Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 314-330). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Riverside, 2010. / Includes abstract. Title from first page of PDF file (viewed May 24, 2010). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Includes bibliographical references. Also issued in print.

<p> This case study explored dog-assisted reading with three middle-school special education students in a self-contained alternative school. Data collection conducted over a 15-month period included observations, interviews, and artifacts. In this study, reading with therapy dogs and their handlers, helped three adolescent readers with their reading motivation, engagement, and literacy processes/behaviors. The students&rsquo; engagement with the dog, the role of the dog handler, and the role of the context all impacted students in different and multiple ways. </p><p> The students read to the dogs and liked engaging with them&mdash;this calmed and interested each student and created a purpose for reading. Concurrently, through the handler&rsquo;s vocabulary supports, questions, comments, and book choices, the students also became more attentive to their own reading performance. Students began to self-monitor, self-correct, and discuss stories. As the study transitioned from an office setting to the classroom, the dog and handler continued as reading partners, now with a growing audience of additional students and staff. Students talked and interacted with books in a way that bypassed reading level, behavior issues and computer-based comprehension questions, ultimately forming a community of readers. </p><p> Recommendations encourage school personnel to intentionally structure and integrate dog-assisted reading teams for literacy learning, with training sessions for handlers to learn how to engage with books, listen carefully to readers, and notice when students need additional support. Professional development can help classroom teams better integrate dog-assisted reading and literature-based instructional approaches. Importantly, providing a wide range of reading materials during dog-assisted time can support students to engage as readers in multiple ways.</p><p>

My dissertation, "Education of Deaf African Americans in Washington DC and Raleigh, NC, during the 19th and Early 20th Centuries, Through the Eyes of Two Heroes and a Shero," investigates the education of deaf African Americans during Reconstruction and into the twentieth century in two cities. The document includes three narratives. The first is of Douglas Craig, a loss African American deaf child who was brought to Gallaudet University in Washington, DC in the mid 1800s by a New Hampshire Senator named Aaron Cragin. The child later became an employee who was often referred to as a “jack of all trades.” Craig was admired and loved by many until his death in 1936 which is reflected in the street named in his honor on the campus. The other two narratives tell the stories of Effie Whitaker and Manuel Crockett of Raleigh North Carolina, both hearing, both graduates of Hampton Institute, and educators who taught at the first known school for deaf and blind African American students in the United States. Their commitment to teaching greatly enhanced the quality of life for many students. The three stories demonstrate how political, social, race and economic conditions were very much intertwined with the segregated education system before the 1954 Brown v Board of Education case. In addition to the narratives, I briefly note the 1952 Miller v District of Columbia Board of Education case: A victory that integrated the Kendall School in Washington, DC, which was, and still is, the most influential institution for deaf individuals in the United States. The stories about these unsung heroes and many others are rarely mentioned. However, their narratives are now a small part of a body of scholarly work that contributes to the history of one of the most understudied areas of African American education and there is much more to be done.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Federal legislation mandates the inclusion of students with disabilities into the regular classroom. This integration is often met with resistance from the educators. The purpose of this study was to determine teachers' attitudes toward the inclusion of students with severe disabilities in the general education classroom. The research problem addressed the attitudes of educators who are implementing inclusion practices for students with severe disabilities. These attitudes are an integral part of successful inclusion practices. The theoretical basis for inclusion can be found in Wolfensberger's normalization principle and his examination of social role valorization which support placing a person with a disability into "normal" social roles which can develop self-confidence and a sense of belonging. This quantitative research survey questioned if teacher attitudes toward students with disabilities varied by severity of student disability, type of teacher, and length of teaching experience with students with severe disabilities. Teachers (n=113) completed an adapted version of the Physical Educators' Attitudes Toward Individuals with Disabilities-III (PEATID-III). The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, a Wilcoxon test, and the Mann-Whitney test. Results indicated that teachers displayed a significant difference in attitude based on the severity of disability showing a need for varied training. As indicated by the results, no significant difference in attitude existed between special education and regular education teachers. Experience with students with severe disabilities was not considered a determinant of attitude. This research contributes to the societal integrity by stressing the national impact of inclusion on teachers. The results of this study can be used by school districts to develop adequate preparation of all teachers in order to instill a proper attitude for teaching individuals with disabilities.

Spelling is a challenging task for many individuals, especially for those classified as Mild Mentally Disabled. Although considerable literature exists in the areas of special education and spelling, little research is evident involving these two areas in combination. In an attempt to address this gap, the researcher conducted a single subject research study to investigate the hypothesis that direct instruction of spelling enhances the spelling skills of students with special needs. Perceptions of parents, students, and teachers on how this program impacted student spelling skills was also investigated. Quantitative data from this study was collected from the SRA Spelling Mastery Placement pretest and posttest spelling scores of six Mild Mentally Disabled students and were analyzed using an independent measures t test. Qualitative data were collected from parents, students, and teachers through field observations, questionnaires, and journals using specific protocols. Qualitative data was analyzed using an adapted open coding approach. Emergent themes included the link between spelling and sentence creation, the link between spelling and reading competency, successful lessons, non-successful lessons, and changes that promoted successful lessons. Quantitative results from the study indicated that direct instruction had a positive impact on the spelling abilities of students with Mild Mental Disabilities. The qualitative data revealed that parents, teachers, and students perceive direct instruction as a viable teaching methodology in the instruction of spelling. This study informs social change by providing an effective approach for spelling instruction for special needs students and by highlighting the positive role spelling has in increasing student's reading and writing abilities.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 allows schools to utilize response to intervention (RtI) as early intervention to prevent at-risk students from becoming labeled as learning disabled. Using action research methodology and school change theory, the purpose of this project study was to determine the RtI implementation needs of a rural elementary school (LE). The guiding research question was to identify the components of an RtI framework currently being utilized during the pre-referral process at LE. This study employed a qualitative method triangulation design to analyze data from key stakeholders including questionnaires; individual interviews from six reading teachers, one reading interventionist, and one special education teacher; and campus documents analysis. Analysis included data transformation of frequency statistics from surveys and coded data from open-ended questionnaire responses, individual interviews, and document analysis. These data were triangulated revealing the current level of practice in collaboration, data-based decision making, parent involvement, professional development, and implementation monitoring. Findings indicated utilization of several RtI components inconsistently across grade levels and subjects. As a result, an RtI action plan was developed including a description of RtI background, identification of current levels of practice, implementation steps including timetable, and an RtI glossary. This resource has the potential to aid other districts by providing an implementation plan that could be adapted to their campus needs. This study promotes positive social change by identifying an effective implementation process for a unified service delivery model at LE resulting in improving the education of all students.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1987. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 134-140). Also available in print.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2002. / Title from title page screen (viewed Feb. 26, 2003). Thesis advisor: Blanche O'Bannon. Document formatted into pages (x, 117 p. : ill.). Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 79-89).