<p>Throughout the history of Catholic schools in Los Angeles, the mission of Catholic schools and the Archdiocese governing its schools has been clear: Catholic schools must strive to serve children with varied learning needs. However, despite calls for inclusion from the Vatican, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and efforts from trained administrators and professionals to help facilitate inclusion in schools, Catholic inclusive programs are not able to include all learners. </p><p> Using qualitative research with semi-structured interviews, focus group, and document review, this study uses the framework of ableism and disability studies to research and analyze the two questions regarding inclusive practices in one Catholic elementary school that has had a program running for five years. The research questions are as follows: 1) What are St. Mary teachers' beliefs, experiences, and perceptions about disability and inclusive education? 2) What do St. Mary teachers and administrators think are the best ways to foster acceptance of inclusive education in the school? </p><p> Despite the fact that Catholic educators recognize that Catholic schools, as a matter of social justice, should be teaching all children, it is challenging and frustrating for them. Due to a lack of resources and support, limited exposure and experience of people with disabilities, and technical special education training, even the most dedicated, talented, and sympathetic Catholic educators wanting to serve children with special needs have difficulty doing so. Reasons relating to inconsistent teacher training, beliefs and experiences that students with special needs are "trouble," limited resources, and teachers' perceptions of fairness, time, and equity, all contribute to teachers' frustration and limitations when including learners with special needs in their classrooms. </p><p> The significance of this research study lies in documenting a Catholic school's experience of developing, evolving, and establishing a working model of an inclusion program in one Los Angeles Catholic elementary school. To this end, this study provides larger contextual data to those in similar Catholic school settings across America about Catholic teacher training and the implementation of inclusive practices in Catholic schools. Also, this study hopes to further the discussion in the field of Catholic education about the right(s) of all Catholic children, regardless of ability, to a Catholic education, since, according to the Vatican, that it is a matter of human dignity that they receive a spiritual and emotional education as well as one that is appropriately academic. </p>

<p> This research postulated that the cognitive impairments characteristic of students with high-functioning autism can be associated with specific types of reading comprehension difficulties. Descriptive data was collected from two case studies of adolescent students who were diagnosed with high-functioning autism. The researcher employed interactive questioning techniques, based on task-analysis theory, to develop hypotheses on the types of cognitive impairments that might be causing the participants in the study to experience reading comprehension difficulties. Based on these hypothesized associations between cognitive impairments and specific incidences of reading comprehension problems, the researcher selected and employed targeted reading comprehension interventions. Descriptive results suggest that incremental improvements in reading comprehension and expressive language occurred for the case-study participants.</p><p> <b>Keywords:</b> autism, high-functioning autism, reading comprehension, task analysis</p>

<p> Full inclusion of a student with disabilities in the general education setting has the potential to positively influence both students with special needs as well as their typical developing peers. One strategy to aide in this effort is the use of an ability awareness program to increase understanding and relatability amongst all students. This study will look at the effectiveness of an ability awareness program to evoke change in the attitudes of elementary school children towards their peers with disabilities. </p><p> The study consists of second grade students (<i>n</i> = 46), third grade students (<i>n</i> = 15), and observations of first through third grade students with autism (<i>n</i> = 8). Students' attitudes were measured through the use of an attitudinal questionnaire before and after the program. Qualitative data was collected through observation to document the frequency and duration of interactions between general education students and students with autism.</p>

<p> To explore the correlation between teacher frustration tolerance and discipline incidents among general and special education students, 38 teachers were asked to complete two surveys; 18 teachers responded. Teachers completed the Munich Personality Test with its measure of general frustration tolerance, plus a survey designed for this study of frustration tolerance for special education students. Results demonstrated negative correlations between teachers' general frustration tolerance and numbers of student discipline incidents among both general and special education children. Results indicated that teachers' frustration tolerance for special education students was highly correlated with student discipline incidents among special education students, suggesting that frustration tolerance for special education children is a separate construct from general frustration tolerance, and this it may be successfully measured by the instrument developed for this study. Results also indicated that teachers found specific disabilities to be more frustrating than others and that frustration tolerance of certain disabilities may predict numbers of discipline incidents for these children. Nevertheless, the direction of the correlation was the inverse of what was expected, with teachers having the greatest frustration tolerance for special education students also evidencing the greatest numbers of discipline incidents among these students. Among several explanations considered, it is suggested that the school administrator in the facility where this study occurred was aware of teachers' with high levels of frustration tolerance for special education students and thus assigned the most difficult students to these teachers, leading these teachers to have the greatest number of associated discipline incidents among special education students. Nevertheless, the ability to measure frustration tolerance specific to special education students can be a useful metric in teacher selection and student placement within other contexts where teachers' frustration tolerance is not well known to administrators. With this metric, school administrators may be better able to design behavior plans and train teachers to teach special education students successfully.</p>

<p>The purpose of this eleventh grade Advanced Placement (AP) program study was to determine factors associated with AP placement and subsequent student performance. This research was considered to be a mixed methods case study with elements of arrested action research. One hundred and twenty-four students, four guidance counselors, three AP teachers, and one administrator provided information used to determine if a problem existed in terms of the influx of students into the AP program without a comprehensive set of research-based supports designed to assist struggling students. Student data included instrument measures, structured written response questions, and secondary source information which was obtained from 124 eleventh grade students in 11 different AP classes between these two comprehensive high-schools in this district. Secondary source data was used to gauge academic ability and preparedness which included collecting: Preliminary Standardized Achievement Test (PSAT) scores, cumulative Grade Point Averages (GPAs), AP final class grades, and AP exam scores. All 124 students also completed three self-report measures designed to gauge test anxiety, academic locus of control, and executive functioning. These students also wrote brief responses to five structured written response questions that were aligned to the self-report measures. Four counselors, three AP teachers, and one administrator were interviewed to better understand their views concerning current AP placement practices and strategies used to support academically at-risk and traditionally underserved students. The analyzed data was then used to create a Professional Development (PD) Module inclusive of feasible and low-cost strategies to improve AP grades and exam scores. This PD Module was subsequently implemented for a short duration in three AP classrooms as the first cycle in an action research project. The three AP teachers were then interviewed in order to garner feedback and ideas on how to improve this PD Module. </p><p> <i>Keywords:</i> Advanced Placement (AP), Preliminary Standardized Achievement Test (PSAT), cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA), test-anxiety, academic locus of control, executive functioning, case study, arrested action research, mixed methods, Professional Development (PD) </p>

<p>Keywords: special education directors, workload, job satisfaction, special education administration </p><p> The purpose of this mixed methods research study was to investigate employee characteristics, workload, and job satisfaction of special education directors employed by local education agencies in North Carolina (N=115). This study illuminates the complex nature of this leadership role and identifies factors influencing the job satisfaction among this population of special education directors. While these leaders have many years of experience in public education, the majority report fewer than five years of experience in special education administration. Findings identified these administrators have an immense workload that often requires reporting to work early, staying late, and/or working on weekends to fulfill job duties. While findings showed these leaders derive satisfaction when they apply strategic and instructional leadership, collaborate with stakeholders, and put forth efforts to improve outcomes for children with disabilities, this group has ambivalence toward their jobs. Areas of greatest dissatisfaction with regard to special education administration included demands from the state and local education agency, scarcity of resources, addressing conflict, and inadequate salaries. Findings of this study support earlier studies in that special education administration is inundated with turnover. Attrition is likely to continue until state and local education agencies take steps to improve the working conditions of special education administrators. </p>

<p> Attrition of special education teachers is a national problem resulting in lost monetary resources, school climate discontinuity, and lower student achievement. Within a small, rural district in southern Indiana, special education teacher attrition has risen since 2008 and continues to rise. District administrators want to retain teachers to ensure a continuity of instructional services for students with special needs. To explore this problem, an intrinsic qualitative case study was employed, guided by a research question that investigated the factors that special education teachers and administrators perceived as influencing special educators' career decisions. Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory and Billingsley's schematic representation of special education attrition and retention comprised the conceptual framework. Data collection included one-on-one semistructured interviews with 7 teachers and 5 administrators and teacher retention documents. Data analysis involved in vivo coding and an inductive process to collapse data into the 3 following themes: (a) daily challenges, (b) retention factors, (c) transfer or leaving factors. A project arose from the study. Using salient interview data, a professional development plan was designed to address teachers' needs of relevant professional development (PD) and collaboration. The PD plan will establish a professional learning community and utilizes free evidence-based online training modules to support reading comprehension of students with special needs. Positive social change may result from improvements in PD support provided by the district to retain its special education teachers, resulting in greater continuity of instruction for students with special needs who depend on high quality, experienced educators.</p>

<p> The purpose of this project was to write a grant proposal for the design and implementation of a resource support program that would serve as extra support for low- income Latino parents of newly diagnosed preschoolers. Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face multiple challenges. These challenges include limited access to screenings for ASD, language barriers, lack of information, awareness, community support, and resources due to low social economic status and mental health issues. The major components of the proposed program are to provide outreach, psycho education, and link parents to resources in the community. Santa Ana Unified School District's Mitchell Child Development Center which is located in the city of Santa Ana, California will be the host agency. The actual submission and/or funding for this grant were not requirements for the successful completion of this project.</p>

<p> Purpose: The purpose of this causal-comparative research mixed methods study is to identify the SE teacher leadership skills that SE teachers and SE paraeducators perceive are most important to SDC team effectiveness in secondary special education programs that serve students with moderate to severe disabilities. </p><p> Methodology: A causal-comparative mixed methods study was conducted to identify the SE teacher leadership skills that SE teachers and SE paraeducators perceive are most important to SDC team effectiveness. A sequential exploratory design demonstrating the emphasis on the quantitative section of the study prior to examining relationships between the findings of the qualitative data was implemented. A descriptive survey was distributed among two school districts in Riverside County, and individual interviews also took place. </p><p> Findings: Special educators believe visionary leadership, professionalism, and maintaining integrity are key skills special education teacher leaders need to possess to develop or improve team effectiveness in the classroom. Participants expressed extremely similar responses in understanding the importance of the impact a special education teacher leader can have on the special day classroom's team effectiveness. Specific barriers and strategies were discovered in this study. </p><p> Conclusions: Several conclusions were produced from this study. Staffing and scheduling are the major issues in many special day classrooms impacting team effectiveness. Special education teacher leaders need to be visionary, to possess organizational skills, and to maintain integrity to develop trust. Special education teachers must provide respect and effectively communicate to build team effectiveness in the SDC. Additionally, special education staff need increased administrative and colleague support. </p><p> Recommendations: School administration must consider the importance of providing opportunities for special day class teams to collaborate on an on-going basis. Districts need to consider providing leadership training sessions specifically designed for special education teachers who are placed in situations with two or more paraeducators in their classrooms. Districts also need to reconsider providing on-going training for special education paraeducators, focusing on the paraeducator as a professional. Finally, school districts need to reevaluate the situation of substitutes for special education teachers and paraeducators.</p>

<p> <b>Purpose:</b> The purpose of the study was to identify the most challenging and frequently occurring types of student behavioral problems that paraprofessionals in the K-12 public school setting encounter. In addition, the purpose of the study included identifying the most effective ways to prepare special education paraprofessionals to manage the most challenging and frequently occurring student behaviors through effective professional development practices. </p><p> <b>Methodology:</b> The mixed methods study primarily involved collecting and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data through on-line surveys of paraprofessionals, special education teachers, and school principals. Phenomenology and grounded theory elements served as the descriptive study&rsquo;s theoretical foundations. A policy Delphi method used an expert panel that represented a diverse group of public school districts in Riverside County, California. </p><p> <b>Findings:</b> Analysis of data revealed the 12 most challenging student behavior types, including eight most frequently occurring student behaviors in the k-12 school setting. Key topics and effective professional development delivery methods for special education paraprofessionals in the area of managing challenging behaviors were identified. </p><p> <b>Conclusions:</b> As a result of the study and review of prior research, an outline of suggested professional development activities was developed. Effective training delivery methods involving the principles of andragogy were also identified. </p><p> <b>Recommendations:</b> Schools and districts must (1) include paraprofessionals&rsquo;, teachers&rsquo;, and principals&rsquo; input when developing professional development activities for special education paraprofessionals; (2) focus the behavioral training for paraprofessionals on the most challenging and frequently occurring student behaviors in the k-12 school setting; (3) apply principles of andragogy when providing professional development to paraprofessionals; (4) make a shift from one-day training events to on-going, systematic, research-based, consistent, relevant training that involves practice time, meaningful feedback, modeling, and activities aiming at the higher level thinking skills identified in Bloom&rsquo;s taxonomy.</p>