Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Effects Of Teacher Reinforcements On Student Outcomes In Adapted Physical Education: A Systematic Review, Juliana Jamison-Espinoza

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This systematic review examined the effectiveness of various reinforcement strategies on student outcomes in adapted physical education (APE) settings for individuals with disabilities. A comprehensive literature search spanning from 1979 to 2024 across six databases identified 18 studies meeting inclusion criteria, involving 140 participants aged 3–22 with diverse physical and cognitive disabilities. Reinforcement strategies evaluated included token economies, verbal praise, tangible rewards, and alternative techniques such as video modeling and peer-mediated interventions. Outcomes measured were categorized into affective states, behavioral improvements, and cognitive gains. Results showed mixed effectiveness across studies: while 7 of the 18 studies reported significant improvements in …

See The Trees, Then The Forest: Tensions And Alignments In Parent-Teacher Relationships Within Maine’S Special Education System, Leila H. Low

Honors Theses

To examine relationships between parents and teachers within the special education system, the present research utilizes Bronfenbrenner’s (1977) ecological systems theory to understand how these relationships are influenced by interconnected systems, ranging from immediate school-level interactions to wider institutional and cultural contexts. Research has found that despite efforts to keep parents involved in the education process, barriers to full support of special education students often exist, such as the capacity of school systems and disagreements between parties (Leiter & Wyngaarden Krauss, 2004). Regardless of policies promoting parental inclusion, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), inequities in geography, …

The Effects Of Singing In Music Therapy Sessions On Vocabulary Acquisition With Children With Asd, Yeim Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often struggle with language acquisition and maintaining engagement during learning activities. While music therapy has shown promise in supporting communication and behavior in children with ASD, few studies have focused on its effect on vocabulary acquisition, particularly in comparing different types of music interventions like singing and non-singing approaches.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore how singing, as a method used in music therapy, affects vocabulary acquisition in a child with ASD. Three research questions guided this study: (1) How do singing and non-singing programs influence receptive vocabulary acquisition in a child with …

Teacher Burnout And The Impact On Special Education Students And Strategies To Cope And Manage Burnout, John T. Gerding

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The teaching profession requires educators to fulfill multiple roles—beyond instruction, they serve as counselors, mentors, behavior managers, and sources of emotional support, especially in underserved urban and rural communities. These roles often extend well beyond the classroom and require teachers to navigate complex social and emotional dynamics, all while maintaining personal emotional balance. Unrealistic expectations increasingly drive teacher burnout, making it a primary factor in teacher turnover. Numerous studies highlight the widespread consequences of burnout, not just for educators themselves but for the entire educational ecosystem. Research by Gooden et al. (2023) found that burnout was particularly pronounced in schools …

The Geography Of Care: Rural Versus Urban Caregiver Perspectives On Community Resources For Parkinson’S Disease Management, Rebecca Jones

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study investigated the experiences and perceptions of caregivers for individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) in rural versus urban settings, with particular emphasis on their access to and utilization of community resources. Through semi-structured interviews with 30 caregivers, the research explored how geographical location impacts caregiving challenges, support systems, and resource accessibility. Using Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use as a theoretical framework, the study revealed both universal caregiving challenges and location-specific barriers. While all caregivers reported significant emotional burden and healthcare system navigation difficulties, rural caregivers faced distinct challenges related to resource accessibility and specialized care availability. …

Elementary-School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists’ Perspectives On Implementing Literacy, Samantha Kadian

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study explores elementary-school-based speech-language pathologists’ (SLPs) perspectives about implementing literacy. Though the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) standards specify literacy is within their scope of practice, many school-based SLPs may not be addressing reading and writing competencies. The literature indicates that several constraints may contribute to this lack of involvement, including a lack of preparation, varied expectations, and ambiguous definitions. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the perspectives of elementary-school-based SLPs. Three SLPs were interviewed in a semi-structured format, and the data from the interviews was examined using qualitative analysis. The findings indicated that SLPs …

Addressing Disparities Among Latine Students In Special Education, Jesabel Jannette Centeno

Educational Leadership Professional Doctorate Dissertations

This study used Improvement Science to understand and address the overrepresentation of Latine students identified with specific learning disabilities (SLD) in elementary school settings. It highlighted the processes and systems that impacted Latine students' educational opportunities and services--emphasizing the need for culturally and linguistically aligned instructional practices. The study was set in a suburban school district in the Pacific Northwest, where many Latine students received special education services. It investigated the root causes of SLD over-identification among these students. It suggested that enhancing educational outcomes required a focused effort to reduce over- and under-identification in special education. The document now …

Leading Transition: How Special Education Directors Make Meaning Of Their Leadership In Advancing Pathways To Employment, Deanna Gill

Dissertations of Practice

LEADING TRANSITION: HOW SPECIAL EDUCATION DIRECTORS MAKE MEANING OF THEIR LEADERSHIP IN ADVANCING PATHWAYS TO EMPLOYMENT

Dede Gill, Ed.D.

Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations

Northern Illinois University, 2025 Kelly Summers, Co-Director Alexios Rosario-Moore, Co-Director

Despite decades of legislative reform and an expanding body of research on effective transition practices, students with disabilities continue to experience disproportionately poor post-school employment outcomes when compared to their non-disabled peers. Nationally, individuals with disabilities are employed at approximately half the rate of those without disabilities, and their poverty rates remain substantially higher. These outcomes persist even as federal and state mandates such …

Preparing To Teach: Exploring Perspectives On The Co-Teaching Experience Through The Educator's Lens, Jesus E. Favela

Dissertations of Practice

Preparing to Teach: Exploring Perspectives on the Co-Teaching Experience Through the Educator's Lens

This qualitative study examines how general education and special education teachers experience co-teaching in a large suburban high school, with a focus on the supports and constraints that shape their daily practice. Guided by a social-constructivist perspective used here as a conceptual model rather than a methodological directive, the analysis attends to collaboration, shared meaning-making, and the co-construction of practice within co-taught classrooms. Semi-structured interviews with 11 teachers (6 General education teachers and 5 special education teachers) were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify patterns and …

Iep Related Topic Research Presentation And Podcast, Christopher D. Yawn

Open Educational Resources

As a special educator, it is important to know about the various components of the individualized education program (IEP) and related programming actions. As such, candidates are being asked to thoroughly research an IEP-related topic and share their findings with their peers.

Advocacy Agency Assignment (Aaa), Christopher D. Yawn

Open Educational Resources

As a special educator, it is important to be familiar with the various organizations that work to benefit individuals with disabilities. To that end, this assignment requires students to locate organizations that work for the benefit of individuals with disabilities and share out with their peers to add to their cache of helpful resources to provide to the families they serve.

A Mixed Methods Study Of Special Education Teacher Perspectives On Special Education Teacher Shortages In Northeast North Carolina, Jennifer L. Mason

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This mixed methods research study aimed to investigate the perspectives of special education teachers regarding special education teacher shortages in Northeast North Carolina. Two research questions were addressed through the utilization of a survey and interviews. The survey instrument comprised 30 quantitative items, employing a 4-point matrix style Likert scale. Following survey completion, interviews were conducted with six participants to provide a more in-depth understanding of the survey findings. From the perspective of special education teachers, data analysis revealed that special education teacher shortages are primarily attributed to adverse working conditions, including excessive workloads, administrative paperwork, student behavior, the utilization …

Factors That Motivate Special Education Teachers To Stay In Their Profession In A Rural South Carolina School District, Sherrod J. Davis

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This study was designed to contribute to our understanding of the different motivating factors that contribute to the long-term retention of special education teachers after they have been in the field for over 5 years. They set out to ascertain predominant mechanisms that motivate these teachers to stay in their positions as well as to inform on the associated struggles and support structures that are helping to both retain their teaching workforce as well as to support their commitment to their teaching lives. Using a descriptive convergent parallel mixed methods design, the study combined quantitative data from online surveys with …

Surveying Teaching Rewards For Effective Behavior Management, Maggie M. West-Johnson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study investigated the implementation of teacher reward systems within School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) in K–12 educational settings. While the PBIS framework has been extensively studied for its impact on student behavior and academic outcomes, limited attention has been given to supporting and motivating educators through systematic reward systems. This research aimed to identify the types of teacher rewards used, methods of selection and distribution, and staff perceptions of effectiveness and social validity. Using a structured 39-item survey distributed to SWPBIS team members across eight schools in Minnesota, the study gathered quantitative and qualitative data on current …

Theoretical Frameworks Used To Conceptualize The Intersection Of Deafness, Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities, And Language In The Literature: A Scoping Review, Jeremy M. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence rate for emotional/behavioral disabilities (EBD) among d/Deaf and hard of hearing (d/DHH) students has consistently been reported as statistically elevated in the literature, but the exact reason for this high prevalence has not been determined. Factors such as diagnostic shadowing, language proficiency, and difficulties in interfamilial communication have been identified; however, recent research suggests that language deprivation may also be a contributing factor. The intersection of language deprivation and EBD among d/DHH students has been studied by numerous researchers, but, to date, no one has explored how these topics are conceptualized together in the literature. As such, I …

Rising Tides Lift All Boats: Significant Disproportionate Identification Of Latine Students In The Eligibility Category Of Specific Learning Disability, Erica Gordon

Educational Leadership Professional Doctorate Dissertations

The study explored the complex problem of practice (POP) of significant disproportionate identification of Latine multilingual learner (ML) students in the special education eligibility category of specific learning disability (SLD). The study employed improvement science as its methodological framework. Integral partners and a leadership team from a rural Oregon district reviewed the literature and used a root cause analysis to identify six causes behind these outcomes. Iterative plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles test with concise data collection, enabling real-time adjustments and improvements within the improvement cycle was used to implement two change ideas. These prioritized change ideas resulted in the implementation of …

Increasing Daily Living Independence Using Video Modeling In Middle School Students With Intellectual Disability, Pamela J. Sullivan

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

This study used a multiple probe across participants design to (a) evaluate the use of a mobile device (i.e., iPad) for video modeling to increase functional daily living skills and (b) evaluate the use of system of least prompts to teach students to self-instruct. In baseline, the classroom teacher asked participants to start their tasks and collected performance data. In the technology training condition, the teacher implemented a system of least prompts procedure to teach participants to initiate use of the iPad, navigate to a training video model, pause/play videos of training tasks, and perform the modeled training tasks. After …

Teaching Peers To Increase Their Use Of Responsive Interaction Strategies With Children Who Use Aac, Andrea Weidman

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Students enrolled in peer mentoring programs require guidance in understanding how to effectively and appropriately communicate and support students who communicate using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. This project evaluated the effectiveness of a peer training protocol on the count of observed responsive interaction strategies used by middle schoolers in an inclusive classroom setting. These strategies increase confidence in communication partners and aide in development of meaningful relationships between students with diverse communication needs.

Building An Evidence-Based, Innovative, Special Education Program To Fit The Needs Of New York City Schools And Students, Ginny Dembek, Yoon-Joo Lee, Stella Kyprianou

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Including Conscientiously: How Charter School Educators Experience Inclusion Education Implementation, Joe A. Petty

Dissertations

This narrative inquiry examined how charter school educators experience inclusive education implementation while confronting ableist systems that maintain exclusion through seemingly neutral practices. This research emerged from my lived experience of how educational structures systematically marginalize disabled students while appearing progressive. The study investigated two research questions: how support structures and leadership practices either perpetuate or dismantle ableist assumptions embedded in educational practice, and how educators negotiate tensions between implementing evidence-based inclusive strategies and addressing environmental factors that create the need for those strategies.

Data collection employed semistructured interviews with eight credentialed educators across two Southern California charter school sites, …

Role Of Assistive And Adaptive Technologies In Promoting Inclusivity In Classrooms: A Study On Special Education Trainees, Deepa Sikand Kauts Dr., Moomin Ahmad Rather Mr

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

Integrating assistive and adaptive technologies is vital for fostering inclusivity in special education. However, awareness and perceived impact of these tools among aspiring special educators remain underexplored. This study examined the awareness and perceived impact of assistive and adaptive technologies among 56 students enrolled in a Multiple Disabilities (MD) B.Ed. Special Education program. Validated scales with strong reliability and unidimensionality were employed, with the awareness scale explaining 70.62% of the variance and the perceived impact scale accounting for 53.68%. Descriptive and inferential analyses indicated that awareness levels ranged from basic to moderate (mean = 3.37), with a subset showing high …

La Enseñanza Del Arte A Estudiantes Con Trastorno De Déficit De Atención: Una Aproximación Fenomenológica Desde La Perspectiva Docente, María Torres Guzmán

Theses and Dissertations

Esta disertación aplicada se diseñó con el propósito de explorar, describir y entender las experiencias fenomenológicas de los docentes en la enseñanza del arte a estudiantes diagnosticados con Trastornos de Déficit de Atención (TDAH). Se documentaron las vivencias, se explicaron las experiencias y se describieron los problemas que enfrentan los docentes en su proceso de enseñanza a los estudiantes con TDAH. El marco teórico empleado fue la Teoría de las Inteligencias Múltiples de Howard Gardner, que plantea la existencia de ocho inteligencias que son la musical, la corporal cinestésica, lingüística, lógico-matemática, espacial, interpersonal, intrapersonal y naturalista.

Esta investigación tuvo un …

Effects Of Parent Involvement In Their Children’S Academic And Behavioral Performance, Megan Menozzi

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to investigate the best practices to increase parental involvement in their children’s school activities by recording and scribing the experiences of certified teachers. Prior to this study, the current school experienced a decrease in parental involvement with their child’s scheduled school activities. As the school carry on with planning scheduled events for parental involvement, teachers were still expected to be prepared to implement curriculum in the classrooms, while ensuring children’s needs were being met by way of continuous communication with families.

The researcher developed a qualitative phenomenological approach. The design allowed the researcher to interview …

Preschool Developmental Play And Autism, Michelle Brooks Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

This school improvement project applies the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) model to explore strategies to increase peer engagement among preschool students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in a developmental playroom setting. Play is a cornerstone of early childhood development, fostering cognitive, social, and emotional growth. However, children with ASD often encounter challenges in engaging with play environments due to social communication difficulties and sensory processing differences. Grounded in Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, this project adopts a Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention (NDBI) framework to facilitate peer interactions and enhance engagement in inclusive play settings.

The intervention focuses on guiding …

Effects Of Teacher Reinforcements On Student Outcomes In Adapted Physical Education: A Meta-Analysis, Yaxeny Moreno

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The primary goal is to review the influence of reinforcement strategies in Physical Education (PE) and Adapted Physical Education (APE) settings, focusing on students with disabilities with the ages of 3-22. Reinforcement strategies, such as positive reinforcement/feedback, token economies, verbal praise, tangible rewards, and additional strategies are essential for fostering engagement and skill development. Literature has provided evidence and results to highlight the importance of applying evidence-based reinforcement strategies to which support the behavioral, social, and physical development of students in both Physical Education and Adapted P.E. settings. The purpose of this study was to review and analyze existing literature …

Pre-Service Teacher Preparation In Over-/Underrepresentation Of Students From Culturally Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds In Special Education: A Systematic Review Of State-Level Policies, Enos Yushu Liu

Honors Theses

Students from culturally linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds require equitable access to special education services to support success in school. Overrepresentation and underrepresentation of students from CLD backgrounds are two issues that policymakers and school leaders need to address, and having teachers knowledgeable in these issues is essential. To determine if pre-service teachers are being trained in understanding over-/ underrepresentation issues, researchers conducted a systematic review of state-level teacher competency policies. Pre-service teacher competencies were coded for the presence of nine key elements related to culturally responsive special education identification practices. The results show that relatively few states require comprehensive pre-service …

Exploring The Collective Efficacy Of Elementary Special Education Teachers And Its Relationship To Distributed Leadership, Emma L. Jones

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

This study examined the relationship between collective teacher efficacy (CTE) and distributed leadership practices among elementary special education teachers. CTE reflects teachers’ shared belief in their collective ability to improve student outcomes, while distributed leadership emphasizes shared decision-making, collaboration, and shared responsibility across school personnel.

Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the study combined survey data from the Collective Teacher Belief Scale with follow-up interviews. Survey results from 31 special education teachers indicated moderate to high levels of CTE, with slightly greater confidence in managing student behavior than in delivering instruction. Interviews with teachers across varying CTE levels provided deeper …

Using The Mand-Model Intervention Strategy To Increase Verbal Or Augmentative And Alternative (Aac) Two-Word Utterances For Requesting Items In A Naturalistic Setting, Morgan A. Williams

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

This project examined the effectiveness of the mand-model milieu teaching strategy for increasing two-word verbal or augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) requests in a classroom. Three students participated. All students demonstrated increased mean length of utterance in words (MLUw) when requesting preferred items. For all students, correct two-word requests improved following a model prompt. Two students showed limited independent requesting following only a mand, while one student met criterion for consistent independent requesting. Other observed outcomes included improved communicative confidence, reduced frustration behaviors, and increased AAC acceptance and generalization across settings for one participant. Findings suggest that the mand-model strategy …

Experiences Of Special Education Teachers During Covid-19: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Sheds Light On Learning Loss Among Young Students With Disabilities, Cassidy A. Stine

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Many aspects of teaching and learning for students with disabilities (SWDs) were drastically altered during the height of COVID-19. While many students experienced learning gaps or loss related to unprecedented and abrupt changes to their education, young SWDs in rural areas were faced with unique challenges. The purpose of this Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) study was to gain knowledge regarding teaching experiences/perceptions of rural Georgia K-5 special education teachers during the height of COVID-19 that shed light on learning loss among SWDs. The researcher was specifically interested in knowing more about teachers’ perceptions of academic and social-emotional learning loss as …

Transitioning Children With Autism Into The School Setting, Samantha M. Willman

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with autism may face multiple challenges throughout their lives. The challenge of transitioning into the school environment can be supported and navigated through accommodations, modifications and interventions. Addressing the challenges that students with autism face in the areas of communication, visual support and sensory regulation assists in providing a successful transition into the formal education setting. When children with autism are provided strong support in the beginning of their educational career, they grow their independence and build skills needed to be successful within the educational setting. Accommodations and modifications are essential to providing an equitable educational experience for students …