Abstract not available

The implementation of inclusive education has begun in Hong Kong for over a decade. This research is a mixed methods research consisting of two related studies that examine support for students with special educational needs (SEN) in Hong Kong. The first study explored the effectiveness of inclusive and segregated education in supporting students with intellectual disabilities (IDs). A total of 42 students (19 female and 23 male) attending primary 4 to primary 6 and diagnosed as having mild grade ID participated in this study. Eighteen of them (8 female and 10 male) were from 16 ordinary schools and 24 (11 female and 13 male) were from 3 special schools designed for students with mild grade ID. The two groups were compared based on academic achievement, socio-emotional functioning and self-perception of acceptance, popularity among peers, and intellectual and school status. The results indicated that students in ordinary schools outperformed their counterparts in academic achievement. However, students in special schools were found to have better peer relationships and a lower level of emotional distress in addition to exhibiting more helpful behavior. Their self-perception was also more positive. The second study was conducted to investigate the contextual factors that could have affected the academic achievement, socio-emotional functioning, and self-perception of the two groups of students. To this end, a total of 3 parents, 8 school personnel and 3 students from 2 ordinary schools and 2 special schools were interviewed and 2 classroom observations were conducted. Special schools were found to have lower academic demand. They adopted a functional curriculum designed to strengthen the students’ practical and generic skills and offered various support programs to increase confidence and develop positive attitudes. Small class sizes allowed teachers to use individualized, interactive, and experiential strategies that catered to the students’ individual learning styles and socio-emotional needs. Close home-school collaboration was also maintained. In contrast, ordinary schools followed a standard mainstream curriculum and assessment for all with both teachers and parents exhibiting higher expectations of the students that resulted in more active involvement in the students’ academic learning. These collective factors might have contributed to the better academic achievement of SEN students in ordinary schools and the more positive socio-emotional functioning and self-perception of their counterparts in special schools. The implications of this research for policy makers tasked with the development of and resource allocation for the support system for SEN students, in addition to its effects among practitioners who wish to strengthen current practices and support for SEN students, are discussed. / published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Education

No description available.

This study used ethnographic research methodology to examine the process of including children with special needs in a regular split grade 4/5 classroom. Participant observation was conducted over a ten month period. In-depth interviews were held with students, parents, regular classroom teachers, special educators, and administrators. Other sources of data included documents collected in the field, notes from informal discussions, videotapes, diagrams, and photographs. The thesis provides rich description and detailed analysis of the processes and supports used to address the diverse needs of aft of the children in the class. Among the findings: (a) participants' definitions of integration had an effect on the process of addressing the diverse needs of all of the children in the regular classroom, (b) the characteristics of the teacher and the strategies he employed were seen as critical to the success of this integration effort, and (c) reallocation of personnel and resources and provision for scheduled collaborative sessions for teachers were considered to be desirable adjustments to further balance the integration effort and to better fit resources and personnel to the people and area of greatest need. The goal of this study was to provide a richly detailed, comprehensive portrait of the integration process which can serve as a medium through which regular classroom teachers can familiarize themselves with the issues surrounding integration, anticipate problem areas and areas of strength, and plan strategies for success.

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In order to assess the extent and quality of special education services in charter schools in north Texas, the researcher examined data submitted to Texa Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), and conducted qualitative interviews with selected charter school administrators. Five cornerstones of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): zero reject, individualized education program (IEP), appropriate assessment, free appropriate public education (FAPE), and least restrictive environment (LRE), were utilized in the assessment of quality. Levels of expertise in federal disability law and fiscal barriers were explored, as well.

One of the ways students with an intellectual disability (ID) can reach their fullest potential is by attending an institution of higher education; too few universities and colleges offer programs for these students. There are over 3,000 universities and colleges throughout the United State, yet only 272 of them offer programs for students with an ID (Think College, 2017). Within the identified programs, there is variation in location, length, goals, and methods (Grigal, Hart, & Weir, 2012). This study used an iterative classification process to first identify the programs serving students with ID located on college campuses, then analyze program websites to determine how they increase selfdetermination (SD). Phase 1 of the study used categorical sorting to identify programs that (a) served students with identified intellectual disabilities who had exited the school system; (b) were located on a college campus; (c) were run by a college; and (d) followed a college semester/quarter calendar. Phase 2 involved reviewing the websites for the programs meeting those criteria to identify self-determination activities and classes. In Phase 3 of the study, an online survey was sent to program administrators to verify and expand the description of self-determination activities. Results of this study show college programs for students with ID promote SD through instruction; however, the teaching methods vary from program to program. SD instruction is delivered by staff, peer mentors, and faculty. Programs measure SD outcomes; however, the tools used vary from program to program, and they are not applied systematically. The examination of college program practices and outcomes is central to further program development. Future research is needed to determine long-term independent living and employment outcomes of students with ID who attend college programs. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

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The learning of socially appropriate behavior and the mastery of literacy skills are highly critical to function successfully. Students with emotional disabilities (ED) have difficulty in both areas. Further, research has shown that the pro-social behavior and literacy skills are related. The increased use of strength-based assessments is also a growing area. The current study examined the relationship between pro-social behavior and literacy skills as measured by two developmentally sequenced strength-based assessments, the Language Arts objective Sequence (LOS) and the Behavioral Objective Sequence (BOS), using students with emotional disabilities. The subjects for this study were 102 students from grades K-12 who had been diagnosed with an emotional disability or as a student with challenging behavior. The study also provided psychometric data on the LOS. The results of the current study found significant correlations among the subscales of the LOS and the BOS. Further analyses indicated the strong relationships may be related to the sequential and developmental nature of the instruments. The LOS was found to have good internal consistency and did not demonstrate any gender bias. Significant differences were found for ethnicity on two of the LOS scales, favoring European American females. However, the low number of females suggests the differences may be due to sampling error. The results are discussed with respect to complexity of pro-social behaviors and literacy, the unique characteristics of students with ED and the importance of strength-based assessments. / Department of Special Education

Behavioral competencies are important elements of school readiness and make up an important component in any preschool curriculum. In this study, music therapy was implemented in a Head Start preschool program as a behavioral intervention. Forty-five subjects received music therapy sessions in groups of six to ten children for 25 minutes, twice weekly. The first treatment group received music therapy intervention along with the regular curriculum for eight weeks while the other subjects participated in the regular curriculum only. The second eight weeks, the second treatment group received music therapy intervention along with the regular curriculum while the first group participated in the regular curriculum only. Head Start teachers used the Behavioral Objective Sequence to assess all students at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the sixteen week period. Results indicated a significant increase in positive behavioral competencies associated with the music therapy intervention. Additionally, the music therapy intervention had a stronger impact on older students (ages five to six years) versus younger students (ages three to four years). / Department of Special Education