Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Teacher Perception Of Technology As A Conduit To Acquiring Critical Thinking Skills, Wanda Pearl Patrick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Seventh-grade and eighth-grade special education students struggle to learn higher-order thinking skills in pre-algebra and algebra that can be addressed by using technology. However, little is known about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) teachers' attitudes toward use of and their actual use of calculators and technology to access students' development of higher-order thinking skills. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of rural middle school Grade 7 and 8 STEM teachers in one Western state. This study used Gardner's multiple intelligences and Armstrong's neurodiversity theories as a framework. Participants were 10 Grade 7 and …

Inclusion And Attitudes Of Adolescents In A Camp Setting, Deborah Musher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite increased inclusion of individuals with special needs in educational and leisure settings, people with disabilities continue to experience social isolation. Research indicates that negative attitudes play an important role in contributing to this marginalization. This study examined the impact of an inclusion program at a residential summer camp on the attitudes of its typical participants. Participants in the treatment group (n = 30) experienced contact with peers with disabilities through structured, intentional programming while participants in the control group (n = 77) experienced less formal inclusive encounters. The Chedoke-McMaster Attitudes toward Children with Handicaps (CATCH) scale was administered to …

Relationships Among Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Regarding Inclusion Of Students With Disabilities In General Education Classrooms, Stacey O. Forrester

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Accommodating students with disabilities in a general education class often requires instructional modification and extra student support. Research has shown that making required changes can evoke different responses from teachers and can influence their willingness to accommodate the needs of students with disabilities. However, research has not examined the relationships between middle school teachers' preparation for and experiences with inclusion instruction and their attitudes toward inclusion. The purpose of this correlational study was to explore possible relationships between middle school teachers' attitudes about including students with mild to moderate disabilities in the general education setting and the teachers' education level, …

Personal Perspectives About Sustaining Inclusion In School Environments For Children Wih High Functioning Autism, Jeanne Malecki Wiatr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students, at a partial hospital setting in Western Tennessee with high functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFASD) were being removed from general education classrooms. Researchers have indicated that restrictive settings preclude interaction with neurotypical peers and access to general education experiences. The purpose of this case study was to examine educational inclusion for children with HFASD from the perspective of 2 teachers, 2 therapists, and 2 parents of students at the distirct site. This study was grounded in the principles of social learning theory and theory of mind, executive function, and central coherence processes. The guiding research questions focused on how …

Implementation And Strategies To Address Sensory Regulation Of Students With And Without Disabilities In Two Kindergarten Classrooms, Yvette Rosil Mere-Cook

Doctoral Dissertations

Results from previous research studies suggest that inclusive settings benefit all learners. However, general education teachers often do not have built in supports within the classroom to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Implementing a sensory diet curriculum (SDC) is one instructional practice that addresses needs of students with disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorder, and could be applied widely for students without disabilities. Sensory regulation is defined as the body’s physiological process of adapting arousal or alertness levels to cope with sensory events and situational demands that occur throughout the day. The purpose of this study was to …

Differences In Physical Activity Participation, Screen Time, And Body Mass Index For Children With Learning Disabilities And Typically Developing Children, Andrew Q. Pawlick

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

TOPIC: There is a vast body of research revealing low levels of physical activity, excessive use of electronic media, and increasing obesity rates for children in the United States and Europe. This study measures differences in physical activity, screen time, and Body Mass Index (BMI) between typically developing (TD) children and children with learning disabilities (LD). METHODS: The study included 404, thirteen year old Irish children with an LD diagnosis and 440 randomly selected 13 year olds that are typically developing. Children self-reported on how many days in the past two weeks they participated in moderate to vigorous …

Stakeholders' Knowledge Impacting The Academic And Social-Emotional Needs Of Twice-Exceptional Students In Kentucky, Katrina Ann Sexton

Online Theses and Dissertations

Decades worth of studies have documented the role of teacher training in identifying children with exceptional needs. Yet, none have investigated the differences between teacher training, teacher knowledge, and teacher roles in relation to the identification of twice-exceptional (2E) children. There is a need to understand the factors that affect teachers’ knowledge and abilities to identify 2E students, specifically during the early formative years [primary and middle grades] when identification commonly occurs. Supported by the Multiple Intelligences (MI) theory, Autonomous Learner Model (ALM), and Integrated Curriculum Model (ICM), the purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if teacher education …

Experiences Of Neurotypical Siblings Of Children With An Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Qualitative Exploration, Stacie R. Keirsey

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

In recent years, the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been on the rise, prompting a simultaneous increase in scientific study regarding cause, impact, and intervention (Hughes, 2009; Ravindran & Myers, 2012). Research has proposed advances in the treatment of the individuals diagnosed and focused efforts on scholastic, parental, and professional intervention and supports. However, the siblings of ASD children have largely been neglected in this scientific investigation. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore neurotypical siblings’ experiences in living with a child diagnosed with ASD. Seven adolescents were selected using criterion, convenience, and snowball sampling. …

From Rainman To Rainmaker: A Presentation Of Jim’S Journey And Rapidly Advancing Technologies: Integrating Proven Behavioral Therapies With Emergent Measurement And Testing Advances Will Result In Transformational Progress In Autistic Individuals, Richard Zajac

CMC Senior Theses

The autism treatment status quo was reviewed and accompanied by a narrative contextualizing past and present progress with my younger brother Jim’s journey with the condition, sharing proposed next steps for bettering the current state of affairs in the space. The impetus for this piece was to share in the lessons of Jim’s life thus far and the revelations of those who have supported him, as well as to determine ways to create more impactful, lasting change in the limited window of early intervention therapy whilst empowering individuals on the spectrum to optimize for their skills and talents rather than …

Utiliser La Force Du Nombre Pour Favoriser Le Développement De La Fluidité De Lecture En Contexte Subsaharien, Élisabeth Boily, Chantal Ouellet, Catherine Turcotte

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

L’enseignement de la lecture au primaire s’effectue dans des conditions difficiles au Burkina Faso, ce qui affecte sans contredit l’apprentissage de cette habileté nécessaire à la réussite scolaire et à l’épanouissement personnel. Chez les élèves des premiers cycles du primaire, la fluidité de lecture se développe difficilement. Cette recherche a pour but d’implanter un programme de lecture orale répétée et assistée et d’évaluer les effets de cette intervention sur le développement de la fluidité d’élèves provenant d’une classe à large effectif et hétérogène de CE1 au Burkina Faso. Une évaluation de la fluidité a été effectuée auprès de 94 élèves …

Investigating The Decision-Making Of Response To Intervention (Rti) Teams Within The School Setting, Scott M. Thur

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure decision-making influences within RtI teams. The study examined the factors that influence school personnel involved in three areas of RtI: determining which RtI measures and tools teams select and implement (i.e. Measures and Tools), evaluating the data-driven decisions that are made based on the assessment and intervention data (i.e. Data-Driven Decisions), and analyzing the process and procedures of the decision-making itself (i.e. Process and Procedures). Core RtI team members were asked to indicate which factors they found to be the most influential to both their team and personal decision-making processes, whether the …

Services Received And Parental Perception Of Quality Of Life For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Judith Marie Cholewicki

Theses and Dissertations

With the rapid increase in the rate of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), there has been a surge in treatment interventions and outcome measures. Treatment interventions consist of evidence-based practices and programs that lack scientific validation. Parents’ selection of a treatment or multiple treatments is often based on the desire to maximize their child’s personal well-being (Pituch et al., 2011; Rodger, Braithwaite, & Keen, 2004). Current outcome measures provide valuable information and may demonstrate a change in a standard score. For example, a change in intelligence quotient, is not evidence that this change contributes to the child’s personal …

Chapter 4: Using Curriculum-Based Measurement Fluency Data For Initial Screening Decisions, Erica S. Lembke, Abigail Carlisle, Apryl L. Poch

Special Education and Communication Disorders Faculty Publications

Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) has enjoyed a long history of success and study as a practice for data-based decision-making (Deno, 2003). Originally developed and studied at the University of Minnesota in the mid-1970s (see Shinn, 2012 or Tindal, 2013 for a detailed history), Stan Deno and his colleagues developed CBM measures and the problem-solving process as part of one of the Institutes for Research on Learning Disabilities (IRLDs), centers funded by the Office of Special Education Programs that addressed significant issues for students with learning dis- abilities. With Deno’s interests in applied behavior analysis, it seemed logical to apply methodologies such …

The Impact Of Globalization On Access For Individuals With Disabilities, Katherine Williamson

Honors Theses

This comparative ethnomethodology study is focused on the global context elements that help explain public policies and its consequences on types of access available to individuals with disabilities in the United States Midwest and West Africa. The goal of this study is to identify the role of individuals with disabilities in a global society by answering two research questions. First, what are the public policies in place for physical, social, and educational access in the United States Midwest and West Africa? Second, how is physical, social, and educational access being provided in the United States Midwest and West Africa? The …

Research Synthesis: Effective Practices For Improving The Reading Comprehension Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Amy L. Accardo

College of Education Departmental Research

The incidences of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) continue to rise steadily increasing the need for research-based strategies to support this population in the core academic content area of reading comprehension. A research synthesis was conducted with the purpose of (1) reviewing existing research to determine effective practices for teaching reading comprehension to students with ASD, (2) identifying the features of effective practices that appear to influence comprehension outcomes, and (3) assessing the quality of the research related to comprehension strategies and students with ASD. A functional relation was identified between the increased reading comprehension of students with ASD and each …

Increasing Rates Of Specific Praise And Otr Provided By Para-Educators In Special Education Classrooms, Jordan Christopher Politte

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Increasing behavior specific praise and the opportunities to respond (OTR) in a classroom increases the likelihood that students will engage in learning activities and socially appropriate behavior. This study was focused to investigate the effects of on increasing para-educator's use of positive praise and the opportunities to respond in small group reading lessons. This study employed four single-subject withdrawal designs were employed in this study. Two were ABAB, the third was ABABC, and the fourth was ABCAC. The interventions consisted of the para-educators receiving training in the area of behavior specific positive praise and opportunities to respond. After each lesson …

The Extent Of Autism Knowledge Of Novice Alternatively Certified Special Education Teachers In Texas, Jennifer Alward Hauber, Smita Shukla Mehta, Bertina H. Combes

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

An increase in the prevalence rate of autism is not necessarily matched by a concurrent increase in the rate of highly qualified special education teachers, resulting in chronic teacher shortages in this area. Alternative certification (AC) is used as a mechanism to alleviate the demand for highly qualified special education teachers. However, AC routes have often left novice teachers underprepared for teaching students with autism, more specifically in the implementation of evidence-based practices necessary for instructional effectiveness. The purpose of the study was to assess the knowledge of novice AC teachers in the area of autism intervention and to determine …

A Teacher’S Use Of Video To Train Paraprofessionals In Pivotal Response Techniques, Adria Murphy, Suzanne E. Robinson, Debra L. Cote, Belinda D. Karge, Trissie Lee

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Research has shown that students with moderate-severe disabilities need direct and frequent social instruction in order to communicate and play with their peers. At the same time, there is little commensurate support for the paraprofessionals tasked with providing this support. It is imperative, then, that paraprofessionals have effective strategies in their repertoire of practices to facilitate social interaction. This investigation examined one classroom teacher's use of video to train two paraprofessionals in Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT), an evidence based practice for students with autism. Findings suggest that the teacher-provided video training was effective in improving paraprofessionals’ PRT implementation, and subsequently, …

High-Preference Strategies And Other Interspersal Procedures For Learners With Disabilities: A Review Of The Literature, Elias Clinton, Tom J. Clees

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Interspersal Procedures (IP) represent a group of interventions that imbed, at varying ratios, requests for individuals to exhibit mastered skills before or within sequences of requests for target skills. Interspersal Procedures include numerous strategies, such as high-probability request sequences, pre-task requests, and high-preference strategies. Such arrangements can increase attempts to perform target or less preferred tasks. The purposes of this review include (a) an overview of terminology related to IP, (b) a discussion of the conceptual basis for using IP, (c) a description of the experimental literature that has used IP with individuals with disabilities, (d) a categorical summary of …

A Case Study Of The Experiences Of Students With Disabilities Who Did Not Complete High School, Richard Wieringo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This case study explores the experiences of students with disabilities who have dropped out of high school, so as to identify related factors that led to their decisions. Participants included both males and females who were designated as students with disabilities at Ridgeville High School (pseudonym for a Virginia high school) and who dropped out between their third and fourth years of high school, during the 2010 to 2014 academic years. All participants were between the ages of 18 and 24. The case study was conducted through the use of semi-structured interviews, journaling, and observation of the sample population, with …

From Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder To Substance Use Disorder: Perspectives From Recovering Addicts, Elena Potovsky

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

People who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are often at high risk of acquiring Substance Use Disorder (SUD). When a diagnosis is determined for a school age child, the special education team mainly focuses on the most obvious problems that occur with ADHD: executive function issues, reading and writing impairments, and disruptive behavior. They may not realize how common it is for those identified with ADHD to also acquire SUD.

The literature revealed that there may be a shared genetic basis between ADHD and SUD, that there is commonly an early onset of SUD for those who have ADHD, …

The Effect Of A Social Skills Package On Initiations, Responses, And Turn-Taking In Young Children With Autism, Mary Elizabeth Ortman

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The current study was completed in the Spring of 2015 in an elementary special education classroom. This single-subject ABAB withdrawal design utilized a social skills curriculum, self-monitoring, and video-modeling to increase the initiations, responses, turns-taken, and total duration involved in social play in two first grade males with autism. Limitations included time constraints and the setting of a busy classroom. During 15-minute data sessions, participant one's initiations increased from a mean frequency of 2 during A1 to 28 during B2, responses increased from a mean frequency of 3 to 26, turn-taking increased from a mean frequency of 10 to 29, …

Post Hoc Analysis On The Effect Of Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention Provided To Preschool Children On The Autism Spectrum, Catherine R. Maxwell Dumont

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) provides a framework for educators to assist children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to increase independence and positive social skills in the classroom (Reichow, 2012). Preschoolers with ASD who do not have access to programs tend to display negative and socially inappropriate behavior, such as acts of aggression, withdrawal, and inability to attend to lessons. Studies on program effectiveness documented that preschool children who received EIBI scored higher on IQ, language comprehension, imitation, expressive language, nonverbal communication, play, stereotyped behaviors and adaptive functioning compared to preschool children who do not receive EIBI. The literature …

How To Implement Visual Activity Schedules For Students With Disabilities, Amy D. Spriggs, Wilhelmina Van Dijk, Pamela J. Mims

ETSU Faculty Works

Based on recent literature reviews on the use of Visual Activity Schedules (VAS) for students with intellectual disability and autism, the strategy has been deemed an evidence based practice. Using the literature highlighted in the recent reviews, this article provides an overview of VAS and common skills VAS has been used to teach. Additionally, the authors provide guidelines on schedules variations, creating schedules, and implementing the schedules. Finally, several examples of VAS are included.

Culturally Relevant Parental Involvement: Perceptions Of Mexican Immigrant Mothers In Rural Wyoming, Sandra P. Sanderson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand Mexican immigrant mother's perceptions concerning parental involvement with their children's schools. It provides a perspective on cultural considerations relevant to the implementation of Epstein's model of parental involvement. Eight mothers, two documented and six undocumented, who had emigrated from Mexico and were living in rural Wyoming, were interviewed. The information provided by the participants included descriptions of practices the mothers considered meaningful when involved with their children's education. They shared their own experiences of their school attendance in Mexico and their own parents' involvement with their education. They also shared their understanding …

The Effects Of “Handwriting Without Tears®” On The Handwriting Skills Of Appropriate Size, Form, And Tool For A Four Year-Old Boy With A Developmental Delay, Colleen Meyers, T.F. Mclaughlin, Mark Derby, Kimberly P. Weber, Milena Robison

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

The ability to write one’s own name legibly is a critical lifelong skill for academic success. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the Handwriting Without Tears® program on teaching a four year-old how to write his first name using proper size, form, and tool. The participant was a four year-old boy in a self-contained preschool setting. A multiple baseline design across letters was employed. The overall outcomes indicated improvement through the use of Handwriting without Tears® materials. The participant enjoyed the procedure and improved his academic skills.

Effects Of A Software Program Vs. Constant Time Delay In The Acquisition Of Sight Words For A Student With Significant Disabilities, Turkie Ali Algharbie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The development of sight words is essential for individuals with significant disability. There is a plethora of research highlighting the acquisition of sight words for this population but to date, most focus on teacher led interventions (Browder, Algrim-Delzell, Spooner, Mims, & Baker, 2009). This study investigated the use of computer technology vs. one-on-one instruction targeting sight words acquisition for a student with a significant disability. Results showed the participant indicated improved performance using the computer based intervention versus the constant time delay instructor led intervention.

Tiers 1, 2 & 3 Intervention: Sleep And School, Katherine M. Kidwell, Maren Hankey, Donna M. Flores, Tori R. Van Dyk, Alyssa Lundahl, Timothy D. Nelson

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Conclusion

Educators need to take a more active role in identifying and addressing sleep related issues in students in order to maximize their learning potential and to minimize the numerous negative outcomes of sub-optimal sleep and sleep disorders. Specifically, school personnel can educate parents on the importance of sleep and advocate for later school start times for middle and high school students. In addition, when symptoms persist, educators can make recommendations to parents as a part of the SAT and MDT. See Figure 4 for recommendations for schools.

Development And Validation Of A Survey Of Knowledge Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Laura Katherine Hansen

Master's Theses

As autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is more commonly diagnosed, having knowledge of the disorder becomes increasingly important for educators, parents, and the general public. Previous research regarding knowledge of ASD, focused mainly on knowledge possessed by those in the educational field, has found that individuals may perceive themselves as possessing average knowledge regarding ASD but have low actual knowledge (as defined by the researchers) regarding specific aspects of the disorder (Williams et al., 2011). Studies support the notion that there is a general lack of knowledge of different aspects of ASD among teachers; however, there has been little research regarding …

Special Needs Children And Mental Health, Nancy J. Carbonell

Faculty Publications

What do these stories have in common? They are representative of many students who experience learning difficulties while at the same time struggling with mental or emotional issues. Special-needs teachers see children like Brandon, Carmen, and Jake in their classrooms every day. It is estimated that in the U.S., 37 percent of children with special needs also need mental-health care. That is approximately one in every three special-needs students! This is particularly challenging for teachers whose training did not include how to deal with children experiencing mental-health issues.