The purpose of this study was to test the effects of a peer-yoked contingency on the induction of observational performance, observational acquisition, and the Naming capability. In Experiment I, three male Kindergarten and first grade students diagnosed with disabilities were selected as target participants because they had the listener component of Naming but were missing observational performance, observational acquisition nor did they have the speaker component of Naming capability in repertoire. Peer participants, kindergarten to first grade males, were selected because observational performance was in repertoire but they did not have observational acquisition and speaker component of Naming in repertoire. A non-concurrent multiple probe across participants was used to measure target participants' and peer participants' acquisition of both types of observational learning, as well as Naming. The independent variable was a peer-yoked contingency game board involving an observational intervention requiring the target participants to observe the peer participant. The dependent variable was the target participants and peer participants responses to probe trials for observational performance, observational acquisition, and Naming. The results of Experiment I showed that the peer-yoked contingency game was effective for inducing observational performance, observational acquisition, and Naming for the target participants. The intervention was also effective in the induction of observational performance, observational acquisition, and Naming for the peer participants. Experiment II was then conducted to further test the effects of the peer-yoked contingency game board. The target participants in Experiment II were four preschool aged children diagnosed with as a preschooler with a disability and who did not have in repertoire observational performance, observational acquisition, and Naming. Four preschool aged children served as peer participants during the observational intervention because they had observational performance in repertoire and the listener component of naming but were missing observational acquisition and speaker component of Naming. The dependent variable was the same as in Experiment I. The independent variable in Experiment II was the peer-yoked contingency game board with the reinforcement of duplicative behaviors. There were two types of conditions: No Peer (Peer was not present during the observational task); and Peer (Peer was present for the observational task). The results showed the No Peer condition did not increase either the target participants' or peer participants' responses to probe trials to criterion level for observational performance, observational acquisition, or Naming. The data from the Peer condition was effective in inducing capabilities for target participants and peer participants.

I tested the effects of conditioning books on the rate of acquisition of textual responses for 16 participants with (11 participants) or without (5 participants) developmental delays, ranging in age from 2.4 to 4.6 years old, in three experiments. Eight males and 8 females participated; the children were selected from an early intervention/preschool program that implemented a behavior analytic approach to all instruction, and they were selected for participation because they did not have book stimuli as conditioned reinforcers for observing, but they did have the necessary prerequisite skills in repertoire to acquire textual responses. The independent variable was the establishment of books as reinforcers for observing responses and as a preferred activity in a free play area. The dependent variable was the rate of acquisition of textual responses before and after books were established as conditioned reinforcers. The embedded dependent variable was the number of 5s intervals participants observed books in the free play setting, and the embedded independent variable was one of three methods of conditioning book stimuli (textual operant discrimination training, Pavlovian second order conditioning, or conditioning books through peer observation). A non-concurrent multiple pre- and post-intervention probe design across groups was used. In Experiment I, the participants ranged in age from 2.4 to 2.7 years old. Participants A and B acquired conditioned reinforcement for observing books as a function of mastering pre-requisite skills (word/picture discrimination) and one set of sight words. Participants C and D required stimulus-stimulus pairings to acquire books as conditioned reinforcers. Results showed that Participants A-D learned sight words 2.20 to 7.25 times faster as a function of having books as conditioned reinforcers. Experiment II differed in that: a) the participants were 3.7 and 4.6 years old, b) more sets of sight words were taught, and c) free play area probes were conducted with peers with and without books as conditioned reinforcers in a systematic fashion. Participant E acquired conditioned reinforcement for observing books as a function of mastering two sets of sight words. Participant F did not acquire books as conditioned reinforcers through sight word instruction, nor through stimulus-stimulus pairings, but did acquire conditioned reinforcement for observing books as a function of the conditioning books through a peer observation intervention. Results indicated that Participants E and F learned sight words 1.6-2.06 times faster than in pre-intervention conditions. Experiment III differed in that a) additional sight words were taught and b) free play sessions were conducted without peers. Results showed that Participants A1- C3 learned sight words 1.5 to 9 times faster (mean= 3.28 times faster) with the exception of Participant A4, who required a mean of one more session (mean of 3.5 sessions to 4.5 sessions) in post-intervention conditions. Participants A2, A4, B3, and C1, acquired books as reinforcers as a function of textual operant discrimination training (TODT). Marked increases in observing books was noted for Participant C3 after TODT, but not to criterion levels. TODT was not effective for Participants A1, A3, B2, and C2, but Pavlovian second order conditioning (PSOC) was effective for these participants. Neither TODT nor PSOC was successful in conditioning books as reinforcers for Participant B1, but conditioning books through peer observation was successful. Results are discussed in terms of: (a) the different interventions to condition books as reinforcers individualized per the repertoires of the participants, (b) the establishment of books as reinforcers as a developmental cusp, and (c) supporting the argument for the establishment of books as conditioned reinforcers as an empirical definition of reading readiness. Word count: 580 Keywords: stimulus-stimulus pairing, book conditioning, sight words, learn units to criterion, nursery school students, developmental delays, reading readiness

I conducted two experiments on silent reading. Experiment I was a non-intervention experimental comparison study conducted with 60 participants. Data were collected across two reading conditions 1) reading aloud or 2) reading silently and answering multiple choice comprehension questions. The data were analyzed within and between two groups, elementary-age and adult readers, across the two conditions using a repeated measure ANOVA. The results indicated significant differences in fluency rates between age groups and reading conditions and non-significant effects between and within subjects for reading comprehension. Adult readers read on average, two times faster with accurate reading comprehension in the silent reading condition compared to the read aloud condition and when compared to elementary-aged participants across both reading conditions. The results indicated that fluent adult readers are more efficient when reading silently. Experiment II tested the effects of a treatment package designed to teach participants to read silently on reading comprehension with six third graders using a delayed non-concurrent multiple probe design. Participants selected for the study could not read silently and respond correctly to comprehension questions. All of the participants had fluent vocal textual responding at a minimum rate of 90 correct words per minute with no more than two errors for their reading level and speaker-as-own-listener comprehension when they read aloud. The dependent variables consisted of silent reading probes and listener and speaker comprehension responses. The independent variable was a reading instruction treatment package using a peer-yoked contingency game board. During intervention sessions, participants rotated between opportunities to read silently and listening to audio recordings of spoken text. Participants completed selection and production questions to assess comprehension following each reading condition. Participants were matched in pairs based upon reading capabilities, reading repertoires, and the peer contingences that were arranged during intervention sessions with a yoked contingency game board. During intervention, progression on the peer-yoked contingency game board was contingent upon silent reading and criterion level responding to comprehension questions for both participants in the pair. Following the intervention, all participants acquired silent reading and criterion level comprehension.

<p> The purpose of this dissertation study was to explore the leadership attributes of special education central-office administrators. Using Senge&rsquo;s five disciplines of the learning organization and Marzano&rsquo;s 21 responsibilities of the school leader, this multicase study sought to discover the attributes of a special education leader. The focus of this dissertation study was to explore what leadership traits exist across systems-level special education leaders. </p><p> To understand special education leader engagement at the central-office level, interviews and observations were completed with special education leaders willing to participate in the research study. Additionally, each participant was required to submit a copy of his or her resume to the researcher. A multicase-study approach was used to analyze the attributes of each leader involved in the dissertation research. </p><p> The study analysis revealed that special education leaders in the State of Maryland demonstrate leadership attributes related to Senge&rsquo;s five disciplines of the learning organization and Marzano&rsquo;s 21 responsibilities of the school leader. Findings expanded the existing literature to include an analysis of special education leadership at a systems level.</p><p>

<p> This mixed methods case study examined the systems thinking component of collaboration through coteaching at inclusive public school environments to facilitate the needs of special education students who are presently segregated at nonpublic schools. This study first analyzed qualitative data in the form of interviews from a sample population of 5 district representatives to disclose the chief reasons for such failure on the part of a plethora of public school districts in southern California to facilitate the needs of their students (characterized with emotional disturbance and/or another disability who also display behavior issues) in inclusive and collaborative environments. Secondly, this study used quantitative data in the form of surveys to investigate the preliminary openness of collaboration through coteaching from a sample population of 51 teachers who currently instruct (or had experience instructing) students at a nonpublic school campus. And lastly, this study investigated whether that same sample population of teachers felt that a coteaching model/approach at inclusive and collaborative school campuses are feasible for the students they currently teach (or had experience teaching) at nonpublic school environments. The findings from this study are three-fold: First, the qualitative interviews exposed that there are considerable deficiencies among certain school districts in southern California in the effort to educate all students with disabilities on public school campuses. The following themes were developed from the responses of the district representative participants: (a) inadequate support for teachers in coteaching classrooms, (b) negative aspects of segregated placements, and (c) positive aspects of segregated placements (please note that subthemes also emerged from each of the three areas). Second, the findings from the quantitative portion revealed that participants&rsquo; age, gender, educational background, and years of teaching experience did not influence openness to coteaching and coteaching responsibilities. Next for the quantitative portion, the study uncovered that participants&rsquo; responses were almost evenly split regarding the feasibility of coteaching models, however slightly more participants felt that the coteaching model was not a feasible alternative to nonpublic school placements. Lastly, the study also uncovered that the nonpublic teacher participants indicated that the most beneficial model out of all the coteaching options presented in the survey (to best facilitate their nonpublic/segregated students in a public school settings) is that of team teaching. Consequently from this study&rsquo;s findings, it appears that until certain individual school districts substantially increase their teacher and auxiliary staff supports, shift monetary spending, and provide strong leadership to enhance collaboration among its special and general education teachers, nonpublic school placement for some students with ED and behavior issues may be an appropriate placement.</p><p>

Research demonstrates high effectiveness with teaching skills that align to grade-level standards. This curriculum provides materials at three literacy levels: object/photo, symbols, and text. Skill areas include persuasive writing, elements of story grammar, and research endeavors. The authors adapted 15 popular works (like Holes, Number the Stars, and Dragonwings) into simplified text with repeated story lines and symbol supports. Genres include fiction, nonfiction, plays, and poetry. The 32 progressive lessons are scripted and incorporate evidencebased teaching procedures. They are organized into four units: Change, Values and Decision Making, Social Justice, and Global Awareness. These themes help students grasp the big ideas as well as specific ELA skills. The curriculum seamlessly integrates traditional formats, like books and manipulatives, with the software and iPad app. This blended approach helps you to teach all students effectively and creates an engaging learning process. In the software and app, students explore eight works of literature through a five-step instructional sequence: preview, vocabulary, read the book, comprehension questions, and story sequence. The curriculum now comes with two new components, including the consumable Daily Writing Journal Student Workbook and the Task Analysis Teacher Extension Book. Curriculum Includes: The Implementation Guide, Alignment to Standards booklet, two Teacher’s Guides, one Assessment Response Book, one Student Response Book, Right On Readers 1 and 2, one Daily Writing Journal Student Book, one consumable Daily Writing Journal Student Workbook, graphic organizers, 250 teaching cards, PDFs on disc with a classroom license for printouts, a Task Analysis Teacher Extension Book, and the Access Language Arts Software and iPad App. Curriculum Plus Includes: the Teaching to Standards: ELA Curriculum plus a total of 10 consumable Daily Writing Journal Student Workbooks, the GoWorksheet Maker iPad App, a set of GoWorksheet activities, samples of communications overlays, four sets of the Right On Readers, and one copy of Holes, We Beat the Street, The Outsiders, Number the Stars, and Dragonwings. / https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu_books/1191/thumbnail.jpg

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 allows schools to utilize response to intervention (RtI) as early intervention to prevent at-risk students from becoming labeled as learning disabled. Using action research methodology and school change theory, the purpose of this project study was to determine the RtI implementation needs of a rural elementary school (LE). The guiding research question was to identify the components of an RtI framework currently being utilized during the pre-referral process at LE. This study employed a qualitative method triangulation design to analyze data from key stakeholders including questionnaires; individual interviews from six reading teachers, one reading interventionist, and one special education teacher; and campus documents analysis. Analysis included data transformation of frequency statistics from surveys and coded data from open-ended questionnaire responses, individual interviews, and document analysis. These data were triangulated revealing the current level of practice in collaboration, data-based decision making, parent involvement, professional development, and implementation monitoring. Findings indicated utilization of several RtI components inconsistently across grade levels and subjects. As a result, an RtI action plan was developed including a description of RtI background, identification of current levels of practice, implementation steps including timetable, and an RtI glossary. This resource has the potential to aid other districts by providing an implementation plan that could be adapted to their campus needs. This study promotes positive social change by identifying an effective implementation process for a unified service delivery model at LE resulting in improving the education of all students.

Social Validity is a concept used in behavioral intervention research. It focuses on whether the goals of treatment, the intervention techniques used, and the outcomes achieved are acceptable, relevant, and useful to the individual in treatment. The Social Validity Manual, 2e, provides background on the development of social validity, an overview of current research in social validity, and guidelines for expanding the practice of social validation. The book offers detailed information on scales and methods for measuring social validity across the goals, procedures, and effects of treatments utilized in various fields. The second edition incorporates advances in research findings and offers two new chapters on the use of social validity in the health sciences and how social validity plays an important role in increasing cultural awareness. Defines and conceptualizes social validity Summarizes research advances in social validity Compares and contrasts social validity measures Includes use of social validity in multiple disciplines Reviews how to organize social validity data Provides new coverage of use in health professions / https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu_books/1217/thumbnail.jpg

The purpose of the study was to determine if training in social skills in a classroom setting would lead to greater achievement in writing. Fifty-seven children in grades six through eight (ages 11-14) from a predominantly middle-class school in a largely urban school district in South Florida participated in this study. Participation in the study was limited to students who had been evaluated, met diagnostic criteria for learning disabilities and were placed in a learning disabilities language arts class. Seven dependent variables were measured to evaluate the effects of social skills training (independent variable) on the writing skills of children with learning disabilities. The four writing variables were thematic maturity, syntactic maturity, fluency, and quality of expression. Three social skills measures were parent rating, student rating, and teacher rating of social skills behavior in the classroom. Three tests designed to measure changes in written language development and social skills acquisition and performance were used for pre-testing and post-testing. To assess the writing skills, two assessment instruments were selected: Test of Written Language-2 (TOWL-2) (Hammill & Larsen, 1988) and the Woodcock Psychoeducational Battery Achievement and Supplemental Tests (Woodcock & Johnson, 1990). To assess social skills, Social Skills Rating System (Gresham & Elliott, 1990) was selected. Areas of significant improvement in the writing measures were syntactic maturity and quality of expression in the experimental group. In the control group, syntactic maturity improved significantly more than in the experimental group. When pre and post test differences were examined for both groups, only syntactic maturity was significant. However, the gain score was greater for the control group than for the experimental group. The students' home language had a significant effect on syntactic maturity but not on any other variable. Thematic maturity approached significance and should be considered when practical applications are discussed. Examination of the results of the social skills measures revealed that no significant differences were evident in any area. There were no significant effects on the parent, student or teacher rating measures either by the social skills training or the writing instruction. The home language of the students had no effect on the social skills measures.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 230-247).