Due to a multitude of convergent circumstances, students labeled in the disability category of emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) experience high rates of academic and behavioral failure. Such failure frequently leads to the students’ dropping out of school, involvement in the judicial system, or a combination of those outcomes. Science is an academic content area that has the potential to enhance behavioral and academic success of students with EBD. Researchers, nonprofits, and business leaders have provided an impetus for nationwide reform in science education. Concurrently, a corpus of legislation has influenced the preparation of new teachers to use evidence-based teaching practices while addressing the needs of an increasingly diverse student population. Using technology is one way that teacher educators are providing in-vivo learning experiences to new teachers during their classroom instruction. A multiple-baseline across-participants research study was used to examine the effectiveness of providing immediate feedback (within three seconds) to novice general science educators to increase their use of an evidence-based teaching strategy, known as a three-term contingency (TTC) trial while they taught. Feedback was delivered via Bug-in-the-Ear (BIE) technology and during whole-class instruction in which students with EBD were included. The teacher participants wore a Bluetooth earpiece, which served as a vehicle for audio communication with the investigator. Teachers were observed via web camera over the Adobe®ConnectTM online conferencing platform. During the intervention, teachers increased iv their percentage of completed TTC trials, opportunities to respond, and praise or error correction. Student responses also increased, and maladaptive behaviors decreased.

The master's thesis is devoted to the study of inclusive education as a factor in the social integration of students with disabilities in higher educational institutions using the example of the Ural Federal University. The study examined the development trend of inclusive education both abroad and also examined the barriers to the development of inclusive education. The introduction provides a brief description of the final qualification work: the relevance of the work, object, subject area, goal, objectives, research methods, degree of development and structure. The first chapter reveals the theoretical aspects of the concept of inclusive education, existing problems. The components of social adaptation and levels of accessibility are considered. The second chapter is devoted to the features of inclusive education at the Ural Federal University. Actual problems of inclusive education at the university are considered, and the results of the study on the basis of the university are also presented. / Магистерская диссертация посвящена изучению инклюзивного образования как фактора социальной интеграции студентов с ОВЗ в высших учебных заведениях на примере Уральского федерального университета. В работе были изучена тенденция развития инклюзивного образования и за рубежом, а также рассмотрены барьеры, препятствующие развитию инклюзивного образования. Во введении представлена краткая характеристика выпускной квалификационной работы: актуальность работы, объект, предметная область, цель, задачи, методы исследования, степень разработанности и структуры. В первой главе раскрываются теоретические аспекты понятия инклюзивного образования, существующие проблемы. Рассмотрены компоненты социальной адаптации и уровни доступности. Вторая глава посвящена особенностям инклюзивного образования в Уральском федеральном университете. Рассмотрены актуальные проблемы инклюзивного образования в университете, а также приведены результаты проведенного исследования на базе ВУЗа.

No description available.

Students with disabilities have the right to the least restrictive environment (IDEA, 2004). Elementary teachers are teaching more of these students in the inclusive classroom because of this right. Elementary teachers are willing to take on this responsibility, but most feel they are not prepared to do so. In order to address this concern, elementary teacher preparation at the institution level must be addressed. This is a descriptive thesis which identifies and compares methods that different institutions across the country use to prepare teachers to teach students with disabilities. Institutions chosen for this thesis were recognized by either the U.S. News and World Report (2010) or the Report of the Blue Ribbon Panel (2010) for effective preparation of preservice elementary teachers. This thesis addresses the University of Central Florida with the aforementioned institutions. A continuum with three main types of structures was used to identify programs ranging from "discrete", meeting minimum requirements, to completely "merged" programs between special education and elementary education. While "merged" results in dual certification and the most effective preparation according to Blanton and Pugach (2007), it is most often offered as a choice and not as a requirement. Through analysis of program requirements of elementary education and special education programs, course descriptions, and syllabi, this investigator concluded that there were inconsistencies across teacher preparation programs. Institutions are distributed widely across the continuum. If elementary teachers are required to teach to all students, then teacher preparation programs should address all students thoroughly. The investigator's hope is that the evidence presented and the suggestions made in this thesis will incite changes in institutions that are preparing elementary teachers to teach students with disabilities.

No description available.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) 2004 requires schools to provide students with disabilities with all the academic opportunities, services, and extracurricular involvement afforded non-disabled peers and with non-disabled peers. Accountability measures resulting from the law, No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), place increased emphasis on the performance of students with disabilities who must be included in the state assessment system, and meet the levels of proficiencies identified by the state for Adequate Yearly Progress in reading and math no later than 2013-2014. According to the literature, principals felt unprepared to provide the leadership in special education. The purpose of the case study of the leadership of a principal was to provide descriptions of practices in implementing and supporting inclusion so that instruction for children with disabilities can be delivered in general education classrooms. The data were triangulated from an interview with the principal, a focus group discussion of general and special education teachers, and examinations of physical artifacts. The findings revealed that the principal organized the school to support instruction of children with disabilities in general education classroom, planned intentionally for scheduling and grouping of students, expected general education and special education teachers to share equal responsibilities for instruction, used data to monitor the progress of students, developed visible and written procedures for academic and behavioral expectations, and collaborated with parents. Underlying each of the findings was the expectation that the faculty collaborate in understanding the impact of the disability upon learning, and problem solve interventions to positively affect academic outcomes for children with disabilities. / Ph. D.

The United States public schools promote inclusion and educational equity among diverse student populations. Considerable and growing numbers of students with categorical disabilities and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) are enrolled in regular classrooms. The systemic barriers in learning that they have could impact teacher perceptions and decisions about teaching practices as well as the teaching profession. These students have challenged K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers to provide high-quality, accommodative service and equitable educational opportunities in an increasingly STEM-infused society. Professional development associated with teaching students with disabilities and LEP is critical to inform in-service STEM teachers with these students' learning needs and promote student success. Effective preparation and support help maintain teacher satisfaction and retention within the teaching profession. However, the levels and perceptions of STEM teacher participation in such professional development, and whether the service load and professional development regarding the concerned groups of students associated with teacher satisfaction and retention remain unclear. This dissertation addresses these issues through two research studies using secondary analysis of the 2011-2012 School and Staffing Survey Teacher Questionnaire (SASS TQ) national dataset. The first study focused on K-12 STEM educator participation and perceived utility regarding their professional development experience concerning students with disabilities and LEP. Quantitative analysis revealed an overall lower level of participation and perceived utility of such professional development for STEM educators compared to all other educators. The second study examined teacher satisfaction and intent to remain in teaching, as well as their relationships to teacher service load and professional development specific to students with disabilities and LEP. Results indicated that K-12 STEM educators were less likely to feel satisfied or intent on remaining in teaching, compared to the remainder of the teaching population. Logistic regressions showed that service load of students with LEP predicted teacher satisfaction and participation in professional development concerning students with disabilities associated with teacher intent to remain in STEM education, especially for science educators. These findings collectively suggested the necessity and demands of sufficient and useful professional development offerings regarding the two concerned groups of students in inclusive STEM education settings. / Ph. D.

As the population of English Language Learners (ELLs) continues to grow in schools, so does the concern for their lack of academic progress and the possible inequitable representation of this culturally and linguistically diverse population in special education (Artiles, Rueda, Salazar, & Higareda, 2005; Guiberson, 2009; Mac Swan & Rolstad, 2006; Rinaldi & Samson, 2008). Of particular concern is the increase of ELLs with an eligibility of Specific Learning Disability (SLD), especially when examined at the local level (Klinger, Artiles, & Barletta, 2006). To understand this phenomenon at the local level, this mixed-method study examined ELLs with SLD in a large California urban school district by targeting English language development (ELD) at the macro and micro level. The researcher accomplished this focus by examining the relationship between English language proficiency levels, grade levels, and type of learning disorder among kindergarten through twelfth grade ELLs with SLD. The researcher analyzed cumulative educational records of three eighth grade ELLs with SLD, including Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs), to examine how ELD needs have been addressed. The results of the quantitative portion of this study revealed greater distribution patterns of ELLs with SLD in sixth through ninth grades. The researcher also found ELLs with SLD to be primarily represented in the early stages of ELD (beginning, early intermediate, and intermediate) and identified with an auditory processing disorder. Results of the case studies also revealed that after nine years of ELD instruction, the students had not reclassified as English proficient and documented evidence of ELD instruction and support was minimal.

Thesis (M. Tech.) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2008 / This study investigates how primary school educators in Manyatseng construct their meaning of their perceptions towards the inclusion of learners with disabilities in their mainstream classrooms. To arrive at the findings, the researcher used qualitative study to conduct the research. Literature was also reviewed to find out what the previous findings in other countries are with regard to the above mentioned research question. The Free Attitude Interview was also employed to obtain information concerning ideas, opinions, feelings and experiences of the four selected respondents. Grounded on the above findings and conclusions, the study recommends that efforts should not be spared to enable educators to adapt positive meaning making strategies. These strategies may be accompanied by enhanced positive feelings about their capability which may in turn also impact positively on their perception. The research further argues that this goal may be achieved through in service training, support services and empowerment, therefore further research needs to be conducted that will elaborate clearly, what the implications of perceptions in education are in teaching and learning, what are the most effective means of transferring strategies of meaning construction to educators with negative perception, how to strengthen and further sustain the positive meaning making strategies among educators who perception, how to strengthen and further sustain the positive meaning making strategies among educators perceive inclusion positively. Recommendations relating to educator empowerment through training and support are made as well as suggestions for further relevant research based on the concept generated in this research.

Learners with disabilities do not only incur various challenges in their learning encounters, but their presence also places many demands on Institutions of Higher Education (IHE). The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges and needs of learners with disabilities in an inclusive IHE and to use the findings to develop guidelines that will promote their accommodation in the learning environment. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional quantitative design where self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data. A total of 67 learners from different disability categories participated in the study. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19. Among the participants 50.7% were males, 41.8% were mobility impaired and 29.9% were visually impaired. While almost two-thirds (64.2%) of the participants indicated that they were born with the condition, 27.3% said they required regular medical attention and 9.0% indicated they needed assistance in performing their daily routine work. With regard to challenges facing the participants, 64.1% said lecturers were not flexible in their teaching methods, and 68.8% said lecturers did not make follow-ups on them when they failed to cope academically. Among this group of learners almost 3 in 4 (74.6%) participants repeated their courses at least once. In addition, whilst 43.8% indicated that the physical environment constituted a great barrier to their learning, 53.8% said they were vulnerable to abuses and dangers. The participants rated sanitation and extra-curricular programmes as the poorest. The study established that there were significant (p=0.007) relationship between blindness status and failure rate, and also between type of secondary school (special or regular) attended and the ability to cope with the demands of tertiary education (p=0.004). These findings suggest that there are a number of challenges that tend to exclude and marginalise learners with disabilities in IHEs. The study, therefore, recommended that the Department of Higher Education and Training (DoHET) must make it mandatory for all IHEs to develop and implement inclusive institutional policies that will remove academic and social barriers in IHEs in line with the Social Model of Disability. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)