Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Body Shape Dissatisfaction: Patterns Of Concern Among Subgroups Of College Freshmen Women, Kristina S Withers Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

This study seeks to determine if there are patterns of differences according to college major in terms of the percentage of freshmen women who score in the clinically significant range on a measure of attitude toward body shape. Participants (N = 1,982) completed a demographic questionnaire and the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and were divided into subgroups according to their stated college major. Descriptive statistics regarding BSQ scores were calculated for the total sample and subgroups. Results indicated that a greater percentage of participants in Theater, Communications, Psychology, Dance, Business, and Dietetics majors scored within clinically significant ranges on the …

Secondary Intervention For Students At Risk For Emotional And Behavioral Disorders Within A Positive Behavior Support Model, Jennifer Anne James

Theses and Dissertations

Mentoring is an intervention growing in popularity with a weak research foundation. This study combines mentoring and social skill training within a positive behavior support framework. Targeting a fourth-grade, Latino student at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders, this single-subject study looks at his ability to master a specific social skill. The mentor served to reinforce social skill learning through practicing, role-playing, and goal setting. The student was chosen using the Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders and the social skill was created using the School Social Behavior Scales that identified social skill strengths and weaknesses. Student demonstration of the social …

Effects Of In-Home Positive Behavior Support Training On Parent Perceptions Of Parent-Child Relationships And Maladaptive Behavior, Elisha K. Kamalu

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the effects of the positive behavior support program Family HOPE conducted in homes of families of children with disabilities. Graduate students conducted an 8-10 week collaborative method of training for parents of children with disabilities to reduce problem behaviors of their child with a disability. The Parent-Child Relationship Inventory (PCRI) and Scales of Independent Behavior-Revised (SIB-R) were given to both experimental and control group families to investigate the program effects on parents' perceptions of limit setting, parental support, frequency and severity of problem behaviors. Results indicated that there was not a significant pre-post difference for either group …

Assessing Item And Scale Sensitivity To Therapeutic Change On The College Adjustment Scales: Working Toward A Counseling Center Specific Outcome Questionnaire, Christian L. Wimmer

Theses and Dissertations

Many college counseling centers use outcome measures to track therapeutic change for their clientele. These questionnaires have traditionally looked primarily at a client's symptom distress (e.g. depression, anxiety, suicidality, etc.) and are used to detect changes in the client's life that are due to therapy. Unfortunately, there is no measure that has been exclusively created and validated for use with college students. The College Adjustment Scales (CAS) form a multidimensional psychological measure designed specifically for use in college and university settings. Even though the CAS was created as a screening tool, it contains items that provide insight into changes that …

Maintaining Hope/ Encouraging Perspective In Special Education, Donna Smith

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Having a child with moderate to severe disabilities is a life-altering experience for many families. This study is an exploration of the relationship that exists between the parents of children with moderate to severe disabilities and special education professionals. It is an attempt to gain a deeper understanding of the parental perspective on the complexities of that relationship, and to investigate how that relationship is negotiated through stories told by eight parents about their experiences with the professionals in the schools their children attend. This study is also focused on how parents, school systems, and societal understandings of disability and …

The Effects Of Self-Management Strategies For High School Students With Disabilities, Michael Mccoach

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of self-management strategies to reduce the inappropriate calling out behavior and replace with an appropriate behavior, raising hands. A total of nine high school students attending a math class in the special education classroom participated in the study. A single subject research design with ABC phases was used. During Phase A, the observer recorded student calling-out behavior in each math class for four weeks as baseline data. During Phase B, students were given instruction on self-management to record their own behavior for four weeks. During Phase C, the self-management strategy …

A Study Of The Effects Of The Verbal Behavior Approach In Teaching Young Children With Autism, Laura Salvitti

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the implementation of the Verbal Behavior approach with young children with autism. The participants included eight boys between the ages of three and five who are currently placed in a self-contained classroom for students with autism. Using the Verbal Behavior protocol, baseline data was collected for all participating students in the area of verbal communication. Data was also taken for three students with violent or aggressive behaviors. During the intervention, when the Verbal Behavior approach was provided, goals were developed for each student and their performance data were collected …

Teachers' Attitudes Towards The New Jersey's Alternate Proficiency Assessment For Students With Severe Disabilities, Rachel L. Cranin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' attitudes towards the New Jersey's Alternate Proficiency Assessment (APA) for students with severe disabilities. A total of 25 special education teachers, who had experiences in the APA portfolio implementation, participate in this study. A survey including 25 questions on a five point Likert scale was provided to all participating teachers as well as an interview for six teachers to obtain their feedback in depth. Surveyed teachers reported that they were trained to prepare for their students' portfolios as required by the state. However, many concerns were raised by the teachers in …

The Effects Of Social Skills Training For High School Students With Disabilities, Tracy Pellegrino

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the social skills program "Social Skills Training" for high school students with disabilities. Six high school students with multiple disabilities, attending a private special education school, participated in he study. Social skills training was provided in 12 sessions, 20 minutes per session, one session per day, three days a week for four weeks, and a follow-up of review activity for four weeks. A single subject designed with ABC phases was used. The student behaviors were observed and recorded prior to training as Baseline, during the training as Intervention, and …

An Investigation On Emergent Literacy Skills Of Preschool Children With Disabilities, Susan Biesz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between home literacy activities provided by parents and their children's emergent literacy skills. A total of 11 parents and their preschool children with disabilities participated in the study. A survey was provided to obtain parents' strategies used during parent-child joint reading activities in the home. The Emergent Literacy Skills Assessment was administered to participating children to evaluate their emergent literacy skills in six areas including identifying primary shapes and colors, letter identification, reciting the alphabet, identifying the parts of a book and identifying their own name in print. The surveyed …

Power Base Perceptions Of School Administrators At Residential Schools For The Culturally Deaf, Allison Washington Moffett

Dissertations

Residential schools fill a significant role in the academic and social education of deaf and hard-of-hearing students worldwide. Progress has been made in these schools as a result of a collaborative effort between schools and community working together. Administrators at the residential schools play essential roles in the academic and social processes of education and as such they must be aware of their own power bases and usages. Hersey and Blanchard (1993) maintained that it is essential for school administrators to be able to distinguish the power sources and to be knowledgeable about which power sources to use in a …

Using Evidence-Based Guidelines To Evaluate Research Support For The Use Of Social Stories With Children With Autism, Elaine Fister-Hull

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Social Stories have gained wide acceptance and popularity as an intervention for children with autism and autism spectrum disorders, yet it is unclear whether this intervention method meets the standards of an evidence-based intervention. With a push in educational and mental health fields to use only evidence-based interventions, there is a need to determine whether or not this popular method meets this standard. The research literature on Social Stories has been reviewed for this project. An analysis of each article was conducted to evaluate clinical utility and treatment efficacy. Using the clinical utility and treatment efficacy information, as well as …

A Manual For Using Communication Strategies With Adolescents With Autism, Gayle J. Anderson

All Graduate Projects

Many students with autism lack the essential skills necessary to communicate effectively as adolescents and adults. They communicate in a nonproductive manner to get their "wants" or "needs" met. Some of these behaviors include crying, screaming, or having tantrums. Current research reviewed for this project indicates clearly the benefits of applied social skills such as social stories, augmentative strategies such as picture exchange systems, and alternative strategies such as gestures and sign language. These students need to communicate their wants and needs by using socially appropriate adaptive methods of communications. The purpose of the manual at the end of this …

A Comparison Of Social Stories And Script Fading To Increase Appropriate Social Interactions Of Secondary Students With Disabilities With Their Non-Disabled Peers, Kristi Dudleston

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The effects of social stories and script fading were investigated on increasing interactions of students with disabilities with their non-disabled peers. Social stories and script fading are treatments typically used for persons with autism spectrum disorder. This study examined effects on students with intellectual disabilities and multiple disabilities. In sequential treatments, social stories and "scripts" were read to students just prior to their lunch, so each could be assessed on their effectiveness in increasing initiations and responses in social situations in a lunch line with typical students. Social stories and script fading were analyzed in the context of a multiple …

Evaluation Of Three Parent-Focused Disability Information And Healthy Lifestyle Curriculum Modules For Latino Parents Of Children With Developmental Disabilities, Martin E. Blair

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Parents of children with disabilities need accurate information to help them provide tailored services and supports to their families. This is especially true for immigrant Latino families who tend to experience poor overall health and who tend to avoid formal services and supports. Based on input gathered from Latino Parents of children with disabilities, a three module curriculum, "Empowering Families," was developed. Following a cultural appropriateness review of the curriculum and associated measurement instruments, revisions were made to the content and presentation procedure. This was followed by a field test of the curriculum with two groups of Latino parent/caregivers of …

How Should We Screen For Reading Problems, Evelyn S. Johnson, Michael Humphrey, Rebecca Mclenna

Early and Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Response to intervention (RTl) is increasingly used to organize reading instruction and assessment. One component of an RTI framework is the universal screening of students to determine who is at risk for developing reading problems. For screening to be effective, it must be efficient, accurate and have positive consequences for its use. This article discusses the current approaches to screening and their limitations, and provides recommendations for improvement.

Effects Of Positive Behavior Support Training On Maladaptive Behavior, Parenting Skills, And Parental Support Of Families With Children With Disabilities, Alla Sergeyevna Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Family stress is affected by a child's challenging behavior and by the disruption of family routines as a result of the child's disability. Therefore, families with children with disabilities need professional support as they work with their children to decrease their children's behavior problems and to reduce the level of parental stress. This study examines in-home training in Positive Behavior Support using the model of parent-professional collaboration. Parents of 35 children with disabilities and challenging behaviors participated in this research. All participants were on the state of Utah's Family Support waiting list. Graduate students provided behavioral education to families by …

Characterization Of Autism Spectrum Disorders In Children's Picture Books, Charlene Weaver

Theses and Dissertations

Forty-two children's picture books portraying characters with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) were evaluated to determine how symptoms of ASD are being portrayed as well to determine common themes found in these books. Books were evaluated using behavioral checklists created using symptoms found in common ASD diagnostic rating scales for both autism and Asperger Syndrome (AS). Of the 42 books, 35 books had characters with autism and 7 had characters with AS. The most commonly found symptoms were relating to people, verbal communication, and taste, smell and touch responses. Personal characteristics such as gender and race were identified as well as …

Academic Processing Speed Mediates The Influence Of Both Externalizing Behavior And Language Skills On The Academic Skills Of Students With Emotional Disturbance, Gregory J. Benner, J. Ron Nelson, Jill H. Allor, Paul Mooney, Tao Dai

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

The results from previous research suggest that there is a relatively small (albeit statistically significant) relationship between the externalizing behavior and academic skills of students with emotional disturbance (ED). Researchers have also found that the majority of these students have language deficits that hinder their academic performance. The purposes of this study were to investigate the mediating role of academic processing speed (i.e., academic fluency) on the relationship between: (a) The externalizing behavior and academic skills of K-12 students with ED; and (b) language skills and academic skills of students with ED. Results indicate that academic processing speed mediated the …

Academic Performance Of Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders Served In A Self-Contained Setting, Kathleen Lynne Lane, Sally M. Barton-Arwood, J. Ron Nelson, Joseph Wehby

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

This study describes the academic, social, and behavioral performance of elementary and secondary students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) receiving services in a self-contained school for students with serious behavior problems, with an emphasis on how school adjustment and problem behavior patterns predict academic performance. Results revealed that elementary and secondary group scores were well below the 25th percentile on reading, math, and written expression measures. Further, a seven variable model representing academic, social, and behavioral domains was able to differentiate between age groups explaining 54% of the variance and correctly classifying 78.26% (n = 18) of the …

Evaluating Your Educational Program For Students With Autism, Tina Taylor

Faculty Publications

How do you decide what critical educational features need to be included in your service to students with autism? In the November issue of The Utah Special Educator, Cathy Longstroth (p. 75-76) outlined several characteristics of effective educational programs for students with autism. These recommendations are based upon substantial research evidence from the professional literature. You may wonder why you should design your educational programs with research in mind, when you already know "what works" for your students. On the other hand, many students with autism are hard to figure out and you may not be sure "what works" for …

The Silver Scarab : An Epic Of Ancient Egypt : An Original Book For Children In Their Middle Years, Adam Gidwitz

Graduate Student Independent Studies

An original historical-adventure novel for children on Ancient Egypt. It tells the tale of two children, the son of a great military figure and the daughter of the Pharaoh. The protagonists encounter kidnappers, assassins, and gods; but their greatest challenge is to forge their own identities in the shadow of their own powerful parents. Includes a discussion of how the novel was written.

Graduate Bulletin, 2008-2010, Minnesota State University Moorhead

Graduate Bulletins (Catalogs)

No abstract provided.

Parental Attitudes Regarding Inclusion Of Children With Disabilities In Greek Education Settings, Kokaridas Dimitrios, Vlachaki Georgia, Zournatzi Eleni, Patsiaouras Asterios

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The purpose of this study was to examine parents’ attitudes toward inclusion of their children with disabilities in general education and to associate their perspectives with parent variables (e.g. education) and child variables (e.g. age, severity of disability). The sample consisted of parents (51 mothers, 68 fathers) of children with disabilities, residing in Thessaly region. Each parent completed the Attitude Toward Inclusion/ Mainstreaming'' scale (Leyser and Kirk, 2004), composed of 18 items selected and adapted for parent respondents that assess scores for the factors of benefits, satisfaction, teacher ability and inclusion support, and child rights. The results of the study …

Authentic Assessments For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Marty Boman, Sarah Mcmaine, Robyn Fine

Kentucky Teacher Educator

Individual student assessments, formal and informal, provide the essential framework of the exceptional education process. Mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) 2004, these laws determine the needs and programs that will be implemented for every child identified to receive exceptional education services. Collectively, norm-referenced, criterion-referenced, and authentic assessments complete a comprehensive portrayal of the student's academic, behavioral, and functional needs and skills. This paper outlines the various elements of authentic assessment and how they can be implemented with individuals identified with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) as well as other students. The main purpose of including authentic …

Welcome, Patricia R. Renick Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Welcome to the Winter/Spring edition of The Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education. The journal continues to attract the voices of researchers from an international perspective. Within this edition we have research from around the globe as well as one article of exemplary graduate student work and a poem from a nurse finishing her training as a school nurse.

From the University of Hawaii Manoa, Dr. Drue E. Narkon and Rhonda Black address the question pre-service teachers’ confidence in teaching reading to struggling readers kindergarten through third grade.

From the University of Zimbabwe, Dr. Crispen Dirwai investigates the need for different …

It's A Matter Of Timing: Laying The Foundation For Successful Preschool To Kindergarten Transitions, Kathleen Winterman Ed.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Children with special needs receive a myriad of services within the early childhood preschool setting. For most children, the child’s parents coordinate this process. Under the IDEA, schools are charged with planning for and facilitating the transition of children with disabilities from one educational setting to the next. A smooth transition plan should be developed to maximize the benefits of an effective preschool program in kindergarten. This article addresses the procedures for a fluid transition from preschool to kindergarten for students with disabilities discussing parental roles and critical aspects of the transition timeline.

Disabilities In The Media-Powerpoint Presentation, Bruce Battles

Kentucky Teacher Educator

No abstract provided.

Skills, Knowledge, And Attitudes Of Culturally Responsive Teachers, Janet L. Applin

Kentucky Teacher Educator

This article presents a summary of skills, knowledge, and attitudes required by teachers and prospective teachers to become considered Culturally Responsive. Best practices from the literature on Culturally Responsive Teaching are summarized in four categories: awareness of self,; acknowledgement of the broader context; necessary attitudes; and required abilities.

Read & Write Gold: Technology Increasing Student Achievement, Nedra Atwell, Marty Boman, Paula Borland, Marisa Duarte, Linda Fishback, Connie Miller, Elizabeth Romero

Kentucky Teacher Educator

No abstract provided.