Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Counseling and Educational Psychology, 2007. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-07, Section: A, page: 2878. Adviser: Jack A. Cummings. Title from dissertation home page (viewed Apr. 15, 2008).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2008. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-05, Section: A, page: 1738. Adviser: Lisa Monda-Amaya. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 87-94) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

<p>Abstract Currently, students with significant cognitive disabilities (SCD) are predominately exposed to a functional curriculum commonly delivered through behaviorists? methods (Keefe & Copeland, 2011). The most recent research has established that students with SCD who are presented with a high-quality comprehensive approach comparable to the best practices associated with general education practices can and do make positive gains in literacy skills (Bock, 2013; Browder, Ahlgrim-Delzell, Courtade, & Flowers, 2008; Erickson, Clendon, Abraham, Roy, & Van de Karr, 2005; Koppenhaver& Erickson, 2003,). The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine potential barriers to implementing a comprehensive balanced literacy instructional program to students with SCD. The central question in this study was, what are the barriers to implementing a balanced literacy approach for students with significant cognitive disabilities? Three research questions guided the study, 1) What is the current knowledge base and understandings of administrators and teachers as it relates to teaching literacy skills to students with significant cognitive disabilities, how is this knowledge acquired, and how has it changed over time, 2) what are the perceived needs that need to be fulfilled in order for a systemic shift from a functional literacy curriculum to a balanced literacy curriculum approach to occur, and 3) how does the efficacy and beliefs held by teachers and administrators relate to the translation from research to practices as it corresponds to literacy instruction? Data was collected through interviews with administrators, special education teachers, and researchers. The analysis of the data from this study lead to the emergence of five key themes related to potential implementation barriers: acquisition of knowledge, current perspectives and understanding of literacy education, factors influencing curriculum decisions, high quality and relevant resources and supports, and systemic changes.

<p>In this descriptive study, I researched five elementary general education teachers&rsquo; reading assessment practices as they worked within the context of IDEA (2004), NCLB (2002) and Response to Intervention (RTI). My own connection to the classroom and reading assessment practices brought me to this research. I presented my personal and professional connection through vignettes about my own classroom assessment practices. Relevant literature on both the context and culture of assessment were pertinent to this research. </p><p> I used a qualitative design, specifically, Colaizzi&rsquo;s (1978) method of phenomenological analysis. Data were three in-depth phenomenological interviews, relevant documents and artifacts, and use of a researcher reflective blog. I summarized the initial findings of this research through 10 clustered themes; shift of focus, ever changing accountability, independent efforts with data, collaborative efforts with data, working environment, interventions and reading assessment practices in action, authenticity in practice, lack of decision making power, teacher emotion, and teacher needs and wants and a composite narrative in order to describe the lived experience of these teachers reading assessment practices. </p><p> Implications from my research with regard to policy include a perceived incongruence between an RTI framework and the teacher evaluation system with regard to active collaboration. Those toward practice include difficulty with the day-to-day implementation of an RTI framework and the perception of a singular focus of RTI as disability determination. My recommendations for future research include an action research agenda designed to explore increased involvement of stakeholders such as students, parents and other school personnel. </p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Lehigh University, 2009. / Adviser: Edward S. Shapiro.

<p> Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) commonly show deficits in social and communication skills, as well as in interpreting metaphorical meaning of language. These deficits often make reading comprehension more difficult for students with ASD. Past research has primarily focused on decoding rather than on comprehension skill interventions; only recently has there been an upswing in research to support reading comprehension skill deficits. The purpose of this study was to examine instructional strategies that are used for students with ASD, specifically students who exhibit Hyperlexia&mdash;a significant discrepancy in reading identified by high decoding skills and low comprehension abilities. Using the Special Educational Elementary Longitudinal Study database (SEELS), this study was able to analyze information on over 1,000 students with ASD. The study found that students with ASD are included in the language arts general education classroom 39.5% of the time, have goals that are working toward reading on grade level, and use instructional strategies such as peer tutoring, questioning strategies, classroom discussions and participation in presentations and projects on a regular basis. Looking further at this population, the study examined the relationship between reading comprehension and decoding skills according to their inclusion on the Simple View of Reading framework. Sixty-four students were identified as having Hyperlexia in the first wave of data collection gathered during the 2000-2001 school year, referred to as wave one. There were 92 students in wave three, gathered 3 years later during the 2003-2004 school year that were identified as having Hyperlexia. Through regression models and ANOVAs, the study concluded that three of the four instructional strategies (peer tutoring, presenting to the class, and questioning strategies) were not significant predictors of academic growth for students with ASD and with Hyperlexia. Only one instructional strategy (participation in class discussions) was found to have a significant impact on reading growth. This study does bring to light that there are large numbers of students with ASD who would benefit from more research on ways to teach reading comprehension.</p>

<p>The intersection of No Child Left Behind (2002) and the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004) made it necessary for educators to examine achievement trends within their schools and implement a Response to Intervention (RTI) program. This study examines the achievement trends in one school district since its implementation of a RTI program. To provide a clear perspective, this mixed-methods study includes both quantitative and qualitative data for analysis. The student data and teacher focus group responses indicate that while RTI efforts are having a positive impact on student achievement, it would appear that RTI alone is not sufficient to close the achievement gap in this particular school. An action plan for moving the school district forward in its RTI efforts is provided. </p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction, 2005. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 66-08, Section: A, page: 2890. Chairperson: Genevieve Manset Williamson. Title from dissertation home page (viewed Oct. 5, 2006).

<p> Many students with Down syndrome now receive reading instruction in either inclusion-focused or skill-based instructional settings. There are, however, varied results in the level of reading skills that students with Down syndrome attain. The focus of this study was to determine if there was a significant difference in the reading skill acquisition of students with Down syndrome between those students placed for reading instruction by grade and those students placed in a developmentally appropriate classroom. The specific type of quantitative research design used was quantitative non-experimental because the study used archival data collected in previous testing for a different evaluation. This study analyzed the Wisconsin Alternate Assessment for Students with Disabilities (WAA-SwD) of 136 elementary school students with Down syndrome. The study compared the reading scores of students with Down syndrome placed for reading instruction in a classroom by chronological age with scores of Down syndrome students placed in an a developmentally appropriate classroom. The research questions related to whether there was a significant difference in reading skills acquisition for elementary school students with Down syndrome after receiving either grade-based or skill-based instruction. The hypotheses were tested using a <i>t</i> test. Based on the analysis, there was no significant difference in reading skills acquisition for elementary school students with Down syndrome when their scores were grouped by the two types of instruction (grade-based versus skill-based) they receive after controlling for the student&rsquo;s demographic characteristic of grade level. The importance of this study can inform the educational community of the specific response to the question of the consequence of placement for reading instruction on reading acquisition. The findings provided from this research study will benefit future studies and classroom planning.</p><p>

<p> This case study explored dog-assisted reading with three middle-school special education students in a self-contained alternative school. Data collection conducted over a 15-month period included observations, interviews, and artifacts. In this study, reading with therapy dogs and their handlers, helped three adolescent readers with their reading motivation, engagement, and literacy processes/behaviors. The students&rsquo; engagement with the dog, the role of the dog handler, and the role of the context all impacted students in different and multiple ways. </p><p> The students read to the dogs and liked engaging with them&mdash;this calmed and interested each student and created a purpose for reading. Concurrently, through the handler&rsquo;s vocabulary supports, questions, comments, and book choices, the students also became more attentive to their own reading performance. Students began to self-monitor, self-correct, and discuss stories. As the study transitioned from an office setting to the classroom, the dog and handler continued as reading partners, now with a growing audience of additional students and staff. Students talked and interacted with books in a way that bypassed reading level, behavior issues and computer-based comprehension questions, ultimately forming a community of readers. </p><p> Recommendations encourage school personnel to intentionally structure and integrate dog-assisted reading teams for literacy learning, with training sessions for handlers to learn how to engage with books, listen carefully to readers, and notice when students need additional support. Professional development can help classroom teams better integrate dog-assisted reading and literature-based instructional approaches. Importantly, providing a wide range of reading materials during dog-assisted time can support students to engage as readers in multiple ways.</p><p>