Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Strategies Utilized By Speech-Language Pathologists When Treating Speech-Language Disorders In Children Who Are Bilingual, Julianne L. Monceaux-Visser

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

In the state of Minnesota, more children who use a language other than English were reported to speak English less than “very well” (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020). There was neither a “gold standard” (Verdon, McLeod, & Wong, 2013), nor Preferred Practices (ASHA, 2020) for the treatment of speech-language disorders for children who were bilingual. The current study investigated the practices for treating speech-language disorders in this population by SLPs employed in schools in a region of west-central MN and eastern ND. Using an interpreter, and explicit instruction on targeted language skills were the most common clinical approaches utilized. The child’s …

A Guide For Preschool General Education Teachers To Identify And Support Children With Developmental Delays, Sarah Jane Snider Mrs

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Snider (2021) A Guide for Preschool General Education Teachers to Identify and Support Children with Developmental Delays

It is essential to identify areas of professional development that educators need in order to effectively teach children. Professional development strengthens teachers knowledge and equips them with skills that will improve teaching practice and child achievement. This study looked at preschool general educator areas of weakness. The information that was obtained was used to create a professional development guide to enhance weakness areas. The results show that preschool general education teachers needed further information on identifying and supporting children with developmental delays. In …

Gifted Education In Arkansas: A Longitudinal Study Of Gifted Status And Academic Growth, Bich Tran, Jonathan Wai, Sarah C. Mckenzie

Arkansas Education Reports

This study assesses the effectiveness of gifted programs in Arkansas by leveraging student-level achievement and demographic data of students who scored at or above the 95th percentile on state assessments in third grade. We follow five independent cohorts of these high-achieving students through eighth grade and examine the difference between the longer-term academic performance of the students that were exposed to gifted and talented services compared to similarly high achieving peers that were not identified as gifted. Using regression analyses controlling for student and district characteristics, we find that students who received gifted services demonstrated statistically significantly greater academic growth …

Coaching And Embedding In Early Childhood, Danielle Tagtmeier

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Coaching and embedding has become an increasingly popular service delivery model in early childhood and has led to higher developmental outcomes for children and increased caregiver confidence and competence in working with their children with delays or disabilities. Coaching and embedding is an evidence based practice and considered a recommended practice by the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children as a service delivery model for early intervention. Coaching involves many strategies and can be delivered through a variety of modalities including in-person or virtual services. This project includes a review of literature on coaching and embedding …

Occupational Therapist Role In Post-Secondary Education Transition Program: Emphasis On Self-Advocacy Skills, Nikki K. Voorhees

Student Capstone Papers

It is becoming increasingly important for individuals to obtain post-secondary education in order to gain employment (Alverson et al., 2019; Chandroo et al., 2018). This increased importance to attend post-secondary education makes it imperative for students who are graduating from high school to be fully prepared for the transition to post-secondary education (Rothman et al., 2008). The transition from high school to post-secondary education is difficult for any individual. However, it is even more difficult for students with learning differences, as they tend to have problems in the areas of social skills, communication, problem solving, self-advocacy, and executive functioning (Alverson …

Technology As A Tool For Support: Classroom Teachers And Resource Specialists In Collaboration And Communication Practices, Mackenzie Jones

Education | Master's Theses

Classroom teachers and resource specialists face hectic schedules that include supporting students and meeting the core curriculum standards. In order to support students with disabilities in the classroom, collaboration between classroom teachers and resource specialists is essential. With busy schedules and increasing demands that teachers face, there is an urgent need to support teachers with effective systems of collaboration. This research focuses on the problem of unorganized and ineffective systems of support, which teachers face when trying to collaborate and communicate with their colleagues. While many prior studies address the significance of providing time for educators to collaborate in the …

Academic Literacy For Deaf Postsecondary Students Through Integrated Reading And Writing Instruction, Sue Livingston

Publications and Research

Based on theoretical findings from the literature on the integration of reading and writing pedagogies used with hearing postsecondary students to advance academic literacy, this article offers a model of instruction for achieving academic literacy in developmental and freshman composition courses composed of deaf students. Academic literacy is viewed as the product of acts of composing in reading and writing which best transpire through reciprocal rather than separate reading and writing activities. Pedagogical practices based on theoretical findings and teacher experience are presented as a model of instruction, exemplified as artifacts in online supplementary materials and juxtaposed with practices used …

The Correlation Between Student Self-Advocacy And Postsecondary Success, Kaleigh Tarabek

Honors Theses

This project incorporated ideas of a previous study that examined the effects of self-advocacy and conflict resolution training modules on the ability of four high school seniors with mild disabilities to ask for their accommodations (Holzberg, et al.,. 2019). The survey I will be using: Self-Determination/Self-Advocacy Checklist, from the transition planning inventory, will be used for the pre and post assessment in order to measure the increase from student indicated don’t knows to yes. I will be compiling student data using student surveys. I will reflect and analyze survey responses as my sample size and student demographics will be different. …

The Effects Of Asian Immigrant Parent Implemented Training On Mand Acquisition Of Children With Autism, Xiaohan Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Asian population is proportionally the fastest-growing ethnic group in the United States and Asian parents often hold different opinions on family functioning and childrearing. However, there has been no research conducted to examine how to best train parents from Asian immigrant backgrounds to teach manding to their children with autism at home. A behavioral skills training (BST) package was utilized to teach three Asian parents to train their children with autism aged between 6-12 to mand for preferred items. A multiple-baseline-across-participants design was used to evaluate the effects of parent training on parent participants’ implementation of mand training task analysis …

Implementing Inclusive Education In Early Childhood Settings: The Interplay And Impact Of Exclusion, Teacher Qualities And Professional Development In Ghana, Francis R. Ackah-Jnr, Hyacinth Udah

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Inclusive education (IE) in the early years enhances young children’s learning, socialization, and development; yet, children with disability are one group that is often isolated, excluded, or marginalized in early childhood education. This paper examines jointly the perceived exclusion practices, teacher qualities, and professional development and the interplay and impact of these factors on effective inclusive early childhood education. Drawing on data collected from individual interviews with teachers and headteachers in a large early childhood and school setting in Ghana, findings of this qualitative study indicate the exclusion practices of teachers. The findings suggest that resistance to IE limits learning, …

Finding Reinforcers: Using Behavior Skills Training Over Telehealth To Instruct Educators To Perform Preference Assessments With Students., Anastasia Yuschak

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Future and current educators working with students in an early childhood education setting should use positive reinforcement for their students to increase behaviors. If proper assessment of student preferences is ignored reinforcers used in a classroom will prove to be insufficient. The present research sought to determine the feasibility of using behavioral skill training (BST) over a telehealth platform to teach paired stimulus preference assessments to educators. The feasibility of this platform is evident by the rapid skill acquisition and mastery of two preschool educators who accurately completed the component skill necessary to develop a preferential hierarchy. This paper will …

A Comparative Analysis Of The Impact Of A Progressive Learning Curriculum On Student Achievement In A Northeastern Urban Public School District, Corey Mckinney

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study used a non-experimental, one-group, pretest-posttest design to compare the scale scores on the 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 Mathematics sections of the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment (NJSLA). This investigation compared the 2018 New Jersey Student Learning Assessment in Mathematics (NJSLA-M) scale score means for sampled special education students in Grades 4 – 8 to the 2019 NJSLA-M scale score means for the same group. A Paired-samples t-Test was used to determine what statistical differences exist, if any, between the scores 2017–2018 results of the students prior to receiving instruction based on learning progressions and the 2018–2019 results after …

A Literature Review Of Understanding And Supporting Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In The Classroom, Kerilyn Creelman

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

The effects of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has on academic performance are evident. This mini-literature review aims to gain insight into which parts of ADHD affects a student’s academic achievement and to provide suggestions to use to assist closing the academic gap between students with ADHD and neurotypical students. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is increasing in diagnosis within children. ADHD affects a child’s academic performance, creating a deficit measured in years, and grows as children continue into their high school careers. ADHD-Inattentive affects academic performance the most out of the three subtypes of ADHD. Medication has shown …

Principals' Perceptions Of Manifestation Determination Implementation And Disciplining Secondary Students With Disabilities, Felicia Florez

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

Students with disabilities are often disciplined differently than their peers in school. This qualitative study focused on eight secondary administrators in the Fort Smith Public School district and their perceptions of manifestation determinations and their understanding of the laws of special education. Participants were interviewed face-toface via an online platform, and results were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Glasser’s Choice Theory guided the research and through the study the results indicated administrators gain insights to a SWD motivation for the behavior before assigning an intervention, punishment, or discipline procedure (Achilles et al., 2007; Glasser, 1998; Louis, 2009; Rose, 1988; Zirkel, 2010). …

Community College Success Of Students With Disabilities, Shayne Brophy-Felbab

Education (PhD) Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify aspects of home life, college life, or high school preparation that supported the success of students with disabilities at community colleges. As students with disabilities are rarely represented in the literature, this study offered a space for students with disabilities to share their voice and further develop their sense of agency. The six participants had a range of disabilities and enrolled in Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS) at their community college. They had all completed at least one year and three students were completing their final year and had plans in …

How Are The Collaborative Efforts Of The Transition Plan Team Viewed By Its Members, Teresa Henderson

Doctoral Dissertations

The views of a transition/IEP team members of the collaborative efforts of each other have had little or limited viewing. Annually there are approximately six million special education students in the United States of America (Samuels, 2017). While in high school, these students and their transition/IEP team are tasked with preparing them for adult life (U.S. Department of Education [USDOE], 2018). The team’s collaborative efforts are a necessary component of ensuring the success of each student’s adult life (Michaels & Ferrara, 2005).

For students to find success after high school, all transition/IEP team members need to collaborate as best as …

Tennessee High School Band Directors' Knowledge, Perceptions, And Training Regarding The Teaching Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd): An Initial Inquiry, Cameron L. Phillips

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In hopes to add to the existing, yet limited literature surrounding music educators’ experiences with students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), our study surveyed n=62 high school band directors currently serving in the state of Tennessee about their knowledge, perceptions, and training regarding the teaching of such students. By administering an originally designed, twelve-item survey, it was discovered that the majority of respondents had been underprepared in both their preservice and in-service training to effectively address the needs of students with ASD. Despite their lack of preparedness, an overwhelming amount of the surveyed band directors reported their students experiencing social, …

Teacher's Guide To Using Literature To Promote Inclusion Of People With Disabilities, Bruce Menchetti

Open Educational Resources

The Teacher’s Guide to Using Literature to Promote Inclusion of People with Disabilities has been designed to assist teachers who wish to use literature to promote inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of life. The Guide consists of two parts. Part 1 is a rubric for evaluating how short stories, books, poems, TV programs, movies, digital media, and other forms of literature portray characters with disabilities. Part 2 of the Teacher’s Guide to Using Literature to Promote Inclusion of People with Disabilities is a curriculum guide with learning objectives, lesson activities, and strategies for outcome evaluation. The curriculum …

Teachers’ Stress, Anxiety, And Depression: What Are Special Education Teachers Experiencing?, James H. Potter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that people in the teaching profession have high levels of stress and often report increased levels of symptoms of anxiety and depression. Students’ academic progress may have adverse effects when their teachers have high-stress levels or report mental distress. Those who teach special education often face high levels of stress. However, there is little research considering special education teachers’ job-related health. This study collected data on 598 general and special education teachers in the United States. This study compared the endorsements of both stress and psychopathology between special education and general education teachers. This research found that …

K-12 Economically Disadvantaged Students, Poverty, And Education: Ecological Narratives Of Successful Raised-In-Poverty, Texas Educators, Rebecca N. Morris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study aimed to understand how successful Texas educators who grew up in poverty understood and improved the educational experience of economically disadvantaged students. This study utilized a structural ecological theory and three theories of social relationships (Social Identity, Standpoint, and Cultural Capital). This phenomenological and qualitative study used a cross-sectional, descriptive, online case study design rooted in narrative nonfiction. Virtual interviews with six successful Texas educators that grew up in poverty were conducted. A narrative method of analysis was utilized to generate codes then organize them into themes, and to construct and compare the narrative findings. The results …

Examining Awareness And Identification Procedures Of Students With Specific Learning Disabilities In Uae Elementary Government Schools, Hana Aidrous Omar

Theses

Specific Learning Disability (SLD) is the most prevalent type of disability. Many students have been incorrectly identified as having SLD when, in fact, they have a different issue or disability. Other students with serious academic problems have been ignored and have not been evaluated. This study, therefore, examines the procedures used to identify students with SLD in UAE elementary government schools. The purpose of this study is twofold: (a) to examine the diagnostic procedures and steps that UAE elementary government schools follow to identify and place students with SLD and (b) to investigate school professionals’ awareness of SLD. A mixed …

How Is Technology Being Used To Impact Those With Autism Spectrum Disorder?, Nathaniel T. Hillebrand

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This study sought to examine the use of technology to aid in social development of middle and high school students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, perceived impact by teachers, and potential future applications. This study reports on qualitative data gathered from surveys sent to teachers in Indiana and Ohio who worked with those students. Findings include a range of technology implementations in the classroom and an overall feeling of perceived positive impact of technology on developing social skills. The connection between adolescence and the need for focused social skill development and the future direction for research were also discussed.

Addressing The Development Of Reading Comprehension In Students With Asd : A Meta-Analysis, Halley Eacker

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The purpose of this study was to synthesize findings from single-case intervention studies on developing reading comprehension in students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A multi-level analysis was used to determine if there was an overall statistically significant effect of these interventions and if the effect was consistent across studies and participants. Results indicated a significant change in trend throughout the intervention phase across studies. Age had a significant impact on the intervention effect. The remaining moderators – study type, design, and quality – were not significant. Implications for practitioners and researchers, as well as considerations for future research are …

Developing And Testing A Single-Case Experimental Design Tool : Improving The Way Researchers Choose And Justify Quantification Techniques, Joelle Fingerhut

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Certain quantification techniques may be more appropriate than others for single-case design analysis depending on the research questions, the data/graph characteristics, and other desired features. The purpose of this study was a.) to develop a user-friendly tool that could assist researchers in choosing, justifying, and calculating the estimate of single-case design quantification techniques and b.) to validate and test the effectiveness of the developed tool. A total of sixteen different quantification techniques and nine different research questions, data characteristics, and desired features that may affect the appropriateness of the single-case experimental design quantification technique were identified to be included in …

Exploring How The Functioning Of Iep Teams Online Meets The Needs Of Students With Disabilities, Susan L. Sharp

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Students with disabilities (SWD) are participating in supplemental online programs (SOP) and through the provisions of special education must receive specialized instruction to meet their academic potential. These students have a group of individuals, including educators, specialists, school leaders, and their own parents, collaborating to implement learning accommodations for them to support their academic success. This group is known as the Individualized Education Program Team (IEP Team). Without accommodations to the learning environment and to their learning activities, the academic achievement of SWD may be adversely impacted. The IEP Team must collaborate to create an effective Individualized Education Program (IEP) …

Virtually Left Behind: The Struggles Of Adapted Physical Education Through Online Learning For Students With Special Needs, Madison Neff

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus issue addressed in this Capstone Project is on improving the challenges faced by students with special needs through online modalities of adapted physical education (APE). This is an important issue for students with special needs because they are regressing because of online learning. Students with special needs need a routine and a hands-on learning environment to thrive. It is argued that if teachers, parents, and students meet certain criteria, these challenges can be improved with collaboration. The primary stakeholders' perspectives included one APE teacher and three parents, due to their relevant experience and observations of online APE and …

Improved Word Reading Experiences Of Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd) Who Participated In Singing Activities: A Synthesis Of Qualitative Research, Robin Rosezel Porter

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research in special education has shown an increase in reading difficulties of

children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) within the last ten years. Reading

difficulties include challenges in word reading experiences, such as decoding,

syllabication, and phonological awareness.

Several reading interventions help children with ASD improve reading

difficulties. Such reading interventions include but are not limited to priming with

visual supports (VS) and pre-teaching vocabulary. However, during the

performance of reading interventions for children with Autism, behavioral support

is an issue. Behavioral support has included significant prompting and

redirecting.

Furthermore, children with ASD have not shown full engagement

during the …

Effects Of An Online Learning Module For Pediatricians Regarding Early Intervention Services, Nicole L. Atwell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Pediatricians serve a vital role in identifying young children with developmental delays and disabilities and referring families for services to support their children’s development and learning. However, past researchers indicated there is minimal research on training pediatricians on the Part C early intervention (EI) process that supports young children with developmental delays and disabilities. This study examined the effectiveness of a web-based training on pediatricians' knowledge of EI services and referral processes. The training components included interactive, online modules and paper resources directed towards an understanding of EI services. A convergent parallel mixed-methods study design was used to determine the …

Developing Reading Instruction Observation Protocols For Special Education Teachers, Laura Ann Moylan

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Considerable resources have been invested in identifying effective reading instruction methods for students with disabilities. Unfortunately, students are not routinely receiving instruction aligned with these practices, impacting their ability to reach their potential. To improve reading instruction, teachers need to receive observation feedback and evaluations reflecting instructional practices shown to be effective. One way to ensure teachers are provided with feedback consistent with evidence based reading instruction is to develop observation protocols aligned to these practices. This dissertation addresses this problem with three distinct, yet interconnected, articles detailing the development of reading instruction observation protocols designed to provide accurate teacher …

Content Validity Of Aba Language Assessments In The Totality Of Skinner's Verbal Operant Theory, Taylor Marie Lauer

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Content validity describes the degree of which a measure represents all the components of the overall construct being measured. Behavior analytic language assessments are largely based on Skinner’s verbal operant theory (1957). Three behavior analytic language assessments were utilized to measure the coverage of Skinner’s verbal behavior theory: the VB-MAPP, ABLLS-R, and PEAK. The purpose of the current study was to examine the content validity of each of these assessments coverage on the totality of Skinner’s verbal operant theory. Expressive items on each of the three assessments were compared to definitions of Skinner’s verbal operants and were coded as the …