Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

An Examination Of Teacher Perceptions Of Middle School Behavior Management And Intervention, Raechel Brianne Roberts

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that behavior management and intervention is a complex experience in school settings. Middle school students, in particular, must contend with physical, social, and educational changes and responsibilities, which may impact their behavioral responses and relationships with their teachers. The literature suggests that teachers often report that there are limitations to support for behavioral management in regards to pre-service training, access to research-based practices, and barriers to successful intervention implementation. The purpose of this qualitative study was to privilege the lived experiences of middle school teachers and their needs for working with students with challenging behaviors. The study included …

From Collaboration To Achievement: Exploring Co-Teaching As A Strategy To Close The Gap In Mathematics For Students With Disabilities, Lindsay L. Stewart

All Dissertations

This study addressed the persistent achievement gap in Algebra 1 for students with disabilities (SWD) at Popular High School (PHS), a rural high school within Sweet County School District (SCSD). In response to historical underperformance on the South Carolina Algebra 1 End-of-Course (EOC) assessment and the school’s designation for Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI), the district piloted a co-teaching intervention to provide more inclusive and supportive instruction for SWD. In this context, co-teaching refers to a collaborative instructional model in which a general education and a special education teacher share responsibility for planning, delivering, and assessing instruction in the …

“They’Re All Our Students!” Using Data-Based Individualization To Increase Reading Performance For Students With Disabilities In The Resource Setting, Jennifer J. Hill

All Dissertations

Students with Disabilities (SWDs) are not making progress in reading, and this is a problem that occurs across the nation. The National Assessment of Educational Progress scores showed that students without disabilities are increasing in reading growth, while SWDs showed a decrease in reading (Stevens et al., 2024; Vaughn & Wanzek, 2014). On average, SWDs are about three years behind their peers in reading (Gilmour et al., 2015). All students, including those with disabilities, need to learn how to read because it leads to success in academics and future careers as an adult (Sullivan et al., 2016). If SWDs do …

Professional Portfolio: Collaboration To Support Inclusion Of Students With Extensive Support Needs, Sasha A. Lockhart

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This project focuses on the importance of collaboration between the special education teacher and general education teacher to better support inclusive practices for students with extensive support needs. Inclusion is an important part of education for a student with disabilities. Research has indicated several benefits of inclusion. Inclusion of students with extensive support needs requires effective collaboration between special and general education teachers. This professional portfolio includes a review of the literature about collaboration to support inclusion of students with extensive support needs, as well as two reports. Report one focuses on the collaboration between special education teacher and general …

Empathetic Differentiated Instruction In Deaf Education: Examining Influencing Factors And Experienced Educator Practices, Laura A. Blackburn

STEMPS Master's Level Projects and Papers

This mixed-methods study investigated how experienced K–12 deaf educators implement empathetic, differentiated instruction (EDI) to support the academic and linguistic needs of deaf students who use American Sign Language (ASL) as their language of learning. Guided by Tracey and Baaki’s instructional design empathy model and grounded in constructivism, the study explored how teachers navigated the tension between standardized, English (sound-based) curriculum demands and the need to make instructional decisions aligned with signed language modalities and responsive to students’ real-time learning needs.

A custom electronic survey was distributed to a national sample of experienced educators, with 19 respondents completing Likert-scale items, …

Engaging Minds: Assessing The Impact Of Arts-Integration On Science Achievement And Engagement Using Planned Experimentation, Fonda G. Dupre

All Dissertations

Elementary science education is essential for fostering inquiry, critical thinking, and problem-solving, yet it is often reduced or deprioritized due to the pressures of high-stakes testing in reading and mathematics. Despite federal calls for a well-rounded education under the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015), instructional time for science remains limited in many schools, particularly in under-resourced and high-poverty contexts. This reduction of science instruction time exacerbates achievement gaps and limits student engagement and interest in STEM fields.

This planned experiment investigates whether Arts-Integrated science instruction can increase student engagement and improve academic achievement among fourth-grade students at Foothills Academy of …

An Evaluation Of Interactive Computerized Training To Teach Preservice Speech Language Pathologists To Implement Brief Multiple Stimulus Without Replacement Preference Assessments, Mattie L. Mecham

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Positive reinforcement is often used when teaching new skills. When working with individuals with developmental disabilities, it can be difficult to determine reinforcing items. Preference assessments can be used to identify items that may function as reinforcers. A multiple stimulus without replacement preference assessment (MSWO) produces a ranking of preferred items and can be conducted quickly. Researchers have utilized interactive computerized training (ICT) to teach behavior analytic skills and procedures. The present investigation aimed to extend previous MSWO training and ICT research by developing and evaluating the effects of an MSWO ICT implemented with speech language pathology graduate students. The …

Efficacy And Social Validity Of A Modified Good Behavior Game, Milad Najafichaghabouri

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Teachers regularly face challenging behavior from students in their classrooms. Research shows that the good behavior game (GBG) is a strategy teachers can use in their classrooms to improve student behavior. However, in practice, very few teachers choose to use this strategy in their classrooms. One reason why teachers may not use this intervention regularly is that they find some parts of the intervention to be difficult to implement in the long-term. The purpose of this study was to modify the procedures of the GBG to reduce implementation effort for teachers and assess if the intervention continues to be effective. …

Training To Teach: Creating Inclusive Learning Environments, Rebecca Anne Rose

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

Inclusion is often discussed as a policy imperative, but its true impact is realised only through daily classroom practice. As student teachers, we argue that inclusion should move beyond compliance to become a mindset and a lived commitment. Our experiences reveal that policy and practice are not always as intertwined as we hope. As future educators, we aspire for inclusion to require ongoing self-reflection, courage, and compassion, ensuring every student is seen, valued, and empowered to succeed. We believe policy must genuinely support and reflect this commitment, making inclusion not just a requirement, but a fundamental part of educational culture …

Reflection On The ‘Power Of Us’ Conference: How Mainstream Schools In England Offer Provision To Children With Special Educational Needs (Sen), Grace H A Cooper

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

The majority of children in England with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) are educated within mainstream schools. Due to the broad range of needs of children, it is essential that mainstream schools are provided with adequate funding, preparation and training to ensure that the inclusion of every child is achievable and expected. Furthermore, sometimes schools feel that they cannot offer ample provision to give every child an equitable access to learning and therefore they are directed to SEND schooling – can a mainstream school be considered inclusive if they cannot support all children? This article will consider these arguments …

‘They Actually Made Me Feel Like They Wanted Me In The Classroom’: Reflections Of Inclusion, Katherine Gulliver, George Osborne

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

This article highlights the value of listening to individuals with lived experience in creating inclusive environments. Drawing on Gulliver’s (2023, 2024) research and the personal reflections of George Osborne, a disability advocate with Williams Syndrome, the article recognises the importance of early intervention, tailored support, and educator awareness in supporting children with rare disabilities. Through an awareness-raising exhibition and personal narratives, the article illustrates how inclusion can be meaningfully achieved when schools adapt to the needs of the child - rather than requiring the child to adapt to the school. George’s story demonstrates how empathetic, informed practice can help contribute …

Power Of Us: Listening To Families, Tara J. Vassallo

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

This article, originating from the ‘Power of Us!’ conference held in June 2025, reflects on the session titled ‘Listening to families’ which offered an experienced parent panel, providing a forum for discussion. The session had a particular focus on the experiences of families and their children with neurodivergent and other individual educational needs and the families’ pursuit of genuine co-production with their children’s school. The article offers an insight into the session, sharing reflections from the discussions, and calls for action aimed at creating a truly inclusive educational system.

A Preston Bridge School (Pbs) Approach To Inclusive Multisport Practices Within Sen, Jack Smith

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

This paper, originating from the ‘Power of Us!’ conference held in June 2025, reflects on the session titled A Preston Bridge School Approach To Inclusive Multisport Practices Within SEN, which captured the current physical provision offer at Preston Bridge, with a particular focus on how the implementation of inclusive practices enable young people with SEN to meet and achieve their EHCP targets through physical education. The paper offers an insight into the session delivered, sharing best practice, staff and student reflections, and calls for action to promote the inclusion of young people with SEN within the context of physical education.

Foreword To The Special Issue: The Power Of Us Conference, Christopher Lore, Harriet Dismore

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

This introduction to the special issue of the Plymouth Institute of Education Open Journal summarises the thinking behind the organisation of the Power of Us Conference held at the University of Plymouth on May 1st, 2025. The theme of the conference was creating more inclusive schools and communities through fostering dialogue between all participants in inclusive spaces: students, families, local authorities, community organisations, leaders, and numerous others. This conference can form a model for creating other inclusive spaces for sharing best practice and enabling as many voices as possible to be heard.

Editorial - Conference Proceedings And Reflections, Alicja Syska, Claudia Blandon, Katherine Gulliver, James Tarling, Jo Hawkes

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

This editorial introduces a special issue that documents 'The Power of Us' conference on inclusive education (1 May 2025, Spaghetti Bridge and University of Plymouth) through an innovative format that captures a wide spectrum of scholarly exchange. Rather than presenting traditional abstracts and formal papers, these proceedings privilege the voices and experiences that emerged in real time -audience reflections, presenter insights, and the emotional and intellectual responses that shaped the day's conversations. The editorial outlines the rationale for this approach, positioning it as a more complete representation of how knowledge about inclusive education is co-created through dialogue between diverse stakeholders. …

Challenging Behavior In The Early Childhood Classroom, Ashley L. Hoag

Masters Projects

In early childhood classrooms, it is becoming increasingly common for students to exhibit challenging behaviors. These behaviors present as either internalizing behaviors, such as anxiety, or as externalizing behaviors, such as defiance and aggression. These behaviors are impacting student learning and contributing to an increase in teacher stress and burnout. Early childhood educators feel underprepared to address these behaviors effectively. The project is grounded in Behaviorist Theory and Constructivist Theory. These theories inform Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), which is an evidence-based approach to managing challenging behaviors by focusing on reinforcement, the structure of the environment, and building important …

Special Education Teacher Burnout Experiences: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology Study, Marisa N. Deptula

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative, hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore how special education teachers describe their burnout experiences when teaching at a special education populated school in Connecticut. The theory guiding this study was Maslach’s Burnout Inventory Theory which examines teacher burnout experiences through the three lenses of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of personal accomplishment. Hermeneutic phenomenology explicitly focuses on the lived experience, the participant's perspective and experiences, and the researcher's opinion and knowledge on the topic (Alsaigh & Coyne 2021; Bynum & Varpio, 2017). This study was specifically looking at the experiences of special education teachers at …

Understanding Educators' Experiences Facilitating The Psychological Needs Of Twice-Exceptional Learners: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Jennifer L. Hill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of gifted and special educators as they facilitate the psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness in twice-exceptional learners in schools with gifted and special education programming within the United States. The theory that guided this study was the self-determination theory, which offered a framework to explore teachers' experiences supporting 2e students. The central research question was: What are the lived experiences of gifted and special educators as they facilitate the psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness for twice-exceptional students? This question was studied using transcendental …

Predicting School Culture From Teacher Experience And Funding: A Predictive Correlational Study, Bailey D. Keller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, predictive correlational study is to understand how accurately the perception of school climate can be predicted from a linear combination of special education teachers’ years of teaching experience and supplemental state and federal funding allocated to teachers in the special education setting. The participants were drawn from a convenience sample of public school special education teachers located in a large school district in a southern state of the United States during the 2024-2025 school year. The setting for this research is a collection of campuses representing the work environments of the participants sampled. The My …

Evaluating The Predictive Value Of Basc-3 Anxiety Scale And Working Memory Index Scores For Clinically Significant Test Anxiety: A Comprehensive Analysis Of Non-Classifiable Cases, Des'tiana S. Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation will explore how test anxiety (TA) affects working memory (WM) and whether certain factors can help predict higher levels of test anxiety. Anxiety has been defined as a common experience that can show up in various forms—like general worry, social fears, panic attacks, and specific phobias (APA, 2022). It was described as often triggering our natural “fight-or-flight” response, which can impact our ability to focus, think clearly, and remember things. For students, test anxiety has been especially challenging, affecting how they perform in high-stakes academic settings. Using data from a university based psychological assessment center, this study will …

Evaluating The Predictive Value Of Basc-3 Anxiety Scale And Working Memory Index Scores For Clinically Significant Test Anxiety: A Comprehensive Analysis Of Non-Classifiable Cases, Des'tiana S. Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation will explore how test anxiety (TA) affects working memory (WM) and whether certain factors can help predict higher levels of test anxiety. Anxiety has been defined as a common experience that can show up in various forms—like general worry, social fears, panic attacks, and specific phobias (APA, 2022). It was described as often triggering our natural “fight-or-flight” response, which can impact our ability to focus, think clearly, and remember things. For students, test anxiety has been especially challenging, affecting how they perform in high-stakes academic settings. Using data from a university based psychological assessment center, this study will …

The Use Of Threat Assessment Protocols In K-12 Schools On Disciplinary Outcomes For Students With Disabilities, Natasha Lynn Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations

School personnel utilize the BTAM process to investigate threats of violence made by students through identifying, assessing, and managing potentially dangerous situations. This process is not intended to be disciplinary in nature, and previous studies conducted have shown that when a BTAM model is implemented, students who make threats toward others receive fewer suspensions or other types of removal as a result of the threat; however data on threat assessment outcomes has not been conducted in South Carolina. The purpose of this study was to examine administrators' knowledge and perceptions of BTAM models and perceptions of discipline outcomes for students …

Teacher Identification Of Learned Helplessness And Supportive Strategies, Kathleen A. De Jong

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Learned helplessness is a common problem in the upper grades of compulsory education. It creates frustration and has a significant negative impact on academic achievement. Teachers need to accurately identify learned helplessness behaviors before they can promote effective strategies for student autonomy, resilience, and academic success. Research has shown that appropriate strategies successfully mitigate or prevent learned helplessness, but misguided strategies will exacerbate the problem. This study aims to examine the behaviors that teachers currently associate with learned helplessness and the strategies they have found to be successful in mitigating its effects in their classrooms. After reviewing literature on learned …

Personalized Learning Strategies In The Classroom, Kendra Carlson

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Personalized learning is essential for students to be more engaged and have higher achievement in the classroom. There are too many students who are struggling in the classroom with staying engaged and this is then leading to students struggling with their learning. Research has shown that personalized learning strategies can provide promising outcomes for students who are struggling in the classroom. This inquiry-based research study aims to determine if personalized learning strategies can help struggling learners to be engaged and learn in the classroom. The study utilized a qualitative approach, using both teacher surveys and observations of a summer school …

Supporting Productive Struggle Within The Special Education Classroom, Nicole Snitkey

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Students with significant disabilities are frequently taught using highly structured, direct instruction, often with an errorless component. While this approach can build confidence in specific tasks, it may limit opportunities for developing independent problem-solving skills. When these students are presented with unfamiliar challenges, they may experience frustration and dysregulation. This study aims to investigate what productive struggle strategies are effective in supporting students when engaging in challenging tasks while also maintaining regulation. Qualitative data was gathered utilizing field notes to determine what, if any, productive struggle strategies support students in special education through a challenging task. The results of this …

It's Not Enough For Us Or Our Students, Amanda Smith

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

setting. When the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was reauthorized in 2004 along with the mandates set in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), students with disabilities were required to be taught in the general education setting with the necessary accommodations, modifications and support services to make learning approachable for them. While these federal laws move education forward for students, teacher pre-service training and professional development has not moved forward to adequately prepare general education teachers for an inclusive setting. General education teachers need to understand accommodations, modifications, differentiation strategies, and support services. The first part of this study …

Cv: Hyeseong Lee (Elementary Education/Special Education), Hyeseong Lee

Education Department Faculty Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

Teaching Word Combinations Using Matrix Training Via Serious Gaming In Minimally Verbal Children, Nataly Innamorato

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the communication challenges faced by minimally verbal children who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), often limited to one-word expressions. The approach used involves gamifying matrix training, an empirically supported method for teaching word combinations and promoting the generalization of language skills. Across three studies, the development of an instructional game is described and evaluated with two populations, typically developing children and children who are minimally verbal. First, it introduces a gamified application of matrix training that provides training in an interactive digital environment. Second, a proof-of-concept was obtained via a multiple baseline across participants with typically …

Behavioural Intentions And Technological Pedagogical And Content Knowledge Of Teachers Towards Using Artificial Intelligence To Teach Students With Learning Difficulty/Disabilities In The United Arab Emirates, Fatima Zraydi

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education offers significant potential for identifying and supporting all students including those with learning difficulties. Although discussions on potential of AI to advance the learning of students is ongoing, AI usage among teachers to support the teaching of students with learning disabilities in non-western context such as the United Arab Emirates, is unresearched. The goal of this study was to explore the synergy between teachers’ behavioural intention and pedagogical content knowledge towards using AI to teach students with learning difficulties. The study was guided by unified theory of acceptance and use of technology …

An Evaluation Of Check-In/Check-Out For Children With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Norma E. Guillen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Children with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) often display disruptive behavior that can hinder their learning and negatively affect the classroom environment. Check-in/Check-Out (CICO) is a Tier-2, evidence-based intervention designed to support children who have difficulty engaging in classroom activities and are at-risk of developing more severe challenging behavior. The primary goal of the intervention is to prevent the escalation of these behaviors and reduce the need for more intensive individualized interventions. However, limited research exists on the effectiveness of CICO for children with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). This study examined the effects of CICO on improving on-task behavior …