Contingent praise is widely recognized as a universal, practical, and highly effective classroom management tool. While previous research has examined the effectiveness of performance feedback to increase teachers’ use of contingent praise in the classroom and to observe its effects on students’ behavior, no research exists on the effects of increased ratios of praise-to-behavior correction statements by paraprofessionals in the classrooms of preschoolers diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This research was conducted in an urban, specialized pre-school program, for young students with developmental disabilities. The researcher implemented a performance feedback protocol, measuring two paraprofessionals’ ability to achieve a target 1:1, followed by a 4:1 ratio of praise-to-behavior correction statements. Students’ on-task, off-task, and disruptive behaviors were also measured. Results demonstrated that: (a) performance feedback was an effective and well received tool for in / Applied Behavioral Analysis

Autism is subset of the special education population that seems to be growing at an alarming rate. According to the American Psychiatric Association (2000), one of the three main deficits found in someone diagnosed with autism is a "qualitative impairment in communication". However, language skills are very difficult for autistic children to learn and are often associated with disruptive behaviors. Research has shown a strong correlation between problem behaviors and difficulties with communication. This study uses techniques (i.e. functional analysis and functional assessment) to determine the function of these problem behaviors and their communicative intent. This study also demonstrates that an experimental approach such as a functional analysis can be done in a public school setting by public school personnel. Once the function is determined, treatments incorporating Functional Communication Training (FCT) can be applied to reduce these problem behaviors while increasing communication. Research has shown that FCT that replaces each function of a problem behavior will reduce problem behaviors in autistic children. Therefore, functional analysis results allow for the reduction of problem behaviors while identifying optimal situations/settings to teach language. Three male autistic students, attending a public school, were involved in the study. All subjects exhibited one or more problem behaviors that interfered with their everyday functioning at school. Initially, functional assessment data were collected via a descriptive analysis using Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence (A-B-C) data. The A-B-C data were taken throughout each subject's school day in various environments. The data for each subject were graphed and analyzed by a school psychologist. Based on the results, the school psychologist developed a hypothesis for each subject regarding the function of his problem behavior. Subjects were exposed to various functional analysis conditions using a single subject multielement manipulation design based on the A-B-C data. These functional analysis sessions were conducted in each student's current public school placement. Functional analysis conditions were implemented until stable levels of problem behaviors were obtained or a clear pattern provided evidence as to the function of the problem behavior. Data from all sessions were graphed in a multiple baseline across subjects and visually assessed. Based on the data from the functional analysis, the function of the student's problem behavior was hypothesized. The experimenter, who was also a school psychologist, designed and implemented a function based treatment package to successfully reduce each student's problem behaviors. The treatment for each subject was individually designed based on that subject's functional analysis. Each treatment also incorporated a FCT component. As a result, problem behaviors were successfully reduced for each subject using functional assessment methodology by a school psychologist in a public school setting. / School Psychology

One of the most controversial issues in the field of education is the determination of the educational placement of deaf K-12 students. Although school psychologists are involved in the determination process, little is known about their specific role in decision-making. School psychologists (n=357) with varying degrees of specialization in this area were surveyed with regard to their experience and perceptions. Results indicated that student audiological status predicts the types of assessment data that school psychologists collect and report in order to inform educational placement decisions. Participants who responded to the survey on the basis of their experience making placement decisions for deaf students (n=54) perceived themselves as less influential over the decisions than participants who responded on the basis of their experience making placement decisions for hearing students (n=303). Additionally, there was a relationship between school psychologists' specialization in the area of deafness and the interpretation of the phrase, the "least restrictive environment." Possible explanations and the associated implications of these findings are discussed. / School Psychology

In 2003, Mid-County North High School (pseudonym), a large suburban, rather affluent school did not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) under the No Child Left Behind Act. The school's special education population was unable to meet the proficiency requirements of the Mid-County's state, and as such received a "failing" label from the state. The irony in this is that North High School (NHS) and the Mid-County District have a documented legacy of excellence -even on the very assessments upon which the "failing" assessments were based. This single-site, qualitative case study, was designed to investigate the real-life dilemmas, ethical, professional, and personal, that the school leaders at NHS and in the Mid-County School District encountered after the school did not make AYP. The perceived internal pressures caused by the possible competition of a school leader's personal and professional values, as well as the necessity for leaders to guide their school toward making AYP, were investigated. In addition to internal pressures, the study attempted to uncover the perceived pressures faced by the leaders within the organizational structure of the school and school district, from the community, media and government. In addition, the study was designed to unveil school leaders' reactions to these perceived pressures. This study used semi-structured interviews with 12 school leaders, including central office and building level leaders, as well as teachers, a parent, and a school board member. In addition to interviews, pertinent documents, and artifacts were analyzed. The interview and document data were then coded using a qualitative analysis program, TAMSAnalyzer. The constant comparative method (Glaser and Strauss, 1967) was used to analyze the data in terms of the study's two theoretical frameworks: Turbulence Theory (Gross, 1998) and Multiple Ethical Paradigms (Shapiro and Stefkovich, 2001). The data revealed three dominant themes: (a) Turbulence Happens: School Leaders Are Forced to Respond to Externally Imposed Accountability in the Era of NCLB and AYP; (b) Flight School: School Leaders' Ethical Codes and Experience Prepare them to Navigate Through Turbulence; (c) Pilot to Co-Pilot: School Leaders Communicate, Collaborate, and Innovate to manage the Turbulence of Not Making AYP. / Educational Administration

This study explores all due process hearings that occurred in Texas public school districts from 2010-2015. Special attention was paid to the reasons for the hearings within the legal reports addressed and their outcomes. The study was conducted using a quantitative approach involving a legal document content analysis of due process hearings to select the participants to be interviewed with a qualitative semi-structured interview protocol. Following this process, nine participants from one district were interviewed. Responses were then analyzed for themes and patterns using qualitative methods, and conclusions were drawn based on the data. The study found that campus and central office administrators believed socio-economic levels, lack of empathy shown to parents, and distrust contributed to parents' decisions to file due process complaints or litigation. They also believed that placement decisions influenced by student discipline, parent denial about the impact of the disability on children, and parent entitlement played a role. Lastly, the nine participants found that parent advocacy and communication were strong contributors to the amount of due process hearings held at Evergreen ISD.

Doctor of Philosophy / Curriculum and Instruction Programs / Marjorie Hancock / With the inception of No Child Left Behind, educators are required to ensure proficiency for all students in reading and math, but provide no incentive for developing the talents of gifted students (Gentry, 2006b). Implementing differentiation into the classroom can assist educators in providing appropriate instruction for all students and maximizing the potential of gifted learners. Differentiation modifies curriculum and instruction to meet the diverse needs of students in the classroom (Tomlinson, 1999, 2001, 2003). The purpose of this study was to document how differentiation influenced the gifted readers’ ability to think more critically and the fifth grade teacher’s perceptions of differentiation as it was implemented into the reading curriculum for all readers in her classroom. This qualitative research study was conducted in a fifth grade classroom in a rural mid-western community from October 24, 2008 to February 4, 2009. Data collection included response journals of the gifted readers, audio recordings of literature circle discussions, observations/field notes, digital voice recording of interviews with the gifted readers and the classroom teacher, teacher reflective journal, and weekly meetings. Data analysis revealed three levels of critical thinking within ten categories as outlined in the Written Response Hierarchy of Journal Critical Thinking. Advanced Level Critical Thinking included the categories of Synthesis, Character Affinity, Character Scrutiny, and Evaluative Inquiry. Intermediate Level Critical Thinking was evidenced by the categories of Inference, Image Construction, Author’s Writing Technique, and Prediction. Basic Level Critical Thinking was represented by responses in the Ambiguity and Engagement categories. The Oral Response Hierarchy of Literature Circle Critical Thinking revealed four critical thinking levels of oral response. Analytical and Probe represented Advanced Level Critical Thinking, Conjecture demonstrated Intermediate Level Critical Thinking, and Engagement provided evidence of Basic Level Critical Thinking. Advanced Level Critical Thinking was evidenced in both written and oral responses across the three stages of the study. Data analysis further revealed the teacher’s perceptions of differentiated instruction. Benefits included increase in students’ motivation, active involvement and leadership, exceeding expectations, quality of literature circle discussions, confidence in implementing differentiation with continuous support of a mentor, flexibility, and empowerment to solve problems.

Cette recherche porte sur la situation des élèves dysphasiques au Québec. En effet, l’identification de leur trouble, l’accessibilité à des services adaptés et la scolarisation de ces élèves a connu, à travers les années, quelques problèmes. Actuellement, 66,40% des élèves dysphasiques sévères au Québec ne sont pas scolarisés en classe ordinaire (MELS, 2008b). Une partie d’entre eux se retrouve dans des classes de langage aussi appelées classes de communication. Ce milieu de scolarisation fait partie du niveau 5 du système en cascade proposé dans le rapport COPEX (MEQ, 1976). Ce type de service a été mis en place afin de répondre, entre autres, aux besoins particuliers de la population d’élèves dysphasiques sévères. Par contre, leur efficacité par rapport à la réussite éducative de ces élèves n’est toujours pas évaluée. La recension des écrits a permis l’approfondissement des éléments-clés de la recherche, soit la dysphasie, la classe de langage et l’efficacité. Cette même recension a permis à la chercheuse de se positionner par rapport au cadre méthodologique utilisé. Ainsi, cette étude qualitative de type exploratoire vise à aller chercher sur le terrain des informations concernant l’efficacité des classes de langage. Celles-ci ont été collectées en utilisant principalement l’entretien individuel, le questionnaire ayant plutôt servi à collecter des informations factuelles sur les participants. Les personnes questionnées, qui sont au nombre de neuf, sont les principaux agents qui gravitent autour de l’élève dysphasique sévère fréquentant une classe de langage : les parents, les enseignants et les orthophonistes. Les résultats permettent une avancée dans la recherche pour ce qui est des effets de la classe de langage sur la réussite éducative des élèves dysphasiques sévères. / This research focuses on the situation of dysphasic students in Quebec. Indeed, the identification of their disorder, the accessibility to appropriate services and the education of these students had, over the years, some problems. Currently, 66,40 % of dysphasic students in Quebec are not in a regular class (MELS, 2008a). Some of them are in language classroom also called communication classroom. This education environment is part of the services for students with handicaps or learning or adjustment difficulties proposed in COPEX report (MEQ, 1976). However, their effectiveness in educational success of these students is not evaluated. The literature review allowed the deepening of key elements of this research: dysphasia, language classroom and effectiveness. This same literature review allowed the researcher position relative to the methodological framework used. Thus, this qualitative study of exploratory type aims to get in schools information about the effectiveness of language classroom. These were collected using mainly individual interview, questionnaire rather used to gather factual information about participants. The people interviewed are the principal actors around the dysphasic children: parents, teachers and speech therapists. The results allow a step forward in the research for effects of language classroom on the educational success of dysphasic children.

Le design pédagogique dans les jeux vidéo non éducatifs est une discipline en mal de définitions et de méthodes. Contrairement à celui que l’on trouve dans les écoles ou autres institutions de formation, le design pédagogique pour les jeux vidéo non éducatifs est fait par des designers de jeux qui n’ont souvent aucune formation en enseignement. Un modèle de design pédagogique pour les jeux vidéo non éducatifs est donc développé dans ce mémoire, à partir d’une recherche exploratoire utilisant l’analyse de contenu de jeux vidéo et les théories de la science de l’éducation. Étant donné les ressources limitées disponibles pour le développement du modèle, la présente recherche pourra servir de base à la construction d’un modèle plus élaboré sur un sujet semblable, offrira des pistes intéressantes de recherche sur l’enseignement par le jeu et pourra soutenir les designers de jeu lors de la planification du design pédagogique dans leurs jeux. / Instructional design for non-educational video games is an ill-defined discipline that lacks established methods. Contrarily to the one used in schools or other education or formation institutions, video game instructional design is done by video game designers who often have no teaching training. An instructional design model for non-educational games is developed, in this paper, based on video game content analysis and educational science theories. Considering the limited resources available for the development of this model, it lays grounds for the establishment of a more elaborate model on instructional video game design, offers insights on education through games and can help video game designers plan the instructional design for their games.

La complexité de la tâche qu’est la lecture du français en interaction avec les caractéristiques de la personne qui a un retard de deux ans en lecture, la population cible de cette recherche, place cette dernière en situation d’échec. Tous les processus impliqués dans l’acte de lire en interaction avec ces caractéristiques induisent des échecs et des retards d’apprentissage de la lecture. L’enseignant, qui souhaite utiliser un manuel scolaire tout en intégrant un élève de 3e année ne sachant toujours pas lire, a deux choix : lui offrir un manuel de 1re année, un manuel de 3e année ou adapter lui-même son matériel. Si l’enseignant lui remet un manuel de 1re année, l’élève vit des réussites, mais les thèmes sont infantilisants. Si l’enseignant remet un manuel de 3e année à ce même élève, les thèmes ne sont pas infantilisants, mais le niveau en lecture place ce dernier systématiquement en situation d’échec. Si l’enseignant adapte lui-même le matériel, l’entreprise est grande en charge de travail pour ce dernier. En réponse à ce dilemme, le Groupe DÉFI Accessibilité (GDA) a conçu des manuels scolaires adaptés. Ils sont, à première vue, identiques à la version originale Signet (3e année), mêmes thèmes, mêmes titres, mêmes numéros de pages, mêmes illustrations et mêmes réponses aux deux premières questions de chaque page, mais les textes sont simplifiés afin de permettre la lecture à l’élève de 3e année qui a deux ans de retard dans cette matière. En accord avec une stratégie de design inclusif, la simplification des manuels par le GDA a été réalisée en fonction des caractéristiques d’un groupe de référence reconnu pour avoir de grandes difficultés d’apprentissage de la lecture, soit des élèves qui ont des incapacités intellectuelles (Langevin, Rocque, Ngongang et Chaghoumi, 2012). L’objet de cette thèse est le calcul de la productivité et de l’efficience de ces manuels scolaires adaptés auprès d’élèves qui ont deux années de retard en lecture, la population cible. La méthodologie utilisée pour cette recherche est l’analyse de la valeur pédagogique, une méthode systématique de développement et d’évaluation de produits, procédés ou services, adaptée de l’ingénierie. Cette recherche a pour objet la troisième et dernière phase de l’analyse de la valeur pédagogique, soit l’évaluation des manuels scolaires adaptés. En analyse de la valeur pédagogique, comme pour cette recherche, la mise à l’essai a deux objectifs : comparer le prototype créé au cahier des charges fonctionnel regroupant toutes les fonctions que devrait remplir le produit pour répondre aux besoins de ses utilisateurs potentiels et calculer la productivité/efficience. Puisqu’il s’agit d’une première mise à l’essai, un troisième objectif est ajouté, soit la proposition de pistes d’amélioration au prototype de manuels scolaires adaptés. La mise à l’essai s’est échelonnée sur six mois. L’échantillon regroupe quatre enseignantes de 3e année, deux en classes spéciales et deux en classes régulières. Ces dernières enseignent à 32 élèves utilisateurs des manuels scolaires adaptés : six sont dyslexiques, quatre ont une connaissance insuffisante de la langue française, un a un trouble envahissant du développement avec incapacités intellectuelles et 21 ont des incapacités intellectuelles légères. Les résultats sont présentés sous la forme de trois articles. Les quatre enseignantes ont confirmé la réponse des manuels scolaires adaptés au cahier des charges fonctionnel. De plus, la phase de conception a été jugée efficiente et la phase d’utilisation productive. Il n’y a pas de modification à faire aux manuels scolaires adaptés. Par contre, le guide d’utilisateur doit être modifié, puisque l’outil n’a pas été utilisé tel qu’il était prévu par l’équipe de conception. / The complexity of reading French interact with non-cognitive and cognitive characteristics of the person who has intellectual disabilities it up in failure mode. All processes involved in the act of reading interact with these characteristics induce failures and delays of learning to read. Teachers wanting to use a textbook and integrated third grade’s students who don’t know how to read, have tho choices: to provide a first grade’s textbook or to provide a third grade’s textbook. If teachers give a first grade’s textbook to students that has accumulated two years behind in reading, it saw success, but the themes are infantilizing. If teachers give a third grade’s textbook, the themes are not infantilizing, but reading level, instead it consistently in failure. In response to this dilemma, the Groupe DÉFI Accessibilité did adapted textbooks. They are at first identical to the original Signet (third year), same themes, same page numbers, illustrations and even the same answers to the first two questions of each page, but the texts are simplified to allow reading the third grade’s children who has two years behind in this matter. The methodology for this research is the pedagogical analysis of value, a systematic method for development and evaluation of products, processes or services. This research is aimed at the final stage of the pedagogical analysis value. In pedagogical analysis value, as for this research, the testing has two purposes: to compare the prototype created functional specification covering all the functions that should fill the product to meet the needs of potential users and calculate productivity / efficiency. Since this is a first testing, a third is added, is the proposal of possible improvements to the prototype of suitable textbooks. The testing took place over six months. The sample included four teachers of third year, two special classes in regular classrooms and two. The latter teach 32 students users of suitable textbooks: six are dyslexic, four have insufficient knowledge of the language, one has adevelopmental disorder and 21 had mild intellectual disabilities. The four teachers confirmed the response of adapted textbooks to the functional specifications. In addition, the design phase was considered efficient and the using phase was conseidered productive.

L’expertise en orthographe requiert le développement de plusieurs types de connaissances et la possibilité d’y recourir volontairement, que l’on nomme compétence métaorthographique. Comme les élèves dyslexiques (ÉD) éprouvent d’importantes difficultés en orthographe, les objectifs de ce travail sont 1) de dresser un portrait de la compétence métaorthographique de 30 ÉD québécois, 2) de la comparer à celle d’élèves de même âge (n=25) ainsi qu’à celle d’élèves plus jeunes de même compétence écrite (n=24) et 3) d’établir des liens entre cette compétence métaorthographique et la compétence orthographique. Pour ce faire, trois tâches étaient demandées aux participants : 1) repérer et 2) corriger des erreurs orthographiques, puis 3) expliciter les motifs des corrections apportées. Les résultats indiquent que les ÉD obtiennent des résultats inférieurs aux deux groupes contrôles et que la compétence orthographique est liée à la compétence métaorthographique. / The ability to correctly spell words (orthographic competence) requires the development of orthographic knowledge and the ability to use that knowledge voluntarily (metaorthographic competence, Varin, 2012). Because dyslexic students have difficulties to spell words correctly, the goals of this work are 1) to describe the metaorthographic competence of 30 dyslexic francophone children (m= 11,34), 2) to compare their performance to those of 25 normally achieving children matched in age and to those of 24 younger normally achieving children matched in writing-level and 3) to establish links between orthographic and metaorthographic competences. To do so, four tasks were asked of the participants: 1) to identify spelling errors inserted in sentences, 2) to locate them in each word, 3) to correct them and 4) to explain their corrections. The results indicate differences in performance in function of the orthographic skill level and the nature of spelling errors.