The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of modified schema-based instruction (MSBI) on teaching post-secondary adolescents with extensive support needs (ESN) mathematical problem solving in a multiple probe across participants design. Participants were taught to self-monitor through the steps of problem solving using a task analysis and with the support of a schema and calculator solved multiplicative comparison word problems. Generalization was also measured within the context of a real-world activity. This study utilized a novel self-monitoring system to facilitate student goal setting and self-graphing of progress to contribute to student self-determination skills. Before and after implementation of the MSBI, three dependent variables were measured: independent steps completed accurately, problems solved, and generalization. Visual analysis indicated a functional relation between MSBI and two of the three dependent variables (primary and secondary). Results and future implications for research are discussed. / A Thesis submitted to the School of Teacher Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Fall Semester 2018. / November 14, 2018. / modified schema based instruction, multiplication, multiplicative compare, secondary, severe disabilities, students with exceptional support needs / Includes bibliographical references. / Jenny Root, Professor Directing Thesis; Kelly Whalon, Committee Member; Mary-Frances Hanline, Committee Member.

Even though the official kick-off of special education was witnessed in 1960 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its history dates back to 1958 following the individual efforts of Ahmad Aba Hussein to teach the Braille system to a group of blind people who later proceeded to teach other blind people at their homes. Despite making substantive progress towards ensuring that students with special needs have better access to education through the enactment of various policy frameworks, there is still a lot that needs to be done to realize an inclusive education curriculum for all. Notably, students with Down syndrome and autism have, for a long time, been disadvantaged in terms of their access to schools due to the stereotypical attitude that they were unteachable. Therefore, the current research study investigated the factors associated with the academic success of fourth- and fifth-grade autistic and Down syndrome students’ successful transition in Saudi Arabia’s public schools. The study employed a qualitative research approach whereby interviews were used to gather relevant evidence. Study participants were selected randomly, and included four special school teachers in one of Saudi Arabia’s public schools, one education administrator, one counsellor and eight parents. The researcher used interviews to ask participants questions related to the variables in the study. The findings of this study indicated that teachers believe that schools can adapt the classroom learning environment to address the needs of students with disabilities. Teachers also agreed that having high expectations for students with Down syndrome and autism encouraged them to perform better and showed positive results. Generally, the results showed that offering a conducive learning environment for children with special needs enabled them to attain better academic achievements. The findings indicated that it is important to give teachers proper and continuous training so that they can address the needs of autistic and Down syndrome students. The major results of the study demonstrated that schools should place students in safe and conducive learning environments. Overall, it is hoped that the findings of this study will inform policy changes aimed to address the needs of autistic and Down syndrome students.

<p> When we view the needs of our students through the lens of access and opportunity for students of African American backgrounds then we can begin to move forward towards a more comprehensive and collaborative approach (Jacobs, 2013; Klingner, et al., 2005). Dr. Asa Hilliard (1991) states, &ldquo;it is a question of whether collectively, as educators and a society, we have the will and vision to educate all children&rdquo; (cited in Boutte, 2012, p. 517). While the current body of research provides a plethora of information on supporting CLD children and families from the perspective of educators, administrators, and institutions of higher education (Banks, Obiakor, &amp; Algozzine, 2013; Cannon &amp; Luckner, 2016; Chu, 2013; Guardino &amp; Cannon, 2016; Hansuvadah, 2009; Harry, 2008; Olivos, Gallagher, &amp; Aguilar, 2010) there is a significant gap in the research literature as it pertains to the parents of children who are Black and have a disability, and their perspective of disparities in access to resources and opportunity. For the purposes of this study, CLD/E refers to children who are Black or African American and have a disability as defined by IDEIA. There are two purposes for this study. This study will explore the parent voice in discussing the issues of access and experiences for children and families who are CLD/E. The second purpose of this study is to examine the manner in which systems are navigated from the CLD parent point of view, specifically those of the African diaspora. Through examining parents&rsquo; experiences, this study will inform the body of research to support the needs of CLD students with disabilities transition throughout their academic careers. This study is guided by the following questions: &bull; How do CLD parents of CLD/E children perceive their child&rsquo;s disability? &bull; How do CLD parents perceive the supports and services available to assist them in supporting the needs of their CLD/E? &bull; What do CLD parents perceive as the facilitators of and the barriers to access and opportunity for services and resources? </p><p> When the information is examined more closely, one can see the trend of students with disabilities not accessing high-level opportunities in the realms of employment, education, independent living, and overall quality of life, and how this trend is compounded when the numbers are examined through the lens of culture and language (Bal, Sullivan, &amp; Harper, 2014; Leake, Burgstahler, &amp; Izzo, 2011; National Research Council, 2002; Povenmire-Kirk, Bethune, Alverson, &amp; Kahn, 2015). Further, by focusing on the population of students the research available is limited in scope as it does not address ways in which all stakeholders can work together to improve outcomes, specifically with the voice of parents. CLD students with exceptionality are therefore limited in their ability to access the same or similar opportunities as their same aged peers who are without disability and oftentimes White.</p><p>

<p> The iSocial 3D CVLE is an innovative design for addressing special needs at a distance that require social and active learning. This exploratory retrospective case study explored innovative methods of analyzing co-occurrences of behavior to gain insight into understanding and evaluating student performance and 3D CVLE design. Visualization techniques were employed to model student behavior within similarly structured activities. Linear mixed models revealed that student performance significantly differed across environments. In addition, environmental design attributes were identified through qualitative memos. General behavior patterns were associated with design environment attributes, warranting further study.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this quantitative study was to analyze the impact of three predicting factors, low socioeconomic status (SES), participation in community based work experience (CBWE) programs, and the presence of multiple disability diagnoses, on postsecondary outcomes of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The case study specifically analyzed postsecondary outcomes of 70 high school students with an educational diagnosis of ASD, who graduated from public, self-contained special education secondary schools during the 2014-2017 academic years. Postsecondary outcomes were measured through data gathered by the school district&rsquo;s Graduate Six Month Follow Up questionnaire.</p><p> Study results found no statistically significant impact of any predictor variables on postsecondary outcomes. Results also indicated no significant relationship between the three predictor variables. Limitations of the study include sample size, qualification for free and reduced lunch, data collection tools, and time frames. Implications for practice and future research opportunities are discussed.</p><p>

<p> Approximately one-third of school-age children have been identified as students with learning disabilities. As a result, teachers are confronted with the challenge of providing quality instruction to students with diverse learning needs. Challenges and benefits abound in the inclusive classroom. Therefore, the study, considered quantitative, non-experimental, and survey research in nature, explored variables that influence teacher perception and participant-perceived satisfaction of inclusion. The cross-national study consisted of 112 participants hailing from public and private schools in Africa, Europe, and the United States. Differentiated instruction, social skills development, pre-service preparedness, and classroom culture represented the most statistically significant correlates in predicting teacher perception of inclusion as superior in meeting the comprehensive educational needs of students with mild to moderate learning disabilities.</p><p>

I tested the effects of the absence and presence of Naming on rate of learning when teacher modeling was part of an instructional procedure. A time-lagged multiple probe design across matched pairs of participants was implemented. Eight elementary aged children with autism, ranging in age from 4 to 7 years old, were selected because they lacked Naming at the onset of the study. The dependent variable was the number of instructional trials, or learn units, required to master 6 mathematics curricular objectives: 3 prior to the emergence of Naming, and 3 following the acquisition of Naming. Each instructional session consisted of a teacher model, in which I demonstrated how to solve 2problems while the participant observed, followed by 20 learn units. Learn unit procedures following the teacher-model included positive reinforcement for correct responses and corrective feedback for incorrect responses. The independent variable in the study was the induction of Naming using multiple exemplar instruction (MEI) across listener and speaker responses. Following the emergence of Naming, 3 novel mathematics objectives were taught and rate of learning was measured. The participants' rate of learning under teacher modeling conditions was compared prior to the emergence of Naming, and following the acquisition of Naming. The results of the study showed accelerated learning for all 8 participants under teacher modeling conditions following the acquisition of the Naming capability.

Two studies were conducted on the effects of different reinforcement contingencies on the emission of verbal operants by preschoolers. Six participants, 3 females and 3 males, 3- to 4-years old, were selected to participate in Experiment I. Six participants, 5 females and 1 male, 2- to 4-years-old, were selected for Experiment II. In Experiment I, the effects of contingent tokens versus contingent adult attention were tested on the number of tacts emitted in three different experimental settings, using an alternating treatment design. In Experiment II, the effects of contingent tokens versus contingent adult attention were tested on the number of tacts per minute and the percentage of peer-to-peer conversational units. The results from both experiments showed that these participants emitted tacts more frequently with contingent social attention than with contingent tokens. In addition, in Experiment II, peer-to-peer conversational units were low when adult attention was available and increased when adult attention was withheld. Implications of these results include, tacts are maintained specifically by social reinforcers, not simply generalized conditioned reinforcers (i.e., tokens). Thus, special attention must be paid when selecting reinforcers for teaching tacts so that the desired function is taught. Moreover, deprivation of adult-attention appears to function as a motivating operation for enhancing the value of attention from peers.

The number of students receiving educational services under the classification of autism is increasing (Sack-Min, 2008; Center for Disease Control Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 2007; Dymond, Gilson, Myran, 2007; Fitzgerald & Ryan, 2006). There is a need to provide better educational opportunities for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in schools. One of the clearest needs in the field is to increase the number of well-prepared professionals to work with children and their families. (Simpson, LaCava, Graner, 2004; Palmer, Blanchard, Jean & Mandell, 2005). Learners with ASD can be expected to acquire vital skills, knowledge, and behaviors only when educators are able and willing to adopt and properly use effective practice strategies and methods (Lerman, Vorndran, Addison & Contucci Kuhn, 2004). A Two-Phase Sequential Exploratory Mixed-Method design was used in this study. In the first qualitative phase, seven experts in the field of ASD and teacher education were interviewed to explore the phenomenon quality special education teachers of students with ASD, particularly the areas of knowledge, skill and characteristics. The results of this phase were used to develop a battery of measurement instruments that were used in the second, quantitative phase of the study. During the second phase, 112 special education teachers of students with ASD were surveyed, using the instruments developed in phase one, to investigate correlations and predictive relationships between the dependent variables knowledge of ASD, skill, characteristics quality, self-efficacy and the independent variables number of courses in ASD, highest degree reported, type of certification/endorsement, number of years of professional experiences working with individuals with ASD, number of years of professional experience working with individuals with disabilities, number of students with ASD worked with in professional career, number of current students with ASD, number of years since received highest degree, and self-reported effectiveness of preparation. Correlations and hierarchical regressions for all dependent variables were conducted. Results indicated the best predictors of knowledge of ASD for special education teachers of students with ASD were: number of courses in ASD; highest degree reported; number of years of professional experience working with individuals with ASD; and number of students with ASD worked with in professional career. The best predictors of skill were: number of courses in ASD; number of years of professional experience working with individuals with ASD; and self-reported effectiveness of preparation. The best predictors of self-efficacy were: number of courses in ASD and number of years of professional experience working with individuals with ASD. Lastly, the best predictors of quality special education teachers of students with ASD were determined to be the number of courses in ASD and self-reported effectiveness of preparation.

In three experiments I sought to experimentally test a source of emergent relations defined as transitivity by Stimulus Equivalence theory or as combinatorial entailment in Relational Frame Theory. In Experiment I, the participants were 4 children diagnosed with autism who also demonstrated significant cognitive and language delays, who were selected for the experiment because of their inability to demonstrate emergent/derived relations during baseline. A time-lagged multiple probe design was utilized to determine the effects of training of a frame of symmetry through the use of a cross modal matching procedure requiring the participants to match auditory stimuli to visual stimuli and conversely visual stimuli to auditory stimuli using a computer program. The dependent variables were the participant's responses to the emergent relations of transitivity/combinatorial entailment, post intervention, with a probe set and a novel set of stimuli, as well as the participant's rate of learning for tacts and textual responses. Three of four participants were able to demonstrate emergent relations following intervention. The participant who did not demonstrate derived relations lacked an echoic repertoire. In Experiment II, I built on the findings of Experiment I to determine if derived relations could be taught visually, without the use of language. Three males with severe language disorders, who did not display emergent relations during baseline, participated in the experiment. A time-lagged multiple probe design, with counterbalanced probes was used to determine the effects of multiple exemplar training across visual relations. The dependent variable was the participant's responses to emergent relation probes following intervention. None of the participants were able to demonstrate derived relations after visual symmetry training. In the third experiment, the same participants and materials were used as Experiment II, however, in Experiment III, a tact was taught for each of the stimulus sets in order to determine the role of the tact in emergent relations. A time lagged multiple probe design, with counterbalanced probes was used. The dependent variable was again participant's responses to emergent relation probes following tact training. All 3 participants were able to demonstrate derived relations with the probe and novel set of stimuli following intervention. Results of all three experiments suggest that both bi-directional/symmetrical relations and verbal operants are necessary for derived relations.