ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Culture and Special Education
Author: Bailey, Beverley
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Special Education,Cultural Differences,Canada Natives,Race,Ethnicity,Socioeconomic Background,Academic Achievement,Educational Change

In this paper we concern ourselves with the ways in which schools in general and special education procedures in particular tend to not be successful for those of our students who are from a different culture. (While we focus on Canadian Aboriginals, we also extend our thinking to those children who come from different races, ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds, etc.) We outline the stories that have brought us to this place. We then go on to suggest that the adoption of different understandings and approaches could lead to the academic success of children from a variety of different cultures and backgrounds. We conclude with some direction for change. (Contains 8 footnotes.)
Knowledge and Attitudes towards Children with Special Needs by Physical Education Students
Author: Mousouli, Maria
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Physical Education Teachers,Student Teacher Attitudes,Attitude Measures,Attitudes toward Disabilities,Questionnaires,Disabilities,Mainstreaming,Special Schools,Physical Education,Special Needs Students,Special Education,Foreign Countries,Student Needs,Teacher Competencies

The purpose of this study was to examine the knowledge and attitudes of physical education undergraduate students towards children with special needs. A questionnaire of seven questions was submitted to 140 physical education students. Questions concerned the knowledge about the different kinds of disability, the acceptance of children with special needs in regular classes, the willingness of PE students to work with children with special needs, the objective of special education, and the sources of information about the topic. Results showed that mental retardation was recognized by the highest percentage of students, however, mental retardation was often confused with the general issue of special needs. Disability was correlated with the need for education in special schools. The partial awareness about special needs is related to the moderate willingness of the PE students to work with children with disabilities in their classroom. Assigning children with special needs to regular classes was not yet a familiar issue, due to insufficient information from popular sources. The findings of the study suggest that the limited awareness about schools, special education and integration cannot be dealt only with university efforts. Systematic information and interaction is needed in order to improve the knowledge and attitudes towards children with special needs. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)
Instructionism and Constructivism: Reconciling Two Very Good Ideas
Author: Johnson, Genevieve Marie
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Constructivism (Learning),Educational Needs,Achievement Gains,Student Interests,Educational Practices,Literacy,Methods,Reading Instruction,Teaching Methods,Academic Achievement,Epistemology,Outcomes of Education,Teacher Effectiveness,Evaluation,Student Motivation,At Risk Students,Reading Achievement

Instructionism refers to educational practices that are teacher-focused, skill-based, product-oriented, non-interactive, and highly prescribed. Constructivism refers to educational practices that are student-focused, meaning-based, process-oriented, interactive, and responsive to student interest. There is disagreement regarding which curricular orientation best serves the educational needs of children. Evaluative outcome research is contradictory and the superiority of either instructional orientation has not been clearly established. A combination of instructional methods may ultimately prove most beneficial. For example, intensely teacher-mediated lessons could be sprinkled throughout the school day, thereby minimizing teacher and student mechanization while maximizing student achievement gains. Instructionist-constructivism would promote systematic instruction within a context of individual meaning and personal interest. For example, skills such as spelling and grammar, rather than taught in isolation, could be embedded in meaningful literacy activities. Extreme and exclusionary instructional methods may be the ultimate threat to effective education.
Research-Based Instructions to Increase Communication Skills for Students with Severe Disabilities
Author: Pinto, Peg
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Intervention,Developmental Disabilities,Communication Skills,Severe Disabilities,Skill Development,Augmentative and Alternative Communication,Assistive Technology,Parent Attitudes,Teaching Methods,Pictorial Stimuli,Instructional Effectiveness

Communication skills are of great importance for children with developmental disabilities to be functional and independent in their own lives. This paper provides results of a comprehensive literature review on current researched-based intervention strategies that appear effective to increase communication skills for students who have severe disabilities. Researchers typically have combined intervention strategies and the actual effectiveness of isolated procedures is less clear. This review is aimed at investigating these isolated procedures and attempts to link research and practice in the area of communication. (Contains 1 table.)
Education of Children with Disabilities in Russia: On the Way to Integration and Inclusion
Author: Oreshkina, Maria
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Disabilities,Foreign Countries,Inclusive Schools,Special Education,Educational Legislation,Social Change,Social Integration,Educational Trends,Equal Education,Educational Policy,Trend Analysis

This paper presents an overview of the current situation with integration and inclusion in Russia. It explores the challenges of special education and legislation. It provides some examples of integration and inclusion initiatives and discusses them as examples of social transformations in post-Soviet Russia. The study concludes that the world trend towards inclusive schools has impacted the post-Soviet Russia and an attempt to narrow the gap between special and regular education has been made by non-governmental organizations, individual schools, and the formal system. More decisive and synergetic effort is required from the state as well as individuals to develop and implement a well defined policy that supports inclusion and equity education for all. (Contains 2 tables.)
The Direct and Indirect Effects of Environmental Factors on Nurturing Intellectual Giftedness
Author: Al-Shabatat, Ahmad Mohammad
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Intelligence,Test Items,Academically Gifted,Foreign Countries,Environmental Influences,Questionnaires,Artificial Languages,Problem Solving,Pattern Recognition,Matrices,Logical Thinking,Auditory Stimuli,Family Influence,Peer Influence,Social Influences,Teacher Influence,Resources,Factor Analysis

Many people believe that environmental factors promote giftedness and invest in many programs to adopt gifted students providing them with challenging activities. Intellectual giftedness is founded on fluid intelligence and extends to more specific abilities through the growth and inputs from the environment. Acknowledging the roles played by the environment in the development of giftedness leads to an effective nurturing of gifted individuals. Further, giftedness requires a context that enables it to develop. However, no study has investigated the direct and indirect effects of environment and fluid intelligence on intellectual giftedness. Thus, this study investigated the contribution of environment factors to giftedness development by conducting tests of fluid intelligence using CCFT and analytical abilities using culture reduced test items covering problem solving, pattern recognition, audio-logic, audio-matrices, and artificial language, and self report questionnaire for the environmental factors. A number of 180 high-scoring students were selected using CCFT from a leading university in Malaysia. Structural equation modelling was employed using Amos V.16 to determine the direct and indirect effects of environment factors (family, peers, teachers, school, society, and resources) on the intellectual giftedness. The findings showed that the hypothesized model fitted the data, supporting the model postulates and showed significant and strong direct and indirect effects of the environment and fluid intelligence on the intellectual giftedness. (Contains 6 tables and 2 figures.)
Special Education Practices in China and the United States: What Is to Come Next?
Author: Worrell, Jamie L.
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Strategies,Student Placement,Disabilities,Foreign Countries,Educational Opportunities,Special Education,Identification,Inclusive Schools,Intervention,Teaching Methods,Educational Legislation,Futures (of Society),Educational Trends,Eligibility,Comparative Education

In the global arena, governments and educational professionals struggle with issues such as providing educational opportunities for all students, including identification and placement of students with disabilities. In spite of eligibility and placement issues, and a tremendous population of school aged children the Chinese have made inroads in terms of including students with disabilities in regular classrooms. In addition, The United States has made an effort to revamp education by developing models of Response to Intervention (RTI) to target and provide appropriate educational interventions to struggling learners who may or may not have a disability. RTI requires screening of every student to see what students may need extra help or remediation. RTI requires the use of scientifically validated instructional strategies and progress monitoring to ensure that each child is responding appropriately to the instruction provided. This article describes efforts made by the Chinese and the United States to provide educational opportunities for all students including those with disabilities. The authors describes both countries special education laws, definition of disabilities, present day special education practices and finally discusses the future of special education in both China and the United States.
Teaching Social and Emotional Competence in Early Childhood
Author: Richardson, Rita Coombs
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Emotional Intelligence,Test Results,Age,Intervention,Socioeconomic Status,Income,Examiners,Study Centers,Kindergarten,Interpersonal Competence,Early Childhood Education,Measures (Individuals),Check Lists,Observation,Child Behavior,Teaching Methods,Instructional Effectiveness,Pretests Posttests

This study evaluated the impact of a social skills curriculum on the social behaviors of students in two pre-kindergarten classrooms. Participating were 30 students in a program based at a university child study center. The average age of the participants was four years ten months. The income levels of the families varied from low social economic status to high middle economic status. Two examiners independently completed the Social Skills and Attitude Scale (SSAS) for each child. The examiners observed the children and recorded children's pre and post intervention behaviors on a checklist. The study yielded positive evidence that the social skills instruction and activities in the &quot;Connecting with Others: Lessons for Teaching Social and Emotional Competence&quot; did make a meaningful difference. Paired sample t-tests were run on all Pre:/Post: test pairs in order to measure significant change in social skills behaviors over the course of the intervention. With the exception of Shares ideas, t-test results indicate significant change in social skills on all but one of the pretest/posttest pairs. (Contains 2 tables.)
Narrative Voices of Early Adolescents: Influences of Learning Disability and Cultural Background
Author: Celinska, Dorota K.
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Suburban Schools,Learning Disabilities,Metropolitan Areas,African American Students,White Students,Cultural Background,Urban Schools,Early Adolescents,Personal Narratives,Discourse Analysis,Ethnicity,Fiction,Teaching Methods,Student Evaluation,Evaluation Methods,Comparative Analysis,Language Tests,Scores

This study analyzed personal and fictional narratives of culturally/ethnically diverse students with and without learning disabilities. The participants were 82 fourth to seventh graders from urban and suburban schools located in a Midwest metropolitan area. Narratives were elicited in the context of naturalistic conversation and analyzed using High Point Analysis and Episodic Analysis. The significant effects of student ethnic/cultural background, learning disability and the interaction of the two factors were found on several narrative facets in both personal and fictional genres. The findings are interpreted beyond the traditional deficit-based approach, pointing out to possible influences of student ethnic/cultural background. Educational implications for assessment and narrative-based instruction for diverse narrators are discussed. (Contains 11 tables and 5 graphs.)
Improving Classroom Learning: The Effectiveness of Time Delay within the TEACCH Approach
Author: Kurt, Onur
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Instructional Effectiveness,Autism,Methods,Teaching Methods,Time Factors (Learning),Special Needs Students,Males,Skill Development,Teacher Attitudes,Intervention,Prompting,Special Schools,Early Adolescents,Foreign Countries,Pictorial Stimuli,Visual Stimuli,Special Education

The present study investigated the effects of a constant time delay (CTD) strategy within a TEACCH approach and the views of the classroom teacher surrounding the teaching process. Three male students with autism participated in the study. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect and analyze data. Although experimental control was not built into the study, the results indicated that the CTD delivered within TEACCH frame was effective in teaching four out of the five target skills in this study. The views of the classroom teacher regarding the teaching process were positive overall. The entire acquired target skills were maintained several weeks (i.e., four to six weeks) after the intervention was terminated. Moreover, participating students performed these four skills under different conditions other than the teaching conditions. Implications for practice and directions for future research with respect to effective teaching strategies for children with autism are discussed. (Contains 2 tables and 5 figures.)
Rapid Naming and Phonological Processing as Predictors of Reading and Spelling
Author: Christo, Catherine
Date: 2008-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Comprehension,Reading Difficulties,Learning Problems,Spelling,Decoding (Reading),Literacy,Cognitive Processes,Phonological Awareness,Predictor Variables,Elementary School Students,Regression (Statistics),Intervention,Disabilities,Children,Cognitive Ability,Reading Fluency

This study examined the relationships between the cognitive processes of rapid naming and phonological processing and various literacy skills. Variables measured and used in this analysis were phonological processing, rapid naming, reading comprehension, isolated and nonsense word reading, and spelling. Data were collected from 65 second-to-fifth grade children referred for learning difficulties. Regression analysis was performed to determine which of the cognitive processes was the strongest predictor of the literacy skills measured.  Rapid naming was found to be a stronger predictor of word reading, reading comprehension and spelling than was phonological processing. When a measure of decoding skills was included as a predictor, it was found to account for the most variance in word reading and spelling. The implications of these results for assessing and designing interventions with reading disabled children are discussed as well as the need to further investigate the double deficit hypothesis. (Contains 6 tables.)
A Consultation Model to Facilitate Reading Success
Author: Lilles, Elena
Date: 2008-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Difficulties,Intervention,Consultants,School Psychologists,Integrity,Reading Ability,Reading Instruction,Academic Achievement,Reading Improvement,Models,Reading Consultants,Consultation Programs,Reading Fluency,Federal Legislation,Problem Solving,Tutors,Tutoring,Teaching Methods,Educational Strategies,Core Curriculum,Reading Skills,Grade 8,Grade 4

Poor reading ability is associated with numerous negative consequences. School psychologists should provide teachers with resources and support to improve student reading ability and prevent these negative outcomes. This paper offers a guide for school psychologists to use in the consultation process when working with teachers to address students' reading difficulties. The paper delineates the important facets of instructional consultation and considerations to take into account including: entering the consultation relationship, effectively identifying the problem and underlying cause, identification of the appropriate intervention, monitoring implementation integrity, and the termination of the consultation relationship. Specific intervention strategies and resources are also provided to offer the school psychologist potential resources. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)
Increasing Reading Fluency through Student-Directed Repeated Reading and Feedback
Author: Huang, Leesa V.
Date: 2008-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Feedback (Response),Reading Fluency,Sight Vocabulary,Integrity,Tutoring,Tutorial Programs,Reading Instruction,Elementary School Students,Tutors,Parents as Teachers,Siblings,Reading Improvement,High School Students,Program Descriptions,Reading Programs

In order to increase reading fluency, a research-based tutoring method using repeated reading was implemented over a 10-week period with two second-grade students. Two high school students were trained to be the tutors. In addition, one parent and one older sibling were trained to repeat the tutoring process at night. Treatment integrity was monitored through observation and tutor contact. The six, 30-minute sessions per week were associated with significant increases in sight word vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. Limitations, future research directions, and implications for practice are discussed further. (Contains 3 tables.)
School Psychologists as Instructional Consultants in a Response-to-Intervention Model
Author: Powers, Kristin
Date: 2008-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Intervention,Consultants,School Psychologists,Learning Disabilities,School Psychology,Counseling Psychology,Counseling Techniques,Mail Surveys,Counselor Attitudes,Delivery Systems,Best Practices,Models,Counseling Effectiveness,Instructional Leadership,Counselor Teacher Cooperation

The 2004 authorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act affords an opportunity to shift the classification of Learning Disabilities (LD) from a &quot;refer-test-place&quot; to a Response-to-Intervention (RtI) service delivery model. As a result, there are implications for the professional activities of school psychologists. School psychologists, who historically devoted much of their time to testing struggling learners for learning disabilities, will need to engage in a different type of practice, specifically providing instructional consultation in a tiered assessment and intervention model. This article describes instructional consultation skills and knowledge school psychologists must possess to promote the learning outcomes of students with achievement deficits, including students with disabilities. Survey data collected from 249 California school psychologist practitioners highlight the need to modify school psychology pre-service training and on-going professional development to enable school psychologists to become effective instructional consultants. (Contains 3 tables.)
Viewing Response-to-Intervention through an Educational Change Paradigm: What Can We Learn?
Author: Sansosti, Frank J.
Date: 2008-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Intervention,Educational Change,Outcomes of Education,Models,Program Implementation,Program Effectiveness,Formative Evaluation,Educational Legislation,Federal Legislation,Disability Identification

Response-to-Intervention (RtI), a framework for improving academic and behavioral outcomes for all students, can be viewed as a current example of an educational change initiative. Given the difficulties that some schools may be experiencing when implementing RtI effectively, it is important to examine prior educational change conceptualizations and research for factors that may facilitate or impede current educational reform. The purpose of this article is to (a) present RtI as a current educational reform initiative, (b) use Fullan's (2007) theoretical model as a framework through which to present information related to educational change, and (c) provide suggestions regarding how such educational change literature can inform and improve the implementation and future sustainability of RtI in schools.
&quot;Old Habits Die Hard:&quot; Past and Current Issues Pertaining to Response-to-Intervention
Author: Restori, Alberto F.
Date: 2008-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Intervention,Federal Legislation,Learning Disabilities,Intelligence Tests,Intelligence Quotient,Models,Criticism,Literature Reviews,Disability Identification,Educational Diagnosis,Intelligence Differences,Performance Factors

When Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act in 2004 (IDEIA 2004), local educational agencies (LEA) were permitted to use a Response-to-Intervention (RtI) approach for identifying children with possible learning disabilities for special education. Furthermore, IDEIA 2004 no longer required LEAs to establish an IQ-achievement discrepancy for determining a Specific Learning Disability (SLD). Although federal law no longer mandates the need for a discrepancy for determining an SLD, some researchers suggest that intelligence tests should continue to be used for children at-risk for SLD who do not respond to interventions within the initial phases of an RtI approach. The current paper: (a) provides a brief review of the IQ-achievement discrepancy model, (b) reviews some of the major criticisms regarding the IQ-achievement discrepancy model, (c) reviews concerns of using intelligence tests within an RtI framework, and (d) provides a rationale for applying RtI in school districts in California.