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The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives of college students with learning disabilities through their lived experiences. Specifically, as they related to their high school learning experiences, their transition to higher education, and their continued academic and social support in higher education. The researcher gathered qualitative data to gain insight into the world of students with learning disabilities. The study consisted of a survey, focus group, and in-depth interviews. The data were reviewed in order to achieve a holistic picture of what the students* perceptions illustrate and to understand thematic commonalities from their lived experiences. The researcher hoped to shape possible effective instructional strategies and supports for students with learning disabilities in secondary and post-secondary educational experiences.

Using a single subject research design, the effects of computer based brain training were examined to determine if computational fluency increased after completing the brain training activities. The study took place in a large public high school. Participants were students with learning disabilities who were also below level in mathematics. During the baseline phase, all participants completed a timed math probe daily for 1 week. Because the timed math probes were timed, the researcher was looking for an average gain for each student. During week two students completed the brain age activities daily, prior to completing the math probe. Average gains for each student continued to be recorded. During week three the Brain Age activities were withdrawn and students continued to complete the timed math probes. During week four, the Brain Age activities were reinstated and data collection continued as the students completed the timed math probes. The data was analyzed visually, and the split middle technique was applied to determine a predicted slope of the data, followed by a binomial test to determine if there was a significant difference from baseline to intervention. The results of the current research have demonstrated that while computerized brain training may be effective for some students, the results are varied. While significant gains in computational speed and accuracy were noted for all participants during at least two of the phases, significant differences were only observed for one participant across all four phases.

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This post hoc study examines the reasons attributed to graduating from or dropping out of a rural high school in southwestern Virginia by four white males identified as learning disabled. Through participant interviews supported by archival data and essential informant interviews, a picture emerges of an ongoing process in which interactions with adults play critical roles. All four participants described psychosocial events, which led to a chain of events in which adults played decisive roles. It is within these chains of events that decisions were made either with the participant or for the participant by an adult. Two of the participants graduated from and two dropped out of high school. Each participant of this study describes himself as an individual with unique characteristics, relationships, and responses to psychosocial events. The psychosocial events and the resulting chain of events as described by the participants, could not have been anticipated. The participants' interactions with adults in regards to the psychosocial events could not have been scripted. Finally, the participants' interpretation of the adult interactions and the participants' resulting responses could not have been foreseen. Additionally, the participants in this study did not perceive the interactions as the adults perceived them. Previous researchers have designed studies to examine dropout data for the purposes of generalization, early identification and predictions. Future researchers may want to approach the dropout dilemma from each student's perspective. / Ed. D.

The purpose of this study was to examine the mediational role of social support, in1portance, and competency on global self-worth for a group of learning disabled (LO) children who participated in an inclusion program. Inclusion programs are one method of educating ill children. These LD children spend the entire- school day, including all academic classes, in a regular classroom. Special education teachers assist these children within this regular classroom setting. In the current study, 24 children from the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades completed four questionnaires. Their perceived competency and importance scores were used to derive a discrepancy score. It was hypothesized that social support and discrepancy scores would correlate with global self-worth. Social support was found to correlate significantly with global self-worth, but discrepancy scores did not. In addition, competency in the areas of general intellectual ability, behavioral conduct, and physical appearance were found to correlate with global self-worth. It was also hypothesized that these children would spontaneously compare themselves to other children in their regular classroom rather than other handicapped children. A majority of the children in this sample acted in accordance with this hypothesis. This comparison also resulted in a positive effect on their feelings of competency. Finally, it was hypothesized that classmate support rather than parental, teacher, or friend support would correlate highest with global self-worth. This hypothesis was not supported. The parent subscale of the social support measure correlated highest with global self-worth. The relevance of these findings to children's feelings of self-worth and the inclusion program are discussed. / Master of Science