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The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers
to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is
provided by the
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
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Impact of Information and Communication Technology on Academic Achievement for Exceptional Student Education Inclusion StudentsMarcino, Patricia 01 January 2018 (has links)
Students with disabilities are less likely to graduate from high school and tend to score
lower on standardized tests than their general education peers. Although use of
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can improve these outcomes for
traditional students, it has been unclear whether its use positively affects learning gains
for the inclusion student. The purpose of this study was to determine if the academic test
performance of 5th grade ESE inclusion students was enhanced by implementing ICT as
a curriculum resource in their classrooms. Two frameworks provided structure for this
study: the theory of social constructivism and the capability approach. The study
population consisted of all 5th grade ESE inclusion students in 74 school districts in one
southern state. Data sources were the state's annual assessment scores for English
language arts (ELA) and mathematics. Data were analyzed using 2 Mann Whitney U tests
to compare ESE inclusion students' assessment scores in the 2nd year of testing as
compared to the 1st year of testing (2015-2016 as compared to 2014-2015). The findings
of the study revealed no significant difference between the ESE inclusion students' scores
in the 1st and 2nd years for ELA and math scores even with ICT used as a resource. This
outcome impacts social change by answering a question about whether ICT made a
difference as used, and indicates that other studies must be done to better understand why
ICT was not successful or how it can be used to significantly improve inclusion student
outcomes.
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Evaluating the Effects of Utilizing a Mobile Device by Transitioning High School Students with Intellectual Disability to Locate Items from a Grocery List and Improve their IndependenceGil, Vanessa 21 March 2018 (has links)
Individuals with Intellectual Disability (ID) struggle to learn daily living skills (DLS) required for independent living. One specific skill set that is challenging for individuals with ID is grocery shopping. The current study is one of two investigations that have been undertaken entirely in the community and without the use of booster session simulations in a classroom.
This study investigated the effects of using least-to-most prompting and mobile technology as a tool to assist 18 to 22-year-old adult students with ID to find six items from a grocery-shopping list. Dependent measures included the number of task steps completed correctly, selecting the correct items from the shopping list, and the duration of shopping. Sessions were conducted twice a week in a community grocery store. A single subject, multiple probe design across participants was employed. There were three phases in this study. The phases included: (a) teaching an initial grocery list, (b) teaching a re-sequenced grocery list, and (c) teaching a replacement grocery list.
Overall, the participants demonstrated improvements in their ability to complete the task steps and locate grocery items during the intervention condition in phase one. Two of the three participants’ duration of shopping also improved over the course of the intervention in phase one. However, only one participant advanced to phases two and three of the study as the others did not meet the criterion of achieving 85% or better on the task analysis, which was needed to advance to the subsequent phases of the study.
The results of this study suggest that the use of mobile devices used with least-to-most prompting can have a degree of positive effect on the acquisition of functional skills such as locating grocery items by 18 to 22-year-old students with ID. However, for some students either additional weekly sessions in the community setting or classroom simulations are needed. Alternatively, researchers and practitioners might consider pairing mobile technology with different prompting and prompt fading systems (e.g., most-to-least prompting) for students struggling to acquire this skill set in a community setting.
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Portraits of Online Teaching and Learning: The Experiences of an Instructor and Six Graduate Students in a Course Entitled Educating Students with AutismSemon, Sarah R 05 October 2009 (has links)
Throughout the last decade (1999-2009) Florida's Bureau of Exceptional Education Student Services, in partnership with Institutions of Higher Education created the Florida Virtual ESE program to develop and deliver online professional development courses. The state also provided tuition support for teachers to participate in online professional development coursework to earn credentials necessary to be considered Highly Qualified. Online course delivery is thought to be a cost-effective approach to the provision of professional development for in-service teachers. However, there is a need to examine what it takes to create meaningful online learning experiences that facilitate the goals and objectives particular to the field of special education. Thus, this study explored the nature and qualities of the instructor's and six graduate-level exceptional student educators' experience in one Virtual ESE course entitled: Educating Students with Autism. This study utilized Portraiture Methodology because it provided a systematic framework to develop understandings of lives, pedagogy, or cultural institutions. The products from this genre of research approach are compelling, empirically grounded, and meaningful portraits (Lawrence-Lightfoot & Davis, 1997). Data collection for this study included: semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, document reviews, and analysis of artistic and photographic data. These data documented different aspects of each individual's experience in the online course and the relation of the course to her teaching practice. Portraits developed as a result of this inquiry were grounded in the following: (a) participants' general understanding of the nature and purpose of the course, (b) their understanding the online pedagogical tools used for instruction, (c) their perceptions of the online discussion boards (synchronous and asynchronous), and (d) their concerns. These experiences were woven into portraits that highlight the importance of themes including, but not limited to, relationships, course design and content. The final portraits illuminated idiosyncratic issues that emerged within the context of student's professional and personal lives and impacted their engagement in the online course.
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Examining One Teacher's Practices in Supporting Students with Exceptionalities in an Online SettingHepler, Alyson L 01 January 2021 (has links)
This thesis explored how students with exceptionalities learned literacy skills in an online learning environment and how the teacher was supported in the online classroom environment through professional development. Analysis of classroom observations and interviews with a teacher resulted in five findings: (1) There was limited professional development for teaching exceptional education students online. (2) Meeting exceptional student educational needs in the online environment was challenging for the teacher. (3) During the teacher's online lessons, there were some elements of literacy present such as comprehension and real-world examples. (4) The teacher missed out on some key components for literacy development with exceptional students in an online learning environment. (5) The exceptional students in the online learning environment did not have access to classroom tools.
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Teacher Attrition And Retention In Exceptional Student Education: An Evaluation Of The Skills, Tips, And Routines For Teacher Success (STARTS) Initiative of Volusia County, Florida SchoolsSpeidel, Mary 01 January 2005 (has links)
Teacher attrition affects the quality of services for students in K-12 education and poses an ongoing challenge for educational leaders, especially in the area of special education. Special educators leave the profession at higher rates than general educators. As a growing state, Florida has identified special education as a critical teacher shortage area. This study evaluated the Skills, Tips, and Routines for Teacher Success (STARTS) initiative of Volusia County Schools, a large district in east central Florida. Implemented in 2001 for new ESE teachers, STARTS offered four days of training in policies and procedures, curriculum, and classroom management. Research questions addressed whether STARTS influenced retention of new ESE teachers. Because the literature cited age, ethnicity, special education program area, and grade level assignment as factors in attrition, these were assessed as well. Incorporating employment histories from school year (SY) 1998-1999 through SY 2003-2004, the study evaluated 771 new ESE teachers. Of these, 422 teachers did not participate in STARTS; 349 teachers participated in STARTS. The study reported whether they returned the following year to an ESE position, a general education position, or exited the school system. Contingency table analysis with crosstabulation was used to evaluate statistical relationships among variables. Effect size was assessed with Cramer's V and the contingency coefficient. All analyses were conducted with an alpha of .05. A significant difference existed between the retention rates of new ESE teachers hired before STARTS and during STARTS. In 2000-2001, the school year preceding STARTS, 54.3% of new ESE teachers returned to an ESE position whereas in the first year of STARTS, 71.1% of new ESE teachers returned to an ESE position, an increase of 51%. By SY 2003-2004, 89.7% of new ESE teachers returned to an ESE position, an increase of 65% from the SY 2000-2001 baseline.
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A Study Of The Effectiveness Of The Equals Mathematics Curriculum And Teacher Perceptions Of And Attitudes About The CurriculumHughes, Jennifer 01 January 2013 (has links)
The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of the Equals mathematics curriculum had any statistically significant impact on the 2012 Florida Alternate Assessment mathematics scores of students with disabilities in six Florida school districts when comparing the scores of those who received mathematics instruction via the curriculum to the scores of students with disabilities in six other Florida school districts who did not receive mathematics instruction via the curriculum. This study further examined the perceptions of and attitudes about the Equals mathematics curriculum that exist among Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teachers who teach mathematics to students with disabilities participating in the Florida Alternate Assessment (FAA). The study utilized a mixed methods approach to research that included both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The quantitative portion of the study was conducted using archival data obtained from the 2012 Florida Alternate Assessment Data Book. A Mann-Whitney U Test was conducted through SPSS at a significance level of α = .05 to test for relative differences in performance between the treatment (Equals) and control (non-Equals) groups. Based on the results, the Equals mathematics curriculum did not have any statistically significant impact on the 2012 FAA mathematics scores for students with disabilities in the treatment school districts at any of the tested grade groupings (elementary, middle, high, and overall). The qualitative method of data collection utilized an online teacher survey. The results were analyzed using the researcher-coded results and assisted through summary iv tables provided by Survey-Monkey. Differences and similarities among the survey question responses were explored. Common terms and themes were noted and compared. Data triangulation was used by surveying teachers from five of the six treatment counties. This promoted generalizability for study replication since the treatment counties train teachers and utilize the curriculum in different manners. The results of the qualitative analysis indicated that many teachers were not satisfied with the training they received and felt overwhelmed by the curriculum itself, specifically in the areas of lesson planning and delivery. Based on the quantitative and qualitative results, it was concluded that further research needs to be completed to determine the effectiveness of the Equals mathematics curriculum when used with true fidelity.
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Evaluation of a Supplemental Kinesthetic-Based Reading Program for Disabled StudentsHodges, Kenneth W. 01 January 2015 (has links)
This research study addressed the need for an evaluation of the effectiveness of teacher-written supplemental reading lesson plans for elementary students with significant disabilities. The participating elementary school implemented the supplemental kinesthetic-based reading program in the 2010-2011 school year in order to improve the reading test scores of these disabled students. The theories of Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences and Maria Montessori's individualized learning process guided this research. The research question focused on exploring the effectiveness of the lesson plans. Participants included 6 students and their parents, 3 teachers, and 1 principal. Closed- and open-ended survey responses were collected from each participant, and 3 classroom observations were completed. Through descriptive analysis of student assessment scores and closed-ended stakeholder survey questions, and inductive analysis of an open-ended stakeholder questionnaire and classroom observations, these themes emerged: (a) positive effects on lessons, (b) opportunities for refining the collaborative process, and (c) negative effects of collaboration. After further analysis and review of related literature, the program evaluation recommendations of this study included: (a) improving the content of each lesson through the use of lesson study and (b) developing long-term professional development in which teams of teachers collaboratively plan, research, and study their lesson delivery as a way to determine how students learn best. The evaluation and recommendations emerging from this study could lead to positive social change by emphasizing that it is vital for teachers of exceptional students to tailor their instructional delivery strategies to meet the specific reading instructional needs of children with significant disabilities.
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Evaluation of a Supplemental Kinesthetic-Based Reading Program for Disabled StudentsHodges, Kenneth W. 01 January 2015 (has links)
This research study addressed the need for an evaluation of the effectiveness of teacher-written supplemental reading lesson plans for elementary students with significant disabilities. The participating elementary school implemented the supplemental kinesthetic-based reading program in the 2010â??2011 school year in order to improve the reading test scores of these disabled students. The theories of Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences and Maria Montessori's individualized learning process guided this research. The research question focused on exploring the effectiveness of the lesson plans. Participants included 6 students and their parents, 3 teachers, and 1 principal. Closed- and open-ended survey responses were collected from each participant, and 3 classroom observations were completed. Through descriptive analysis of student assessment scores and closed-ended stakeholder survey questions, and inductive analysis of an open-ended stakeholder questionnaire and classroom observations, these themes emerged: (a) positive effects on lessons, (b) opportunities for refining the collaborative process, and (c) negative effects of collaboration. After further analysis and review of related literature, the program evaluation recommendations of this study included: (a) improving the content of each lesson through the use of lesson study and (b) developing long-term professional development in which teams of teachers collaboratively plan, research, and study their lesson delivery as a way to determine how students learn best. The evaluation and recommendations emerging from this study could lead to positive social change by emphasizing that it is vital for teachers of exceptional students to tailor their instructional delivery strategies to meet the specific reading instructional needs of children with significant disabilities.
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Examination of Exceptional Student Educators’ Personal Practical Theories and the Implications for PracticeCall, Melissa Jewell 01 January 2015 (has links)
This study examined exceptional student educators’ (ESE) personal practical theories (PPTs) and how they impact complex decision-making when it comes to students with disabilities and their families. A case study methodology was selected to explore how four ESE teachers and leaders developed their PPTs as well as how they planned, interacted, and reflected upon decisions made during one workweek. The guiding questions of this study were: what are the PPTs of ESE leaders and teachers, what factors influence the development of PPTs, and how do PPTs impact special educators’ work with students with disabilities? To address these questions, four participants were selected based on their role within the district, their experiences working with students with disabilities, and their reputation for being high quality educators. Data were collected using a PPT workbook as well as in-depth, semi-structured interviews. The results of this study included five PPTs for each participant and eight common themes. These themes included: care for students and families, safety of students, administration and teacher professional development, ensuring high expectations for students, personal and professional advocacy, mentoring and collaboration, reflection and problem solving, and problems with inclusion. These results are presented in this dissertation in support of an argument for the need for increased pre-service and in-service for ESE educators, increased professional development for administrators, and increased training for inclusion teachers working with students with disabilities. Engaging in a practice of exploring and refining teacher and leader beliefs and assumptions using the PPT process may increase the reflective practice of teachers and perhaps result in a more appropriate form of evaluation for educators.
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Evaluating Improvisation As A Technique For Training Pre-service Teachers For Inclusive ClassroomsBecker, Theresa 01 January 2012 (has links)
Improvisation is a construct that uses a set of minimal heuristic guidelines to create a highly flexible scaffold that fosters extemporaneous communication. Scholars from diverse domains: such as psychology, business, negotiation, and education have suggested its use as a method for preparing professionals to manage complexity and think on their feet. A review of the literature revealed that while there is substantial theoretical scholarship on using improvisation in diverse domains, little research has verified these assertions. This dissertation evaluated whether improvisation, a specific type of dramatic technique, was effective for training pre-service teachers in specific characteristics of teacher-child classroom interaction, communication and affective skills development. It measured the strength and direction of any potential changes such training might effect on pre-service teacher’s self-efficacy for teaching and for implementing the communication skills common to improvisation and teaching while interacting with student in an inclusive classroom setting. A review of the literature on teacher self-efficacy and improvisation clarified and defined key terms, and illustrated relevant studies. This study utilized a mixed-method research design based on instructional design and development research. Matched pairs ttests were used to analyze the self-efficacy and training skills survey data and pre-service teacher reflections and interview transcripts were used to triangulate the qualitative data. Results of the t-tests showed a significant difference in participants’ self-efficacy for teaching measured before and after the improvisation training. A significant difference in means was also measured in participants’ aptitude for improvisation strategies and for self-efficacy for their implementation pre-/post- training. Qualitative results from pre-service teacher class iv artifacts and interviews showed participants reported beneficial personal outcomes as well as confirmed using skills from the training while interacting with students. Many of the qualitative themes parallel individual question items on the teacher self-efficacy TSES scale as well as the improvisation self-efficacy scale CSAI. The self-reported changes in affective behavior such as increased self-confidence and ability to foster positive interaction with students are illustrative of changes in teacher agency. Self-reports of being able to better understand student perspectives demonstrate a change in participant ability to empathize with students. Participants who worked with both typically developing students as well as with students with disabilities reported utilizing improvisation strategies such as Yes, and…, mirroring emotions and body language, vocal prosody and establishing a narrative relationship to put the students at ease, establish a positive learning environment, encourage student contributions and foster teachable moments. The improvisation strategies showed specific benefit for participants working with nonverbal students or who had commutation difficulties, by providing the pre-service teachers with strategies for using body language, emotional mirroring, vocal prosody and acceptance to foster interaction and communication with the student. Results from this investigation appear to substantiate the benefit of using improvisation training as part of a pre-service teacher methods course for preparing teachers for inclusive elementary classrooms. Replication of the study is encouraged with teachers of differing populations to confirm and extend results.
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