Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Putting Quality Functional Assessment Into Practice In Schools: A Research Agenda On Behalf Of E/Bd Students, Mary M. Quinn, Robert A. Gable, Jim Fox, Robert B. Rutheford Jr., Richard Van Acker, Maureen Conroy

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

The discipline provisions of the IDEA place emphasis on gaining an understanding of why the student is motivated to engage in problem behavior and to consider, when appropriate, positive behavioral interventions, strategies, and supports to address the behavior. These legislative mandates bring center stage a range of new duties and responsibilities for the IEP team. This article discusses the problems that school divisions across the country are encountering when implementing these requirements and recommends a course of research to address these issues.

Preschool Handicapped Transition Plans And Family Centeredness: A Policy Analysis, Dana Ann Swarts

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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General Education And Learning Disabled High School Student Ratings Of Teacher Effectiveness, Kathleen W. Monks

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Early Childhood Special Educators' Perceived Effectiveness And Use Of Behavioral Strategies Used With Challenging Behavior, Naomi Janet Lukomski

Masters Theses

The increased number of young children with disabilities exhibiting challenging behavior and the negative effects that these challenging behaviors can have on early childhood special educators and the children indicate the need for a careful examination of strategies currently implemented by early childhood special educators. This study surveyed the perceptions of 154 early childhood special educators in the State of Illinois specific to their perceived use and effectiveness of six strategies. The strategies included; positive reinforcement, communication training, time-out, adjustments to the classroom environment, response cost, and medication. Results suggested that early childhood special educators are currently implementing best practice. …

Two Instructional Approaches - The Electric Maze And The Direct Instructional Model-For Teaching At- Risk Kindergarten Students Alphabet Letter Names, Sherry Marie Jack

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This paper compares the effectiveness of two instructional approaches for teaching the names of alphabet letters to 5 and 6 year-old elementary students who were at risk for academic failure. The literature review examines investigations which had previously addressed the direct instructional model and parameters of active learning. In this context, a variety of perspectives regarding active learning are reviewed followed by a finer examination of self-corrective materials which was a unique component of the active learning paradigm used in this investigation. Nine (N = 9) elementary children were taught the names of five randomly chosen letters (upper and lower …

Evaluation Of A Distance Learning Program For The Preparation Of Special Education Teachers, Tami Seifert

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The primary purpose of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of the distance learning Commonwealth Special Education Endorsement Program (CSEEP) delivered by Old Dominion University. The CSEEP program was designed to address economic and geographic barriers confronting teachers seeking to complete requirements for endorsement in special education, improve the quality of education teachers, help reduce the shortage of fully licensed special education teachers, and increase teacher retention in special education.

This evaluation was designed to assess program results, examine the effectiveness of the program, and determine the impact on both the participants and the schools, and identify ways to …

Increasing Social Interactions With Peers In A Preschool Boy With Autism: The Effects Of A Package Intervention, Annette Marie Hyde

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The social and communication skills of children with autism have been a focus of considerable attention over the past 25 years. Research has produced a wealth of strategies to increase these social skills, including joint action routines, peer mediation and social skills training, affection activities, and incidental teaching. The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the effects of a package intervention on the social interactions of a five-year-old boy with autism. A multiple baseline design was used to examine this package intervention consisting of structured play activities, teacher involvement with the children, training in joint action routines and …

What Researchers Are Publishing And What Parents Are Implementing: Current Interventions For Autism, Barrie Tripp

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

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Special Educators As Coaches To Support Paraprofessional Implementation Of Functional Communication Training, Virginia L. Walker, Megan E. Carpenter, Amy Clausen, Katherine Ealer, Kristin J. Lyon

Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of special educators’ delivery of training that included an initial training session and follow-up coaching on paraprofessional implementation of an evidence-based practice for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Three special educators each trained a paraprofessional in their classroom to implement functional communication training (FCT) to address the challenging behavior of a student with ASD. The training procedures incorporated the following aspects of behavioral skills training: instruction, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback. Training from special educators resulted in high levels of paraprofessional FCT implementation that maintained over time for two paraprofessionals. …

A Comparative Analysis Of Teachers', Caucasian Parents', And Hispanic Parents' Views Of Problematic School Survival Behaviors, Lisa Aaroe, J. Ron Nelson

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Scholars have asserted that the misclassification of culturally diverse students in programs for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) may be attributable, at least in part, to the mismatch between the behavioral expectations present in the students' home environments and those prevalent within schools. A preliminary study was conducted to explore whether Caucasian and Hispanic parents' views of negative classroom and interpersonal school survival behaviors were consistent with one another and with those of general and special education teachers. Overall, the results suggest that parents (Caucasian and Hispanic) generally hold similar views regarding the extent to which it was …

The Prevalence-Based Need For Adapted Physical Education Teachers In The United States, Jiabei Zhang

Human Performance and Health Education Faculty Research

The purpose was to develop a method for projecting the need for adapted physical education (APE) teachers in the public schools in the United States. This method was derived from a prevalence-based model---dividing the nurn- ber of APE students enrolled by the APE student-teacher ratio and then sub- tracting the number of APE teachers hired. This model used the findings of Kelly and Gansneder (1998) that (a) 4% of the school population required APE services and (b) the overall national APE student-teacher ratio was 104: 1. The results revealed a need for 22,116 additional APE teachers nationwide as well as …

Insight For Today And Tomorrow: The World Of Special Education, Tara Niego-Saltzman

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

These pages address the origin of disabilities and technologies impact on special education. The future of technology in special education, specific learning disabilities, common disorders, recommended computer software, and a directory of professional job opportunities related to special education will be addressed. With all these things in mind, this will be a guide to shape our perceptions and insights, regarding the world of special education and the exceptional child.

The Effects Of Participation In Athletics On The Development Of High School Students With Special Needs, Derryk Sellers

Theses and Dissertations

This study looked at the effects of participation in athletics on the development of high school students with special needs. Specifically, this study examined classroom behavior, academic performance, and social development. This study also explored some of the aspects of the development of these students by studying classroom behavior, academic performance, and academic achievement. Students with special needs who participate in athletics were compared to those who do not participate. The results of this study suggest that athletics are beneficial to the development of the special needs students. This study will help administrators, teachers, parents, and students understand the role …

The Effect Of Educational Placement On Self-Concept, Karin Dech Pescatore

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine self-concept of students from different placement settings. Academic, social, and general self-concepts were considered. Subjects were chosen from four placement settings: regular education classroom, basic skills instruction (BSI), resource room instruction, and self-contained special education classroom. A sample size of forty-eight students from grades five and six was used. Data was collected through the use of a self-concept scale as well as several student interviews. Data was recorded and analyzed on a computer using the StatView program. Mean scores and standard deviations were compared to determine differences in self-concept scores among the …

The Effectiveness Of The "Making Words" Program On Reading Decoding, Mandy E. Fisher

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the Making Words Program when incorporated into the whole language curriculum will help children with special needs improve their reading decoding. Meaningful growth on reliable instruments would indicate a possible correlation between the use of the Making Words Program and reading decoding development.

The study consisted of five second grade students ranging in age from 7 years to 8 years. All students were given instruction through a whole language based approach in addition to the Making Words Program. The treatment program consisted of one session per week for a duration of …

The Effects Of Peer-Tutoring Learning Disabled Students In A Resource Center Setting On Generalization Of Skills, Patricia L. Grieves

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of peer tutoring on the comprehension of science vocabulary and terms and determine if those study skills methods taught would generalize to the studying of social studies vocabulary and terms. A cross-age peer tutoring program pairing seven seventh grade learning disabled students with seven eighth grade regular education tutors was used. Tutors worked with tutees for an eight week program tutoring in science vocabulary and terms through two study skills methods, Self-testing Techniques and Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review. Two methods were used to determine results. The first was a …

Participation Of Special Education Students In Extracurricular Activities: Motivation And Effects On Academic Performance And Social Skills, Carolynn J. Cassaday

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines special education students' participation in extracurricular activities. This study involves 40 special education students in seventh and eighth grades. Each student was interviewed individually during one class period to answer a survey to determine their participation rate in extracurricular activities inside and outside of school. Their responses were recorded and analyzed to determine the rate of participation in extracurricular activities. The students were interviewed again during a forty-two minute class period to determine if they demonstrate appropriate social skills. These questions were answered with always, sometimes, or never. The results of this research study showed no significant …

The Effectiveness Of A Social Skills Program Used With Children With Learning Disabilities, Sandra L. Dalton

Theses and Dissertations

This research study investigated the effectiveness of a social skills program both inside and outside of the classroom. Its purpose was to see of positive behaviors increased and negative behaviors decreased both inside and outside of the classroom. The results showed that overall, for the class, positive behaviors increased and negative behaviors decreased. Individual results varied. The implications of this are great. If we teach our students with learning disabilities the necessary social skills now, they will be able to take these skills outside of the school setting and successfully integrate into society.

Family Support Of Emergent Literacy In Students With Moderate And Severe Cognitive Delays, Dianna M. Higgins

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to explore family support of emergent literacy of students with moderate and severe cognitive delays. The research question addressed was "Does family support of emergent literacy differ on the basis of the severity of the student's cognitive delay?" Data were gathered by means of a parent survey of home literacy experiences.

Research showed that students with moderate cognitive delays participated in more emergent literacy activities and exhibited higher level responses to emergent literacy activities than students with severe cognitive delays, and the parents of moderately delayed students perceived more academically oriented benefits to home literacy activities. Results …

Perceptions And Knowledge Of The General Education Teacher's Role In The Iep Process, Sarah Jane Vandruff

Theses & Honors Papers

The perceptions and knowledge of general education teachers on their role in the IEP process were investigated. The literature suggests that the perceptions of teachers are influenced by many factors. The three main factors influencing teacher perceptions include: a) teacher training and staff support, b) the presence of an effective inclusion program, and c) the time available for the teacher to participate to his/her fullest potential. Teachers in Virginia have the training needed. However, teachers lack the presence of an effective inclusion program ad the time needed to collaborate and fully participate.

Incorporating The Wilson Reading System Into A First Grade Reading Curriculum, Barbara Colton

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the ability of the Wilson Reading System, when incorporated into a regular education inclusion classroom curriculum, to support the reading needs of all learners, particularly special needs students. Subjects for this study were first grade students from two regular education classrooms. The experimental classroom was an inclusion setting containing two students eligible for special education and related services, and two students supported with basic skills for reading. The control classroom had one student supported in basic skills for reading. Results reveal that students in the inclusion or experimental classroom provided with supplemental …

Sources Of Homework Modifications For General Education Teachers Teaching Mainstreamed Students, Amanda Brooke Sterling Slater

Theses & Honors Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine the sources of homework modifications made by general education teachers for special education students in their classes. A survey questionnaire was sent to 106 middle and high school teachers in the Spring of 2000. The questionnaire asked about the ways that teachers decided on modifications in the area of homework. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and t tests to determine statistical significance. Results indicated that teachers often do not feel adequately trained to make modifications and that modifications for homework may not be included in the Individualized Educational Program. In order …

A Meta-Analysis Of Paraprofessional-Delivered Interventions To Address Challenging Behavior Among Students With Disabilities, Virginia L. Walker, Megan E. Carpenter, Kristin J. Lyon, Lindsey Button

Publications

Paraprofessionals report spending a substantial amount of time addressing challenging behavior in a range of school environments, yet identify behavioral intervention as a high-priority training area. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to systematically review and summarize single-case intervention studies involving paraprofessional-delivered behavioral interventions for students with disabilities. Descriptive findings suggest that, among the reviewed studies, paraprofessionals primarily provided behavioral support to students with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, and multiple disabilities who engage in a wide range of challenging behaviors in both inclusive and noninclusive school environments. Overall, training largely was delivered by researchers and resulted in positive paraprofessional …

The Effects Of Structured One-On-One Tutoring In Sight Word Recognition Of First-Grade Students At-Risk For Reading Failure, Laureen Goers Mayfield

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an alternative reading program on the performance of at-risk first graders. Sixty first graders from three north Louisiana public elementary schools with high poverty rates, who were determined by their teachers and principals to be functioning in the bottom 20 to 30% of first grade reading students, were purposefully selected. Students were pretested on three subtests of the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test-Revised (WRMT-R), Form G: Letter Identification, Word Identification, and Word Attack. Participants were randomly assigned to either a control or an experimental group. Experimental group students received 15 …

Research To Practice: Building A Future: Working With The Post-High School Expectations Of Students & Parents, Jennifer Schuster, Steven Graham, Mairead Moloney

Research to Practice Series, Institute for Community Inclusion

This brief examined the circumstances that accompany high expectations for the future for Massachusetts high school students who receive special education services and their parents. Includes recommendations on how to build and fulfill students' goals for adulthood.

Effect Of Adult Attachment On The Resiliency Of Youth In Behavior Disordered Classrooms, Rachel R. Henson

Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect that adult attachment has on the resiliency of at-risk youth . The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment was revised to measure the degree of attachment to a significant adult and was administered along with the Children' s Resiliency Attitudes Scale to students in behavior disordered classrooms (n = 41). The assessments were given during one class period in six behavior disordered classrooms at one school. The results found that those students who feel strong attachments to at least one adult were also more resilient and able to deal with …

Special Education Due Process: Hearing Officer Background And Case Variable Effects On Decisions Outcomes, Geoffrey F. Schultz, Joseph R. Mckinney

Brigham Young University Education and Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Physiologic Development Of Speech Motor Control: Lip And Jaw Coordination, Jordan R. Green, Christopher A. Moore, Masahiko Higashikawa, Roger W. Steeve

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

This investigation was designed to describe the development of lip and jaw coordination during speech and to evaluate the potential influence of speech motor development on phonologic development. Productions of syllables containing bilabial consonants were observed from speakers in four age groups (i.e., 1-year-olds, 2-year-olds, 6-year-olds, and young adults). A video-based movement tracking system was used to transduce movement of the upper lip, lower lip, and jaw. The coordinative organization of these articulatory gestures was shown to change dramatically during the first several years of life and to continue to undergo refinement past age 6. The present results are consistent …

Class Document, Michele Wheatly Ph.D., Timothy Wood, Patricia R. Renick Ph.D., Jeffrey A. Vernooy

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

The purpose of this short communication is to inform readers of the journal about an innovative NSF funded project at Wright State University aimed at "Creating Laboratory Access for Students in Science", commonly referred to as the "CLASS Project". The project, now in its second year and under the leadership of Michele Wheatly (Chair of Biological Sciences), represents a collaboration between academic units (Tim Wood, Biological Sciences and Patricia Renick, Teacher Education) and student services (Jeff Vernooy, Director of Office of Disability Services).

Individuals with physical disabilities are significantly underrepresented in mainstream science. Until recently the enterprise of science has …

Variables And Risk Factors In Day Care Settings, Ruth B. Schumacher Ph.D., Rebecca S. Carlson B.M.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Objective: This article was developed to identify the variables associated with abuse of children in day care centers and homes, and to specify risk factors to guide professionals and parents.

Method: The literature regarding child abuse [physical (PA), sexual (SA), and ritual (RA)] was reviewed, with emphasis on identification of variables associated with victims, perpetrators, and settings. Three factors increased the complexity of the review: (1) Differences in definition and categorization complicated study comparison. (2) Emotional tone affected some reviewers' definitions, methodology, and conclusions. (3) Some aspects of child abuse in day care homes and centers have not been well …