<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> As researchers learn more about the human mind, educators adapt their curriculum to accommodate those findings. As these changes take place, school districts are offering different types of classes to help more students find success in their classes. One of the ways that music educators can contribute to these changes is to offer music classes other than the traditional band, choir and orchestra class. By adding a guitar class to the music curriculum, music teachers are opening the doors for more students to be able to learn about music and learn to play an instrument. Particularly, a guitar class is an effective way to include students with special needs in a music program. </p><p> This thesis will investigate adaptations designed for three students with special needs in a high school guitar class. Student A has been diagnosed as Autistic, Student B has been diagnosed with Asperger's disorder and also has behavioral issues and Student C has been diagnosed with a specific learning disability as evidenced in the areas of auditory processing and expression. The case studies provide an example of how accommodations and adaptations can easily be implemented within a guitar class curriculum for students with these types of learning disabilities.</p>

<p> Online learning has become a prevalent method of instruction in higher education. There are many reasons for this change in pedagogy, including rapid developments in technology, as well as the logistic challenges of enrolling in college, such as commuting and coordinating work schedules. The quality of online instruction and its impact on teacher preparation, however, has yet to be fully investigated. The purpose of this study is to add to the existing literature regarding online learning and its use in teacher preparation. This study, more specifically, compared the effects of differentiated use of a specific online learning environment, the IRIS Center for Training Enhancements (http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/index.html), on knowledge of teacher candidates in two sections of a <i>Teaching Exceptional Learners</i> course for general education undergraduate and graduate teacher candidates. Pre- and post-instructional concept maps were used to measure growth in knowledge in this counterbalanced study. Results indicate both methods of instruction, in-class and at-home, with the IRIS modules are effective for increasing the knowledge base of general education teacher candidates. Analysis of the data showed no significant differences in learning between the two methods. While preference of methods differed, overall, participants felt the IRIS modules were beneficial and made an impact on their learning.</p>

<p> This dissertation examined the importance of family involvement in student learning and achievement within the Response to Intervention framework. This study built upon the premise that family involvement in a child's education is paramount if educational gaps are to be closed. Families included in this study were randomly assigned into a control or intervention group. This study connected early literacy curriculum based measurement scores and family involvement data gathered from family sessions/interviews. Several research strategies were utilized: 1) quantitative analysis of family-school connections; 2) slope data derived from early literacy curriculum based measurements (CBM); and 3) qualitative analysis of family sessions. Data were collected from an inventory, CBM benchmarking and progress monitoring data, and extensive interviews and field notes. This dissertation challenged the current myopic view of family involvement in student learning and placing the value of families in schools as vital to student learning. Analysis of the family interviews revealed several themes that are relevant for all educators as they attempt to close learning gaps among students.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to investigate secondary school staff&rsquo;s beliefs, practices, and skills concerning Response to Intervention (RtI), now known as multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS). The majority of research in RtI/MTSS has focused on the elementary level; however, little research has addressed its implementation at the secondary level. Using an exploratory mixed method design, this study explored the beliefs and perceptions of over 300 secondary school staff currently implementing RtI/MTSS in a large urban district in south Florida. The first phase, a quantitative research design, used three surveys developed and vetted by the Florida Statewide Problem Solving and Response to Intervention Project. The surveys assessed the RtI/MTSS beliefs of four secondary school groups: administrators, professional support staff, general education and special education teachers, and measured their perceptions about their RtI/MTSS skills and practices. The second phase of the study utilized a qualitative design that included four homogeneous focus groups to address in depth the issues that had emerged in the quantitative survey phase. In order to reduce the possibility of Type I error, only statistically significant findings at <i>p</i> &lt;.001 were reported as there were multiple tests of significance conducted. MANOVA results showed that secondary special education teachers and administrators had significantly higher RtI/MTSS beliefs and perceptions of their RtI/MTSS skills than the other two groups, while secondary general education teachers had the lowest beliefs and perceptions about their RtI/MTSS skills. There were no significant differences in perceptions of practices among the four groups of participants. Major themes that emerged from the focus groups included the need for reorganization of urban secondary school structure, for extensive and intensive professional development, for authentic collaboration to build trust, for delineation of role clarity, and for improved knowledge of the RtI/MTSS framework.</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>

<p> The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of six state-wide policies and procedures used in the family assessment process within early intervention services. This study looked at the administrative understanding of the family assessment federal regulations, state policies and procedures, and local implementation from the perspective of the Part C coordinator in his or her state. </p><p> This qualitative study utilized methodologies associated with a grounded theory approach through in-depth interviews. The participants in this study included six state Part C coordinators. Based on the findings of this study, two broad conclusions are offered: 1. There was a lack of specific policies and procedures regarding family assessment, which made family assessment difficult to implement with fidelity across a state system. 2. There was a lack of specific training around performance competencies of family assessment, which lead to a reliance on a state's family-centered philosophy and the IFSP process. </p><p> Recommendations were made for early interventionists, Part C coordinators, and researchers in the area of family assessment.</p>

<p> The U.S. Department of Education statistics report increasing numbers of students with learning disabilities and other non-apparent disabilities enrolling in higher education. This change in student demographic presents new challenges to institutions and disability service professionals to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student population. The purpose of this study was to attain a deeper understanding of the decision-making experiences of the disability service professionals charged with making accommodation decisions with the intent of informing professional development opportunities that will help build the confidence and effectiveness of these high-stakes decision-makers. The research questions were addressed using a mixed methods research design utilizing a quantitative survey and qualitative interviews of disability service professionals in the northeast region of the United States. Major findings from this study included a surprising yet optimistic decrease in importance disability service professionals placed on specific documentation components in order to make accommodation decisions, the significance of building collaborative relationships on their campuses, and the considerable time and resources they devote to educating faculty on alternative methods of assessment to more effectively teach an increasingly diverse student population. The results of this study underscore the importance of disability service professionals on increasingly diverse campuses and the role they play in enhancing accessibility and ultimately contributing to the culture of diversity on their campuses. Professional development opportunities for higher education administrators are discussed, which include shifting the training focus from documentation and accommodation decision-making to understanding learning and teaching styles, as well as developing soft skills related to interdepartmental collaborative problem-solving.</p>

<p> Young Latino men reflect on their high school experiences in multi-stage phenomenologically-based interviews. These six participants had transitioned out of high school and no longer received educational services from the school district where they had attended a majority-minority high school in an urban, low socioeconomic community in CA. Interviews focused on their lives and families, high school years, post-secondary school lives, and reflections about their secondary school experiences. These young men had family backgrounds that put them tremendously at risk. All six young men spoke Spanish as their first language and were taught in schools where instruction was in English. While in high school all six young men qualified for special education services. Critical Race Theory, Latino Critical Theory (LatCrit), and Disability Studies as well as the intersectionality of theories helped explore the marginalization of Latino students with disabilities and allowed the identification of central themes from participant's experiential knowledge. These former students cited instances where teachers or staff members encouraged or discouraged them while in high school and shared, from their perspective what teachers need to know to be better prepared and more effective. Participants proposed teachers understand their small acts of kindness have a monumental effect in a student's life. Further, teachers need to listen carefully to what students say; look beyond bad behavior; help students become involved in school in multiple ways; publicly acknowledge academic and social successes; and explicitly prepare students for college and other challenges they will face after high school.</p>

<p> This qualitative study investigates two teachers who attempt to guide self-improvement initiatives in their school setting during and after completing a University based practicum course in special education. Fullan's (1993) framework for change agency was used to help facilitate the participants' self-improvement process. Participants were called to consider and enact self-identified changes they would like to make as teachers and to consider how these changes interact with their teaching selves and schools at large. To better understand how the self-initiated projects were carried out in the school context, two cases were followed for eighteen months after the sixteen-week self-study practicum was completed. </p><p> A case study of each participant was constructed based on observations, interviews, and document analysis. Using a recursive process, data was explored to analyze each participant's sense of identity and how this process related to efforts to foster improvements in their school setting. The critical importance of the participant's life experiences (past and present) emerged as important to the self-study process and as important to their actions beyond the self-study process. The participants in these case studies were engaged in a balancing act between efforts to improve themselves as teachers and efforts to respond to the internal and external expectations they had in their personal lives as mothers and wives. Although this study was initially interested in how a teacher's identity process might lead toward greater critical consciousness about social justice issues in the classroom, these cases do not suggest a strong connection between the enacted self-study process and an emerging critical consciousness in teachers. However an examination of a teacher's life circumstances and prior experience is believed to provide insights that may inform future research on identity development, teacher development and change agency.</p>