group of first to third grade students receiving special education services as a supplemental reading intervention to regular education reading instruction. The students were enrolled in a kindergarten through eighth grade rural, Title I school with a high Native American population. Student performance was assessed with the easyCBM reading measure and the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System (Field Study, 2016).

Results showed that students who received the Reading Mastery intervention performed with mixed results on the easyCBM measure not making clear gains in all areas. The Fountas and Pinnell measure showed gains commensurate …