Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Effective Inclusion Practices, M. Alyssa Barnes Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

This study examines effective instructional practices, which support the inclusion of students with special needs. Eight teacher and administrator participants completed interviews about their experiences working in a full-inclusion environment. In addition, the research includes narratives based on observations from the school. The findings summarize five practices essential in successful inclusive environments. These strategies include assessing the whole child, performance-based assessments, and use of visuals, specifically graphic organizers, and collaboration. Finally, the data demonstrate the idea that all of these practices benefit students with and without disabilities.

Creating A Warm And Inclusive Classroom Environment: Planning For All Children To Feel Welcome, Jessica L. Bucholz Ed.D., Julie L. Sheffler

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The type of classroom environment that a teacher creates and encourages can either increase or decrease a student's ability to learn and feel comfortable as a member of the class. The classroom environment should do as much to foster cooperation and acceptance as the teaching methods that the teacher uses. This article describes a number of methods to help teachers plan for and create a classroom that welcomes and supports all children.

Language Module, April Dixon

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

A study of children with learning disabilities and of children without provides a clear picture of the acquisition of language development of children. Language skills are generally typical of children at different age levels who do not have diagnosed learning disabilities. Language skills of the learning disabled are generally atypical due to constraints placed on the child during critical learning periods by the disability. Analyzation of the data in this study shows a correlation between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and language development in young children. Strategies can be implemented by classroom teachers to enhance the acquisition of language.

Changes In Responsiveness When Brain Injury Survivors With Impaired Consciousness Hear Different Voices, Steffany Chleboun, Karen Hux, Jeff Snell

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Primary objective—The researchers sought to determine whether individuals with impaired consciousness secondary to acquired brain injury (ABI) changed in responsiveness when purposefully presented with familiar, unfamiliar, and synthetic voice messages.

Research design—Researchers used an ABA single case study design across stimuli. Participants were 3 minimally-responsive ABI survivors.

Methods and procedures—Participants heard auditory stimuli two times daily for thirty days. Data from video recordings included tallies of behavioural responses at 10-second intervals throughout baseline, intervention, and post-intervention phases of each session. Statistical calculations allowed determination of responsiveness changes across time intervals within sessions.

Main outcomes and results—Unique response profiles emerged across …

A Play On Touching, Lindsay Marie Hobbs-Rodriguez

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of the present study is to examine what type of mathematic program best teaches students with mental retardation how to compute basic addition facts. It was hypothesized that the Touch Math program would be used as a strategy more effectively and with greater speed by students with mental retardation when solving addition problems, than other non-Touch Math strategies. Participants include one child with the secondary diagnosis of mental retardation, as determined by her latest Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

Ua10/1 Cec: Clinical Exchange Corner, Mary Lloyd Moore, Laura Reynolds, Wku Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex

CEC Publications

No abstract provided.

Clarifying Research Synthesis On Inclusion: Using The Inclusion Definition Instrument (Idi), Kimberly Rombach Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Synthesizing research on inclusive education is essential to developing a wide-scoped view of knowledge that has been gathered from previous studies. There are key components central to the practice of inclusive education that need to be revealed to fully understand the context of inclusive classrooms. This article distinguishes the need for contextually defining inclusion and introduces the Inclusion Definition Instrument (IDI) that can assist researchers to better identify specific characteristics of the context of their studies on inclusion.

Voices Of Classroom Managers: Their Realities Of Full Inclusion, Oi Yee Monica Ratcliff Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of the three regular education teachers about full inclusion practice in a metropolitan elementary school. This study was intentionally designed as a participatory and constructivistic inquiry. Through the process of classroom observations, participant observations and in-depth interviews, this study was attempted to answer three research questions: (1) What are the perceptions of regular education teachers who participate in the full inclusion program? (2) What are their perceptions about student learning? and (3) What are the advantages and disadvantages of full inclusion? Findings revealed three themes that were related to …

Modeling The Developmental Patterns Of Auditory Evoked Magnetic Fields In Children, Rupesh Kotecha, Maria Pardos, Yingying Wang, Ting Wu, Paul Horn, David Brown, Douglas Rose, Ton Degrauw, Jing Xiang

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Background: As magnetoencephalography (MEG) is of increasing utility in the assessment of deficits and development delays in brain disorders in pediatrics, it becomes imperative to fully understand the functional development of the brain in children.

Methodology: The present study was designed to characterize the developmental patterns of auditory evoked magnetic responses with respect to age and gender. Sixty children and twenty adults were studied with a 275-channel MEG system.

Conclusions: Three main responses were identified at approximately 46 ms (M50), 71 ms (M70) and 106 ms (M100) in latency for children. The latencies of M70 and M100 shortened with age …

Aspergers Syndrome, Miquel K. Anastasi

Graduate Research Papers

Aspergers Syndrome has recently become a "popular" topic in the mental health fields. More and more school aged children are being formally diagnosed with the disorder. Yet, many professionals do not truly understand the nature of Aspergers syndrome beyond being a form of autism. In this paper Aspergers Syndrome is defined and compared with Autism and the causes and possible treatments are discussed, particularly from biological and sociocultural points of view.

Kalamazoo County Juvenile Home Literacy & Tutoring Center, Allison L. Baer

Academic Leadership Academy

On June 15, 2009, the new Kalamazoo County Juvenile Home facility will open. The expanded facility will have 62 beds for detention, a day treatment program for youths living at home, and an alternative education program for non-residents. This facility will provide a continuum of programming for youth involved with the 9th Judicial Circuit Court from secure long term residential programming to community based services incorporating the families and community in the treatment of our youth.

In the past, many adjudicated youth spent time in the Juvie Home and were ultimately sent out of state for secure residential treatment. This …

Factors Of Effective Co-Teaching Between Special And General Educators, Jake Zisla

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that lead to effective co-teaching relationships between special and general educators. With an increasing focus on inclusion of students with special needs into the general curriculum, co-teaching provides special education teachers an opportunity to provide services within that general curriculum, while giving general educators necessary support. The sfudy was conducted in the form of an initial survey with seven participants, as well as four in-depth case studies of special and general educators currently in co-teaching relationships. The results were analyzed along three major theme areas: collaboration, roles and outcomes. Compatibility, …

Developing A Neighbor-Like Enviornment Between Home And School, Rebecca J. Butters

Theses and Graduate Projects

Parental involvement is an aspect of education that will never go away. It is not a new concept, but continually remains a critical component of student success and achievement. There are many barriers to parental involvement and ultimately student success. Neither parents nor educators can do it alone. The goal of student success and achievement needs to be a collaborative effort from both sides. As a teacher of students with Emotional and/or Behavioral Disorders, developing a solid relationship with parents is crucial. In this study, parents of four students in an E/BD program were interviewed to explore their perspectives on …

A Study Of Direct Instructional Spelling Strategies And Their Effect On Students With Special Needs Who Are Classified With Mild Mental Disabilities, Steven Douglas Preast

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Spelling is a challenging task for many individuals, especially for those classified as Mild Mentally Disabled. Although considerable literature exists in the areas of special education and spelling, little research is evident involving these two areas in combination. In an attempt to address this gap, the researcher conducted a single subject research study to investigate the hypothesis that direct instruction of spelling enhances the spelling skills of students with special needs. Perceptions of parents, students, and teachers on how this program impacted student spelling skills was also investigated. Quantitative data from this study was collected from the SRA Spelling Mastery …

General And Special Educators' Attitudes Toward Students With Severe Disabilities Included In The Regular Education Classroom, Tracie Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Federal legislation mandates the inclusion of students with disabilities into the regular classroom. This integration is often met with resistance from the educators. The purpose of this study was to determine teachers' attitudes toward the inclusion of students with severe disabilities in the general education classroom. The research problem addressed the attitudes of educators who are implementing inclusion practices for students with severe disabilities. These attitudes are an integral part of successful inclusion practices. The theoretical basis for inclusion can be found in Wolfensberger's normalization principle and his examination of social role valorization which support placing a person with a …

A Different Perspective On Inclusion, Amy E. Hill

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Nineteen parents and students were interviewed in fifteen different interviews. Participants were asked a series of questions to explore their perspectives on the inclusion of children with disabilities in general education classrooms. Their responses were recorded via tape recorder and written documentation. Parents of children with and without disabilities felt that inclusion is beneficial socially and developmentally to all involved. Students without disabilities do not mind having children with disabilities in their classroom.

Effective Strategies For General And Special Education Teachers, Heather A. Martel

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Today’s teachers are asked to educate ALL students using research-based strategies in inclusive classrooms. The following review will include three research based instructional strategies and one teaching model all of which are elements that can increase the success of students at risk for learning problems. Instructional strategies explored in this review are class-wide peer tutoring, direct instruction and the behavioral strategy of self-monitoring. The teaching model is known as co-teaching, a model which is becoming the norm in schools in southeast Michigan. It is hypothesized that concrete knowledge of research based instructional methods that can be used in co-teaching situations …

The Development Of Jaw Motion For Mastication, Erin M. Wilson, Jordan R. Green

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

The developmental course of early chewing has rarely been studied, although such knowledge is essential for understanding childhood feeding and swallowing disorders. The goal of this investigation was to quantitatively describe age- and consistency-related changes in jaw kinematics during early chewing development. An optical-motion tracking system was used to record jaw movements during chewing in 3-dimensions in 11 typically-developing participants longitudinally from 9–30 months of age. Age related changes in jaw movement were described for both puree and regular consistencies. The findings demonstrated that the development of rotary jaw motion, jaw motion speed, and management of consistency upgrades are protracted …

Types Of Language Disorders In Students Classified As Ed: Prevalence And Association With Learning Disabilities And Psychopathology, Gregory J. Benner, Richard E. Mattison, J. Ron Nelson, Nicole C. Ralston

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of four types of language disorders among public school students (N = 152) classified as Emotional Disturbance (ED). We also examined the association of the types of language disorders experienced by these students with specific learning disabilities and clinical levels of specific types of psychopathology. Nearly 66% of the students with ED experienced a language disorder, with combined receptive-expressive disorders being the most common (35.5%). Students with a language disorder, particularly combined receptive-expressive disorder, showed significantly poorer achievement and more learning disabilities (LD) in all areas compared to students with …

Welcome, Patricia R. Renick Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Welcome to the Spring/Summer 2009 Edition of The Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education. The conversation concerning inclusion continues to reflect and international representation. However in this edition we have a number of voices unique to this culture and this perspective.

Kimberly Rombach of State University of New York College in Cortland provides a synthesis of the research concerning inclusive education. Additionally, the article introduces an Inclusion Definition Instrument (IDI) to help researchers identify specific characteristics of inclusion aid in their research.

Norma S. Blecker, Richard Stockton, and Norma J Boakes of Stockton college of New Jersey survey both general and …

Implementation Of Inclusive Education In Brunei Darussalam: Review Of Possible Implications For School Counselors, Lawrence Mundia Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The paper looked at the provision of counseling services to students in government schools after the implementation of inclusive education in Brunei Darussalam. The creation of the Special Education Unit and the Division of Counseling and Career Guidance (both in the Ministry of Education) to coordinate the respective services was a welcome decision in the right direction. Inclusion, however, may have expanded the role of school counselors in many ways and possibly brought other unforeseen problems. Thirteen identified and selected factors that may impact negatively on the work of school counselors under inclusion are discussed. In addition it was observed …

"Welcome To Holland: Characteristics Of Resilient Families Raising Children With Severe Disabilities", Thomas Knestrict Ed. D., Debora Kuchey Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

This descriptive study sought to examine the resiliency factors families developed when faced with the challenges of raising a child manifesting a severe disability. The study compares and contrasts how families managed the additional responsibility and stress of raising a child with special needs. The study seeks to identify, the key characteristics present in resilient families allowing them to not just survive but thrive.

The study found that there is relationship between resilience and Socio Economic Status (SES). The study also found that having the time and the ability to reflect was key to reconfiguration, which is seen as crucial …

Guiding Principles For Educational Programming, Randy L. Seevers Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

This article presents the outcome of a reflective study where pre-service teachers created visual representations of principles that guide their teaching in the inclusive classroom. Based on evaluations and reflections of the activity, results suggest that creating the visual representations served as an effective tool in helping pre-service teachers recognize and support children with disabilities in the inclusive classroom. Examples of the completed projects are included.

Military Children And Holistic Education: A Narrative Reflection On Classroom Practice, Edith Allison

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation uses autobiographical narrative inquiry as a source of knowledge-generating reflection to examine how the educational needs of military children might be met through the use of holistic educational practices rather than a (well-intentioned) traditional, standardized curriculum. Data were gathered through observation; personal experience as a military child, military member, mother of military children and teacher of military children; journal entries and vicarious experiences shared by students, parents, educators and other invested in this population of learners. Experiences were compiled into fictional composites to protect the identity of all parties as well as national security. These composites were then …

A New Vision: An Integrated Unit Of Study For Ells And Children With Special Needs, Sophy Aponte

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This thesis presents a curriculum that integrates science and bilingual education based on the principles of Understanding by Design (Ubd), Carol Tomlinson's thirds approach to differentiated instruction and Mel Levine's theories for children with special needs.

Saying Yes To Freestyle Volunteering: Doubting And Believing, Judy Lightfoot

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

My formerly academic interest in Peter Elbow's work developed fresh relevance a few years ago after a member of my family was diagnosed with schizophrenia. To volunteer "outside the box" with individuals who suffer from mental illness or homelessness, I needed a skeptic's doubt as well as an enthusiast :S belief But the first step was believing.

Reflections From A Grateful Guest Edit, Peter Elbow

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

No abstract provided.

Jaepl, Vol. 15, Winter 2009-2010, Kristie S. Fleckenstein, Linda T. Calendrillo

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Essays

Peter Elbow - Reflections from a Grateful Guest Editor

Sheridan Blau - Believing and Doubting as Hermeneutic Metbod: Reading and Teaching Paradue Lost

Tim Doherty - Lessons from tbe Believing Game

Anne Ellen Geller - The Difficulty of Believing in Writing Across the Curriculum

Shelly Sheats Harkness, Catherine Pullin Lane, Sue Mau, Amber Brass - The Believing Game in Mathematics: Stories in a Discipline of Doubt

Judy Lightfoot - Saying Yes to Freestyle Volunteering: Doubting and Believing

Clyde Moneyhun - Believing, Doubting, Deciding, Acting

Irene Papoulis - A Refiection on Habitual Belief and Habitual Doubt

Stephanie Paterson - Friday …

The Difficulty Of Believing In Writing Across The Curriculum, Anne Ellen Geller

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

What would happen if we tried to consider writing-acrossthe- curriculum work through the lens of Peter Elbows methodological believing? If we were to believe that every faculty person in the university is a writer, thinks about writing, and teaches writing in his or her own way, what virtues would we find that doubting leads us to disqualify?

Front Matter

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Editor's Message.