<p> Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) present different needs to special education teachers in school today. Without the proper supports and preparation, 75% of special education teachers will leave the field of special education within the first ten years of teaching, with most of the teachers leaving the field within the first three years (Council for Exceptional Children, 2014). Without appropriate interventions, children with ASD are at risk of falling behind their same-aged peers throughout school or making progress towards IEP goals (Lovaas, 1987; Leaf &amp; McEachin, 1999). This study explores the types of preparation: 1) formal education, 2) experiences with people with ASD, and 3) support from administration or an expert in the field of ASD and how it may impact special education teacher self-efficacy. Through the lens of Bandura&rsquo;s (1977) self-efficacy framework and applying it to special education teachers, a survey design study was employed. The on-line survey, adapted from the ASSET (Ruble, Usher, &amp; McGrew, 2011), teachers were asked to rate their level of confidence to thirty questions specifically related to needs of students with ASD and how they feel they were best prepared for that skill between formal education, experience and support. Fifty-six responses were received but only 36 surveys were used due to completeness. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to find the mean differences on the global self-efficacy scores of special education teachers and the mode of three types of preparation. No statistical significance was found to be a greater predictor of special education teacher self-efficacy. However, some descriptive data provided information on differences between special education teacher high and low self-efficacy, skills that are better prepared by various types of preparation and recommendations on how to apply Bandura&rsquo;s (1977) social learning theory to help support special education self-efficacy during beginning teacher induction.</p><p>

<p> This study was designed to determine the relationship between the family unit, which was defined as single-parent households and two-parent households, and educational placement. Data were collected from six Southwest Missouri K-8 districts in Region C. Participants reported student enrollment according to categories of single-parent special education, single-parent regular education, two-parent special education, and two-parent regular education. In addition, district special education coordinators were interviewed to gather data on their perspectives and experiences regarding the different household types and educational placement. This mixed methods design revealed students from single-parent households are more likely to be negatively affected by home environment situations and have a higher probability of academic deficits leading to special education placement. The negative effects included lack of stability, lack of organization, lack of availability to assist with academic tasks, lack of attention to diagnoses and treatment, lack of exposure to outside academic influences, increased demands on the student from inside the household, and hunger. These negative effects were attributed to decreased financial security, less stable working hours, and lower education levels of the single parents.</p>

<p> The employment rate for individuals with disabilities is low. Yet some individuals with disabilities are able to maintain employment for extended periods of time by using unspecified social competencies, which allowed them to react appropriately during co-worker and supervisor interactions at the work site. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the social skills utilized by an individual with disabilities who maintained employment. Interviews and observations that followed appreciative inquiry principles and social role valorization perceptions were used to gain insight from the individual with disabilities, supervisors, co-workers, and the individual&rsquo;s employer. The results of this qualitative case study identified the social competencies needed for individuals with disabilities to maintain employment. Professionals who prepare individuals with disabilities for employment could include the identified social skills in their instruction.</p><p>

<p> Although many public schools in the United States are located in rural areas, the literature on rural youth is extremely limited, and the literature on rural youth with disabilities is practically absent. The purpose of this study was to gather the perspectives of community partners regarding rural school-community partnerships and provide an understanding of (a) the community&rsquo;s role, (b) how connections in rural communities were formed, and (c) how school-community partnerships can be strengthened. This study added to the existing literature on rural school-community partnerships by providing a deeper understanding of the processes that influence the phenomenon of transition to work for rural youth with disabilities. Employing a basic qualitative research design, information from this study was captured regarding community members&rsquo; perspectives on their roles and experience partnering with rural schools to transition youth with disabilities to work. The target population consisted of community members who represented businesses and community organizations who had purposefully connected with a rural school to support youth with disabilities transitioning to work. The sample included 10 participants who took part in semistructured, one-on-one interviews to describe their experiences. Data analysis revealed the roles of the community partners and the processes they used to secure school-community partnerships. The findings indicated that the community played a vital role in transitioning youth with disabilities to work and that it took time for the community partners to adjust to their new roles of supporting youth with disabilities in the workplace. The findings provide valuable insight on how rural schools can sustain, improve, and expand their community partnerships and experiences for students with disabilities. Opportunities for future research include identification of work training opportunities for rural students with disabilities, exploration of the types of transition assessments and work skills that promote transition to work, and research with a larger sample to improve generalizability.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent to which secondary students, aged 14-21 with intellectual disabilities in North Dakota (ND) engage in community-based work experience (CBWE). Perceived barriers to implementing CBWE were examined and a comparison was made between rural and urban communities. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was used to survey professionals responsible for implementing CBWE in ND secondary schools. Data obtained from the study showed that 60.01% of students with ID are engaged in CBWE and there was no difference between rural and urban communities in percentage of students engaged in this practice. There was no significant difference between these communities in types of jobs in which students were engaged. Professionals were asked to agree or disagree to a list of perceived barriers to implementing CBWE and, there was little difference between rural and urban communities. Professionals identified child labor laws, parental concerns, and requirements to align instruction to academic standards as common barriers to implementing CBWE.</p><p>

<p> The focus of my study was to explore if teachers think handwriting should be included as part of the core curriculum. The aim of the project was to observe and discuss if handwriting instruction is beneficial in the second grade. For my research, data was collected from observations, surveys, and interviews. The benefits and disadvantages of handwriting instruction were also researched. In recent years, each year that I taught, the handwriting of the students has become more and more illegible. Students had difficulty putting their thoughts onto the paper. It was taking them longer and longer just to write simple sentences, especially my students who were identified with learning disabilities. They could verbally come up with great ideas to discuss but as soon as I informed the students that it was time to put those thoughts to paper, the struggles began. Students would ask me how to form letters, spacing was nonexistent, and I could not read what they wrote. Moreover, the students could not even read their own writing. The study began with a survey of the teachers&rsquo; beliefs and experiences with handwriting instruction. Observations of teachers&rsquo; instruction and lessons were conducted. The findings were astounding. Manuscript handwriting instruction took place in kindergarten as students spent a week on each letter. There was no formal handwriting instruction, manuscript or cursive, in first grade and in second grade cursive handwriting instruction began in the last six weeks of school. If students did not master how to write a letter of the alphabet in kindergarten then it was up to the students to figure it out unless a teacher caught it and provided some type of instruction. Only 2 out of 6 teachers had any formal training or instruction on how to teach children to write.</p><p>

<p> This thesis examines whether or not a newly implemented Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) system is working in a middle school during its first year. The school used for this study is a middle school that serves students from fifth to eighth grade. The research conducted looked into the positive and negative thoughts staff and students had in regards to the PBIS system. During the school year, teachers who worked at the school for more than two years were surveyed on their viewpoints of the effectiveness of the PBIS system. Students in fifth grade were also given a survey to gain an understanding of their viewpoints on how the system is working in the school. Observations and personal interviews with teachers and students were also conducted to discuss their thoughts on the PBIS system and how they believe it has worked in its first year. The results from the surveys showed that the staff and students in the school felt that the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports system did not work in its first year.</p><p>

This study investigated the effects of sound reduction on physiological variables in premature infants in neonatal intensive care. Ten premature infants born between 27 and 36 weeks gestation wore a specially designed earmuff cap for a 45-minute rest period. Heart rate, respiration rate, oxygen saturation level and behavioral state were measured and compared to a similar 45-minute control period without the earmuff cap. Subjects showed a significant decrease (p = .050) in mean respiration rate, and a significant increase (p < .02) in mean oxygen saturation level with the earmuff cap on. No significant differences were found in heart rate between the experimental condition and the control condition. Behavioral state was documented only as a potentially confounding variable, however a significant decrease (p < .05) in the time spent awake and a significant increase (p < .05) in the time spent in quiet sleep rather than active sleep occurred with the earmuff cap on. Findings suggest that noise reduction may be a viable means of increasing respiratory efficiency and the amount and quality of sleep in premature infants in neonatal intensive care.

The rewards and sanctions associated with high-stakes testing may induce educators to participate in practices that will ensure the elimination of the scores of low-achieving students from the testing pool. Two ways in which scores may be eliminated is through retention or referral to special education. This study examined the use of these practices at 179 elementary schools in Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the 4th largest school district in the country. Between- and within-subjects designs were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance to compare retention and referral to special education practices over a five-year period of time, two years prior to and two years after the implementation of Florida's high-stakes test, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, FCAT. Significant main effects for referral and retention over time were demonstrated. The use of retention steadily increased over the first three years, with its usage maintained during the fourth year. While the use of referral actually decreased from the first to second years, a significant change occurred after the implementation of the FCAT. Examination of the use of these practices according to student and school characteristics revealed significant differences. Increases in the use of referral across time was significant for Black, non-Hispanic and Hispanic students, all limited English proficiency population categories, medium and low socioeconomic status category schools, all grade levels, and for schools with accountability grades of A, C, D and F with the most striking absolute increase occurring for F schools. Increases in the use of retention across time were significant for all ethnic groups, limited English proficiency categories, and socioeconomic status categories, for grades kindergarten through four and by gender. Significant increases occurred for schools with accountability performance grades of C, D and F; however the most dramatic increase occurred for the F schools. A direct relationship between performance category grade of school and their use of retention was demonstrated. The results suggest that schools changed their use of referral and retention in response to the implementation of the FCAT.

This study developed and validated a preschool screening instrument designed to identify children, enrolled in the Dade County Head Start program, who would be found eligible for placement in a language impaired or educable mentally handicapped program in the Dade County Public Schools (DCPS) system. Previously used commercial screening instruments were demonstrated to have unsatisfactory predictive validity. The new screening instrument was developed by utilizing already existing test items from a developmental skills assessment instrument, the Learning Accomplishment Profile-Diagnostic. These items were selected on the basis of their sensitivity and specificity hit rate scores. The reliability of the new screening instrument was established by using the test-retest and interrater methods. Predictive validity was established by using a double sample technique of 600 Head Start children for each sample and the classification or hit rate method following a comprehensive evaluation process. The new screening instrument was found to be a more accurate predictor of the need for exceptional student education services than the commercial screening instruments. The results showed that predictions could be made with confidence when a preschool screening instrument is developed which clearly defines; a) the population to be screened; b) the population to be identified; c) the criteria to determine who will be referred for comprehensive assessment; and, d) the criteria for determining who is eligible for intervention services.