The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain an understanding of the experiences of parents as they transitioned their children from an early intervention program to an early childhood special education program. This study was conducted in a rural area of Virginia and participants included thirty parents from several school divisions. Four primary themes were derived through individual interviews and focus groups, and included: parents received information and services from programs; parents experienced barriers (lack of knowledge and experience with schools, differences in programs and services, communication issues among parties, dealing with own emotions, and fears for children); parents received benefits (emotional support from early intervention professionals, and developed rapport and new relationships with school personnel); and parents offered suggestions and advice for future transitions (improve communication and coordination, expand information and services for parents, advocate for “parent to parent’ networking, develop strength and coping skills, and consider options for preparing children for transitions).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Despite considerable efforts, the disproportionate representation of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in special education programs remains among the most persistent problems in the field of education. Using data from Texas' public school districts, this study examined the relationships between a set of school districts' sociodemographic variables on the proportion of students identified with LEP and students identified as economically disadvantaged served in special education programs. Results indicate a strong association between the sociodemographic variables examined and the overrepresentation of these two student populations in special education programs. In addition, a logistic regression analysis revealed that including the statewide geographic region where a school district resides as a variable was a significantly better model than examining only sociodemographic characteristics. Findings indicate that knowing a school district's sociodemographic characteristics is important in determining the likelihood of students being identify as needing special education services but it is important to note that the impact of the sociodemographic characteristics differs by statewide geographic region. Recommendations for policy, practice, and research are discussed.

Despite considerable efforts, the disproportionate representation of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in special education programs remains among the most persistent problems in the field of education. Using data from Texas' public school districts, this study examined the relationships between a set of school districts' sociodemographic variables on the proportion of students identified with LEP and students identified as economically disadvantaged served in special education programs. Results indicate a strong association between the sociodemographic variables examined and the overrepresentation of these two student populations in special education programs. In addition, a logistic regression analysis revealed that including the statewide geographic region where a school district resides as a variable was a significantly better model than examining only sociodemographic characteristics. Findings indicate that knowing a school district's sociodemographic characteristics is important in determining the likelihood of students being identify as needing special education services but it is important to note that the impact of the sociodemographic characteristics differs by statewide geographic region. Recommendations for policy, practice, and research are discussed.

This research investigated the extent of special education reading services provided to students with a diagnosed reading disability, and examined potential demographic differences in service delivery. Special education eligibility folders of 512 students from 11 Texas school districts were examined. Trained research teams utilizing a reliable data collection template conducted on-site visits and recorded student folder data during a six-week period. National statistics report that 37% of fourth grade students do not possess basic reading skills. Half of the students presently receiving special education services are qualified as a student with a learning disability and 80% of these students are reported to be learning disabled in the areas of basic reading or reading comprehension. Previous research studies have reported that students with a diagnosed disability in reading are not always provided the specialized instruction needed. This study reported on: (a) current practices in Texas for the 512 students whose files were reviewed with respect to special education reading services: (b) what state demographics may have influenced the provision of services; and (c) to what extent the amount of a student?s reading delay influenced the amount of special education services provided. Results showed that there was minimal provision of special education services for reading disabled students. When the results were analyzed by degree of disability the correlation was weak while the analysis by demographic membership showed a somwhat increased correlation.

Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

<p> This dissertation investigates the effectiveness of co-taught inclusion classrooms, using a case study design with descriptive and inferential statistics and survey data. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether or not students with mild/moderate disabilities experience greater academic growth from participating in full inclusion co-taught classrooms, than in non-co-taught inclusion classes. Research analysis was based on quantifiable data: summative or benchmark assessments, SRI tests, grades, attendance, discipline records, and survey data. This study focused on seventh- and eighth- grade co-taught inclusion classes containing students with mild/moderate disabilities at one junior high school within a large urban school district. The results indicated that co-taught students with mild/moderate disabilities demonstrated significantly greater growth than non-co-taught students with mild/moderate disabilities. The statistical analysis was supported by triangulating student attendance, grades, discipline records, and survey responses.</p>

<p> This study examines parents of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) children in Individual Education Plan (IEP) meetings within a school in the Northeastern United States. School districts have created programs to seek feedback from the parents of ASD students to improve disconnect and confusion. The study examines the parent point of view on the IEP meetings and seeks to gain information from the parents to improve a disconnection or confusion they may be feeling. The information secured in the research provided vital information for both parents and the School District to sustain or improve the overall interactions within the IEP team. The research data focused on the experiences of the parents. The research had completed 5 interviews and 26 questionnaires to gain study information. The parents felt secure and comfortable when teachers and special education staff included them in the meeting process. The parents felt lost, confused, and insignificant when communication was not used in the meetings. The study recommends workshops, training, and education to improve communication. The study recommends transparency, workload mapping, and accountability to improve the parent and teacher relationship. The study is a unique process which gives the parents a sounding board and a voice.</p>

<p> The special education teacher is a part of any school district and with the position comes responsibility for the teacher, building administrators, and district administrators. These school district personnel must work together to create a safe environment for all students to be successful. </p><p> In 1983, the U.S. Department of Education&rsquo;s report, A Nation at Risk, brought attention to the issue of retention of schoolteachers, especially those that worked with special needs students. While working as a special educator, the researcher overheard many teachers express concern about poor working conditions within their respective school districts. They expressed a lack of adequate support from building and district administrators, parents, and general education teachers. They expressed inadequate time to complete required paperwork. The researcher worked for both school districts that participated in this research project; therefore when asked, the district superintendents granted permission to conduct research within the school districts. </p><p> The literature review supported the claims stated by special education teachers. When reviewing the literature, the researcher decided to add specifics on how society viewed those individuals who did not act or appear to be normal in society. There is history dating back to 10,000 B.C.E. about those with special needs. There were some very influential names and universities involved in reports of researching ways to prevent those with special needs from pro-creating. Furthermore, there were laws created that prohibited those with limited intelligence from immigrating to the United States. </p><p> This research involved utilizing a free, on-line survey program. The researcher invited only active special education teachers from the two participating school districts to participate in the survey. The questions related to perceptions of administrator support, working conditions, and mentoring. The researcher included mentoring because it was a requirement for new teachers in Missouri. The literature suggested that new teachers left the profession early in their careers due to mentoring issues. </p><p> This research study produced mixed results. The results indicated a concern regarding mentoring of new teachers. The responses from the participants suggested that there were still concerns, over thirty years after <i>A Nation at Risk,</i> about administrative support, working conditions, and mentoring.</p>

<p>The purpose of this study was to compare the attitudes of trained and untrained school administrators toward inclusive education initiatives. The &ldquo;Principal&rsquo;s Inclusion Survey,&rdquo; developed by Cindy Praisner and G.H. Stainback, was distributed electronically to 3,250 school administrators in the southeast region of the United States and a quantitative study approach using a convenience sampling methodology was used to test the research hypotheses. In this study, the following research question was answered: What is the difference in the attitudes toward inclusion of school administrators who are trained in special education compared to school administrators who are not trained in special education? The following research hypotheses were the primary focus of the research: H1 There is a difference in the special education attitudes of school administrators who are trained in special education compared to school administrators who are not trained in special education toward inclusive education initiatives. H0 There is no difference in the special education attitudes of school administrators who are trained in special education compared to school administrators who are not trained in special education toward inclusive education initiatives. The results of the study indicated that there is no difference between trained and untrained administrators&rsquo; attitudes toward inclusive education initiatives based on their special education training. Therefore, the analyses of the data resulted in failure to reject the null hypothesis. Implications for practice based on the results of this study can be applied to university administrator training programs, school district administrators, educational leaders, and state and federal departments of education. </p>