Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Factors Affecting School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists’ Use Of Language Assessment Practices With Bilingual Children, Lena Gloria Caesar

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the assessment procedures and practices of school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) employed in the state of Michigan. A survey method was used to gather information from 409 SLPs regarding the assessment procedures used for assessing both their bilingual students, as well as their monolingual English-speaking students. The survey also gathered information regarding perceptions about language proficiency, professional training, and bilingual assessment products. In order to analyze factors related to their use of recommended practices, the study investigated the relationship between selected demographic, caseload, and work-setting variables, and the type of bilingual assessment methods …

Melioration And The Behavioral Addiction Process: An Experimental Analysis, Jared Micah Dinehart

Theses and Dissertations

Melioration can be a factor contributing to behavioral addiction. In this study, 76 university undergraduates operated a "money machine" by selecting between choices that corresponded to maximization and melioration. Participants initially made choices consistent with a strategy of melioration and demonstrated significantly greater variability in choice behavior when visual cues were presented aimed at exposing the internality (or consequence) of the choice situation. Removal of the visual cues resulted in a return to lower responding. Visual cues may aid in interrupting the behavioral addiction pattern by limiting exclusive use of a melioration choice strategy. Methods of restructuring and experimentation with …

A Study Of Overrepresentation Of Minorities In Special Education In Southern New Jersey Public Schools, Carol Phister

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there is an overrepresentation of minority students in special education in southern New Jersey Public Schools. Data was disaggregated to the district level for 25 randomly chosen public school districts in southern New Jersey. Data were reported on the total school population and the total number of students classified as eligible for special education. These data were further broken down in both categories (i.e. total school population and special education) by race/ethnicity and by gender. In addition, special education data were also reported by specific disability category. These data were presented …

A Study Of The Effect Of Social Skills Training On The Display Of Physical And Verbal Aggression In Students With Behavior Disorders, Antonio Singletary

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this single subject design was to examine the effect of social skills training as displayed by students with behavior disorders. Social skills training was conducted with 12 to 14 year old multi-cultural students with behavior disabilities in a self contained learning environment. The results showed that social skills training did decrease or eliminate physical and verbal aggression for most students with behavior disorders, while a few students will need more training. The results are discussed with recommendations for future relevant research. The study lasted nine weeks.

A Study Of Teachers' And Administrators' Perceptions Of Collaborative Teaching, Ritaanna Bell

Theses and Dissertations

Laws such as The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) (1990/1997) and No Child Left Behind (2001) have emphasized a need to serve students with disabilities in the general education setting. This inclusion has prompted several models of collaborative instruction. This study investigates the current state of practice from the perspective of Co-teaching partners (general and special education teachers) and their administrators in one New Jersey School District. The foci are on perceptions of current experience, recommended collaborative practices, teacher preparation for co-teaching and administrator effectiveness of the collaborative teaching classroom. 114 teachers and 23 administrators from a mid-sized New Jersey …

An Investigation Of The Effect Of An Educational Program On Students' Decision To Use Birth Control, Christine King

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the "Making Proud Choices Curriculum" on students' knowledge and attitudes on the use of birth control. The students were assigned to an experimental or control group. Students took a pre and post test to measure their knowledge and attitudes on human sexuality issues. The experimental group received eight 1-hour training sessions on the Making Proud Choices Curriculum. Results indicated that after training the experimental group had increases in knowledge and more positive attitudes than the control group.

The Effects Of Success For All As A Whole School Reform On The Gepa Scores In A Particular Abbott District, Lisa R. Labbree

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine what impact Success For All (SFA) had on the state standardized test scores of a school district that was identified as being low income and having poor test scores. Data from the literacy/language arts portion of the Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment were compared for the years 2001 and 2003. Students who took the test in 2001 were not exposed to SFA, whereas the 2003 students had three years of SFA. The test scores were analyzed by comparing percentage passed, mean scores, and mean differences. Results indicated that the test scores for special …

A Study Of A Self-Monitoring Intervention To Increase On-Task Behavior And Productivity, Susan A, Biglin

Theses and Dissertations

The subject of this study was an eleven year old Hispanic boy from an inner city elementary school. Subject was taught to observe his on-task behavior and rate his performance using a rubric. Intervention was conducted in a general education inclusion class consisting of six students with special needs and eleven regular education students. Inclusion model consisted of co-teaching during the mathematics class and small homogeneous grouping for Language Arts Literacy. Results of this study indicate that self-monitoring, when applied in a structured classroom with positive reinforcements, is an effective approach for students with mild disabilities to gain a better …

A Study Of The Effect Of A Homework Club On The Completion Of Homework By Students With And Without Learning Disabilities, Marlene Cosenza Rolfe

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this experimental multiple baseline study across subjects was to ascertain if a homework club with study skills training would enable students to improve their percentage of homework completion.

The subjects of this study included 16 elementary school students in a suburban, southern New Jersey school district. Twelve third grade and four fourth grade students with and without learning disabilities were included.

All students completed 20 days of intervention by attending a homework club with study skills training. Students self-monitored their percent of homework completed by keeping a weekly graph. These results were checked for accuracy by teachers. …

The Effect Of Stress On Female Collegiate Athletes' Alcohol Consumption, Holly M. Thornton

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the relationship between the amounts of stress female student athletes experience with the amount of alcohol they consume at the collegiate level. It was hypothesized that the more stress a student athlete experiences the more likely she is to consume alcohol. Thirty-five female student athletes from the east coast of the United States filled out surveys assessing the amount of stress experienced and the amount of alcohol consumed, and proved the proposed hypothesis to be false. The Pearson Correlation Analysis was used and found that there was no significant relationship between …

Using Social Stories To Teach Social And Behavioral Skills To Preschool Children With Autism, Melissa Jean Herrin

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

There is limited research support for the use of Social Stories with elementary and secondary-aged students. However, there is even less research support for the effectiveness of Social Stories with preschool-aged children. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Social Stories with three preschool-aged children diagnosed with autism. Using a multiple baseline design across subjects, Social Stories were implemented in the home setting. The children’s parents were responsible for daily implementation of the Social Story, as well as recording data daily. Direct observations were conducted once a week during the identified times the target behavior occurred. …

What Educators Must Know About The Effectiveness Of Behavioral Interventions For Children With Autism, Renee' L. Henke

Theses

The diagnosis of autism is on the rise. There are many misconceived definitions of autism, even in the educational profession. Educators in all areas must become informed of behavioral intervention and modifications to help autistic students succeed.

This paper will reveal facts and information regarding behavior intervention and modification based on the Lovaas theory and method. It includes a case study of an eleveny-ear- old high-functioning autistic boy who has made great strides and is successful.

The Relationship Between Religious Programs And Peer Relationships Of Adults With Mental Retardation, Cecilia D. Beasley

Theses & Honors Papers

This research was intended to look at the relationship between attendance at religious programs on the peer relationships and spirituality of adults with mental retardation. The literature reviews the benefits of spirituality for all individuals, the characteristics of individuals with mental retardation, and the influences of peer relationships. Fifty-nine surveys about the individual's spiritual development, happiness, peer relationships and criminality as well as the importance of religious functions were completed by adults with and without mental retardation. The results indicate that attendance at religious activities does in fact impact spirituality and peer relationships of individuals with mental retardation. They also …

The Effect Of A Student-Chosen Reinforcer On Academic Engagement During Acquisition Tasks In An Elementary Student With Autism, Terrence Jerome Bernard

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This single subject multiple baseline study investigated the effect of a student chosen reinforcer on academic engagement during acquisition tasks in an elementary student with autism. The subject was a 6 year-old Hispanic male with a primary diagnosis of autism. The student is in a regular classroom setting greater than 60% of the day, with the remainder of the day spent in a self-contained classroom. A stopwatch was utilized to measure the student's duration of academic engagement duration during acquisition tasks. The acquisition task consisted of an age appropriate fine motor word copying activity. The reinforcer was presented in a …

Adaptive Behavior In Autism And Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified: Microanalysis Of Scores On The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Rhea Paul, Stephanie Miles, Domenic Cicchetti, Sara Sparrow, Ami Klin, Fred Volkmar, Megan Coflin, Shelley Booker

Communication Disorders Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study is to provide a microanalysis of differences in adaptive functioning seen between well-matched groups of school-aged children with autism and those diagnosed as having Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified, all of whom functioned in the mild to moderate range of intellectual impairment. Findings indicate that the major area of difference between children with autism and those with Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified, was expressive communication; specifically, the use of elaborations in syntax and morphology and in pragmatic use of language to convey and to seek information in discourse. Linear discriminant function analysis revealed that scores …

Universal Preschool: A Solution To A Special Education Law Dilemma, Alefia E. Mithaiwala

Brigham Young University Education and Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Winding Road To Community Partnerships In Appalachia: A Faculty Perspective, Lori J. Marks, A. L. Nelson, J. P. Burngham, T. Coates, J. Duncan, E. Lowe, A. Lowery, E. Seier

ETSU Faculty Works

In 1998, the W.W. Kellogg Foundation provided funding for four universities to collaborate with surrounding communities on mutually beneficial projects, through the Expanding Community Partnerships Program. In a series of innovative learning collaborations, East Tennessee University, the University of Texas at El Paso, West Virginia University, and Northeastern University established strong, sustainable partnerships with organizations in their local communities. Although each university approached its partnering differently, they all shared the goal of benefiting the underserved communities where they are located and transforming their institutions by enhancing students’ educational experiences and strengthening faculty, student, administration, and staff relationships with local residents. …

Making Inclusion Work In Rural Southeast Texas, Fara M. Goulas Ph.D., Lula J. Henry Ph.D., Kimberly Griffith Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Inclusion is a common term and everyday practice in two rural schools in Southeast Texas. A consortium based on a collaborative endeavor between the regional educational service center, the local university, and two rural school districts was established with a common goal, an effective general education environment, and pedagogical sound instruction for students in inclusive settings. Data was collected to assess the impact of the Inclusion Project. Results indicated an increase in positive attitudes toward the concept of inclusion.

Predicting Dyslexia With Screening To Enhance Equitable Placement (Steep), Erica N. Stoler

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to predict whether students who achieved the mastery/instructional level in math and the frustrational level in reading with Screening to Enhance Equitable Placement (STEEP) were identified as being good candidates for a positive dyslexic evaluation based on the Dyslexia Screening Tool (DST). Twenty-eight students in first through fifth grades from a rural elementary school in Southeast Ohio were selected based on the results of their initial STEEP screening and those selected students were administered the Dyslexia Screening Tool (DST). Results indicated that there was not a significant relationship between the selected STEEP results and …

The Comparative Analysis Of The Dyslexia Screening Instrument And The Dyslexia Screening Tool, Shelley J. Lemasters

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

STEEP is a universal screening instrument that provides effective and efficient identification of students at risk. It is hypothesized that by using the difference between the math STEEP score and the reading STEEP score that STEEP can be used to identify dyslexic children. The present research was conducted by selecting students that scored mastery/instructional in math and frustrational in reading as the sample. The current study examines the correlation between the Dyslexia Screening Instrument and the Dyslexia Screening Tool by administering those instruments to the identified population. The results were analyzed by using the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) and the …

Welcome, Patricia R. Renick Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Welcome to the 7th edition of the Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education. This particular edition is devoted to the papers presented at the Oxford Roundtable: Addressing the Special Education Needs of Children, convened in March 2003 at Oxford University in Oxford, England. The Oxford Roundtable is a think tank gathering of administrators, college professors, and teachers who come together by invitation to present research and conduct conversations about issues and trends in the field of Special Education. This international assembly provokes thought, shares ideas, and engages in, sometimes spirited, discourse concerning the needs of children with special needs. The following …

If It Takes A Village, Then We'd Better Educate The Villagers: Preservice Teachers' Attitudes And Beliefs About The Inclusion Of Students With Severe Disabilities, Pamela Pruitt Garriott Ph.D., Lynne Snyder Ph.D., Lilly Tennant Ph.D., Ravic Ringlaben Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes and beliefs of preservice teachers concerning inclusive education for students with severe disabilities. Individual interviews were conducted with 35 preservice teachers to determine their attitudes and beliefs concerning inclusion of students with severe disabilities and to examine the factors that influenced these attitudes and beliefs. Following qualitative data analysis procedures, findings indicated that the preservice teachers were relatively evenly divided on their opinions about where students with severe disabilities should receive educational services. The most significant finding of this study was that the preservice teachers attributed the underlying basis of …

Poems By David Keiser, David Keiser

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

A collection of six poems by David Keiser: The Possibilities of Eggs, American Disability, Energetic Elizabeth, No Notebook, Ugly Blues, and Principal Poem.

The Representation Of African American Students In Programs For The Mild Mentally Retarded, Peter Laurance Gennaro

Theses Digitization Project

For more than thirty years, it has been acknowledged that African American students have been over-represented in programs designed for individuals with mild mental retardation (MMR). This project was designed to explore the history and literature of the research that has been conducted on this subject over the past three decades. Additionally, this project was undertaken to determine if over-representation of African American students in programs for the mild mentally retarded is a condition that exists in Riverside County, California.

Attention Deficit Disorder: Are Schools And Physicians Working Together?, Paul Koulouris

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Over the past twenty years, the existence of Attention Deficit Disorder has been documented through hundreds of scientific studies. Schools play a vital role in the early in the early identification of children which ADHD and, in many cases; school personnel coordinate efforts among teachers, parents, physicians, and community resources in the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with ADHD (Sloan, Jensen & Hoagwood, 1999). In their research, (Satterfield and Cantwell 1981) viewed the classroom teacher as the major determining factor in whether a student with ADHD succeeds or fails in the classroom.

Despite the documented importance of close …

Welcome, Patricia R. Renick Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Welcome to the 8th edition of The Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education. This edition has an international flavor because we welcome two articles written by authors in New South Wales Australia and Japan. This edition ends with a book review and some wonderful poetry concerning individuals with disabilities. The issues concerning inclusive education continue to challenge professionals and excite interest and efforts in a growing body of literature concerning these efforts.

Dr. Fara M. Goulas, Dr. Lula J. Henry and Dr. Kimberly Griffith collaborated to produce a research piece concerning Making inclusion work in rural school system. Their writing addresses …

Inclusion Versus Institutionalization: Japan’S Educational Challenge, Leonardo P. Jimenez, Toshiro Ochiai Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Japan has been undergoing educational reforms as social changes continually spur especially with the advent of globalization. With special needs children in its populace, the country lays down its own educational paradigm. This aims to discuss the two scenarios in the Japanese educational system, the inclusion and the institutionalization, which serve as answers to the schooling dilemma of children with disabilities. Inclusion is a confusing issue since it is not explicitly stated in the nation’s public education rulings but in practice, there is inclusion. On the other hand, institutionalization is aptly considered concrete as it is seen in segregated environment …

Illusion Or Reality? Policy And Process In South African Education, Loshini Naidoo Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

This paper examines the current African National Congress education policy in South Africa using a methodological tool derived from critical theory (Jay, 1973; Wellmer, 1971; O’Neill, 1977; Held, 1980; Guess, 1981; Roderick, 1986; Kellner, 1989; McCarthy, 1978, 1991) since it has an emancipatory rather than a manipulative interest in critical inquiry. While much has been written on South African educational policy after the African National Congress victory in 1994, (African National Congress, 1994a; African National Congress, 1994b; Asmal and James, 2001; Carrim, 1998; Chisholm and Fine, 1994; Council on Higher Education, 2000a, 2000b; Department of Education, 1997; Maharaj, 1999; National …

Signs And Symptoms Of A Stressed System: How To Recognize And Address Child Maltreatment In The Home, Andrea L. Rotzien Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The fact that the disabled are at high risk for maltreatment is well documented (Goldson, 1998; Sullivan & Knutson, 2000; Zeanah & Hamilton, 1998). Reynolds (2001) reported that 39-68% of girls and 16-30% of boys with developmental disabilities would be abused by the age of 18. Westcott and Jones (1999) note that identification, assessment, and prevention is complicated by the communication deficits of this population, their dependency on others, and a tendency for professionals to not report abuse. Thus, it is imperative that professionals understand the risks for abuse and maltreatment in this population. The risks factors and signs of …

Exploration Of Vr Acceptance And Ethnicity: A National Investigation, Keith B. Wilson Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The reported study examined whether African Americans, European Americans, Native Americans/Alaskan Natives, and Asians/Pacific Islanders with disabilities would differ in their rates of vocational rehabilitation (VR) acceptance in the United States. The test statistic revealed that a significant difference existed regarding ethnicity and VR acceptance. Moreover, a small but significant association emerged between ethnicity and VR acceptance (Cramer’s V = .023). The results revealed that in the United States, European Americans are more likely to be accepted for VR services than are African Americans. The author discusses possible barriers to VR acceptance for underserved and underrepresented groups in the United …