Students with visual impairments have been documented to have lower achievement indicators (standardized test scores, employment rates, and post-secondary completion) rates than students without disabilities. The nature of visual impairment, especially blindness, results in differences in the ability of these students to access the general education environment which may result in lower levels of academic engagement. Fifteen triads comprised of one student in each group (low achieving, average achieving, and visually impaired) were observed during language arts. Observation data were collected using the Engagement Observation Tool and through general educators' completion of the Student Participation Questionnaire. Observational findings indicated no differences among the groups except in the area of teacher interactions. Survey results indicated that students with visual impairments were rated similarly to low achieving classmates. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Childhood Education, Reading, and Disability Services in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2006. / June 19, 2006. / Visual Impairment, Blind, Academic Engagement, Language Arts, Braille / Includes bibliographical references. / Sandra Lewis, Professor Directing Dissertation; Chris Schatschneider, Outside Committee Member; Stephanie Dent Al Otaiba, Committee Member; Silvia M. Correa-Torres, Committee Member; Monica Delano, Committee Member.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to examine curricular elements in a sampling of existing programs and their relationship with choice. Three questions were asked within this analysis: (a) What relationship, if any, exists between the functionality of an activity and choice? (b) What relationship, if any, exists between a particular instructional domain and choice? and (c) What relationship., if any, exists between a teacher's judgement of student affect and choice?

This multiple case study explored how three school districts within the same state determine the provision of orientation and mobility instruction for students with visual impairments. Results indicated a lack of accountability within programs and educational programming based on teacher judgments in place of evaluation. Personnel other than the orientation and mobility instructors were found to evaluate skills and provide instruction. The decision to recommend instruction appeared to be based on absence of severe disabilities, presence of severe visual impairment, and student potential to travel independently. Barriers to instruction included parents' resistance, lack of administrator support, difficulty coordinating instruction without interfering with general education requirements, limited access to community environments, inability to transport students, and lack of funding and time / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Teacher Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2008. / October 28, 2008. / Blindness, Screening, O&M, IDEA, Special Education, Expanded Core Curriculum, ECC / Includes bibliographical references. / Sandra Lewis, Professor Directing Dissertation; Chris Schatschneider, Outside Committee Member; Amy McKenzie, Committee Member; Bruce Menchetti, Committee Member.

Research has found that there are several variables that place children 'at risk' for later school problems. Some of these variables include low socio-economic status (SES), special education eligibility in early childhood, race, and gender. Federally funded preschool programs, such as Head Start and Even Start, provide services for children from low SES backgrounds. Although these programs boast a variety of positive outcomes, there is very little research that conclusively measures their long-term effectiveness. Additionally, the children served in these types of programs still lag behind their middle-class peers overall when they exit the program, and they are more 'at risk' for later academic problems than their peers from higher SES backgrounds. These academic problems, particularly difficulties in learning to read, increase the likelihood that these children will later be referred for special education services. Moreover, as minority children are disproportionately living in poverty in the United States, researchers have called attention to how children from lower SES backgrounds frequently attend low performing schools. In turn, the impact of poverty and placement in poorer performing schools has been linked/associated with discouraging outcomes for various minority groups; for example, African American males tend to be disproportionately represented in special education programs throughout their school years. Likewise, children who have the language impairment (LI) or developmental delay (DD) label as preschoolers are much more likely to receive special education services at a later time in their schooling. Specific literacy-based curricula are being developed and studied to target the needs of these preschool children who are 'at risk' of later special education placement. One such study, the Preschool Curricula Evaluation Research (PCER) project, took place in Leon and Taylor County school districts in northern Florida. This study followed-up the children from the PCER study to examine the effects of an inclusive prekindergarten program by answering the following related research questions: (a) What is the stability of the eligibility classification for special education from preschool into the early elementary grades? (b) Do variations in the preschool curricula to which children are exposed to alter the stability of the eligibility classification? and (c) Are there variables that predict the stability of eligibility classification? The eligibility status was quite stable as children eligible for special education in PreK were 21 times more likely to be eligible for special education. There were less conclusive findings related to curriculum condition. / A Thesis submitted to the College of Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Summer Semester, 2008. / July 1, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references. / Mary Frances Hanline, Professor Directing Thesis; Christopher J. Lonigan, Committee Member; Stephanie Al’Otaiba, Committee Member.

The delivery of special education and related services to identified handicapped learners is often a complex and expensive task. Local education agencies (LEAs) are responsible for providing a free appropriate public education to those learners, but have available to them varied options for service delivery. When there are few handicapped learners of a particular category, such as with the lowincidence handicapped, or when there are limited resources, the LEA may decide to deliver services through a regional special education program (RSEP). The Virginia Department of Education (SEA) has encouraged LEAs to become involved in RSEPs because of their potential for providing quality programs at reduced costs to the low-incidence handicapped. By 1985-86, there were nine RSEPs formally recognized by the SEA involving 51 LEAs in the state. To date, no comprehensive study has been conducted regarding the status of RSEPs in Virginia. Such studies had been used in other states to guide policy formation and program planning. The lack of available descriptive data about RSEPs has made planning increasingly difficult for participants of RSEPs and for SEA officers. The author collected data along the dimensions of the four central characteristics of RSEP programs i.e., legal framework, organization, services, and financial factors, as were identified by Stephens (1979a). The data collection methods were also based on Stephens' RSEP studies in other states. The present author's methods included on-site visitations, investigations of SEA and RSEP files, RSEP surveys sent by mail to 168 RSEP participants and SEA officials, and interviews with about one-third of the participants. Results indicated that Virginia's RSEPs were cooperative education associations of voluntarily participating LEAs. Most participants agreed that there was a need for additional clarification of SEA Regulations regarding RSEPs. Organizational structures were very similar among the regional programs; services, staffing patterns, and service delivery systems were varied. Participants were satisfied with the quality of services offered but desired regional programs to offer additional services for certain handicapped groups which were not being served in RSEPs. Factors which participants noted that could be inhibiting RSEP growth in Virginia included: SEA regulations prohibiting RSEP building construction and insufficient finances from the SEA for RSEPs. Funding was mainly provided by state and local sources, but there was disagreement among RSEP participants and SEA officials regarding the adequacy of state funding, and state funding mechanisms for RSEPs. The author recommended that communications be increased between SEA officials and RSEP personnel for greater accountability and better planning capabilities. / Ed. D.

Dr. M.C. Loggerenberg

No description available.

This document summarizes the results of an investigation into the experiences of students with physical impairments studying at Durban University of Technology. The purpose of the investigation is to understand how these students live their lives amongst the able-bodied students and how they cope in the environment created for able-bodied students. The study aims at heightening the awareness of DUT community about the students with impairments’ needs. The study will also attempt to explore how the facilities of the institution are accommodative to these students with impairments. The study hopes to shape the policies regarding the students with impairments at DUT as the government had developed policies which are inclusive of people with impairments.. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.

There is no abstract available for this thesis. / Department of Computer Science