Special Education, Foundations and Research
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Item Open Access Updating the Secondary Transition Research Base: Evidence - and Research - Based Practices in Functional Skills(2021) Owens, Tosha L.; Rowe, Dawn A.; Mazzotti, Valerie L.; Fowler, Catherine H.; Test, David W.; Mitchell, Vickie J.; Clark, Kelly A.; Holzberg, Debra; Rusher, Dana; Seaman-Tullis, Rachel L.; Gushanas, Christina M.; Castle, Hannah; Chang, Wen-Hsuan; Voggt, Ashley; Kwiatek, Stephen; Dean, CatieItem Open Access Incidental factors related to stuttering(East Carolina University) Edwards, Alyce ErwinItem Restricted The North Carolina alternate assessment portfolio : how does it influence instructional practices for students with significant disabilities?(East Carolina University) Smith, Julie ElizabethItem Restricted Transition to college : necessary issues and considerations for students with learning disabilities(East Carolina University) Palumbo, Jennifer L.Item Restricted Infusing assistive technology into instruction : a teaching program for teacher candidates(East Carolina University) Myrick, Katheryne RhysItem Restricted The effects of tactile choices on the behavior of a child with autism(East Carolina College) McKinney, Christle DowdyItem Restricted Assessing creativity in preschool handicapped children(East Carolina University) Massingill-Goldstein, Tammy S.Item Restricted The effects of separate public schooling on parent perceptions of inclusive educational practices(East Carolina University) Mak, Dawn J.Item Open Access Rehabilitation counselors' ratings of the degree of handicap of speech disorders(East Carolina University) Sheldon, Sandra McClendonItem Open Access TEACHER AS RESEARCHER: A CASE STUDY ON MULTIMODAL COMMUNICATION INTERVENTION IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSROOM(2014) Engeman, Katherine S.Functional communication has always been a challenge for individuals with severe intellectual disabilities and speech and language impairments, yet it is one of the most important aspects of our daily life as humans. It is what we use to convey our most basic wants and needs, transfer information, and interact socially with one another. Communication systems increase student independence which in turn decreases the amount of behavioral problems, mainly tantrums and self-injurious behaviors, which are usually present when students do not have an effective mode of communication (Sigafoos, Arthur-Kelly, &Butterfield, 2006). In the past few decades, great strides have been made in improving the communication opportunities for individuals with communication barriers and their communication partners. There has been an increase in popularity of both high tech and low-tech augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices, which give these individuals an effective mode of communication. These can be anything from a picture card exchange to request an item, to a high tech digitized speech device with dynamic screen displays. This is a case study about the implementation of a multi-modal communication system and it's effect on an individual learner's expressive speech. The study is designed as action research done by a teacher in a special education classroom. Data is collected during communication activities, which are embedded into academic instruction and during the creation of contrived situations that facilitate the development of the learner's communicative skills. This paper presents Action Research as a viable and practical research methodology by chronicling one special educator's experience in implementing an action research study.Item Open Access Tactile self monitoring of attention to decrease off-task behavior of adolescents with intellectual disabilities and autism(East Carolina University, 2012) Root, JennyThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of tactile self monitoring of attention on off task behavior by students with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism in the self contained setting during independent tasks. Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism demonstrate significant deficits in self management as demonstrated by off task behavior. The participants of the study were three public middle school students ages 12-13 with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism who receive all academic instruction in a special education classroom. The participants all displayed significant amounts of off-task behavior during baseline, including getting out of their seats, talking with or interrupting others, looking around the classroom at items not related to the task, not working on assigned tasks, engaging in bodily movements unrelated to or interfering with the assigned task or using materials for purposes other than completing the assigned task. A tactile self monitoring intervention was implemented using a multiple baseline design across three tasks. The independent tasks included reading, math, and vocational activities. The tactile self monitoring of attention was successful in decreasing the amount of time spent off task during independent work activities.Item Open Access Universal Design for Learning : Access to the General Curriculum for Students with Severe Cognitive Disabilities(East Carolina University, 2011) Strickland, AnnaStudents with significant cognitive disabilities need to have access to the general curriculum. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 have made provisions to ensure that all students have the opportunity to participate and progress in the general curriculum, including students with significant cognitive disabilities. One way to promote access to the general curriculum for students with significant cognitive disabilities is through Universal Design for Learning(UDL). The research design for this study was a single-subject design using an ABA approach with both quantitative and qualitative components. This study used the Universal Design for Learning principle of representation specially graphic supports to promote access to the general curriculum for students with significant cognitive disabilities. The study took place in a seventh grade regular education English language arts classroom. The participants in the study include one regular education teacher, one Intellectually Disabled Moderate student, and three Intellectually Disabled Severe students. Data collection was done through a pre and post assessment with the teacher participant, task analysis of the instruction, and student engagement recording chart. This study provides both general and special education teachers with knowledge on how to implement UDL and how to effectively collaborate with one another to ensure access and success to all students.Item Restricted Will pacing guides paired with professional development increase the grade appropriate core curriculum content taught to students with significant challenges in Pitt County?(East Carolina University, 2011) Stepps, Erica SherrodResearch suggests "general education classrooms" promote progress for students with severe disabilities (Wehmeyer, 2006, pp. 323). However, most students with significant challenges, which is the more appropriate term used to refer to students with severe cognitive impairments and multiple impairments, continue to be educated in substantially separate classrooms, which further limits their access to the general curriculum among many other features of an education provided in the least restrictive environment. The information sought from this study was to determine if the implementation of Pitt County's pacing guides paired with professional development would increase the grade appropriate core curriculum content taught to students with significant challenges in Pitt County. The lack of current research on approaches to improving teachers' capacity to ensure that students with significant challenges are taught general curriculum content drove the interest and potential findings of this study. A new Low-Incidence Instructional Coach process was implemented with all low-incidence teachers. As part of this process, lesson plans were collected before and after the implementation of pacing guides and professional development. The purpose of the lesson plan analysis was to study what core curriculum content was being taught in these classrooms. The pacing guides are a tool that suggests a sequence that teachers could use to teach core curriculum content in their classrooms throughout the school year. The study examined baseline lesson plans collected at the beginning of the Low-Incidence Instructional Coach process and the lesson plans collected after the pacing guides had been implemented. There was hope that the tool, training, and continuous coaching (Low-Incidence Instructional Coach process) would help the teachers enhance the education of students with significant challenges.Item Open Access Effect of Contracts in Decreasing Inappropriate Behavior of Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities(East Carolina University, 2011) Cutrell, BrandyStudents with emotional and behavioral disabilities (EBD) often demonstrate inappropriate behaviors in the classroom and these behaviors have shown to predict poor academic achievement, rejection from peers, and an increased chance of a student dropping out of school (Wilkinson, 2005). The purpose of this research was to investigate the use of behavior contracts to decrease the inappropriate behaviors of students with EBD in their middle school classrooms. Three male 7th and 8th grade students who have been school-identified with EBD and exhibit inappropriate behaviors in their general education classrooms were identified to participate in this research. A multiple baseline across participant design was used to implement behavior contracts for one inappropriate behavior for each participant. Using the behavior contracts, all three students demonstrated a decrease in their targeted inappropriate behavior. Behavior contracts were seen to be a very effective and an easy to use intervention for these three students. These results suggest that behavior contracts can be used with EBD students as a tool to allow their successful inclusion in the general education classroom without disrupting the learning environment.Item Open Access Relationship Between Test Performance of Students with Learning Disabilities and the Poverty Levels of Their Schools(East Carolina University, 2010) Dingle, Shannon SaundersThe purpose of this causal-comparative study was to explore the relationship between the achievement of students with learning disabilities (LD) and the socioeconomic make-up of their schools. The research was guided by the following question: Does a relationship exist between the academic performance of students with LD and the socioeconomic distribution of students (a) at their schools and (b) in their district? The data analyzed were from two urban school districts in the same Southeastern state. The dependent variable was the passing rate (as defined by a proficient score of level III or higher) on EOG tests for students with LD, using the database found at http://report.ncsu.edu/ncpublicschools/. The independent variables were (a) poverty levels of schools in each district studied and (b) student assignment practices for all students at two large districts, labeled Distributed District and Neighborhood District for the purposes of this research. At the district level, the difference between the average passing rate of students with LD in grades three through eight in the two districts was 9.95% (p=0.001) in math and 8.95% (p=0.0003) in reading, with higher performance in both subjects from the Distributed District which had fewer high-poverty schools as a result of their student assignment plan. At the school level in the Distributed District, the difference between the performance of the group of students with LD in high-poverty schools and low-poverty school was 18.90% in reading (p=0.0005) and 7.37% in math (p=0.36, which is the one finding that was not statistically significant). For the Neighborhood District, the difference between high-poverty and low-poverty schools was 24.10% for reading (p=0.001) and 34.37% for math (p=0.005). In each case, students with LD in the low-poverty schools outperformed their peers at higher poverty schools. As a causal-comparative study that did not control for all possible variables, the scope of these findings is limited. However, due to the lack of current research comparing the performance of students with LD and the poverty levels at their schools, these findings do indicate a need for additional research in this area. The results also can be used to help teachers understand the challenges that may face their students with LD in high-poverty schools.Item Open Access The Questions of High School Students with Learning Disabilities About Attending College(East Carolina University, 2009) Bouck, Christine L. BarkerStudents with learning disabilities currently comprise the largest number of students with disabilities in the public schools. Despite this, very few of them go on to attend a four-year postsecondary institution. Because the numbers of students with learning disabilities in both the public schools and colleges are increasing, it is important to research effective methods of support for this population. However, in the past there has been little research done in this area. The purpose of this study was to examine the questions about college asked by high school students with learning disabilities of current college students with learning disabilities. Junior-level high school students in college preparatory curriculum assistance classes were asked to participate in this study. The questions asked by these high school students helped demonstrate the need for more direct transition support and education prior to high school graduation. The information gathered from this study can be used by high school and college personnel working with students with learning disabilities to develop curriculums and transition materials to help facilitate this change.