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.

There has been some speculation that abuse/neglect may lead to later antisocial behavior by the abused/neglected child. It was the vi purpose of this project to determine the frequency of abuse/neglect in the population at the State Industrial School and to compare the types of crimes committed by abused/neglected delinquents with those delinquents not abused/neglected. The subjects consisted of all the adolescents committed to the State Industrial School. During the research project, 159 adolescents were at the State Industrial School. Of those, 63 had data in their files indicating some form of abuse or neglect. The findings of the study showed that significantly more abused/neglected delinquents commit authority protest crimes than other categories of crimes. Also, significantly more abused/neglected adolescents are found at the State Industrial School than those not abused/ neglected.

Customized employment for individuals with significant disabilities is becoming a focus of job placement. Customized employment is defined in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act of 2014 as “Competitive integrated employment, for an individual with a significant disability, that is based on an individualized determination of the strengths, needs, and interests of the individual with a significant disability that is designed to meet the specific abilities of the individual with a significant disability and the business needs of the employer, and is carried out through flexible strategies.” Despite its status in federal legislation, no research exists on the employer’s perspective on customized employment. This study surveyed 53 employers and a focus group of 10 employers to identify perceived barriers and facilitators to customized employment. The researcher found that the highest-rated barriers employers identified with regards to customized employment were their lack of experience with customized employment, cost and responsibility of accommodations. The highest-rated facilitators included support was available from other agencies, financial incentives, and increased productivity. Limitations of this research and implications for further research are discussed.

The absence of information that identifies desirable learning outcomes for students who attend Australian special schools and the absence of data that demonstrate the levels of mastery students have attained during their scholastic years, leave special education service provision vulnerable. This study, the first of its kind in Australia, developed a four phased evaluation process designed to assist special schools to ascertain desirable learning outcomes for students of school leaving age and to measure those outcomes. The process incorporated principles of the Outcome- Based Education approach as well as current philosophical trends in the provision of special education. The process was applied in three special education settings in the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales. Despite acknowledged limitations, the study provided an informative insight into the learning abilities of students in three Australian special schools. Strategic practices for future application of the process are identified. / Doctor of Education (D. Ed.)

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

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.

This was a case study of two brothers with autism. This study showed how one school and family worked together to create a positive assistive technology (AT) environment at school, which was transferred to the home environment. It highlighted the experiences of both family and staff members, and described how AT was integrated into the participants' program plans at the beginning of a school year. It also identified highlights and challenges the school team faced in implementing the AT process throughout the school year. Findings isolated key factors, including time for practice, the importance of maintaining a clear focus on objectives, the bond between the home and school, the transfer of strategies and devices between the home and school, and suggested that using AT enhanced learning for both participants.