ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Inclusion in Practice: Sofia's Situations for Interaction
Author: Alexandersson, Ulla
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Video Technology,Mental Retardation,Interaction,Teaching Methods,Inclusion,Peer Relationship,Teacher Student Relationship,Mainstreaming,Social Attitudes,Special Education,Observation,Student Participation,Learning Activities,Student Needs,Nonverbal Communication,Social Development,Cognitive Development,Ethnography,Verbal Communication,Foreign Countries,Sociocultural Patterns,Classroom Techniques

The aim of this article is to present findings from a study (Alexandersson, 2007) about how one student--called Sofia--with intellectual disability interacts and communicates with her classmates and her teachers in an inclusive setting. Furthermore, the aim is also to analyse in what way the interaction contributes to Sofia's social participation and learning process. This complex aim implies a theoretical framework that consists of complementary theoretical perspectives, a sociocultural perspective, a social interaction perspective and a special education perspective. Data were mainly collected through video observations and participant observations. The result from the study shows a continuum of varied situations for Sofia's learning where she becomes an active participant in the classroom. In general, there are three main categories of situations for learning: One where Sofia is beside the learning activity; one where she is in the learning activity and one where she is moving between to be beside and to be in the situations. In other words; Sofia can place herself in different positions in relation to varied learning situations. How she places herself depends on what support and scaffolding she gets. It is obvious that Sofia's own actions are of great importance for how successful her interaction will be as well as the affordances given. Sofia's strategy for interaction and communication with her classmates and her teachers is both verbal and nonverbal. Different bodily expressions in the classroom contribute to how Sofia gets involved in interaction processes. The teachers and the classmates' roles as mediators of social and cognitive skills are of central importance. (Contains 2 figures.)
Insider, Outsider, Ally, or Adversary: Parents of Youth with Learning Disabilities Engage in Educational Advocacy
Author: Duquette, Cheryll
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Advocacy,Parent Participation,Experience,Mothers,Parent School Relationship,Learning Disabilities,Adolescents,Young Adults,Foreign Countries

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the educational advocacy experiences of parents of adolescents and young adults identified as having a learning disability (LD) through the lens of four dimensions of advocacy. Seventeen mothers of youth with LD responded to items in a questionnaire and 13 also engaged in in-depth interviews. It was found that the dimensions of advocacy provided a useful framework for understanding the participants' experiences and parents could be categorized as insiders, outsiders, allies, and adversaries with different advocacy outcomes. (Contains 2 tables.)
Life Skills Training through Situated Learning Experiences: An Alternative Instructional Model
Author: Meyers, Shelly
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Daily Living Skills,Curriculum Development,Experiential Learning,Special Education,Preservice Teacher Education,Graduate Students,Preservice Teachers,College School Cooperation,Developmental Disabilities,Urban Schools,Adult Students,Focus Groups,Student Surveys

This article examines the value of situated learning as an alternative to the traditional college course instructional approach for pre-service teachers. The situated learning mode of teaching immerses students in the actual setting, practicing the skills and concepts emphasized in the curriculum. Through a partnership with a college, community agency and public school, graduate students in the special education program developed and implemented a life skills curriculum for individuals with developmental disabilities, while learning essential principles of delivering instruction. The school aged students who participated in the study were from an urban, racially mixed public school district and they attended the program at the end of their regular school day. Analysis of data from student surveys and focus groups revealed the effectiveness of the situated learning model.
Making Sense of Minority Student Identification in Special Education: School Context Matters
Author: Talbott, Elizabeth
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Low Income,Mental Retardation,Emotional Disturbances,Learning Disabilities,Educational Improvement,Educational Indicators,Context Effect,Race,Racial Composition,Racial Identification,Gender Bias,Predictor Variables,Enrollment Rate,Student Records,Data Analysis,Socioeconomic Status,Disability Identification,Minority Group Students,Racial Bias

Since the inception of special education, researchers have identified higher proportions of minority students with disabilities than expected. Yet, relatively few studies have considered the contributions of the school context on a large scale to the identification of students with mental retardation (MR), emotional disturbance (ED), and learning disabilities (LD). The present study examined the extent to which race and gender of 1,394,024 students, alone and nested within 2,104 schools, predicted identification in the special education categories of MR, ED, and LD. Results revealed that, alone, student race and gender significantly predicted identification in all three categories. However, when student race and gender were nested within school context variables, they were not significant predictors; school variables alone predicted identification. School variables that were significant included school attendance rate, for all three special education categories. For MR, school mobility rate, teacher education, adequate yearly progress, and size and locale of the district were also significant predictors. The proportion of students from low income families and average teacher salaries were significant predictors for ED, and district size, as well as ratio of pupils to certified staff were significant predictors for LD. Results are discussed in the context of previous work in the field. (Contains 5 tables.)
Open Inclusion or Shameful Secret: A Comparison of Characters with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and Characters with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in a North American Sample of Books for Children and Young Adults
Author: Barker, Conor
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome,Autism,Pervasive Developmental Disorders,Incidence,Childrens Literature,Adolescent Literature,Novels,Books,Disproportionate Representation,Critical Literacy

Using a framework of critical literacy, and acknowledging the characteristics of Radical Change, the authors explore 75 North American youth fiction novels which depict characters with disabilities. Books were identified from a variety of sources (i.e., awards lists, book reviews, other research, and word-of-mouth), to represent a random sample that would work within the research timeframe. From the sample, characters who were described as having Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) (n=2) or Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) (n=14) were analyzed to determine trends and patterns in the character descriptions, settings, and plot lines. There appears to be an underrepresentation of characters with FASD in North American youth fiction in comparison to the representation of characters with ASD, a similar group in society in terms of incidence. An annotated bibliography includes the 15 titles portraying characters with FASD or ASD within the larger sample.
Our Move: Using Chess to Improve Math Achievement for Students Who Receive Special Education Services
Author: Barrett, David C.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Grades (Scholastic),Mathematics Achievement,Program Effectiveness,Statistical Analysis,Scores,Comparative Analysis,Probability,Algebra,Special Education,Games,Special Needs Students,Middle School Students,Standardized Tests,Mathematics Instruction,Mathematics Skills

This causal-comparative study evaluated a 30-week chess instructional program implemented within special education math classes for students in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades in a suburban middle school located in the southwestern United States. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was utilized to compare the adjusted means for the comparison and treatment groups on the students' math achievement as measured by end-of-year course grades and state assessment scores, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). Pretest scores and grade levels served as covariates. Results indicated a significant difference on four of the measures in favor of the treatment group: end-of-year course grades, overall TAKS math scale scores, and percentage scores on two specific TAKS math objectives: Numbers, Operations, and Quantitative Reasoning and Probability and Statistics. No significant differences were found between the groups on the other four TAKS math objectives: Patterns, Relationships, and Algebraic Reasoning, Geometry and Spatial Reasoning, Concepts and Uses of Measurement, and Underlying Processes and Mathematical Tools. Causation and generalizability are difficult due to the narrow scope of this study. However, these results are encouraging and suggest chess is a potentially effective instructional tool for students who receive special education services in math. (Contains 3 tables.)
Outcomes of Students with Disabilities in a Developing Country: Tobago
Author: Paul, Sheilah M.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Learner Engagement,Academic Achievement,Disabilities,Job Training,Program Effectiveness,Foreign Countries,Achievement Gains,Achievement Gap,Accessibility (for Disabled),Outcomes of Education,Outcome Measures,Employment Opportunities,Employment Potential,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Mathematics Achievement,Language Arts,Reading Achievement,Achievement Rating,Predictor Variables,Comparative Analysis,Comparative Education,Comparative Testing,Educational Assessment,Educational Indicators

In most developed countries, research studies that investigate the effects of special education on student outcomes have become conventional practice. However, in developing countries such as the twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, there are no studies about the progress and outcomes of students and youths with disabilities. This correlational study is the first attempt to use direct assessments of English language arts and mathematics, as well as independent functioning skills assessments, aimed at exploring the academic achievement and employment outcomes of 124 participants with and without disabilities in Tobago. The study also compared the performance outcomes of Tobago participants with disabilities with US datasets to see how they measure up in terms of academic achievement and employment. Quantitative analyses of direct assessments and multiple survey responses highlight the factors that predict outcomes in academic achievement and employment among Tobago participants. Findings indicate that parental involvement and support, instruction, student engagement, and support for and difficulty with school work were significant academic achievement predictors for students with disabilities, whereas there were no significant predictors of academic achievement for students without disabilities. The significant predictors of employment for youths with disabilities were parent expectations, teachers' levels of education, youths' school experiences and school program, whereas levels of social interactions with friends, insurance benefits, money skills, types of instruction and types of pre-employment preparation were significant predictors of employment for youths without disabilities. Finally, comparisons with US datasets indicate that Tobago students with disabilities were performing at lower grade levels in academic areas than their US counterparts. Results also found that while Tobago youths with disabilities had fewer employment opportunities than US youths with disabilities, Tobago working youths with disabilities earned higher wages than those youths in the US. These findings highlight the differences between countries in special education practices that present implications for future research on the impact of country policies and programs on outcomes. (Contains 3 figures and 1 table.)
Principals Who Understand Applied Behavior Analysis Perceive They Are Better Able to Support Educators Who Teach Students with Autism
Author: Loiacono, Vito
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Autism,Pervasive Developmental Disorders,Principals,Elementary Schools,Administrator Education,Administrator Characteristics,Behavior Modification,Self Esteem,Inclusion,Federal Legislation

Local educational agencies are challenged to teach students classified with autism in general education inclusive settings. Findings of empirical studies have reported many educators lacked the necessary pedagogical coursework and training to meet the instructional needs of these students. Building principals have reported they lacked the necessary training, skills, and confidence to evaluate and support teachers who teach students with autism. The purpose of the present paper was to survey 60 elementary school principals, in the Southeastern region of New York, to determine if they perceived they were trained, skilled, and confident in their knowledge of ABA to evaluate and support teachers who worked with students classified with autism in inclusive settings. Nine principals did not participate in this survey. Fifty-one graduate students expedited the interview process and completion of the surveys. The results of the survey supported the hypothesis that principals who understand behavior-analytic strategies grounded in the principles of ABA perceived they were better able to support educators who teach students with autism in inclusive classroom settings. (Contains 2 tables.)
School Disaster Planning for Children with Disabilities: A Critical Review of the Literature
Author: Boon, Helen J.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Information Analyses
Subjects: Evidence,Inclusion,Natural Disasters,Disabilities,Foreign Countries,Literature Reviews,Emergency Programs,Crisis Management,Strategic Planning,Educational Policy,Accessibility (for Disabled),Electronic Journals,Electronic Libraries,Health Programs,Health Promotion,Comprehensive School Health Education

Human systems have to adapt to climate change and the natural disasters predicted to increase in frequency as a result. These disasters have both direct and indirect health effects. Certain groups, the poor, the elderly, children and those with disabilities are set to be more seriously impacted by disasters because of their greater inherent vulnerability. Adaptation to the health impacts of disasters requires the cooperation and input from all sectors of government and civil society, including schools. This critical literature review examined the body of peer reviewed literature published in English addressing school disaster planning policies with a particular focus on children with disabilities. Results show that children and youth with disabilities are especially vulnerable to disasters because of socioeconomic and health factors inherent to disabilities. While schools in the U.S. have policies to deal with disasters, these policies are neither comprehensive nor inclusive. The empirical evidence base from which they are developed is severely limited. No publications were identified that represent the current disaster planning of schools in countries like Australia, the UK or Canada. Recommendations for future research are outlined to bridge knowledge gaps and help establish appropriate and inclusive school disaster policies for children with disabilities. (Contains 2 figures and 4 tables.)
Social Skills of Children in the U.S. with Comorbid Learning Disabilities and AD/HD
Author: Smith, Thomas J.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder,Learning Disabilities,Family Involvement,Interpersonal Competence,Social Cognition,Longitudinal Studies,Elementary School Students,Special Education,Performance Factors,Demography,Age Differences,Gender Differences,Racial Differences,Skill Analysis,Skill Development,Statistical Data,Data Analysis

This study examined data from the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS, 2003) to compare the social skills of children in the U.S. with comorbid learning disabilities and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (LD+AD/HD) to their peers with LD-only and AD/HD-only, and to assess how specific demographic factors moderate the relationship between disability status and social skill. Results showed that the social skills deficits of children with comorbid LD+AD/HD were more marked than those of children with LD-only. Additionally, family involvement significantly moderated the relationship between disability status and social skill, with increased family involvement associated with increased social skills among children with comorbid LD+AD/HD and AD/HD-only. (Contains 2 figures and 5 tables.)
Teachers' Use of Motivational Utterances in Special Education in Norwegian Compulsory Schooling. A Contribution Aimed at Fostering an Inclusive Education for Pupils with Learning Difficulties?
Author: Nyborg, Geir
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Student Motivation,Special Education,Classroom Communication,Positive Reinforcement,Classification,Elementary School Teachers,Secondary School Teachers,Grade 4,Grade 6,Elementary School Students,Secondary School Students

This observational study illustrates how teachers' use of motivational utterances is expressed to pupils with learning difficulties in special education in Norwegian compulsory schooling. The term motivational utterances refers to teacher utterances that can help increase pupils' expectancy of success and task value. Video recordings were made of teachers in special education who were deemed to be proficient in motivating pupils. The results indicate that methods used by teachers to improve pupils' expectancy of success in a subject can be divided into six categories: subject-affirmative praise, subject-oriented behavioral praise, subject-detailed praise, existing knowledge, pupil emphasis and challenging utterances. The results also indicate that the methods used by teachers to increase pupils' task value can be grouped into seven categories: pupil involvement, choice, justification, enthusiasm, downplaying the degree of difficulty, utility value and reward. These categories can raise awareness and serve as inspiration for other teachers, which in turn may foster learning among pupils with learning difficulties. Consequently, the categories and the use of motivational utterances are able to contribute to a differentiated and inclusive education.
The Balance Control of Children with and without Hearing Impairment in Singapore--A Case Study
Author: Jernice, Tan Sing Yee
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Hearing Impairments,Psychomotor Skills,Children,Physical Education,Intervention,Physical Activities,Case Studies,Comparative Analysis,Kinetics,Pretests Posttests,Foreign Countries

The purpose of this study is to compare the balance control of participants with and without HI and also to investigate the effect of a Balance Programme (BP) on their balance control (HI; n = 2, M age = 7 years old). The BP consisted of six practice sessions of 45 minutes each. The Balance Tasks used to assess balance control were static Balance Tasks: two-leg stand, one-leg stand and dynamic Balance Tasks: in-place jump and in-place hop. Kinetic data such as the Centre of Pressure (COP) and the Ground Reaction Force (GRF) was captured using a force plate. The results revealed differences in Balance Tasks involving static and dynamic balance control between participants with HI and without HI. Improvement in balance control of the participants is observed for some of the Balance Tasks after the introduction of the BP which indicates the inconclusive effectiveness of the BP. The authors suggest that the instructional approach and number of practice sessions may be the contributing factors affecting the effectiveness of the BP. A new BP with an alternative instructional approach together with more practice sessions is warranted to benefit both children with and without HI so as to make inclusion possible. (Contains 4 figures and 3 tables.)
The Taped Problems Intervention: Increasing the Math Fact Fluency of a Student with an Intellectual Disability
Author: McCallum, Elizabeth
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Intervention,Mental Retardation,Mathematics Instruction,Arithmetic,Mathematics Skills,Grade 8,Middle School Students,Audiovisual Aids,Instructional Effectiveness,Evidence

The Taped Problems intervention is an evidence-based practice that involves a self-monitored, audio-recording procedure in which students follow along with automated recordings of math facts and their solutions. A multiple-probes-across-tasks design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the Taped Problems intervention on the division-fact fluency of an eighth-grade student with an intellectual disability. Results indicated immediate and sustained increases in the student's division-fact fluency across sets of problems. Discussion focuses on the practical implications of the results, limitations of the current investigation, and directions for future studies. (Contains 1 figure.)
You Know, Eunice, the World Will Never Be the Same after This
Author: Foote, Chandra J.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Athletics,Mental Retardation,International Organizations,Criticism,Stereotypes,Volunteers,Disability Discrimination,Inclusion,Programs,Institutional Mission,Program Evaluation

Over the past few decades Special Olympics has been criticized within the academic community for failing to provide inclusive recreational services, reinforcing negative stereotypes, misusing volunteers, and lacking research demonstrating positive impacts for individuals with intellectual disabilities and the larger community (Hourcadde, 1989; Storey 2004, 2008). Following the recent passing of Eunice Kennedy Shriver on August 11, 2009 and her husband, R. Sargent Shriver on January 18, 2011, it seems timely to respond to these critics in defense of Special Olympics and the tremendous accomplishments of the Shrivers. This article presents a brief history of the Special Olympics (SO) movement; summarizes the concerns presented in the literature about the organization; highlights the mission and offerings; and presents counter points in defense of its programs. Within the article we advocate that the impact of Special Olympics on the lives of individuals with significant developmental disabilities far surpasses that of any other organization in the world, and SO's potential for future success is certain should the mission and goals remain so strongly focused. As former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley eloquently stated on the opening day of the first International Special Olympic Games in 1968 "You know, Eunice, the world will never be the same after this".