Showing papers in "The Journal of The Association for Persons With Severe Handicaps in 2014"
TL;DR: The authors analyzed the least restrictive environment (LRE) data that states and U.S. territories report from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and discuss the status of the most restrictive special education placement settings for students with disabilities.
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to analyze the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) data that states and U.S. territories report from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and discuss the status of the most restrictive special education placement settings for students with disabilities. In this analysis, we found that (a) states do not set rigorous improvement goals to reduce restrictive placements, (b) the percentage of students with disabilities placed in restrictive placements have remained essentially unchanged over the past decade, and (c) students with low-incidence (severe) disabilities are disproportionally placed in restrictive placements. These results suggest that segregated educational experiences continue for thousands of students with disabilities in spite of evidence that shows that opportunities to learn and develop are enhanced in more inclusive educational settings.
156 citations
TL;DR: The authors argue that the principles of least restrictive environment and involvement and progress in the general curriculum have been interpreted in ways that perpetuate segregation, rather than increasing students' access to meaningful curriculum in inclusive educational contexts.
Abstract: Students with significant disabilities continue to be among the most segregated in schools. In this article, we argue that the principles of least restrictive environment and involvement and progress in the general curriculum have been interpreted in ways that perpetuate segregation, rather than increasing students’ access to meaningful curriculum in inclusive educational contexts. We examine this issue from three broad perspectives: federal policy related to least restrictive environment, interpretations of policies related to involvement and progress in the general curriculum, and the implementation of policies related to assessment of grade-level standards. We discuss implications of each of these issues for providing and increasing involvement and progress in general education contexts and content.
87 citations
[...]
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reframe the discourse by defining inclusion through structures and interventions, not student characteristics, and review several emerging best practices that, when deployed within this new framework, increase the likelihood of system change or improvement to advance inclusive education.
Abstract: After decades of effort to create inclusive education, the authors assert that the time for full inclusion to manifest at scale may finally be at hand. This article first briefly considers the background and history of the inclusive education movement. The authors then reframe the discourse by defining inclusion through structures and interventions, not student characteristics. They review several emerging best practices that, when deployed within this new framework, increase the likelihood of system change or improvement to advance inclusive education.
60 citations
TL;DR: This article presented a qualitative interview study of the overlooked voice: the parent experiences with the special education system, which is largely dominated from mothers' perspectives. But they also found that "parent experiences with special education systems are not solely from the mothers' perspective".
Abstract: Research about parent experiences with the special education system is largely dominated from mothers’ perspectives. This article will present a qualitative interview study of the overlooked voice:...
46 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the efficacy and social validity of peer network interventions as an avenue for promoting social interactions and social skills for two high school students with autism spectrum disorders.
Abstract: Supporting social interactions and positive peer relationships is an important element of comprehensive secondary education and transition programming. For many adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), such social connections may be fairly limited apart from intentional programming. We examined the efficacy and social validity of peer network interventions as an avenue for promoting social interactions and social skills for two high school students with ASD. The introduction of peer networks was accompanied by substantial increases in peer interactions for both students. Adult facilitators, peer partners, and students with ASD each considered the intervention to be acceptable and feasible to implement. We offer recommendations for designing social-focused interventions for adolescents with ASD and highlight future research directions.
43 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of systematic instruction, including constant time delay and a modified system of least prompts, paired with an iPad2® to teach grade-appropriate literature in a shared story format for students with limited verbal ability.
Abstract: Literacy skills are important for accessing all areas of academic content as well as for increasing quality of life. The use of shared stories to teach early literacy skills to students with extensive support needs, including students with autism, is an evidence-based practice. This project extends the research by examining the effects of systematic instruction, including constant time delay and a modified system of least prompts, paired with an iPad2® to teach grade-appropriate literature in a shared story format for students with limited verbal ability. The participants in this intervention were four elementary-aged male students with autism and limited to no verbal ability. A 10-step task analysis was developed to guide the shared story process. Results indicated that the participants were able to increase the number of independent correct responses on the task analysis from baseline to intervention. Study limitations and implications for future research are discussed.
43 citations
TL;DR: The importance of evidence-based reforms for learners with severe intellectual disability is described and advances in the identification of EBPs for these learners are discussed, including a summary of the interventions identified as EBPs in the professional literature and by online resources.
Abstract: Because of their highly intensive and variable learning needs, learners with severe intellectual disability present significant challenges to special educators and other stakeholders in terms of selecting and implementing effective instructional practices. Although scholars have made considerable progress in conducting and synthesizing research necessary to identify evidence-based practices (EBPs), much work remains to enable evidence-based reforms to broadly improve instruction and outcomes for learners with severe intellectual disability. In this article, we describe the importance of evidence-based reforms for learners with severe intellectual disability; discuss advances in the identification of EBPs for these learners, including a summary of the interventions identified as EBPs for this population in the professional literature and by online resources; and conclude with recommendations for improving the identification and implementation of EBPs for this population.
42 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate special educators' interpretation of their role and responsibility to create academic access for students with significant cognitive disabilities and find that participants relied on their ethical beliefs about disability and schooling to make cost-benefit decisions.
Abstract: The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates that all students receive access to the general education curriculum but does not define adequate access. Street-level bureaucracy theory was used to investigate special educators’ interpretation of their role and responsibility to create academic access for students with significant cognitive disabilities. In-depth telephone interviews were conducted with elementary, middle, and secondary special educators (n = 33) across one state. Findings revealed that access was ultimately a consistent series of decisions. Participants relied on their ethical beliefs about disability and schooling to make cost–benefit decisions, predicting and assigning value to the long-term benefits of academic activities. Researchers and policymakers concerned with academic access should recognize that special educators’ implementation of new interventions will likely be filtered through the process of access described. New initiatives and strategies should explicitly...
39 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that despite the absence of supportive evidence and abundant evidence that facilitators always author the messages, facilitated communication has experienced resurgence in popularity among families, professionals, and advocacy groups.
Abstract: Facilitated Communication (FC) has been rebranded as “supported typing” and repackaged as rapid prompting method, but remains a disproven intervention for people with disabilities. Despite the absence of supportive evidence and abundant evidence that facilitators always author the messages, FC has experienced resurgence in popularity among families, professionals, and advocacy groups. Strategic marketing, confirmation bias, pseudoscience, anti-science, and fallacy explain this troubling renewal. We briefly discuss each of these and contrast the method with authentic augmentative and alternative communication to illustrate differences in values and practices. Our intention is to persuade readers to resist or abandon FC in favor of validated methods and to encourage advocacy organizations to advance agendas that emphasize genuine self-expression by people with disabilities.
38 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, video-based instruction is becoming a common intervention in today's classrooms and previous research has focused primarily on video modeling techniques that required the student to watch an entire vi...
Abstract: Video-based instruction is becoming a common intervention in today’s classrooms. Previous research has focused primarily on video modeling techniques that required the student to watch an entire vi...
36 citations
TL;DR: The authors evaluated the effects of a peer-delivered least prompts intervention and adapted read-alouds of a grade-level novel on correct listening comprehension responses for participants with mod...
Abstract: This study evaluated the effects of a peer-delivered least prompts intervention and adapted read-alouds of a grade-level novel on correct listening comprehension responses for participants with mod...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the potential impact providing transition services early had on the vocational outcomes achieved by young adults with intellectual disability and found that individuals from the early transition states were more likely to be employed by the time their cases were closed than their matched peers from the later transition states.
Abstract: This study examined the potential impact providing transition services early had on the vocational outcomes achieved by young adults with intellectual disability. Two groups were compared: 7,520 individuals from states requiring transition services be addressed in individualized educational programs (IEPs) by age 14 and 7,520 individuals from states requiring transition services be addressed by age 16. Individual from both groups were matched based on seven demographic variables. Results found that, in each of the 4 years (2007-2009) examined, individuals from the early transition states were more likely to be employed by the time their cases were closed than their matched peers from the later transition states. Specifically, over this 4-year period, 58.8% of participants from the early transition states became employed compared with 45.6% for individuals from later transition states.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate the views of special education directors toward community-based vocational instruction (CBVI) and find that respondents support the use of CBVI and experience few barriers to implementation.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the views of special education directors toward community-based vocational instruction (CBVI). Participants included a non-proportional random sample of 47 directors from one state who completed an online or paper-based survey. Independent variables were directors’ years of experience, geographic location, whether the district provided CBVI in the summer, and the curriculum of students who participated in CBVI. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics along with a content analysis of open-ended questions. Results indicate that respondents support the use of CBVI and experience few barriers to implementation. Insufficient staff and inadequate public transportation were the highest rated barriers. Views regarding the intensity with which CBVI should be provided and the age and types of students who should receive CBVI differed from practices recommended in the field. Significant group findings were evident for the variables of years of expe...
TL;DR: In this paper, the potential impact that state guardianship laws may have on the transition planning process for students identified with intellectual and developmental disabilities under the state's guardianship law was discussed.
Abstract: This article describes the potential impact that state guardianship laws may have on the transition planning process for students identified with intellectual and developmental disabilities under t...
TL;DR: The preponderance of peer-reviewed articles supports FC as a useful tool for developing communication skills and revised position statements must be developed reflecting the past research findings and encouraging future research.
Abstract: Facilitated communication (FC) can be a successful means for people to learn to communicate effectively and independently. The preponderance of peer-reviewed articles supports FC as a useful tool for developing communication skills. While there has been a chasm of difference in qualitative versus quantitative studies on FC, researchers have produced a body of current literature confirming the method. Many people with significant intellectual disabilities, through the use of FC, have been able to demonstrate their ability to successfully communicate. We, as a profession, now need to respond with collaborative scholarship. In addition, revised position statements must be developed reflecting the past research findings and encouraging future research.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors suggest a series of activist approaches to counter the acceptance of facilitated communication as legitimate educational practice for persons with autism and other non-communicative conditions, and suggest a set of strategies to counter this acceptance.
Abstract: Facilitated Communication (FC), a controversial educational intervention touted for persons with autism and other non-communicative conditions, has reemerged as a viable educational option despite a number of earlier empirical studies that unequivocally identified the facilitator as the author of any communication and not the client. Several intersecting vectors including a current dearth of new empirical studies debunking the practice, the proliferation of questionable research favorable to FC, and the increased acceptance by academic journals of the legitimacy of FC have fueled this resurgence. I suggest a series of activist approaches to counter the acceptance of FC as legitimate educational practice.
TL;DR: In this paper, a series of scholarly reviews of the literature on controlled experiments have established a preponderance of evidence that facilitated communication is not reliably an expression from the individual who receives facilitation.
Abstract: TASH’s historic commitment to advocacy and science has enabled it to be a trusted voice for people with severe disabilities and their families. We review recent developments in the controversy over facilitated communication (FC) in light of major contextual continuities and changes in the past two decades. A series of scholarly reviews of the literature on controlled experiments have established a preponderance of evidence that FC is not reliably an expression from the individual who receives facilitation. Evidence indicates that the facilitator is the usual source of the text. We discuss the standards of proof of efficacy that must apply before an intervention should be endorsed by a national organization that aims to have a major impact on policy and practices. The need for controlled experiments in evaluation interventions is discussed. The central concern in establishing efficacy of a practice is to rule out other plausible explanations for an outcome. The main concern in establishing effectiveness is replication under real-world conditions. The science-based practices movement has been taken up by most of the helping professions contributing to the education and support of people with severe disabilities. The movement aims to identify practices and catalog them in terms of the trustworthiness of the evidence supporting them. The movement has led to establishing standards for determining when an intervention can be said to be efficacious. We urge TASH to join this movement and, in light of a commitment to science-based practices, argue that it should withdraw its stated endorsement of FC, which is not supported by science-based research.
TL;DR: The purpose of this study was to determine key variables within a household that influence individual quality of life (QOL) of people with IDD living in community settings, thereby enabling these individuals and their families to make informed decisions regarding housing options available to them.
Abstract: Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families face many important decisions as the individuals with IDD enter adulthood, including where to live Although there are numerous housing options for individuals with IDD outside of institutions, there is a paucity of information available to inform them about how various characteristics of these settings can affect their quality of life The purpose of this study was to determine key variables within a household that influence individual quality of life (QOL) of people with IDD living in community settings, thereby enabling these individuals and their families to make informed decisions regarding housing options available to them
TL;DR: Ryndak and colleagues provide a strong case that progress toward more and better access to general education is not occurring for students with intellectual disabilities as mentioned in this paper, and this response to their pap...
Abstract: Ryndak and colleagues provide a strong case that progress toward more and better access to general education is not occurring for students with intellectual disabilities. This response to their pap...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the rate at which applicants to Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) were denied services because their disabilities were "too severe" and found that, from 2002 to 2012, 1.7% of all V...
Abstract: This study examined the rate at which applicants to Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) were denied services because their disabilities were “too severe.” It found that, from 2002 to 2012, 1.7% of all V...
TL;DR: This article explored the stage of novicity in communicative partnerships between new facilitators and the individuals with disabilities who use supported typing as their primary method of communi cation, and explored the impact of supported typing on their daily communication.
Abstract: This research explores the stage of novicity in communicative partnerships between new facilitators and the individuals with disabilities who use supported typing as their primary method of communi...
TL;DR: The authors investigated the change in technology use of two teachers of elementary-aged students with moderate to severe disabilities during the first year of a multi-year professional development and research project, and two themes emerged from the data as influencers of technology integration: the evolving nature of curriculum reform and ongoing interdisciplinary collaboration.
Abstract: The study utilized a case study approach to investigate the change in technology use of two teachers of elementary-aged students with moderate to severe disabilities during the first year of a multi-year professional development and research project. Participants in a larger multi-year professional development and research project focused on increasing educators’ capacity to provide comprehensive literacy instruction to their students; these teachers self-identified as interested in technology as a support for their students’ participation during instruction. Data sources included field notes and logs, interviews, classroom observations, photographs and video of instruction, and document review. The teachers made substantive changes in their literacy instruction as well as the technology tools they used to engage students instructionally. Two themes emerged from the data as influencers of technology integration: (a) the evolving nature of curriculum reform and (b) ongoing interdisciplinary collaboration. ...
TL;DR: Misperceptions related to the alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS) continue in the field as discussed by the authors, and three misperceptions identified in the section on alternate assessment ar...
Abstract: Misperceptions related to the alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS) continue in the field. Three misperceptions identified in the section on alternate assessment ar...
TL;DR: The value and utility of Facilitated Communication (FC), currently referred to as "supported typing", has been one of the most highly contested issues for TASH as mentioned in this paper, and despite sharing a common agenda, many TASH members continue to disagree about the use of FC and subsequently question the legitimacy of their opponents' positions.
Abstract: The value and utility of Facilitated Communication (FC), currently referred to as “supported typing,” has been one of the most highly contested issues for TASH. TASH members come from diverse geographic, socio-economic, academic, and cultural backgrounds, with varying opinions and perspectives, and it is not unexpected that they would disagree about different issues (e.g., classroom vs. community-based instruction). Nevertheless, it is safe to say that a unique and exemplary quality of TASH is that its members are in agreement with the primary goals of the TASH mission—to achieve full equality, inclusion, and meaningful quality of life outcomes for people with significant disabilities, and the members are united in their commitment to supporting individuals in achieving these outcomes. That said, divisions in TASH exist and may only serve to divide and prevent or stall decisions or policies that can benefit people with support needs. One continuing division that has only served to separate TASH members is FC. Despite sharing a common agenda, many TASH members continue to disagree about the use of FC and subsequently question the legitimacy of their opponents’ positions—an undesirable situation for any organization. As a matter of historical perspective, a special issue about FC was published in JASH (former name of Research and Practice for Persons With Severe Disabilities [RPSD]) in 1994 (see Halle, Chadsey-Rusch, & Reichle, 1994). In this special issue, both proponents and opponents of FC were invited to discuss the benefits and limitations of this practice. Halle et al. believed that it was necessary to “explore the controversy in a “reasoned and balanced fashion” (p. 149). Because of several current concerns of TASH members, it was felt that a second special issue was necessary. Based on a number of empirical investigations that have disproved the validity of FC, most of which were conducted in the 1990s (Green & Shane, 1994; Simpson & Myles, 1995; Wheeler, Jacobson, Paglieri, & Schwartz, 1993), many TASH members believe that FC has little value or efficacy and its use should neither be encouraged nor supported. Such investigations suggested that FC does not produce consistent, reliable, and predictable outcomes; has failed to suggest functional relations among or between variables; and does not allow for systematic replication. As such, FC does not stand up to rigorous, scientific criteria to confirm its validity and trustworthiness. It is no surprise that critics of FC reference quantitative research (e.g., research that seeks to understand causal or functional relations based on controlled experimental studies) to debunk FC. However, a good number of TASH members believe that the effectiveness of FC has been adequately demonstrated in the research literature (Broderick & Kasa-Hendrickson, 2001; Cardinal & Falvey, 2014; Sheehan & Matuozzi, 1996) and may be of great value in helping individuals, who have had great difficulty communicating their needs, wishes, and experiences, to finally have a voice. These proponents suggest that FC is indeed a useful and effective communication practice, and has been shown to allow some individuals in some situations to have an effective means of communication. Likewise, it is no surprise that proponents of FC reference qualitative research (i.e., understanding phenomena based on the context in which it occurs and the points of view of participants) to support their claims.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors report opinions and practices of teachers of students with visual impairments (TSVIs) in 34 states regarding functional literacy for students with VIs and significa...
Abstract: This study reports opinions and practices of teachers of students with visual impairments (TSVIs) in 34 states regarding functional literacy for students with visual impairments (VIs) and significa...
TL;DR: A Standards-Based Guide to Practices in Schools and Community Settings: Individual Positive Behavior Support: A Standards-based Guide to practices in schools and community settings was published by Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company in 2015.
Abstract: As many Research and Practice for Persons With Severe Disabilities (RPSD) readers are all too aware, in 2009, we tragically lost a great researcher, advocate, ethicist, and scholar, who was one of the founding parents of Positive Behavior Supports (PBS), Dr. Edward G. Carr, affectionately known as Ted. What many readers may not know or remember is that Ted also had a beautiful and infectiously joyful smile. I bring this up here in the context of my introduction to this review of a new graduate-level text, Individual Positive Behavior Supports: A Standards-Based Guide to Practices in Schools and Community Settings, because my initial impression was that Ted Carr must be jubilantly smiling somewhere with this book’s 2015 release by Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company. In this same context, while as a behaviorist, I do not often speculate about the thoughts of others, I believe that Rud and Ann Turnbull, as they reviewed the draft chapters of this book to write its Foreword, may have also perceived Ted Carr’s wonderful smile, as they “admonish” future readers to “use the accumulated knowledge in this book to become like Ted Carr: a difference maker” (p. xiii). The Turnbulls use Ted Carr’s words to poetically frame PBS’ focus on comprehensive lifestyle changes and ground the overall importance of this new text in helping schooland community-based service providers and support personnel work collaboratively to expand the vision of PBS and make a difference by building meaningful and quality lives for people with challenging behaviors and those who love them: