<p> The purpose of the study was two-fold: (a) to analyze the historical pattern of substance or weapon abuse incidents by students with different types of disabilities from 2001 to 2011 using the Data Accountability Center data sets (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Data, 2013) and the information from the National Center for Education Statistics about the number of students with disabilities receiving special education services under IDEA (2013) (http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=64); and (b) to explore underlying causes of substance abuse or weapons offence incidents. </p><p> Regarding the historical pattern, the analysis showed that a significant and consistent pattern exists in the relationship between type of disabilities and frequency of substance or weapons offences. Students with emotional disturbance had been more likely to have substance abuse or weapons offences when compared to students who were in the categories of specific learning disabilities, traumatic brain injury or an intellectual disability from 2001 to 2011. Whereas specific learning disability students' incidents ranked second, those with traumatic brain injury or intellectual disabilities showed the minimal number of offenses for substance abuse or weapons offences in the years 2001-2011. </p><p> During the interview portion of the research, most interviewees perceived that students with emotional disabilities would be at risk for higher substance or weapons offence referrals compared to students with other types of disabilities. This finding was consistent with the statistical analysis found through Chi-Square tests. When asked about a causal relationship, a range of personal factors including being lonely, being bullied, seeking attention, being disrespectful or being impulsive were the key factors for the student having either substance abuse or weapons offences referral. Most of the interviewees addressed that such personal contexts seem to be more critical factors for students with disabilities to have discipline referrals for substance or weapons abuse rather than the type of disability itself, noting that the issues of substance or weapon abuse are not limited to students with disabilities but applied to students without disabilities. The interviewees' responses supported the historical pattern from 2001 to 2011 that showed that a very small percentage of students with disabilities&mdash;less than 1% of students with disabilities with a range from .01% to .39%, had been involved in substance or weapon abuse across the nation. </p><p> The results of this study suggest that diverse stakeholders including educators dismiss any beliefs that students with disabilities often have substance or weapon abuse problems. Instead of having the prejudice against students with disabilities, this study urges to ensure all students with disabilities are fully inclusive in their classrooms and community.</p>

<p> To address the daunting challenges we face as a global community, we need people who can see the world beyond an "either-or" dualistic perspective. This dissertation presumes such a dualistic perspective has been especially damaging to the twice-exceptional (2e) or gifted and learning disabled (Gifted and LD or GLD) children of the world, children who are growing up like I did, gifted and learning disabled. These children have so much potential to see the world as connected and to teach us to honor diversity and complementarity. Yet the Western educational paradigm typically thinks of these children as broken and in need of fixing. Twice-exceptional children often find themselves separated, provided remedial programs, medicated, and made to feel broken or just ignored as they can appear average. If 2e children are noticed at all, educators usually focus on 2e children's disabilities rather than on their gifts. If the pattern of medication and behavioral modification intervention causes these children to underperform or drop out of the educational system altogether, we have lost valuable members of society who can help us solve complex challenges. </p><p> I propose adding an Indigenous framework to the multi-tiered classroom to help move toward a more holistic approach for developing 2e children and honoring their gifts, regardless of the gifts the children bring to the classroom. With the introduction of traditional Indigenous approaches to education, mindsets can evolve allowing for a rethinking of educational structures. This borderland experience takes place at the intersection of Indigenous and Western worldviews. Just as cultures collide at their borders, so do worldviews. New un-envisioned cultures and possibilities emerge at these borderlands. By Indigenizing schools, classrooms, and curriculum, we can educate children with a more dialogic, holistic, culturally and historically sensitive, and connected approach to learning. Creating such an Indigenous context for schools can prevent the lifelong damage, which often comes from a mechanistic approach to education for 2e and learning disabled (LD) children. This autoethnography "imagines" how my own life's journey might have been different had the Indigenous perspectives been operational in the educational system within which I grew up.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of listening to music as an intervention to improve disruptive behavior in middle school age children with emotional/behavioral disabilities. Five middle-school students participated in a single-subject design, which involved a multiple baseline across subjects and settings. Students listened to an eight-minute recording of classical music on an iPod before engaging in an independent math or reading assignment while seated at their desk. The researcher used fixed rate recording to collect data over a five-minute session. No significant differences were found between pre-treatment and post-treatment for the targeted behaviors observed during the study. The small sample size of the study is cited as the possible reason for the negative results. Limitations as well as directions for future research are also discussed.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of timbre and pitch-pattern difficulty on perceptions of same-difference between paired pitch patterns, altered and unaltered by timbre and pattern difficulty, among elementary-aged users of cochlear implants. Three null hypotheses were tested to determine the significant effects of these variables and their interaction on the pitch perceptions of children aged five through twelve, who used cochlear implants (p &le; .05). Secondary purposes of the study included the examination of the relationships, if any, among age, age at implantation, and pitch perceptions, and of significant differences between participants' speech processor and pitch perceptions (p &le; .05). </p><p> The Adapted Musical Background Questionnaire was completed by each participant/parent/guardian and used to collect information about each participant's hearing history and musical experiences. The Pitch Discrimination Test (PDT) was a researcher-developed, 36-item data collection instrument used to measure pitch perceptions of participants. Three timbres were used as stimuli, including the soprano voice, piano, and violin. Thirteen participant responses to the PDT were recorded individually. Results were analyzed using IBM^&copy; SPSS^&copy; Statistics Version 22. </p><p> Results of the study revealed no effect of timbre (p = .511), or pitch-pattern difficulty (p = .971) on pitch perceptions. A significant interaction between timbre and pitch-pattern difficulty, however, was found (p = .046). Additional analyses revealed that there were significant differences between mean scores of PDT test items presented by violin and soprano voice for difficult patterns (p = .041), and items presented by soprano and piano for patterns with moderate difficulty (p = .041). The participants discriminated difficult patterns more accurately when the PDT items were presented by soprano voice than piano, but participants discriminated moderate patterns more accurately when the PDT items were presented piano than by soprano voice. </p><p> There were no significant positive or negative correlations between age or age at implantation and PDT scores (p > .05). Additionally, there were no significant differences between participant scores on the PDT and the type of speech processor used (p > .05). Participants who used Cochlear&trade; devices, however, had higher average scores than participants who used MED-EL&reg; devices. Recommendations were suggested for future research and instruction of children who use cochlear implants in elementary general music classrooms. </p>

<p> The phenomenon of the disproportionate representation of students of color in special education programs has been a concern amongst educational scholars over the last four decades; especially in the category of emotional disturbance. Qualitative research that explores actual districts as well as the programs they implement is needed to assist practitioners within the nation's TK-12 districts. The purpose of this study was to investigate what policies and procedures districts have revised or implemented to reduce referrals for special education placement, as well as compare state required improvement plan documents across participating districts. This study focused on California TK-12 districts that have been identified as significantly disproportionate in one or more disability categories by the California Department of Education. In-depth interviews of directors of special education were used as the research design approach to gain an understanding of the root causes of disproportionality as well as explore policies and procedures to reduce inequitable referrals. The findings were analyzed through the researcher-created conceptual framework of factors that reduce disproportionality. These factors include: access to effective instruction, sufficient resources, culturally responsive schools, equitable referral procedures, proper use of tests, and trained teachers. </p><p> Clear themes emerged around the conceptual framework. The findings revealed that inequitable referral and assessment procedures, cultural incompetency, inconsistent pre-referral interventions, and a lack of accountability were contributing factors that led to disproportionality for the participating districts. The study also revealed that ongoing and frequent professional development and inter-district collection of referral, suspension, and intervention data has a positive effect on monitoring disproportionality. Recommendations for policy-makers and practitioners aimed at developing cultural responsive practices that provides support for students of color prior to referrals for special education assessment.</p>

<p> Although previous studies have acknowledged the role of teacher training in working with children with special needs, none have investigated the relationship between teacher training and referrals. There is a need to understand the factors that affect K-12 classroom teachers' referrals of twice exceptional (2E) students into gifted programs. Supported by the optimal stimulation theory, the purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a relationship between teacher training and 2E student referrals. The survey method was used to collect data from 102 K-12 teachers in the Ohio school district on their teaching credentials, ranging from no training to being certified to teach gifted children.The teachers read a vignette about a hypothetical student who had an emotional behavior disorder and indicated their decision for referral. Phi and Cramer's V tested the validity of the hypothesis that teachers will make referrals according to their level of training. A binary logistic regression was performed to determine which factors predicted the referral of the hypothetical 2E student described in the vignette and the number of self-reported referrals during the previous year. Teachers who received training in the education and learning of exceptional students beyond the current level of degree for K-12 teachers were significantly more likely to refer 2E students to their school's gifted program. Teachers who received advanced training in working with exceptional students were significantly more likely to have made referrals of 2E students during the previous academic year. The results of this study can initiate positive social change by aiding teacher-educators or leaders in education to make specific recommendations for teacher training in an attempt to respond to the needs of 2E students. </p>

<p> This research is about the attitudes and educational practices towards inclusion of students with disabilities in science classroom. Four research questions were raised: (1) What are the attitudes of science teachers about the inclusion of students with disabilities?, (2) What is the relationship between attitudes and teachers demographics characteristics?, (3) What are the factors that influence the attitudes of science teachers? and (4) What does the Science teachers do in their educational practices to teach students with disabilities? </p><p> A mixed design of two phases was performed to answer this question. In the first phase a questionnaire was submit to 79 Science teachers from the middle and high school level. This questionnaire with the title <i>Attitudes and educational practices towards inclusion of students with disabilities in Science teaching</i> was developed by the researcher. In the second phase a focus group was conducted with Science and Special Education teachers. Also, two structured interviews by telephone were conducted. </p><p> The findings indicate that the attitudes of science teachers who participated in the first phase of this research seems to be neutral. However, in their responses to the interview or focus group the attitudes were perceived negative. This attitudes are influences by a number of factors that hinder the process of inclusion. Using a nonparametric test with a chi-square test, it was determined that the number of students in a classroom is one of the factors that have a significant relationship with attitudes. The modifications that Science teachers do in their educational practices these will depend on the discapacities. But usually the modification will be in the evaluation of the students. Using assessments as a technique. Also, individualized instruction and peers are educational practices that highlight.</p>

<p> The Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2004 allowed schools to use a Response to Intervention (RtI) model as opposed to the discrepancy model to qualify students as learning disabled. The incorporation of the RtI model provided earlier interventions for students and reduced avoidance of special services and false diagnosis. With the success of the RtI model at the elementary level, middle schools attempt to implement the program with varying success. In this study, middle school principals were surveyed to determine their respective building's current level of implementation in regard to RtI. The building's implementation scores were compared to academic achievement to determine if there was a relationship using a Pearson product moment correlation coefficient (PPMC). Academic achievement was determined by students' MAP index scores relating to the 8th grade Communication Arts test, as well as the percentage of students who scored below basic. The PPMC determined little to no relationship existed between implementation levels and MAP index scores, as well as the percentage of students scoring proficient. Quartile tables were developed to determine which surveyed buildings had the highest academic achievement. The survey responses were analyzed to determine what essential components of RtI they were implementing. The essential components being implemented were determined to be universal screening, professional development, establishing clear goals and expectations, and administrator participation.</p>

<p> In this study, the factors that influence special education teachers to remain in their profession for at least five years were identified and analyzed. The study involved a mixed-methods design including a survey and interviews with experienced special educators. The survey items and their categorizations as relational support or organizational factors were based upon Billingsley's (2004) landmark research. The population consisted of special educators who remained in their current teaching positions for at least five years. The sample group for the survey included 35 veteran special educators from eight school districts in Missouri, and the stratified interview sample of five educators was gleaned from the survey participants. Survey and interview data were collected and analyzed. Quantitative findings indicated no significant difference existed at a 5% probability level between the response data modes for relational support factors and the response data modes for organizational factors. The four most influential retention factors included enjoyment gained from job, ability to make a difference in the lives of students, support of district-level special education administrators, and support of fellow special education teachers. Four themes emerged from the interview data gathered: making a difference was of utmost influence, relational support factors were more influential than organizational factors, and the actions of both building-level and special education administrators promoted an increase in special education teacher retention. The data collected in this study may assist administrators as they address influential teacher retention factors in order to increase the retention of experienced and qualified special education teachers.</p>

<p> This embedded mixed method study addresses the problems teachers have reported in believing themselves capable to implement the Common Core State Standards with students in special education. This study examines the effect professional development on implementing the Common Core State Standards had on the participating teachers' self-efficacy beliefs. The participants (N=21) in this study were drawn from a 20-day professional development for teachers based on implementing the Common Core State Standards. The instrument used in the study was the Teacher Efficacy Beliefs System-Self. Data were subject to both statistical and qualitative analysis. </p><p> The results of this study provide insight into the self-efficacy beliefs of the participants during and shortly after professional development about implementing the Common Core State Standards with students in special education. The Wilcoxon test of signed ranks revealed a significant increase in the TEB-S subscale areas of Accommodating Individual Differences and Managing Learning Routines, but not in Positive Classroom Climate. Qualitative analysis of data found both support for the statistical findings and also contradicted the statistical findings. Further qualitative analysis showed that practices presented in the professional development such as using the arts, formative assessment, and technology were effective in maintaining their teachers' self-efficacy beliefs after professional development. Factors unrelated to the professional development, such as support from administrators and colleagues and poorly working technology were not supportive in carrying over the increase in teachers' self-efficacy beliefs in implementing the Common Core State Standards with students in special education. </p><p> The study is framed by Social Cognitive Theory and organized into 5 parts. Chapter I provides an overview of the study. Chapter II includes a review of literature related to teachers' self-efficacy belief's Common Core State Standards, and professional development. Chapter III describes the methodology of the study. Chapter IV presents the results of the analysis of data. Chapter IV reports the findings of the study and presents the conclusions of the study and ideas for future research.</p>