Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Program Data Summary (2015–2016) From The Tpsid Model Demonstration Projects, Meg Grigal, Clare K. Papay, Debra Hart, Frank A. Smith, Daria Domin

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

Think College Reports present descriptive data in narrative or tabular form to provide timely information to researchers, practitioners, and policymakers for review and use. This report provides summary data about programs from the Year 1 (2015-2016) Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities.

Tips For Supporting Students With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities To Attend College, Clare Papay, Megan M. Griffin

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

There are more than 260 inclusive college programs for students with ID exist across the United States (Think College, 2017). This number represents an exponential increase in programs—nearly 10 times greater than the number of programs available in 2004 (National Coordinating Center Accreditation Workgroup, 2016). Not only are there more programs to choose from, with recent revisions to the Higher Education Opportunity Act, students with ID also can access federal financial aid for attending postsecondary education programs that meet federal requirements. In addition to taking academic courses, students have opportunities to expand their social skills, improve self-determination, and learn other …

Collaborative Practices Among Professionals In Special Education Workplaces, Shannon Lynne Coughlin

Honors Theses and Capstones

The aim of this study is to examine collaborative relationships existing among professionals working in special education and specifically the relationships between school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and elementary school classroom teachers. A survey was administered to classroom teachers in New Hampshire. The first part of the survey asked teachers their opinions regarding the extent to which SLPs should be collaborating with teachers. The second part of the survey asked teachers to estimate how often they engaged in collaborative practices with the SLP currently working in their school. Results indicated that teachers would prefer SLPs to spend significantly more time in …

Graduate Bulletin, 2017-2018, Minnesota State University Moorhead

Graduate Bulletins (Catalogs)

No abstract provided.

Social Participation In Schools: Developing The Role Of Occupational Therapy Practitioners, Kelly L. Leigers

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

The aim of this dissertation is to build the repertoire of occupational therapy practitioners so that they are better prepared in the provision of services addressing social participation of students with disabilities in the general education classroom. Students with disabilities in general education classrooms tend to have greater difficulty establishing and maintaining friendships (Wight & Chapparo, 2008), have fewer reciprocated friendships (Kemp & Carter, 2002), and lower stability in relationships than peers without disabilities. Furthermore, studies indicate that students with disabilities are less social accepted (Ekornas, Heimann, Tjus, Heyerdahl, & Lundervold, 2011) and are more isolated (Nadeau & Tessier, 2006). …

A Study Exploring Parents’ And Occupational Therapists Views On Facilitating Social And Emotional Development, Salena C. Neuwar

Honors College Theses

This study examined how parents of a child with a disability and the child's occupational therapist each facilitate social and emotional development among children who have or are currently receiving occupational therapy services. This study first served to identify, through interviews, what social and emotional skills are important individually to the parent and the occupational therapist that the child gains. Through interviews, the researcher investigated the perceptions of how parents and occupational therapists facilitate social and emotional skills. The location of the therapy session was found to be a vital component among parent and occupational therapist interaction. Finally, this research …

Computer Programming With Early Elementary Students With And Without Intellectual Disabilities, Matthew Taylor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Researchers suggest students at the preschool and kindergarten grade levels are active learners and creators and need to be exposed to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum. The need for student understanding in STEM curriculum is well documented, and positive results in robotics, computer programming, and coding are leading researchers and policy makers to introduce new standards in education. The purpose of this single case design study is to research the abilities of kindergarten students, with and without intellectual disabilities (ID), to learn skills in computer programming and coding through explicit instruction, concrete manipulatives, and tangible interfaces. While constructionist …

Teaching A Picture Exchange Communication System To Young Adults With Moderate To Severe Disabilities Using The Pecs Phase Iii Application, Kristen L. Kapp

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching a picture communication system to students with moderate to severe disabilities using the PECS Phase III application. A multiple probe across participants design was used to conduct the study and evaluate the effectiveness of the training on the PECS Phase III application. The results of the study demonstrated that teaching a picture communication system on an augmentative and alternative communication device is effective in the school setting with young adults with moderate and severe disabilities.

Developing Technology Applications For Improving The Problem-Solving Skills Of Middle School Students With Learning Disabilities, Samuel Y. Choo

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The achievement gap in mathematics education continues to be a concern in the United States. Students with disabilities (SWD) are often excluded from the general education curriculum or the least restrictive environment due to their low performance in mathematics and disability-related deficits. Legislative and professional reports have addressed the needs of SWD by promoting evidence-based math interventions using instructional technology. However, the focus of many math interventions with instructional technology has been limited to basic facts instruction or drill-and-practice routines. In this study, I developed a curriculum-based technology tool called Anchored Instruction with Technology Applications (AITA) based on pedagogical concepts …

Examining The Efficacy Of Co-Teaching At The Secondary Level: Special Educators' Perceptions Of Their Productivity As Co-Teachers, Kera B. Ackerman

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

For decades, federal legislation has mandated the education of students with disabilities to be in their least restrictive environment. Nationally, this has resulted in more than 60% of students with disabilities receiving the majority (80%) of their education in the general education environment. To provide special education services in the general education environment, co-teaching, commonly defined as two educators with distinct expertise providing instruction in a common setting, is often used. The purpose of this non-experimental cross-sectional survey study was to examine special educators’ perceptions of their productivity in co-taught settings and the degree to which their perceptions were related …

Using A System Of Least Prompts And A Graphic Organizer To Teach Academic Content To Students With Moderate Intellectual Disabilities, Kristen B. Dieruf

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of a system of least prompts procedure and use of a graphic organizer to teach an academic standard for elementary students with moderate intellectual disabilities. A multiple probe (days) across participants design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of using a system of least prompts and a graphic organizer to teach students how to compare two characters from adapted text. The results showed a system of least prompts and the use of graphic organizer was effective in teaching an academic standard for students with moderate intellectual disabilities.

Visual Activity Schedules With Embedded Video Models To Teach Laundry Skills To Adults With Intellectual Disability, Charity G. Watson

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Research using visual activity schedules (VAS) with embedded video models (VM) has been effective to teach novel skills to children and adolescents with intellectual disability (ID). However, there is limited research using VAS/VM to teach adults with ID. The purpose of the current study was to determine if VAS/VM could be used as a self-instructional tool for adults with ID to increase independence in laundry skills. Results from the current study provide evidence that a functional relation exists when using VAS/VM to teach laundry skills to adults with ID. Two adults generalized the use of the VAS/VM to a novel …

Special Education Teachers, Literacy, And Students With Moderate And Severe Intellectual Disability: A Survey, Ann Katherine Griffen

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Literacy includes many skills involving the use of language to read, write, listen, and speak. The ultimate goal in acquiring literacy skills is to function as independently, and in as integrated a manner as possible, in a literate society. Literary skills are critical skills for all students, both with and without disabilities. Since the 1990s, literacy has moved closer and closer to the forefront of our collective awareness regarding students who are at risk of not acquiring sufficient literacy ability. However, students with moderate and severe intellectual disability (MSID) have not always been included in this group of students. In …

A Review Of Video Modeling To Teach Social Skills To Preschoolers With Asd, Jordan Brovelli

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of this comprehensive literature review is to evaluate if existing research studies have produced substantial evidence to determine if the use of video modeling is as an evidence based instructional tool to teach social skills to preschool aged children with autism spectrum disorder. Literature was reviewed against standards suggested by What Works Clearinghouse for being an evidence-based practice. Based on the criteria set by What Works Clearinghouse for examining experimental rigor, evidence, and the requirements for practices being considered an evidence base, video modeling to teach this population of students social skills is not an evidence-based practice at …

Effects Of Using An Ipad App With Embedded Models To Teach Sight Words To Elementary Students With Developmental Disabilities, Meghan A. Traynor

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of teaching sight words using an iPad app with embedded models to students with developmental disabilities. The experimental design used was multiple probe (conditions) across behaviors replicated across students. All sessions occurred in a one-to-one format. The results showed the iPad app with embedded models were effective in teaching sight words to students with developmental disabilities.

Effects Of Power Cards On Conversational Skills For High Schoolers With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Molly K. Mcgee

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

This study employed a multiple probe across settings design to evaluate the effectiveness of Power Cards, as they were originally designed by Gagnon (2001), on the conversational behaviors for two high school students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Data were collected on the percentage of conversational behaviors engaged in per session, as well as the number of times the participants accessed their Power Card during conversations, and the frequency of additional questions or comments made by the participants. Results of this study indicated that Power Cards improved conversational behaviors for both participants in their first setting. While covariation occurred across …

A Literature Review Of Sensory-Based Alterative Seating For Individuals With Disabilities, Hannah Von Schlutter

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of this review was to determine whether the use of sensory-based alternative seating to increase the appropriate behaviors of individuals with disabilities is an evidence-based practice (EBP). Articles located on this topic were descriptively analyzed, and What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) guidelines were applied to determine each study’s methodological rigor, level of evidence, and whether, taken together, there is enough research to support alternative seating as an EBP. A total of 37 studies of the effects of sensory-based alternative seating on individuals with disabilities were found. These studies included a total of 44 participants, between 3 to 9 years …

An Examination Of Novice And Expert Teachers' Pedagogy In A Mixed-Reality Simulated Inclusive Secondary Classroom Including A Student Avatar With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Taylor Bousfield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teachers, special and general educators alike, are required to teach a variety of students including students with ASD. With a rise in the prevalence of autism by 119.4% since 2000 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016) and 39% of students with ASD being served in general education classrooms for over 80% of the school day (U.S. Department of Education, 2015), teachers need to be prepared to effectively teach this population. To better prepare teachers, the researcher conducted a two-phase study, situated in the framework of the Skill Acquisition Model (Dreyfus & Dreyfus, 1986) to explore the behaviors of …

An Analysis Of Robot-Assisted Social-Communication Instruction For Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Claire Donehower

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social and communication deficits are a core feature of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and impact an individual's ability to be a full participant in their school environment and community. The increase in number of students with ASD in schools combined with the use of ineffective interventions have created a critical need for quality social-communication instruction in schools for this population. Technology-based interventions, like robots, have the potential to greatly impact students with disabilities, including students with ASD who tend to show increased interest and engagement in technology-based tasks and materials. While research on the use of robots with these learners …

The Effects Of An Online Coaching Model On Secondary Co-Teaching Teams In Algebra, Jennifer Holbrook

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with disabilities are included into general education classrooms to receive instruction with increasing frequency. To facilitate this inclusion, co-teaching is frequently used as a service delivery model (Friend, 2016; Murawski & Bernhardt, 2016). Co-teaching is a service delivery model where a general and special education teacher work in a collaborative environment to instruct students with and without disabilities (Friend, 2007, 2016). In using this approach, teachers are not always provided with the professional development (PD) necessary to effectively facilitate the co-teaching partnership. In this study, the researcher conducted a quasi-experimental study to examine the effects of a 10-minute online …

Assessing Written Narratives: Current Versus Theoretical Practices, Megan Chamberlin, Michelle Tatko, Marissa Mcelligott, Savannah Lovitt

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Language sample analysis (LSA) provides a non-standardized, culturally sensitive method of language assessment and is considered a best practice by the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA). One type of LSA is the elicitation and analysis of children’s written narratives. Narratives, one type of language discourse, either fictional or personal, can be thought of as stories.

Across the literature, there are differences in the types and clinical implications of the individual types of discourse and narratives. For example, eliciting conversational discourse for LSA is less demanding for the student than eliciting narrative discourse. Additionally, research shows that students with a …

Effective Educational Practices Regarding General Education Teachers And Inclusion Of Students With Autism, Chanda Rhodes Coblentz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Owing to the influx of students with autism to the general education classroom, the role of the educator has drastically changed. Limited training and negative perceptions among teachers of students with autism are concerning. A qualitative case study, based on Bandura's theory of self-efficacy as a conceptual framework, was used to gather information based on the preservice training and personal classroom experiences from 7 general education teachers who were purposefully selected based on their licensure in the state of Ohio and experience in teaching students with autism. Research questions for this study examined the types of training teachers received, perceptions …

Current Practices Of Co-Teaching In An Elementary Inclusive School: Moving Toward Effective Co-Teaching Relationship, Mona Nassir Al Nassir

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Co-teaching has become more prevalent in schools. The purpose of this study is to explore how general and special education teachers build successful co-teaching relationships to provide special education services to students with disabilities. This case study specifically described how two pairs of co-teachers including one special education teacher and two general education teachers interact, collaborate, and build and promote their co-teaching relationships.

The observation and interviews with two first grade co-teaching pairs provided data that told the story of how their co-teaching relationships developed and were promoted through working together in an inclusive classroom. Research data for this qualitative …

Integrating Technology To Engage Students With Ebd: A Case Study Of School Leader Support, Sara C. Heintzelman

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

The purpose of the study was to examine the role of leadership and school culture on the integration of technology to support instruction for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). A multiple embedded case study design was used to describe how a school leadership team supports a school culture for technology integration within classrooms where special education teachers integrate technology to engage students with EBD. The primary case of school culture includes a comprehensive description of how the school leadership team supports a culture for technology integration within classrooms. Embedded cases within the primary case describe how special education …

Assessing General Education Teacher Training On Idea And Section 504 Law, Yolian Cintron

All Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study is to assess how much general education teachers actually know about the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 in order to identify training needs for general education teachers regarding these two laws. A survey was created to cover several areas within the legal mandates of IDEA law (2004) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Results showed that teachers have a lot to learn about 1) the referral, assessment, and placement process; and 2) requirements of the IEP team meeting and the IEP document; and …

The Role Of Self-Determination And Co-Construction To Support Meaningful Student Participation In An Individualized Education Program Meeting In High School, Trudy Ruth Gross

Doctoral Dissertations

By participating within the educational setting in making decisions about their lives that reach beyond choice-making, students with disabilities who acquire the skills of self-determination may express interests and goals through their own authentic voice. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe the experiences and participation of two high-school students labeled with intellectual disability or autism at their Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings following participation in the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI). Student participation in the IEP process provides an avenue through which self-determined qualities emerge, and verbal and nonverbal participation can occur in a meaningful …

The Effects Of Adapted Physical Education On Students With Down Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis, Osvaldo Villalvazo

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Objective: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to synthesize the literature to determine the effects of physical activity and physical education interventions on children with downs syndrome. This research design highlights the missing gaps in the research currently available to determine whether recommendations in the field of adapted physical education are valid.

Methods and Design: The present study utilized a meta-analytic research design to sort and select both published and un-published studies to quantify previous research by synthesizing study outcomes related to physical activity and physical education and children with Down syndrome. Standard meta-analytic procedures using inclusion and exclusion criteria, …

Do Homework Trackers Affect Students’ Academic Performance?, Luisdaniel Barrera

All Master's Theses

With new state assessment requirements for high school graduation, teachers are focusing on different strategies to assist students to achieve those goals. Many teachers state that students who complete homework perform better academically. The current study analyzed whether homework planners (trackers) had any positive effect on the academic performance of 16 seventh grade students in a very small and rural school district. This was a mixed study (quantitative and qualitative). Students’ grades, district assessments, state assessments, and teacher surveys were analyzed. The results showed that students improved their math and English Language Arts (ELA) district assessment scores when compared from …

Reducing Off-Task Behaviors In First Graders With Disabilities Through An Adaptation Of The Good Behavior Game, Chelsey Martin

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this mixed methods, single subject quasi-experimental study was to measure if an adaptation to a group-based contingency intervention, known as the Good Behavior Game, lead to decreases in off-task behaviors for first-grade students with disabilities during whole group instruction, and if the classroom teacher viewed the intervention positively. Three first grade, male students with disabilities, their first-grade teacher, and the first-grade class were participants in the study. The class was split into two teams and reminded of the expectations for on-task behavior. Positive reinforcement in the form of verbal praise and a team point were rewarded at …

Navigating Conflict In Inclusive Education: Autoethnography From An Elementary School Principal, Kimberly Christine Adams

Doctoral Dissertations

Practitioners and researchers have interpreted and debated the concept of the least restrictive environment creating the operational practices of mainstreaming and inclusion to adhere to the laws of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Despite the laws to ensure equal access to general education classrooms, and the vast body of literature on the technical implementation of inclusive practices, students with disabilities continue to be segregated and educated in a separate and unequal system of special education.

The purpose of this study was to better understand the competing tensions and conflict in inclusive education that elementary school principals navigate on a …