Showing papers in "Exceptional Children in 2003"

Response to Instruction as a Means of Identifying Students with Reading/Learning Disabilities:

Abstract: To examine a response to treatment model as a means for identifying students with reading/learning disabilities, 45 second-grade students at risk for reading problems were provided daily supplemental reading instruction and assessed after 10 weeks to determine if they met a prior criteria for exit. Students who met criteria no longer received supplemental instruction. Those who did not were regrouped and supplemental instruction was continued for another 10 weeks. After 20 weeks of supplemental instruction, students who still had not met criteria were provided another 10 weeks of supplemental instruction. Students who never met criteria were classified as no exit. Pretest scores on fluency, passage comprehension, and rapid naming were the significant predictors of students who did not meet exit criteria.

Attitudes of Elementary School Principals toward the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities

Abstract: A survey of 408 elementary school principals was conducted to investigate relationships regarding attitudes toward inclusion, variables such as training and experience, and placement perceptions. Results indicate that about 1 in 5 principals' attitudes toward inclusion are positive while most are uncertain. Positive experiences with students with disabilities and exposure to special education concepts are associated with a more positive attitude toward inclusion. Further, principals with more positive attitudes and/or experiences are more likely to place students in less restrictive settings. Differences in placement and experiences were found between disability categories. Results emphasize the importance of inclusionary practices that give principals positive experiences with students of all types of disabilities as well as provide principals with more specific training.

Communities of Practice: Connecting What We Know with What We Do

Abstract: This article examines the community of practice model as a framework for integrating educational research and practice. This perspective extends current notions about collaborative inquiry and the role of teacher participation in research aimed at improving educational practices. In addition to defining communities of practice and describing reflective practice and situated learning as the theoretical underpinnings of this approach, the article analyzes applications of this model from the literature and offers suggestions for transforming traditional methods of conducting research on educational practice. The article concludes with a challenge to the field to consider ways to promote dialogue and inquiry to advance our knowledge on this issue.

Positive Behavior Supports: Can Schools Reshape Disciplinary Practices?

Abstract: This literature review examines the use of school-based positive behavior support (PBS), an alternative to traditional disciplinary practices that includes databased decision making and team collaboration. First, the role of archival data in planning intervention priorities is examined. Next, efficacy research focusing on the three types of PBS is evaluated: schoolwide (universal), specific setting, and individual student levels. Overall, findings were positive across all types of PBS, validating implementation of these research-based practices. This review concludes with a discussion of directions for future research and implications for practice.

Collaborative Teaming to Support Students at Risk and Students with Severe Disabilities in General Education Classrooms

Abstract: This study investigated the effectiveness of a general education/special education collaborative teaming process on the academic and social participation of six students in general education classrooms. Three of the students experienced severe disabilities. The other three were considered academically at risk. Each student was supported by an educational team that included general and special education personnel and the students' parents. Each team developed and collaboratively implemented individualized Unified Plans of Support for one student at risk and a classmate with disabilities, consisting of academic adaptations and communication and social supports. The effectiveness of the support plans was evaluated through behavioral observations and team interviews. Intervention outcomes suggested that for each of the six students consistent implementation of the plans of support by team members was associated with increases in academic skills, engagement in classroom activities, interactions with peers, and...

Stakeholders' Views of Factors That Impact Successful Interagency Collaboration:

Abstract: This study investigated factors related to successful and unsuccessful collaborations, studied the specific problems that are part of the collaboration process, and identified solutions to minimize their occurrence. Thirty-three stakeholders from nine state departments and three private social services agencies in Ohio were categorized into two groups: program chiefs and program specialists. Participants were interviewed as to their opinions on successes, problems, and solutions related to interagency collaboration. Interviews were transcribed and data were analyzed using content analysis. Significant differences were found in two areas: factors that jeopardized interagency collaboration and areas each group would change in future collaborative efforts. Based on the outcomes of this study, seven factors related to successful interagency collaboration were delineated.

Barriers and Facilitators in Scaling up Research-Based Practices

Abstract: The purpose of this research was to “scale up” the implementation of four research-based practices in inclusive classrooms. Twenty-nine teachers from six elementary schools participated in a 2-week professional development program and received extensive follow-up support from researchers throughout the schoolyear. Our objective was to better understand the barriers and facilitators experienced by teachers determined to be high implementers (9), moderate implementers (9), and low implementers (11). Data sources included interviews, teacher logs, and classroom observations. Teachers across implementation levels lamented a lack of instructional time. Yet how teachers dealt with barriers differed. High-implementing (HI) teachers reported administrative support as their top facilitator, while five moderate-implementing (MI) teachers described a lack of administrative support. School effects were noted.

Self-Determination for Students with Disabilities: Views of Parents and Teachers

Abstract: Parents and general and special education teachers of high school students with high-and low-incidence disabilities were surveyed about their views on self-determination. Factor analyses of parent data yielded three factors: student participation in individualized education program (IEP) meetings, teaching self-determination, and students' opportunity to make choices and express interests. Analysis of teacher data yielded two factors: familiarity with self-determination and students' opportunity to learn and practice self-determination. Parents strongly supported participation in IEP meetings and the teaching of self-determination. Teachers slightly agreed that they were familiar with self-determination and that students had the opportunity to learn and apply these skills. Students' instructional program mediated parents' beliefs. Interactions between teacher type, incidence of disability, instructional program, and teaching experience mediated teacher beliefs.

The impact of inclusion on language development and social competence among preschoolers with disabilities

Abstract: This article describes progress in language development and social competence among 96 preschoolers with disabilities in inclusive and segregated classes. Pretest ability was the strongest predictor of progress. Other child, parent, and family characteristics were not associated with pretest developmental abilities or with progress. Degree of disability did not moderate the impact of placement type on developmental outcomes, controlling for pretest ability. Effect sizes, however, indicated thatposttest scores were comparable in both settings for children with “not severe” disabilities, but not for children with “severe” disabilities. Children with severe disabilities in inclusive classes had higher posttest scores in language development and social skills than their peers in segregated classes, but problem behaviors were lower for children in segregated classes.

Increasing Self-Determination: Teaching Students to Plan, Work, Evaluate, and Adjust

Abstract: A study was conducted to determine if secondary-age students could use self-determination contracts to regulate the correspondence between their plans, work, self-evaluations, and adjustments on academic tasks. The authors examined the impact of these contracts on the plan, work, evaluation, and adjustment behaviors of 8 secondary-age students with severe emotional/behavioral problems. The students completed daily self-determination contracts to schedule their work on academic tasks, plan for work outcomes, evaluate progress, and adjust for the next day's activity. One-way repeated-measures (ANOVAs) yielded 15 significant effects for the correspondence between plan and work, between work and evaluation, between evaluation and adjustment, and between adjustment and the next day plan. Pre- and postassessment found significant academic improvement.

How Cooperative Learning Works for Special Education and Remedial Students

Abstract: This study reports new analyses from an earlier study by Antil, Jenkins, Wayne, & Vadasy (1998) in which 21 general education classroom teachers were interviewed about their use of cooperative learning. We report teachers' perceptions of how cooperative learning benefits special education and remedial students, the percentage of these students who consistently participated in classroom cooperative learning activities, its efficacy for these students, and the kind of modifications teachers made for students with special needs. Teachers were generally positive about cooperative learning's efficacy for students with learning problems, while acknowledging that it worked better for some students than others. Major benefits were improved self-esteem, a safe learning environment, and better classroom success rates and products. The primary modification for special and remedial education students was selecting suitable partners for them.

Prereferral Intervention Processes: A Survey of State Practices

Abstract: Without a federal mandate providing clear guidelines for specific practices, prereferral intervention practices are implemented in varied ways within and between the states. The current study focused on practices across all states as a replication of the research reported in 1989 by Carter and Sugai. Significant findings included the status of prereferral practices within the respective states, the pattern of terminology used, the professional ownership of the process, and the patterns of participation. The results are discussed in terms of changes noted since the Carter and Sugai research, apparent trends in the field, and directions for effective professional practice.

Critical Social Skills for Adolescents with High Incidence Disabilities: Parental Perspectives:

Abstract: This qualitative research explored parental views about critical social skills for adolescents with high-incidence disabilities. Parents in this study shared their beliefs that emotional intelligence and character play critical roles in the social and emotional development of their children. Findings indicate that although parents agree that academic performance is important, they want their children to develop skills in two major areas: (a) interpersonal and intrapersonal skills, which include skills such as communicating, listening, interpreting, and discerning; and (b) moral development, which includes areas of character, empathy, and perseverance/motivation.

An Experimental Analysis of Accommodation Decisions on Large-Scale Mathematics Tests

Abstract: This article reports on an investigation of teachers and students within special education to determine the accuracy with which teachers recommend read-aloud accommodations for mathematics tests, and develop a profile of students who benefit from this type of accommodation. Students in both general (n = 973) and special education (n = 245) in elementary and middle schools from eight states were administered an accommodated and standard mathematics achievement test. Teachers were no more successful than chance at predicting which students would benefit from the accommodation. Supplementary analyses used pretest reading and mathematics achievement scores in an attempt to develop a profile of students who favored one or the other formats. The outcomes from accommodations did not necessarily match student profiles.

Schoolwide Planning to Improve Paraeducator Supports

Abstract: This study chronicled the use of a process of planning for paraeducator supports, by teams in 46 schools, in 13 states during the 2000–2001 and 2001–2002 school years. Data reflect the utilization and outcomes of the process along with the perspectives of 331 individual team members. Findings indicated that the process assisted school teams in self-assessing their paraeducator practices, identifying priorities, and developing action plans and implementing them. Individual team members reported that the process did what it purported to do and rated it highly on consumer-oriented variables. Culminating reports documented impact on school personnel and student outcomes. Implications for schools and future use are discussed for improving paraeducator supports and educational supports for students with disabilities.

Participation and Accommodation in State Assessment: The Role of Individualized Education Programs

Abstract: The individualized education program (IEP) is both an important process and a document in decision-making concerning students' participation and accommodation in assessment. In this intervention study, training was found to increase the quality and extent of participation and accommodation documentation on the IEP. Correlations between what was documented on the IEP and what happened on the day of testing were highly variable. Although students' IEPs appeared to reflect individualized decisions, political and logistical factors limited the utility of the IEP and interfered with its actual implementation.

Secondary School Curricula Issues: Impact on Postsecondary Students with Disabilities

Abstract: Supporting and teaching students with disabilities to learn rigorous, standards-based curriculum in secondary school is a complex and difficult issue for educators. This article presents an overview of issues surrounding standards-based curricula and individualized education for youth with disabilities in secondary school settings. Specifically examined are (a) the complex needs of students with disabilities in learning rigorous standards-based curricula, (b) the needs of educators to effectively teach this population standards-based curricula, and (c) the contextual factors that impact teaching and learning standards-based curricula in secondary schools. Also, some exemplary and promising practices that enable students and schools to meet the goals set out by current legislation are described, and recommendations are made for practitioners.

Job Performance of Transition-Age Youth with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Abstract: This study examined the job performance of adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders (E/BD). Adolescent employees with E/BD (n = 47) and their immediate supervisors (n = 47) rated (a) adolescents' performance of 50 workplace behaviors and (b) the importance of those same behaviors to success on the job. Significant discrepancies were found between supervisor's ratings of the importance of work behaviors and their ratings of adolescents' performance of the same behaviors. In addition, adolescents' ratings of their own job performance were significantly more favorable than the ratings of their supervisors. Implications of the study are discussed within the context of secondary transition programming for adolescents with E/BD.

What We Know and Need to Know about Alternate Assessment

Abstract: This article reviews promises, practices, and provisos of alternate assessment as a basis for illustrating what we know and what we need to know about measuring progress of students with disabilities in statewide assessment programs. In 19 data-based studies, professionals have begun to document the impact that alternate assessment is having on school reform and policy in general and to expectations, access to the general curriculum, and instruction for students with disabilities, especially those with significant cognitive impairments. At this juncture, there are insufficient data to report with confidence that alternate assessment will live up to its promises. Based on the data at hand, we offer recommendations for future research and a clearer focus on what we need to know to improve the outcomes of alternate assessments.

A Longitudinal Analysis of Shifting Policy Landscapes in Special and General Education Reform

Abstract: A longitudinal policy analysis was undertaken in four schools to explore the degree to which positive outcomes associated with a 1990 state policy on education reform had been sustained in the context of subsequent policies emphasizing standards-based reform and school accountability. The shifting policy context supported the sustainability of initial positive outcomes such as increased use of educational support systems and teams, but was associated with increases in referrals to special education and the use of more restrictive special education placements. Findings suggest a need to recognize shared as well as competing goals among educational policies and to explore a variety of approaches to expanding the capacity of general education to support students within the context of standards-based reform.

Intervention-Based Assessment: Evaluation Rates and Eligibility Findings

Abstract: A statewide sample of Ohio schools employing Intervention-Based Assessment (IBA) reported rates of multifactored evaluation for special education, eligibility findings, and the proportion of children receiving interventions outside of general education classroom settings. Results were compared with data reported for an earlier version of prereferral intervention, Intervention Assistance Teams (IATs). Unlike IAT, IBA required documentation and analysis of interventions in the process of determining special education eligibility. Results favored IBA over IAT in proportions of children on team caseloads who underwent multifactored evaluation and were found eligible for special education, but not for proportion of children receiving interventions in general education settings. Implications of these findings for school-based problem-solving efforts are discussed.

Alternate Assessments in Reading and Math: Development and Validation for Students with Significant Disabilities

Abstract: Given the mandates of IDEA to include students with disabilities in large-scale assessments, most states have either adopted alternate standards or developed alternate assessments. In either case, it is difficult to understand the students' performance relative to the primary assessment program. And in both cases, the technical adequacy is generally assumed rather than specifically documented. In this study, we developed a series of standardized tasks that can be considered as part of the same construct as operationalized in the primary large-scale assessment program. We then analyzed student performance to ascertain reliability and initial validity. In reading and math, teachers were trained to administer the tasks and judge performance, providing a system with instructional and evaluative uses. The results support the technical adequacy of the alternate assessment.

The Social Lives of Children with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in Self-Contained Classrooms: A Descriptive Analysis:

Abstract: This descriptive study was conducted to examine the social lives of children with emotional and behavioral disorders (E/BD) whose education occurred in segregated elementary school classrooms. The principal data were obtained from detailed interviews with 14 children with E/BD, and 14 matched comparison children from general education classrooms. Major findings indicated that the children with E/BD had little opportunity to engage in integrated school activities and their social networks in school were dominated by children and adults affiliated with special education. In contrast, the social networks of the same children in their homes and neighborhoods were similar in size and constellation to the networks of the general education children. In addition, children with E/BD identified their important friends as being from their home networks, whereas the general education children's important friends came from school. The results have implications for educational placements and future research.

Music & Minds: Using a Talent Development Approach for Young Adults with Williams Syndrome:

Abstract: Increased attention has been given to the perplexing issue of students with both disabilities and abilities. This study investigated whether a talent development approach could be adapted for persons with Williams syndrome (WS). Available school records and extensive interviews provided evidence that educational programs for these students with WS had focused primarily on remediating their deficits. Although the majority of participants demonstrated a lifelong interest in music, few had been able to participate in music enrichment during their entire school experience. For this group, use of a talent development approach focusing on strengths, interests, and learning style preferences was found to enhance all participants' understanding of mathematics and to provide opportunities for the further development of their abilities, especially their music potential.

Strategy Acquisition and Maintenance of Gifted and Nongifted Young Children

Abstract: Young childrens strategy acquisition and maintenance were examined by comparing the recall, clustering, and study behaviors of children of different ages and intelligences. Three groups were included in the study: 5-year-old gifted children, 5-year-old nongifted children, and 7-year-old nongifted children. All were observed and measured on 5 consecutive days, with training on strategy use provided on the third day. Several differences among groups were found, generally favoring the gifted children in terms of performance and maintenance of strategies. In addition, the 5-year-old gifted children seemed to spontaneously use categorization strategies and clustered items in recall before training, while the 7-year-old children used categorization and clustering in recall after training. Implications for instruction for gifted students are discussed.

Ascertaining the Adequacy, Scope, and Utility of District Evaluations:

Abstract: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides parents of students with disabilities the opportunity to obtain an independent educational evaluation (IEE) if the parent disagrees with the evaluation conducted by the local education agency. The standard for determining the parent's right to a publicly funded IEE is the appropriateness of the district's evaluation. Yet guidelines for determining the appropriateness of the district's evaluation have not been clearly defined. A qualitative content analysis of recent administrative decisions and cases concerning IEEs identified three legal criteria administrative officers and judges have utilized in determining the appropriateness of challenged district evaluations. Several recommendations to professionals involved in conducting evaluations are offered, including a self-study and ongoing case review.

Independent Educational Evaluations under IDEA ′97: It's a Testy Matter

Abstract: An independent educational evaluation (IEE) provides parents with an opportunity to obtain alternative sources of information concerning the present levels of performance of their children. Although Congress guaranteed this procedural safeguard for parents in 1975 (P. L. No. 94–142), there have been several alterations of these regulations during the past 25 years. Primary areas of concern include: (a) What is an appropriate evaluation? (b) What are the circumstances in which a public agency must pay for an IEE? and (c) What is the timeline to which local educational agencies (LEAs) and parents must adhere? IDEA ′97 included modifications of previous federal regulations on IEEs. This article explores these alterations through a review of administrative decisions, court cases, state regulations, and U.S. Department of Education policy and opinion letters.