Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Peer To Peer Inclusion School Improvement Plan, Michelle Davidson

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

As an educator with both classroom and special education experience, the impact that true inclusion can have on a child’s life. While inclusive education has long been recognized as a key to equity in our schools, many students with disabilities still face social isolation and limited participation in general education settings. This school improvement plan introduces a practical, research-supported peer-to-peer inclusion model aimed at increasing academic engagement, supporting social-emotional development, and creating a stronger sense of belonging for every student. With peer-reviewed studies and supported by proven best practices, the plan lays out a structured approach with clearly defined peer …

The Effects Of The Preschool Sdi Program On Students With Disabilities In The Inclusive Setting, Sarah Westhoff

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This study's purpose was to determine if the Preschool SDI program, created by Iowa, was an effective program for creating a successful inclusive environment for all students. To determine the effectiveness, the following guiding questions were asked: 1) What is the rate of growth between the amount of time spent in an inclusive setting and academic success and 2) What inclusive models are successful in creating inclusive settings for teachers and students? To answer these questions this study focused on a north central Iowa school district. Participants included a total of 67 three- to five-year-old children enrolled in the district’s …

The Impact Of Workload On Special Education Teachers' Effectiveness, Haley Jacobsen

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This inquiry-based research study explores the impact of workload, specifically, special education caseload size, on teacher effectiveness and student outcomes. Utilizing survey data from approximately 190 special education teachers across Iowa, the study investigates how the number of IEP goals, hours worked outside of contract time, and emotional stress levels affect goal attainment, job satisfaction, and instructional quality. Results revealed that most teachers monitor over 20 IEP goals at a time, yet more than two-thirds reported meeting less than 25% of those goals. Despite high levels of self-reported confidence, over 60% of respondents indicated feeling overwhelmed "often" or "always." Notably, …

An Investigation Into The Effectiveness Of High School Models Of Instruction In English Language Arts For Exceptional Education Standard Diploma Students, Lori A. Rath Minton

Dissertations

This study examined the effectiveness of high school instructional models in English Language Arts (ELA) for Exceptional Student Education (ESE) students pursuing a standard diploma. The purpose was to compare self-contained and inclusion models within the framework of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), emphasizing Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). The research was conducted in a medium-sized rural district high school.

The overarching research question was: Based on student test scores, ESSA data, surveys, and interviews with content area teachers, ESE teachers, paraprofessionals, support facilitators, and administrators, how effective are self-contained and …

Continuous Professional Development (Cpd) For Inclusive Education In Uae Schools: Current Practices And In-Service Teachers’ Preferences, Hafsa Khaled Aishan

Theses

Professional development serves as a driving force in empowering teachers within inclusive education settings. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perspectives of both general and special education teachers about the effectiveness of currently implemented professional development practices. Data were collected using explanatory mixed-methods design, which included a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. This method was utilized to improve the depth of research through the integration of quantitative and qualitative data. The combination of these two methods strengthens validity, reduces bias, and increases reliability. Non-probabilistic purposive sampling method was employed to collect the data as a total of 115 …

Empowering Special Education Teacher Candidates With Artificial Intelligence (Ai): A Chatbot For Transition Planning Interviews, Sohyun Yang, Jerrie Brooks

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This project began with developing an AI-powered chatbot using Claude.ai to enhance learning experiences in a master-level special education teacher preparation course. Specifically, the chatbot will be utilized in the course SPED 860: Transition: Early Childhood to Adulthood in Special Education during Spring 2025. The course requires teacher candidates who are currently working as special education teachers to interview a parent and a professional (e.g., general education teacher, special education teacher, related service provider) to develop a transition plan for a student with a disability. By simulating these interviews, the chatbot will act as a proxy for the parent and …

El Deafo Bibliotherapy, David S. Wolff

OER Materials

The goal of this assignment was for preservice teachers to practice writing a chain of questions that focused on the social and/or emotional needs of young learners. Bibliotherapy is therapeutic in nature to help individuals understand themselves and the world around them through guided reading experiences (American Library Association, 2025; Delisle & Galbraith, 2002). Further, bibliotherapy allow individuals to identify a personal problem mirrored by a character in a book. As the reader connects with the character, the reader experiences the emotions expressed by the character. Finally, the reader applies the character’s experience to their own personal problem (American Library …

Relationship Between Motivation, Requesting Accommodations, Rapport, And Adequate Progress In College Students With Disabilities During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Harold Holmes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

College students with disabilities often face challenges including difficulty accessing accommodations and developing satisfactory rapport with instructors when navigating their college experience. These challenges can negatively impact their academic progress and their ability to complete their programs of study. The first purpose of this study was to describe the levels of self-efficacy, perceived control, willingness to request accommodations, instructor- student rapport, and adequate progress towards a degree among college students with disabilities. The second purpose was to determine any relationships between these variables. Undergraduate students with disabilities at a public university in the southeast region of the United States completed …

The Impact Of Educators’ Perceptions Of Neurodivegence On Their Self-Efficacy In Teaching Middle And High School Students With Adhd And Autism In Rural Minnesota, Nicolle D. Bettcher Erickson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore how we can best support our teachers in matching our ever-changing educational landscape, specifically our neurodivergent learners. When educating neurodivergent students (students with autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), we must understand how to teach these creative, sometimes misunderstood individuals and unleash their full potential. To do so, we need educational practitioners who have healthy perceptions of what it means to be neurodivergent and educators who understand both the talents and hurdles that being neurodivergent may entail. This study examined how non-special education teachers' perceptions of neurodivergence correlated with …

Eds 704: Curriculum And Instructional Practices For Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Young Children With Disabilities In Inclusive Settings, Lingyu Li

Open Educational Resources

Curriculum and instructional practices appropriate for young children with special needs including curriculum standards, designing learning environments, developing effective strategies for teaching readiness and content area skills, developing social skill programs, collaborative teaching techniques and using informal checklists in the development of appropriate IFSP/IEP goals and objectives. Emphasis will be placed on the impact of cultural and linguistic diversity on program planning and skill acquisition. Use of technology for instruction and monitoring student progress will be incorporated throughout the course.

Interpreting The Re-Engagement Of Disenfranchised Youth With Disabilities Through The Lived Experiences Of Alternative High School Staff Members: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Stephanie Jean Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to interpret the lived experiences of re-engaging at-risk students with disabilities after disenfranchisement from traditional educational settings for non-compulsory alternative charter school staff members at Southwest Charter Academy in the Southwest United States. The theory guiding this study was Bronfenbrenner’s theory on bioecological systems, as it connects the influences of interactions to an individual’s development of behaviors. The central research question for this qualitative study asked: What are the lived experiences of non-compulsory alternative charter school staff members in the Southwest United States who work to re-engage at-risk students with disabilities after …

A Mixed Methods Design-Based Study Of Effective Supports Provided By School Administrators To Increase Trust Among Special Education Staff, Margaret Dyer

Dissertations

The scholar-practitioner used a mixed-methods design-based study to address the problem of increased teacher attrition in the field of special education. The problem was an urgent issue within the schools the scholar-practitioner supervised as the special education coordinator. The symptoms the scholar-practitioner observed within the problem of practice were a lack of collegiality among staff. The behaviors observed demonstrated that special education teachers were visibly stressed. Due to the critical importance of quality teaching on student success, the scholar-practitioner believed the problem of increased attrition among special educators was urgent. The study took place in St. Louis County, Missouri, where …

Mirrors For Pacific Islander Children: Teaching Resilience Through Culturally Adapted Bibliotherapy, Isabel Medina Hull, Elizabeth Cutrer, Paul H. Ricks, G. E. Kawika Allen, Kendra M. Hall-Kenyon, Lorena Seu, Kristopher J. Urbina, Melia Fonoimoana Garrett

Faculty Publications

Pacific Islander youth face disproportionately high rates of suicide and mental health challenges, yet culturally appropriate interventions remain scarce. This study investigated whether culturally adapted bibliotherapy could effectively promote resilience in American Samoan children by incorporating culturally relevant stories and coping strategies. Through collaboration with on-island Samoan cultural brokers, we developed and implemented culturally adapted stories and lessons designed to resonate with the experiences of children in American Samoa. The study employed a mixed-methods approach with 34 American Samoan children aged 5–13 years, using observations, adapted card sorts, and forced-choice procedures to measure responses to the intervention. The results demonstrated …

Exploring The Social Validity And Diffusion Potential Of Common Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention Strategies Implemented In Community Preschools, Sophia R. D'Agostino, Trenton J. Landon, Alyssa Roylance, Avery Briggs, Naima Bhana-Lopez

Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling Faculty Publications

It is imperative that researchers include the perspectives from key voices regarding early support practices, yet very few studies have included direct assessment of autistic individuals and parents of young autistic children. Despite emerging evidence of effectiveness of naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention (NDBI) strategies, it is currently unknown whether autistic adults and parents of autistic individuals know about NDBI and if they view NDBI strategies as socially valid practice. We aimed to explore the perceptions of autistic adults and parents of young autistic children regarding the social validity of NDBI strategies implemented in community preschool classrooms and their dissemination potential. …

District Administrator Perceptions Of Response To Intervention Implementation In K-12 Underperforming Public Schools In Connecticut, Sarah J. Idris

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to understand the perceptions of Connecticut public school district administrators working at K-12 underperforming schools implementing response to intervention (RTI). Little was known about district administrators working in Connecticut K-12 underperforming schools’ perceptions of RTI implementation. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews with six volunteer participants who qualified as district administrators working in underperforming K-12 public schools in Connecticut. The information from this study illustrated how the district administrators perceived RTI implementation within their districts and the barriers they faced related to RTI implementation. Four themes and nine subthemes were identified. The four themes were …

Teacher Decision Making In Guided-Reading, Brittany Worthen

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

Guided reading provides teachers the opportunity to support students in literacy learning. When planning for and implementing this instructional approach, teachers are required to make various in-advance and in-the-moment decisions that involve responding to students’ instructional needs through adaptive teaching. Grounded in sociocultural and social constructivist theories, this study was designed to understand teacher decision-making within the context of guided reading instruction.

This research was a collective case study aimed at providing a better understanding of the various decisions teachers make when teaching in a guided reading context. Findings pertaining to in-advanced decisions that emerged from the data can be …

Power Of Partnerships, Joni Meade

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

No abstract provided.

Collaborative Inclusion: Iep Team Perspectives On Supporting Students With Extensive Needs And The Implications For Teacher Preparation Programs, Deborah J. Amend, Amy E. Lein, Alexandra J. Taylor, Elizabeth G. Dinkins

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

This mixed methods multi-case study explored the inclusion of students with extensive support needs, including multiple disabilities and autism, in a small elementary school setting. The study focused on the perspectives of school-based IEP team members regarding inclusive practices. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative data, the research incorporated raw score data from the Teacher Attitude Towards Inclusion Survey alongside individual interviews, a focus group, and the development of tailored student support plans. A ten-week coaching intervention was implemented, grounded in Kunz and Carter’s (2021) collaborative and consultative framework, to enhance the team's capacity for inclusive education. Findings suggest …

Teaching Vocabulary Graphic Organizers To Students With Disabilities Using The Constant Time Delay Procedure, Kera B. Ackerman, Channon K. Horn

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

This study examined the effectiveness of constant time delay (CTD) as a systematic instructional technique to teach three elementary-aged students identified with mild to moderate disabilities how to complete a vocabulary graphic organizer using words identified from their grade level social studies textbook. The researcher used CTD to teach the participants how to complete the graphic organizer while embedding instructive feedback. A multiple probe design across three participants was used to examine the effectiveness of the intervention. Results indicate that CTD was effective in teaching participants how to complete the graphic organizer. Additionally, participant acquired information through instructive feedback (e.g., …

The Lived Experiences Of Disabled Students In Inclusive Classrooms, Tanner Mizel

Dissertations

This dissertation explores the lived experiences of disabled students in inclusive classrooms, with a focus on those participating in extensive support needs (ESN) programs. Intentionally inclusive of students who communicate through diverse methods, including augmentative and alternative communication devices, picture exchange communication systems, American Sign Language, and other nonspoken forms, this phenomenological case study centers the perspectives of students in one middle school’s ESN program through mobile interviews and reflective document analysis. Student perspectives are triangulated through surveys reflecting the perspectives of parents, guardians, and school staff. Grounded in disability studies in education, this study challenges deficit-based approaches to inclusive …

Difficulties And Challenges Facing Use Of Interactive Multimedia Applications (Imms) To Develop The Skills Of Reading And Writing In English From The Visually Impaired Students' Points Of View At The Syrian Governmental Universities, Hala Muhammad Sulieman, Nadim Badie Mustafa

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية للبحوث في التعليم العالي

The article aimed to identify the challenges and difficulties associated with the use of interactive multimedia applications (IMMs) for developing the skills of reading and writing in EFL (English as a foreign language) from the perspective of visually impaired students at the Syrian governmental universities, considering their gender and academic year as variables, on which the article problem relies on. The researcher developed a questionnaire of 43 questions, and divided them into three sections and two main themes. After the validity of the questionnaire had been verified, and its stability had been calculated as well, it was applied to gather …

Non-Aversive Social And Academic Interventions For Youth With Challenging Behavior, Tom Clees

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Differential reinforcement procedures (DR) will be the focus of this presentation, including differential reinforcement of appropriate behavior that is alternative to (DRA), or incompatible with (DRI), targeted challenging behavior, and differential reinforcement of the absence of challenging behavior for specified intervals (DRO). In addition, combined strategies (DR with changing criteria and/or social skills instruction) will be presented. Novel applications will also be highlighted.

Editors Note

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

No abstract provided.

Facilitating Interprofessional Collaboration To Support Aac Users: A Feasibility And Impact Study, Matthew L. Love, Marcella Cardoza Mccollum, Wendy Quach

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

This study explores the efficacy and challenges of interprofessional learning opportunities for preservice special education teachers and speech-language pathologists through a novel Interprofessional Summit. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research examined how interdisciplinary collaboration impacts the preparation of these professionals for working with augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) communicators in inclusive settings. Data were collected from a small convenience sample of participants at a single university, focusing on the process rather than outcomes of interprofessional engagement. Through content and thematic analysis of summit facilitation guides, participant artifacts, and post-summit surveys, findings revealed high levels of engagement and fidelity to the …

Increasing Inclusive Practices In An Elementary School Using Transcendental Phenomenology, Jenny C. Chiappe, Bryan E. Thornton, Mary A. Falvey

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

This transcendental phenomenology study examined two schools, one comprehensive elementary school and one segregated special education center, as they transitioned to become one school to create more inclusive spaces for students with extensive support needs (i.e., intellectual and developmental disabilities). The transition occurred over a three-year period. The study used purposive sampling. Three general education and three special education teachers and the principal completed individual interviews during Year 3 of the transition. Classroom observations were conducted. The study used thematic analysis and revealed themes that described the school restructuring process: uncertainty during restructuring process; uncertainty around access based on students’ …

Role-Ing While Bipoc: Understanding The Experiences Of Table Top Role Playing Game Players Of Color, Jordan K. Posey

Dissertations

In 2015, controversy surrounded the interactive computer game Mission US: Flight to Freedom. The game was unveiled as an accessible way to teach about American chattel slavery by mixing elements normally associated with roleplaying games (RPGs), Tabletop Roleplaying Games (TTRPGs), and social studies curriculum. The conversations surrounding the game exemplify the complicated history of RPGS/TTRPGs and the limitations of gamification in educational settings. This qualitative study aimed to analyze aspects of gaming culture through a critical race lens by documenting the experiences of Tabletop Roleplaying Game (TTRPG) players identifying as Black, Indigenous, and a Person of Color (BIPOC). Using a …

Table Of Contents

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

No abstract provided.

Tangible Worth In Virtual Worlds: Leveraging Video Games For Play, Empowerment, And Community, Louise M. Yoho

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Video games have become a mainstream form of entertainment that are played regularly by many around the world, including a large number of youth with disabilities (YwD). Video games’ popular presence in our society has created exciting new opportunities for student learning that educators who work with YwD can leverage for both skill acquisition and increased social interactions. This is especially true given that screens have become one of the most consistent and accessible ways of maintaining human contact, despite physical distances, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the isolation that accompanied it. This paper is specifically focused …

Using Virtual Reality To Train Teacher Candidates In Classroom Management, Chelsea Marelle, Claire Donehower, Sara Hansen, Andrew Roach, Lauren Boden, Emily Tanner

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

This study used a multiple baseline across behaviors design to analyze the effects of didactic training plus simulated rehearsal and feedback on a preservice teacher’s implementation of behavior management skills (i.e., opportunities to respond, behavior specific praise, token reward system) with students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Results indicate a functional relation between the intervention package and increased teacher performance across all three behavior management skills. Participants reported positive perceptions and experiences of the use of simulated classroom environments like TeachLivE^TM as a training component. Implications for future research and practice are provided.

Effects Of Interactive And Hands-On Learning Experience Of Assistive Technology On Students' Perspectives And Knowledge, Jiyeon Park, Michelle A. Gremp, Mikyung Shin

Faculty Publications - College of Education

This quasi-experimental study assessed knowledge and perspectives on assistive technology among 114 undergraduates in a Special Education course. The experimental group were provided hands-on, interactive learning experiences in class; after the instruction, they showed significantly greater knowledge gains and more positive perspectives compared to the control group, which received traditional instruction.

This presentation was delivered at the CEC 2025 Special Education Convention & Expo in Baltimore, MD.