This study investigated the relationship between cognitive functioning and Emotionally Disabled (ED) and Specific Learning Disabled (SLD) students' aggressive behavior. It also identified the number of ED students who had demonstrated aggressive Conduct Disorder (CD) behaviors. Ancillary goals included investigating aggressive students' academic functioning and social factors related to aggressive behavior. The study used initial and most recent Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Third Edition (WISC-III) scores and Woodcock-Johnson-Revised (WJ-R) scores obtained from students' special education folders. In addition, district discipline records and local juvenile court records were searched for documentation of participants' aggressive conduct disorder behavior. The sample consisted of 322 special education students from an urban school district in the American Southwest. Of this sample, 168 students had been previously identified as ED and 154 as SLD. Seventy percent were males and 30% were females which approximated the gender distribution of the district's special education population. The ethnic distribution of the sample included White (67%), Hispanic (24%), Black (7%), and Other (2%) which was representative of both the district and its special education population. Significant findings included a high rate of CD aggressive behaviors found in ED students in comparison to SLD students. Results also indicated that aggressive behavior was negatively related to the students' families' social status and that students from single-parent households had a significantly higher incidence of reported aggressive behaviors. No relationship between aggressive behavior and either ethnicity nor gender was found. Regarding cognitive functioning, aggressive students demonstrated significantly lower initial WISC III Verbal IQ scores in comparison to their Performance IQ scores. However, this relationship was not observed in subsequent testing. ED students demonstrated a significant decrease in WISC III Full Scale IQ scores. In addition, aggressive ED students demonstrated a significant decrease in WISC III Verbal IQ scores. Also, aggressive students demonstrated a significant decrease in WJ-R Broad Math scores. The latter two results tend some support to Patterson's Coercive Theory.

Educators have long recognized that the average deaf high school graduate achieves only a third to fourth grade level education. Because of the low achievement of deaf children in America, there has been a growing interest in the concept of educating deaf children bilingually, acknowledging the value of American Sign Language (ASL) and English in the classroom. In recent years, there has been a move in the field of deaf education in Europe, Canada, and the United States toward the adoption of a bilingual-bicultural (BiBi) model for language and literacy instruction for deaf students. However, because very little research has been done on ASL/English instruction and methodology, Fernandes (1997, p. 2) states, "There is ongoing reluctance in the United States to capitalize on deaf children's bilingual, bicultural capacities in promoting literacy and competence." Although several research studies have investigated the relationship between ASL and English literacy acquisition and have provided strong theoretical support for educating Deaf children bilingually, there is still a lack of study on practical strategies or "how-to's." Furthermore, the teacher-training programs in Deaf Education historically have not attracted potential applicants with fluent ASL skills and knowledge of bilingualism and literacy. Most of the programs strongly emphasize medical-pathological views rather than appropriate pedagogies that access and build upon deaf students' linguistic and cultural knowledge. Hence, this dissertation addresses practical strategies for teaching deaf students by analyzing teachers' retrospective stories on their experiences with implementing a new bilingual model in their classrooms. As adapted from Livingston's claim in her book, Rethinking the Education of Deaf Students (1996), in light of our goals, we wish to address the dire need for prospective teachers and teacher educators to rethink their views of us, Deaf people, and in doing so, rethink the theoretical underpinnings of their teaching methodologies in teacher education programs and schools.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 added new provisions for disciplining children with disabilities by suspension and/or expulsion. The purpose of this study was to determine the status of policies, procedures and accepted practice for suspensions, expulsions, and manifestation determinations of children with disabilities in two types of public school districts (traditional and charter) in the State of Arizona. Using document analysis of local school district policies, procedures, and child files for review from recent state education monitoring information and a structured telephone interview questionnaire with Directors of Special Education in both types of districts reporting documented suspensions and/or expulsions over ten days, the research findings indicated that the major changes in the federal special education law had not been a catalyst, to date, for the development of new local education agency policies and procedures regarding suspension and/or expulsion of children with disabilities. Results indicated no major difference in policies and procedures among or between traditional and charter public school districts. Respondents from both types of districts described the procedures used by their IEP teams that indicated the teams were conducting manifestation determinations in an appropriate manner. However, neither type of school district was in compliance with the new discipline requirements of IDEA regarding the mandate to have written policies and procedures. Expedited due process hearing to decide if a child is so dangerous that the requesting district will qualify for an exemption to stay-put rules appear to be unnecessary as a procedure to remove the child from school. Research directions are discussed.

Intervention assistance models of special education service delivery are an alternative to traditional refer-test-place models. They are designed to promote problem solving and problem ownership among teachess regarding to difficult-to-teach students, and to reduce unnecessary special education referrals and placements. This study investigated teachers' perceptions of problem ownership as measured by their responses to vignettes which depicted students exhibiting academic and/or behavioral difficulties. The methods and results of the pilot study for this study are also presented. Participants in the present study included teachers from both intervention assistance and traditional model schools. Generalizability theory was used to estimate variance components at the model and the individual levels. Results indicated that no variance in teachers' perceptions of problem ownership was accounted for by different service delivery models. A substantial portion of variance was related to differences among individual teachers. However, the largest source of variance was the vignette-by-teacher interaction. Special education referral and placement practices were also investigated. Referral and placement rates across intervention assistance schools were compared with rates across traditional schools. Both referral and placement rates were significantly lower across intervention assistance than across traditional model schools. The proportion of placements to referrals was also compared between models. Results provided no evidence to indicate that the proportion of placements to referrals differs between the two models. Findings are summarized and discussed, and their implications for future practice and research are examined.

The underrepresentation of ethnic minority students in programs for gifted and talented students is often a result of the identification process. Concerns have been raised through the years about the appropriateness of using standardized tests, especially standardized intelligence tests, with ethnic minority students (Maker, 1996; Richert, 1987). The problems with the use of standardized intelligence tests with ethnic minority students increase the difficulty of identifying gifted students from those populations. Therefore, the underrepresentation of ethnic minority students will persist unless more reliable and valid measures that tap into the intellectual strengths of diverse populations are developed. The DISCOVER assessment developed by Maker, Rogers, and Nielson (1992) seems to hold greater promise than other assessments for identifying ethnic minority students for placement in programs for the gifted. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the comparative validity of the DISCOVER assessment, based on a contemporary theory of human ability, and two commonly administered standardized tests of intelligence, based on traditional views of intelligence, for the purpose of identifying gifted ethnic minority students. The DISCOVER assessment ratings and standardized scores from the WPPSI-R or WISC-III and the Raven Coloured Progressive Matrices of 34 participants were used to conduct the comparative validity analysis. Six research questions guided this study. The comparative validity was analyzed through (a) intercorrelations to determine construct validity, (b) correlations between methods of assessment to determine the presence or lack of relationship(s), (c) the predictive validity of the DISCOVER activities. The results of the intercorrelation, correlation, and multiple regression analyses allowed this researcher to conclude that the WPPSI-R or WISC-III and the Raven Coloured Progressive Matrices were not comparable to the DISCOVER assessment for the purpose of identifying gifted ethnic minority students. The DISCOVER assessment was found to be a better indicator of students' complex thinking, problem solving, and problem finding abilities. Therefore, the use of the DISCOVER assessment will result in the more equitable identification of highly competent students and should be more widely used among ethnic minority populations.

This study assessed the number of fears, intensity of fears, type of fears and anxieties, and most common fears in children having a disability. In addition, the correlation level between different raters in the assessment of student fears and related anxieties were examined. Data were collected from public schools and evaluated using Multivariate Analysis of Variance, Analysis of Variance, slice effect test, frequency analysis, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Findings from the present study indicated that students with learning disabilities (LD) reported significantly higher total fear score and higher levels of fear in the two factors of the Fear Survey Schedule for Children-Revised (FSSC-R): fear of failure and criticism and fear of danger and death. In addition, the LD group reported significantly higher overall anxiety level and higher levels of anxiety in all the three subscale scores of Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS). Results showed that girls reported significantly higher scores than did boys in total fear score, intensity of fears, and two factors of FSSC-R--fear of unknown and fear of injury and small animals. Furthermore, girls in the LD group reported higher total fear score, intensity of fears, and higher levels of fear in all the five factors of FSSC-R than their male counterparts in the same group. On the other hand, girls in the mild mental retardation (MIMR) group reported lower scores in these measures than did their boy counterparts in the same group. Regarding age differences, older students reported significantly higher scores in the fear of failure and criticism. In addition, older students in the MIMR group reported higher levels of total fear score, intensity of fears, fear of the unknown, fear of danger and death, and fear of failure and criticism than their younger counterparts. The 10 most common fears yielded from the Fear Survey Schedule for Children-Revised were mostly in the fear of danger and death factor. The results showed that there were low but significant correlations between child self report and teacher report of the child on most dependent measures examined in the present study.

This study investigated whether the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) is a valid standardized assessment for students who are visually impaired, and to identify specific items that might not be appropriate to include in a version for students who are visually impaired. SSRS teacher, student and parent form data from the Arizona State School for the Deaf and Blind (ASDB) was examined from the 2002 and 2003 school years. Participant data was obtained from 71 elementary level and 106 secondary level students. Students were in grades 3-12, were visually impaired, and being served by ASDB on campus or in the five regional cooperatives across the state of Arizona. SSRS student data was collected using teacher and student forms in the spring semester of 2002 and again in 2003. SSRS student data using parent forms was collected in the summer of 2003. Statistical analysis of the reliability of the SSRS instrument was measured by construct stability (Pearson correlations), interrater reliability (interclass correlations) and internal consistency (coefficient alpha). Statistical analysis of the validity of the SSRS instrument was measured using construct validity using Pearson correlations and t-tests. The results revealed good evidence for the reliability and validity of the SSRS teacher, parent, and student forms. An item analysis did not identify any inappropriate items for use with students who are visually impaired. The item analysis revealed some noteworthy patterns and recommendations, and special recommendations are made regarding the use of the SSRS teacher, student and parent forms for screening and identification purposes of students who are visually impaired.

This study examined the practice and relevance of having a team of two teachers, one Deaf and one hearing, team teaching Deaf students in a coenrolled classroom. Data were collected to answer the research questions by interviewing five teachers and their supervisor. Six successful teams were asked about their experience team teaching, and their perception of the effectiveness of this approach. Informants' responses were videotaped, transcribed and analysed. From interview data, four main categories were identified: (a) Philosophy of Education, (b) perception of roles, (c) benefits of team teaching, and (c) current practice. Data for each category is presented separately including subcategories, and illustrated with quotes from informants. Results of this research encourages professionals to work towards collaborative models that positively impact Deaf students' education. There is sufficient evidence to realise that there is an imperative need for Deaf adults to be involved in the educational process of children and young adults who are Deaf.

<p> This study examined the attitudes of general education teachers and nondisabled peers towards their peers with disabilities who participated in general education classes with and without the use of assistive technology. A convenience sample of three general education classrooms was the focus of this study. One classroom had a student with significant disabilities who used assistive technology participating in the classroom activities. A second classroom had a student with significant disabilities who did not use assistive technology participating in the classroom activities and a third classroom had no student with significant disabilities participating in classroom activities. Attitudes were measured through use of survey and interview instruments. All together, there were positive attitudes expressed by teachers and students without disabilities about students with disabilities participating in the general education classroom, but those students were not seen by both students and teachers as being as capable as their typical peers.</p>

<p> Youth with disabilities and special health care needs (YDSHCN) preparing to exit high schools should receive mandated secondary transition planning. Transition is required to move youth with disabilities smoothly from high school services to postsecondary education and training, work, and adult community participation. Health care transition (HCT) of youth to adult health services is an emerging national focus (<i>Healthy People 2020</i>), but the role of the school nurse in HCT has not been explored. I</p><p> n this study, literature is presented on the political, legal, and socio-cultural contexts of the study, the key players for school-based HCT, and a review of relevant research, with emphasis on the role of the school nurse in educational settings and transition services. Review of the literature indicates a lack of research on the roles and responsibilities of the school nurse regarding services to YDSHCN, particularly pertaining to HCT. It is not known what policies and guidance exist for school nurses serving YDSHCN. </p><p> This research uses a qualitative single-case study design, through interviews and document reviews, to discover policies and practices that exist for school nurses serving transition-age YDSHCN preparing to exit schools in a school district in a Mid-Atlantic state. Seven district school nurses and three elite informants from the same state were interviewed, and three expert informants, outside of the state, provided information to help inform the study and shape its focus. </p><p> The study adresses the overarching research question: What elements of health care transition policies and practices are in place for serving transition-age YDSHCN preparing to exit secondary schools in this one school district? Texts from the interviews and documents were coded and analyzed to gain insight into the policies and practices, and organized using Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological framework. The results indicate that no comprehensive policy that includes health care transition policy exists, and that gaps exist at each level of the ecological framework. The study concludes with policy and practice recommendations.</p>