Childhood Special Education Research Articles

Effectiveness of Use PEAK Program in Developing Language Skills with Autism Spectrum Disorder Children in Oman

The study aimed to reveal the effectiveness of the promoting emergence of advanced knowledge programs in developing language skills among a sample of children with an autism spectrum disorder in Oman. The study adopted the pre-experimental approach of the single experimental group with two pre- and post-measurements. 10 children with autism spectrum disorder (speakers) from (5-8) years and good mental ability were used and selected to achieve the objectives of the study. PEAK program was used and a scale for language skills was developed that consisted of (34) items distributed over two dimensions (receptive and expressive language). The validity and stability of the study tool was verified. The results of the current study showed that there were significant differences at (α = 0.05) level in favor of the post and follow-up application in the average performance of autism spectrum disorder children on the scale of language skills (receptive and expressive) attributable to the promoting emergence of advanced knowledge. The study recommended the preparation of periodic meetings and workshops for workers in the field of special education and autism spectrum disorder children in the Sultanate of Oman to learn how to employ the PEAK program in dealing with this group of children in Oman.

Data-driven exploratory method investigation on the effect of dyslexia education at brain connectivity in Turkish children: a preliminary study

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin and is characterized by reading and/or spelling problems affecting the development of language-related skills. The aim of this study is to reveal functional markers based on dyslexia by examining the functions of brain regions in resting state and reading tasks and to analyze the effects of special education given during the treatment process of dyslexia. A total of 43 children, aged between 7 and 12, whose native language was Turkish, participated in the study in three groups including those diagnosed with dyslexia for the first time, those receiving special education for dyslexia, and healthy children. Independent component analysis method was employed to analyze functional connectivity variations among three groups both at rest and during the continuous reading task. A whole-brain scanning during task fulfillment and resting states revealed that there were significant differences in the regions including lateral visual, default mode, left frontoparietal, ventral attention, orbitofrontal and lateral motor network. Our results revealed the necessity of adding motor coordination exercises to the training of dyslexic participants and showed that training led to functional connectivity in some brain regions similar to the healthy group. Additionally, our findings confirmed that impulsivity is associated with motor coordination and visuality, and that the dyslexic group has weaknesses in brain connectivity related to these conditions. According to our preliminary results, the differences obtained between children with dyslexia, group of dyslexia with special education and healthy children has revealed the effect of education on brain functions as well as enabling a comprehensive examination of dyslexia.

Interactions between special education teachers and children with chronic complex conditions: A qualitative study

Background The number of children with complex medical conditions has increased in recent decades. In this context, a complex chronic condition is characterized by multiple morbidities that require intensive or continuous health care according to the level of severity. Given their various health conditions, it is challenging to provide special education to these children, but there is still insufficient evidence regarding the practical experiences of educators. The aim of this study was to investigate special education teacher’s perceptions, experiences, and challenges while developing interpersonal relationships and communicating with children who have complex chronic conditions. Methods We recruited and interviewed 21 special education school teachers in Japan. The transcripts of the interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Our analysis revealed four themes, including “searching for the meaning,” “complex chronic conditions as a difficult reality,” “widening experience for the future,” and “priority for interacting with children.” These themes reflect the perceptions, experiences, and challenges of the special education teachers. Conclusions In cases where children have severe functional limitations, it is more challenging to understand child-teacher interactions. This highlights the importance of searching for meaning in educational practices used among children with complex chronic conditions. Our findings may provide helpful insight into the experiences and challenges faced by special educators who engage with these children.

Evolution of Professional Standards: Reflecting on the Past to Inform the Future

Clearly defined professional standards result in better prepared professionals who positively impact outcomes for children and families by ensuring an effective workforce. This article describes the evolution of early intervention early/childhood special education preparation standards from the on-the-job competencies of the 1960s to the historic 2020 Initial Practice-Based Professional Standards for Early Interventionists/Early Childhood Special Educators (EI/ECSE Standards), in concert with the evolution of the profession itself. Influencing factors include (a) changes in federal legislation and policy, (b) ages and characteristics of children served, (c) growing knowledge of effective practices, (d) collaboration with other disciplines, and (e) ongoing advocacy for EI/ECSE as a profession. The article concludes with a vision for using these EI/ECSE Standards to guide the future local, state, and national agenda of the profession around preservice preparation and accreditation, professional development, state and federal policy, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and standards-informed research.

Field Experiences in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE): Preparing Teachers for Success in Diverse Early Education Settings

Field Experiences in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE): Preparing Teachers for Success in Diverse Early Education Settings

Measuring teacher-student relationships among children with emotional and behavioral problems

A rapidly growing body of research indicates that the quality of children's relationships with teachers can affect students’ emotional, behavioral, and school related adjustment. The vast majority of this research has relied on measures that assess teacher—rather than student—perceptions of these relationships. In this study, we administered a student self-report measure of teacher-student relationships (TSR) to 185 children, all of whom had emotional and behavioral problems. Children's special education teachers (N = 76) also completed a validated measure of TSR. Results of a confirmatory factor analysis of child ratings confirmed a model that included three TSR factors: Communication, Trust, and Alienation. Analyses of similarities between student and teacher views of their relationship with one another suggested limited concordance, however, student perceptions of TSR were robust predictors of their emotional, behavioral, and school adjustment even after controlling for teacher perceptions of TSR. These findings provide preliminary support for the importance assessing student perceptions of TSR and initial evidence for the construct validity, reliability and criterion-related validity of a child report measure of teacher-student relationships among students with emotional and behavioral problems.

Process of Self-Leadership: Establishing Yourself as Leader No Matter Your Role

As the field of early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) focuses intently on building, supporting, and sustaining leaders across varying contexts and roles, this study introduced the concept of self-leadership to EI/ECSE self-identified leaders. The research explores differences in self-rated skills based on role, analyzes themes of goals for developing self-leadership skills, and analyzes the measurability of goals set by participants. Fifty-six participants completed the Abbreviated Self-Leadership Questionnaire (ASLQ) (Houghton, Dawley, & DiLiello, 2012), self-rated their own skills, and identified leadership goals. Results show that participants scored themselves highest on evaluating beliefs and assumptions about self-leadership. Self-identified goals resulted in three primary themes (administrative tasks, relationship building and coaching, and growth in learning). Directions for future research, policy, and recommendations for practice are discussed.

Interactions between special education teachers and children with chronic complex conditions: A qualitative study.

The number of children with complex medical conditions has increased in recent decades. In this context, a complex chronic condition is characterized by multiple morbidities that require intensive or continuous health care according to the level of severity. Given their various health conditions, it is challenging to provide special education to these children, but there is still insufficient evidence regarding the practical experiences of educators. The aim of this study was to investigate special education teacher's perceptions, experiences, and challenges while developing interpersonal relationships and communicating with children who have complex chronic conditions. We recruited and interviewed 21 special education school teachers in Japan. The transcripts of the interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Our analysis revealed four themes, including "searching for the meaning," "complex chronic conditions as a difficult reality," "widening experience for the future," and "priority for interacting with children." These themes reflect the perceptions, experiences, and challenges of the special education teachers. In cases where children have severe functional limitations, it is more challenging to understand child-teacher interactions. This highlights the importance of searching for meaning in educational practices used among children with complex chronic conditions. Our findings may provide helpful insight into the experiences and challenges faced by special educators who engage with these children.

Preparing future leaders: what should we know about mentoring?

ABSTRACT A recent review of literature indicated limited research about the preparation of doctoral students in early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE). The purpose of this pilot study was to address this gap in research and investigate the mentorship of doctoral students who participated in the Division for Early Childhood’s Consortium for Innovations in Doctoral Excellence (DECIDE). Mentors and mentees who participated in the DECIDE Mentoring Initiative participated in focus groups and interviews to share their mentoring experiences and provide suggestions for the mentorship of doctoral students. Qualitative research methods were used to analyze themes. Findings indicated (a) shifts in power dynamics occurred between the mentor and mentee dyad, (b) mentoring infrastructures may be beneficial, (c) mentoring relationships are unique for each dyad, and (d) further research is needed to investigate the mentoring needs of students from culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse backgrounds.

Two different stories? Parents’ and teachers’ views on children’s special support in school

Home-school collaboration supports students’ achievements, learning, and development, according to prior research. This article aims to explore parents’ and teachers’ views on children's special education needs and special support, focusing on the degree of agreement between the two parties. It also aims to explore the extent to which parents' views on special support for their children match their experiences of contact with teachers. The present study is based on questionnaires to teachers and parents of 476 children, aged 8-10 years, who were identified as needing extra adaptations or special support. The results show that teachers consider about twice as many students to be in need of special support than parents do, and that both teachers and parents consider more boys than girls to be in need of special support. There is also a correlation between parents' satisfaction with their child's support and their level of satisfaction with communication with the child's teacher. Finally, good contact between teachers and parents is associated with a consensus about the children's need for support.

The Impact of Assistive Technology on Students with Disabilities

Assistive technology plays a crucial role in meeting the needs of students with disabilities in special education. The term is used to describe a wide range of resources—from hardware to software—designed to let people with varying needs access information and education on their own terms. the impact that assistive technology has on special education children with disabilities, both in terms of its benefits and its potential drawbacks. This study focuses primarily on the perspectives and experiences of educators, researchers, and other professionals working in the field of special education who have worked with assistive technology. The goal of this abstract is to provide a broad perspective on how assistive technology benefits special education students. To achieve this goal, it will examine related studies and scholarly works.

서번트 증후군을 지닌 자폐성장애 학생에 대한 교육전문가의 경험

The purpose of this study was to examine the educational experiences and perceptions of ASD and Savant Syndrome by special education experts. For the purpose of this study, in-depth interviews were conducted with nine educational experts who had more than 20 years of experience working with autistic disorders. The participants worked at various types of educational institutions such as special education schools, special classroom and child development centers, and were able to present various and rich experiences. The interviews were conducted through in-depth interviews and focus group interviews, the contents of these interviews were then analyzed according to the continuous comparative analysis method. As a result of analyzing the data a collection of 5 core themes and 16 subthemes were derived. The five core themes are as follows: 1) Savant syndrome, which I didn’t know well, now that I think about it, it was Savant syndrome maybe; 2) Savant syndrome is as diverse as the spectrum; 3) the difficulties related to autistic disorder preceded amazing abilities; 4) parents’ expectations toward their children’s special abilities are very diverse; and 5) Educational support measures that can help students’ special talents become meaningful abilities for students with ASD and Savant syndrome. Based on the research results, the similarities and differences between teachers’ and parents’ experiences of students with autism and Savant syndrome were discussed, in addition, future educational supports were suggested.

Child protective services involvement and exclusionary school discipline.

The study examined the impact of child protective services (CPS) contact on out-of-school suspensions for 49,918 Wisconsin students (followed from ages 5-6 to 14-15; [school years 2010-2019; 74% White; 7% Black; 11% Hispanic; 8% other; 49% female]). A quasi-experimental design comparing recent CPS contact to upcoming (future) CPS contact shows that both recent CPS contact without foster care and future CPS contact predict higher odds of suspension compared with no contact. Higher odds of suspension emerged prior to CPS contact and did not substantially increase during or after CPS contact, suggesting that system-induced stress is not a primary driver of behavioral problems leading to suspension. Foster care reduced the odds of suspension among White children and children in special education.

Standards for Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education: The Development, Uses, and Vision for the Future

Professional Standards identify what future educators should know and be able to do when they complete a program of study from an Institution of Higher Education (IHE). With support from the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), the first ever stand-alone Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE) Standards were approved in 2020. In this paper, we (a) discuss the rationale for stand-alone EI/ECSE Standards within the current context; (b) briefly introduce the Standards; (c) present an overview of how the Standards were developed; and (d) provide a vision for and guidance to the field in the development of personnel systems that ensure application of the EI/ECSE Standards for preservice and in-service preparation, IHE program accreditation, cross disciplinary collaboration, research and development, and policy and advocacy.

Strategi Pembelajaran Pendidikan Agama Islam pada Anak Autisme di SLB Indonesia

Special education for children with developmental disabilities is described as a form of education provided either in specialized schools or inclusive schools. Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 20 of 2003 clearly states that every citizen has the right to the highest possible education. Citizens who have physical, emotional, mental, intellectual, and social disabilities are also entitled to special education. The purpose of this study is to determine the Learning Strategies of Islamic Religious Education in Children with Autism in SLB Indonesia. This research method uses a qualitative type of research with a transcendental phenomenological approach (Moustakas, 1994). This study was conducted to explore more information about teachers' experiences in implementing learning for children with autism. The results of this study show that in the implementation of learning, two-way communication strategies, adequate experience, teaching skills, creativity, and teacher innovation skills are competencies that teachers must have, especially in inclusive schools. This competency component is important for teachers before entering inclusive schools. The success of character education, especially for children with autism, requires strong collaboration in the environment, namely schools and teachers. School policies can take the form of curriculum, infrastructure, and facilities. The results of the description and analysis of data on the Learning Strategy for Islamic Religious Education in Autistic Children in SLB Indonesia, it can be concluded that the learning strategy used in Indonesia uses basic strategies in general that are taught to autistic children. Using repetition strategies, and practice directly to learners, so that learners can understand learning well.

Building Collaborative Capacity in Early Intervention Preservice Providers Through Interprofessional Education.

Interprofessional practice within early intervention is underscored by policy, research, and recommended practices. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of a brief interprofessional training on preservice speech-language pathology, early intervention/early childhood special education, physical therapy, and occupational therapy students' knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes about teaming and collaboration. Students' satisfaction with and perspectives of the training were also examined. A one-group, pretest-posttest design was used to examine differences in 36 students' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs around interprofessional practice after the training. Descriptive approaches were used to analyze student satisfaction data and focus group data in order to evaluate student perceptions of the interprofessional training. A paired-samples t test showed preservice students demonstrated increased scores in self-perceived ability, value, and comfort in working with others after the training institute. Descriptive analyses illustrated students gained a richer knowledge and appreciation for other disciplines and perceived the practice of interprofessional collaboration as a valuable learning experience. The interprofessional training procedures, evaluation of impacts, and future directions are discussed.

Unequal and Increasingly Unfair: How Federal Policy Creates Disparities in Special Education Funding

The formula used to allocate federal funding to states for special education is one of IDEA's most critical components. The formula serves as the primary mechanism for dividing available federal dollars among states and represents policy makers’ intent to equalize educational opportunities for students with disabilities nationwide. In this study, we evaluate the distribution of IDEA Part B funding in the wake of changes to the formula that were instituted at the law's 1997 reauthorization. We find that the revised formula generates large and concerning disparities among states in federal special education dollars. On average, states with proportionally larger populations of children and children living in poverty, children identified for special education, and non-White and Black children receive fewer federal dollars per capita.

Strengthening preservice educator reflective practice through the use of personnel preparation standards

ABSTRACT Reflective practice is foundational in what preservice educators should know and be able to do as noted in professional preparation standards for Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE). Reflection aids preservice educators in connecting course content with field and clinical experiences thus strengthening their preparation. The authors demonstrate how one blended ECE and EI/ECSE preparation program integrates professional preparation standards into a framework for enhanced reflection.Data from reflection assignments from over 130 preservice educators across 9 years has been collected and analyzed. Data retrieved from this assignment represents impact data and is used by the faculty to not only monitor and support individual preservice educator growth but also for continuous improvement for the blended preparation program. With reflection prompts aligned with professional standards, program faculty are able to identify areas of strength and growth in accordance with the standards for both the candidates and program. Detailed discussion of this pedagogical approach for candidate reflection as well as continuous program improvement is provided in order for other programs to replicate and adapt to strengthen reflective practice and collect program assessment data for their own continuous improvement.

Interactions between special education teachers and children with chronic complex conditions: A qualitative study

Background: The number of children with complex medical conditions has increased in recent decades. In this context, a complex chronic condition is characterized by multiple morbidities that require intensive or continuous health care according to the level of severity. Given their various health conditions, it is challenging to provide special education to these children, but there is still insufficient evidence regarding the practical experiences of educators. The aim of this study was to investigate special education teacher’s perceptions, experiences, and challenges while developing interpersonal relationships and communicating with children who have complex chronic conditions. Methods: We recruited and interviewed 21 special education school teachers. The transcripts of the interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Our analysis revealed four themes, including “searching for the meaning,” “complex chronic conditions as a difficult reality,” “widening experience for the future,” and “priority for interacting with children.” These themes reflect the perceptions, experiences, and challenges of the special education teachers. Conclusions: In cases where children have severe functional limitations, it is more challenging to understand child-teacher interactions. This highlights the importance of searching for meaning in educational practices used among children with complex chronic conditions. Our findings may provide helpful insight into the experiences and challenges faced by special educators who engage with these children.

Opportunities & Barriers in Special Education for Children with Autism

The neurodevelopment of children is highly affected by Autism and it causes social impairment, communication difficulties and restrictive-repetitive challenging behaviors. In addition, this group of children often face several barriers in availing formal education. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to explore the opportunities-barriers and their consequences in the current status of special education in context of Bangladesh. A qualitative design was used for this study. Data was analyzed through content analysis. There were eight respondents purposively selected from special teachers, therapists and parents of children with autism from two special schools. The result showed that school teachers and therapists were cooperative and helpful. Trained teachers, different therapeutic service, health education, primary screening opportunities such as vision, hearing, social and emotional status, general intelligence are helping better academic performance hence considered as opportunities. The fundamental barriers included lack of transportation, expensive learning process and therapeutic charge, lack of knowledge of teachers, social stigma, poor government support and infrastructures of the schools.