Withdrawal and multitreatment single subject research designs were used to evaluate the effectiveness of stay, play, talk (SPT) interventions on the social behaviors with preschool-aged peers to children with disabilities. Each group of children included at least one socially competent peer and one child with Down syndrome who used an AAC device as primary mode of communication. Peers were trained to use SPT strategies during free play sessions. For one group, a modified reinforcement system and modified peer arrangement were introduced to the intervention. Results indicate a functional relation between the original SPT intervention (Group B) or the SPT with modified arrangement (Group A) and percentage of intervals that peers stayed near and played with the children with disabilities. Future research is needed to determine the effectiveness of SPT interventions for children with disabilities with more functional play skills and the utility of creating peer dyads compared to peer triads.

Understanding and improving quality of life for families with a member with intellectual disability (ID) has been a growing area of research for the past three decades. This study included 529 parents with a son or daughter of any age with ID in two geographically distinct regions of the United States. The purpose was to inquire about family quality of life (FQOL) and the factors that may shape it. Parents reported overall satisfaction with their FQOL with variability across domains. Three nested linear regression models examined: (1) individual and family demographic factors, (2) religious/spiritual factors, and (3) relationship factors. Findings highlighted the importance of both informal (i.e., family, friends) and formal (i.e., professional) social relationships, as well as the sacred dimension of life (i.e., overall religiousness/spirituality) in accounting for this variability among parent ratings. Recommendations are presented for research and practice focused on improving FQOL for parents impacted by ID.

<p> Many students with disabilities attending alternative high schools are not improving their mathematics ability scores. Failure to improve their mathematics ability scores has hampered their potential academic success and career prospects, resulting in many students dropping out of schools without graduating. The purpose of this quantitative study was to evaluate the effect of a 10 week of constructivist and traditional instruction and investigate a possible causal relationship between experimental and control groups pretest and posttest mathematics ability score. The study adopted a quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group design, using within-subjects and between-subject two-way factorial repeated measures ANOVA in SPSS software for data analysis. The participants for the study were 70 students with disabilities attending an urban alternative high school situated in Mideast United States. The results showed students&rsquo; mathematics ability mean scores; with the control (M = 30.36, SE 2.69) and the experimental (M = 34.14, SE 2.69) groups respectively for the participants receiving the 10-week intervention, F (1, 68) = 4.37, p &lt; .05. The Wilk Lambda post hoc test revealed that students&rsquo; scores were significant p &lt; .05, meaning scores were different for both pretest and posttest. This key finding shows that the constructivist approach did not produce more achievement growth in student&rsquo;s math score ability than did the traditional approach. Further, it can be concluded that the constructivist approach was not superior to the traditional approach. It is also recommended that educators should not implement constructivist approach for students with disabilities without further studies to ascertain that the approach is superior.</p>

Educators need strategies to build the communication skills of students learning to use aided augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), while also supporting their meaningful participation and interaction in inclusive settings. This study used a multiple-probe-across-participants design to evaluate the effectiveness of embedding peer-mediated aided AAC modeling within a peer network intervention to increase studentsâ interaction with peers and use of symbolic communication during non-instructional times at school (i.e., lunch, recess). Participants were four elementary school students who had an intellectual disability or autism and were learning to use a speech-generating device (SGD) or communication book. The peer network intervention increased studentsâ overall interactions with peers. With training and coaching, peers were successful in providing aided AAC models during the peer network meetings, which resulted in increased use of symbolic communication by three focus students. Implications are offered related to supporting peer interaction, improving studentsâ use of symbolic communication, and training peers to use aided AAC modeling strategies.

The disappointing employment outcomes of students with severe intellectual disability (ID) can be exacerbated by deficits in social skills development. Within high school transition programs, interventions targeting employment-related social behaviors should be designed to emphasize individualization, self-regulation, and generalization. I used a multiple-probe-across-participants, single-case experimental design to examine the effects of video-based instruction on the individualized employment-related social behaviors (ERSB) of five high school students with severe ID. For all participants, the intervention increased ERSB and sustained task engagement in the school setting and maintained over time. Students and staff facilitators considered the intervention beneficial and enjoyable. I offer implications for supporting social skills development and employment preparation within secondary schools.

This study was a mixed methods investigation into the instructional practices of teachers of students with visual impairment as they relate to tactile graphics. Information was solicited through the use of an on-line survey, phone interviews, and videotaped lessons. Primarily, the study was designed to explore the extent to which instruction in tactile graphics is provided by teachers of students with visual impairments (TVIs). A secondary purpose of this study was to explain the strategies, curricula, and perceived training needs of TVIs related to teaching this important skill. / A Dissertation submitted to the in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in partial fulfillment of the 2015. / Fall Semester 2015. / October 29, 2015. / Blind, Tactile Graphics / Includes bibliographical references. / Sandra Lewis, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Amy Guerette, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Patrice Iatarola, University Representative; Mary Frances Hanline, Committee Member.

Reading comprehension is an essential skill for success in school and post-school life. However, despite the importance of this skill, a considerable number of students in the U.S. have shown difficulties in reading comprehension. According to the 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES, 2015), 31% of 4th graders and 24% of 8th graders did not meet the basic level of reading comprehension. This study focuses primarily on the reading performance of fourth-grade students in that the grade is a crucial point where students begin learning how to read to learn. The purpose of this present study is twofold – (1) to identify patterns of cognitive attributes of reading comprehension (e.g., retrieving, inferencing, integrating, and evaluating) of fourth grade readers at different proficiency levels and (2) to explore how these attributes affect reading comprehension by using PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) 2011 data of the U.S. According to the framework of PIRLS (Mullis, Martin, Kennedy, Trong, & Sainsbury, 2009), each question assesses one of the attributes associated with different item formats (e.g., multiple choice and constructed responses) and text type (e.g., narrative and expository text), specifically how these item formats and text types affect reading comprehension achievement will be examined. To accomplish the purpose, this study will apply two different approaches, the person-oriented approach and the variable-oriented approach. Specifically, this study will explore the individual students’ patterns of strengths and weaknesses of the attributes at different proficiency levels by employing Cognitive Diagnostic Models (CDMs) (person-oriented approach) and then examine the influence of those attributes to reading achievement by applying factor analyses (variable-oriented approach). Based upon the results, the structure of reading comprehension attributes and implications for interventions of struggling readers will be discussed. Finally, limitations and future research directions will be provided. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Teacher Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester 2017. / November 16, 2017. / Includes bibliographical references. / Donald Compton, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Kelly Whalon, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Christopher Schatschneider, University Representative; Laura Steacy, Committee Member.

<p> This study evaluated the efficacy of a video self-modeling and functional behavior assessment intervention on a traditionally under-represented population. Students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Intellectual Disabilities (ID) are prone to higher rates of aggressive behavior that can be resistant to treatment. Under the frameworks of Behaviorism and Social Cognitive Theory an intervention was developed to decrease aggressive behaviors and increase self-regulated behavior. A multiple baseline design across stimulus conditions with inter-subject replication was conducted to explore the effects of the intervention. Data was collected on both the rate of aggressive behaviors and the use of a replacement behavior which fostered socially appropriate self-regulation. The data indicate that both participants demonstrated a decrease in aggressive behavior immediately following intervention across all stimulus conditions. Data collected on the replacement behavior indicated a change from baseline to intervention but results differed across participants.</p><p>

I tested the effects of teaching imitation using a mirror on the emergence of generalized imitation (GI) of physical movements by children with autism. I first tested if 128 adults, from 19 to 56 years old, emitted mirrored or non-mirrored responses in GI, because this had been a point of theoretical debate and little data were available. I found that typical adults emitted both mirrored and non-mirrored responses during the GI probe. Accordingly, topographically correct non-mirrored or mirrored responses were considered correct for Experiment Two. In the second experiment, using a combined experimental-control group design with a "nested" non-concurrent multiple probe design across participants, I compared a mirror-trained group (3 children, ages 3 to 4 years olds) and a non-mirror (face-to-face) trained group (3 children, ages 3 to 4 years olds), controlling for the amount of instruction and maturation. The dependent variable was the numbers of correct untaught imitative responses during face-to-face pre and post intervention probe sessions, and the independent variable was the mirror training. The results show that the mirror instruction facilitated in the emergence of GI in all 3 children with autism in the mirror-trained group: their controls that received the same amount of instruction face-to -face did not. I concluded that mirror training resulted in reinforcement of the duplication production and non-mirror training reinforced individual movements.

Using pre- and post-intervention non-concurrent multiple probe designs across participants, I conducted 2 experiments that tested the effects of imitation instruction using a mirror on the emergence of both basic and advanced forms of generalized imitation (GI) involving physical actions with preschool students diagnosed with developmental delays. Experiment I was first conducted to test the effectiveness and efficiency of using a mirror to induce GI with 4 young developmentally delayed preschoolers. The dependent variable was the number of untaught, unconsequated basic physical imitative responses (e.g., nodding head) emitted by participants prior to and following intervention conditions while directly facing the experimenter. The independent variable involved teaching basic imitative actions (e.g., clapping hands) while looking at an adult perform the actions in a mirror until a mastery criterion was met. The results of Experiment I showed that a functional relationship was demonstrated between mastering the imitation of basic physical actions using a mirror and the emergence of GI for all 4 participants. Experiment II was then conducted to further examine the effectiveness and efficiency of using a mirror to induce more advanced forms of GI with older preschoolers diagnosed with developmental delays as well as examine the effects of the absence and presence of advanced GI on the rate of participant learning after an adult provided a how-to demonstration. The primary dependent variable was the number of instructional sessions required for each participant to meet a mastery criterion on a novel dressing skill before and after the participants acquired GI. The second dependent variable was participant responding during block structure duplication and transcription tasks before and after the participants acquired all advanced forms of GI at mastery level. The independent variable was the induction and/or presence of advanced, mastery level GI using mirror imitation instruction across bodily actions (e.g., gross motor, fine motor, oral motor, and multiple-step motor actions). The results of Experiment II showed that the presence of mastery level GI accelerated learning for all 4 participants, which may have facilitated the participants' capability of learning through demonstration.