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The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), implemented in 1997 and updated in 2004, requires all students, including students with disabilities, to participate in and make progress in the general education curriculum. Under IDEA, students with disabilities, including students with mathematics disability (MD), are entitled to be provided with adapted instruction using empirically validated instructional approaches to teaching mathematics, which can help them succeed in general education classrooms. However, there is limited knowledge about whether and in what ways instruction is adapted for students with MD and the degree to which students with MD have access to the standards-based mathematics general education curriculum adopted by today's mathematics education. Thus, the purpose of this case study was to examine (a) a fourth-grade teacher's instructional adaptations for 3 students with MD in a standards-based mathematics, general education classroom and (b) the mathematics learning of 6 fourth-grade students with differing levels of ability (3 students identified MD, 2 students struggling with mathematics, and 1 student without a disability) in a standards-based mathematics, general education classroom. An embedded, single case study design (Yin, 2003) was employed to provide exploratory and instrumental information about the research topics of this study. Data were collected through case study methods including direct observations, interviews, survey, and document reviews for 12 weeks, December 2005 through March 2006. Analyses of data involved a descriptive statistics as well as a qualitative case analysis using data display matrices to drive emergent themes (Miles & Huberman, 1994; Strauss & Corbin, 1997; Yin, 2003). Seven themes emerged from the findings of this study: Four on the fourthgrade teacher's instructional adaptations for her students with MD in the standardsbased mathematics, general education classroom and three on the learning of students with differing abilities in this environment. The findings of this study indicated that the teacher endeavored to adapt her mathematics instruction for 3 students with MD using diverse components of effective mathematics instruction in standards-based mathematics curriculum and instruction, but that her instructional adaptations were implemented very restrictively in terms of the number of students with MD whose difficulties were addressed and the types of difficulties addressed by the adaptations. Possible factors inhibiting the teacher's instructional adaptations included the number of students who were struggling with mathematics in her class, including 3 students with MD. On the other hand, the findings of this study indicated that the quality and the quantity of learning of mathematics knowledge and skills were different across students with differing ability in the standards-based mathematics, general education classroom in terms of prerequisite skills, problem-solving accuracy, concept or procedures for problem solutions, and transfer of knowledge and skills. All the students with differing ability benefited to some degree from standards-based mathematics instruction, but the benefits of students with MD from this instructional environment were marginal in comparison to the benefits of their peers without disabilities. Alternative instructional methods should continue to be explored to maximize the benefits of students with MD in standards-based mathematics, general education classrooms, including more frequent integration of varied types of components of effective mathematics instruction into standards-based mathematics instruction and considering the cognitive, behavioral characteristics of students with MD. Limitations of this study and implications of this study for practices and future research were discussed. / text

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of multimedia anchored instruction in language arts on the motivation to learn and academic achievement of students with and without learning disabilities (LD) enrolled in a seventh-grade general education classroom setting. Anchored instruction incorporated research-based instructional components including the multimedia video anchors, authentic tasks and learning activities, promoted discussion and communication when working as a group, integration of technology and effective learning strategies, and students' chances to control own learning activities. The study was conducted in seventh-grade inclusive classrooms. Two teachers and 80 randomly selected students including 28 students with LD participated in the study. A quasi-experimental comparison-group design was utilized, experimental classes received the anchored intervention, and comparison classes received non-anchored instruction. Measures included two self-report questionnaire scores as well as two academic achievement test scores. Results indicated that students in anchored instruction group made significant gains of peer learning, interestingness, and less work avoidance than non-anchored instruction group. In addition, the results of within-group analysis demonstrated that the anchored instruction students' scores of task value, peer learning, subjective competence, interestingness, and performance orientation changed significantly after completing the anchored instruction. Moreover, students with LD who received the anchored instruction improved their motivation to learn and academic achievement to a level similar to students without LD. The overall results of this study suggest that anchored instruction is an effective instructional approach that integrates technologies into the classroom learning as a medium for enhancing students' motivation to learn and academic achievement.

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Architecture

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Education / Master / Master of Science in Information Technology in Education

This thesis examines how mothers of children labeled ‘learning disabled’ negotiate with educational professionals as advocates for their children. Previous scholarship has not adequately addressed the role that parents, particularly mothers of children labeled ‘learning disabled’ play in the education of their children. Through analyzing the ways in which these educational practices shape people’s experiences and identities, we can gain a deeper understanding of the ways in which labeling processes are experienced, managed, constructed, negotiated and/or resisted. This subject was explored through in-depth interviews with six mothers, using interviewing practices informed by standpoint methodology. My analysis follows two major themes. The first theme deals with the contradictory nature of psychoeducational assessments in the classrooms of the educational system. I demonstrate how psychoeducational assessments act as a set of rules, regulations and rights. I demonstrate how the mothers in my study used these as tools for empowerment and resistance to educational structures and discourses of normalcy. I also demonstrate the limitations of these texts to secure the educational interest and rights of children labeled ‘learning disabled’. The second theme deals with transformation processes. I ask, how do mothers of children labeled ‘learning disabled’ change as a result of negotiating their child or children’s ‘learning disability’. I demonstrate how being a parent of a child labeled ‘learning disabled’ is outside the sphere of ‘regular’ parenting and the sphere of the formal educational system and the economic, social and health-related consequences of such negotiations.