Nondisabled Students Research Articles

Stigma by Association: Perceptions of the Dating Partners of College Students With Physical Disabilities

In an investigation of stigma by association, 179 nondisabled students gave free-response and adjective checklist responses in one of four experimental conditions: stimulus person as dating partner of a disabled male, of a disabled female, of a nondisabled male, or of a nondisabled female college student. Adjective checklist results indicated that, as compared with the partners of nondisabled individuals, the partners of disabled individuals were perceived as significantly more trustworthy and nurturant. Content analysis of the free-response item showed that the partners of disabled individuals were more likely to be described as having nurturant qualities than the partners of nondisabled individuals and were less likely to be described as intelligent, sociable, or athletic. Discussion focuses on the significance of these results for understanding disability stigma by association and on the implications of these findings for interaction between individuals with and without disabilities.

Everybody In? The experience of disabled students in further education

ABSTRACT The authors report on a study of student attitudes towards disabled students in three colleges of further education. They found that many non-disabled students were not aware of the various issues facing disabled students at the colleges. Social contact between disabled and non-disabled students was not extensive, although those who had attended school with disabled pupils were more likely to have friendships with disabled students at college. Whilst non-disabled students were strongly supportive of inclusive education in principle, many saw inclusion in the mainstream as conditional on the particular impairment of an individual. Disabled and non-disabled students supported the view that early social and educational contact results in greater mutual understanding, and is of benefit to all students.

ARE INCLUSIVE PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS WITH MILD DISABILITIES EFFECTIVE? A COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF MODEL PROGRAMS

This review compared eight different inclusive models for elementary students with mild disabilities, primarily with learning disabilities. Model programs were described according to curricular innovations and the way school personnel and classrooms were organized. Quantified academic outcomes were also discussed. Methodological concerns prevented conclusions about the superiority of inclusive programming over pull-out programs. There were indications that inclusive programming can be effective for some, although not all, students with mild disabilities. More conclusive evidence suggests that the impact of organization and instructional changes on the achievement of nondisabled students was positive. Common elements in models reviewed included a redesigning of general education classrooms so that they more closely resembled special education: low student-to-staff ratio, intensive and prescribed basic skills instruction, performance monitoring, and the opportunity for intensive, one-to-one instruction. Results are discussed in light of implications of the inclusion movement and the future of special education.

Efficiency with which disabled and nondisabled students locate words in cue windows: study of three organizational strategies-frequency of word use, word length, and alphabetic order

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of word list order (length, alphabetic, and frequency of word use) on the rate with which two groups of students identified targeted words from word prompt lists. The two groups were composed of participants with language and learning disabilities and participants with age-appropriate language and literacy skills. Results indicated that both groups identified targeted words more rapidly when words were ordered by length rather than by alphabet or frequency of use.

University Students' Knowledge of Civil Bights Laws Pertaining to People with Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to gather data about university students' familiarity with the civil rights laws pertaining to people with disabilities: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. A majority of nondisabled students and students with disabilities reported that they had little, very little, or no knowledge at all of civil rights laws pertaining to people with disabilities. In addition, a significant difference was found between the number of university students with disabilities and students without disabilities requesting accommodations from employers. Furthermore, less than 30% of the university students with disabilities in this study requested a workplace accommodation. Given the results of this research, it is recommended that university students with disabilities receive greater exposure to civil rights laws pertaining to people with disabilities.

Cooperative Learning as an Inclusion Strategy: A Closer Look

This research examined the experience of students with disabilities as they engaged in cooperative learning reading lessons with their nondisabled peers. In the first year of the research, we observed 12 children with mild disabilities and 12 average- performing children (Grades 3-6) in the same general education classrooms. In the second year, we conducted observations of another 10 students with disabilities in other schools. We assessed the quality of participation of students with disabilities by noting the types of activities, the amount and kind of help they received (and from whom), and the amount and kind of contributions they made to group efforts. Students with disabilities received more help and offered fewer contributions than nondisabled students, and we classified only 40% of these students as successfully participating in cooperative groups. Analyses disclosed that differences among classroom practices (e.g., selection of partners, teacher monitoring, the establish- ment of a cooperative et...

Validity of Screening Tests for Learning Disabilities: A Comparison of Three Measures

Two groups of 20 children (8 to 10 years of age) were administered three screening tests used to assess learning disabilities, each of which represents one of three approaches: the Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test (Bender), an example of the “single test” approach; the Quick Neurological Screening Test (QNST), which represents the “soft neurological sign” approach; and the Screening Test for the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery-Children's Revision (ST-LNNB), which represents a “neuropsychological” approach. One group of subjects was comprised of children with learning disabilities (LD), and the comparison group was a random sample of nondisabled (ND) students. The groups were matched carefully for IQ, age, and grade. Results indicated that there were no significant group differences on either the Bender or the QNST. On the ST-LNNB, the LD group performed significantly more poorly than the ND group (p < .0001). The classification accuracy rate of the ST-LNNB was 97.5%, with 39 of the 40 subjects correctly classified according to their group status (i.e., LD or ND). The findings suggest that the Bender and QNST should not be used as tools to suggest the presence or absence of a learning disability. The ST-LNNB may be a valid instrument for screening for learning disabilities, although more study will be needed prior to clinical application.

Effectiveness of Special Education: Is Placement the Critical Factor?

Research indicates that various program models, implemented both in special education and general education, can have moderately positive academic and social impacts for students with disabilities. However, no intervention has been designed that eliminates the impact of having a disability. With few exceptions, students with disabilities have not achieved commensurately with their nondisabled peers; even students with learning disabilities as a group have not been able to achieve at the level of low-achieving nondisabled students. In general, the most effective interventions for students with disabilities, whether in special education or general education settings, have employed intensive and reasonably individualized instruction, combined with careful, frequent monitoring of student progress. There is no compelling evidence that placement rather than instruction is the critical factor in student academic or social success. Further, studies have indicated that typical practice in general education is substantially different from practice in the model programs that showed greatest success for students with disabilities. The interventions that were effective in improving academic outcomes for students with disabilities required a considerable investment of resources, including time and effort, as well as extensive support for teachers. The research does not support full-time inclusion for all students with disabilities. On the contrary, it appears that there is a clear need for special education. At the same time, given adequate resources, schools should be able to assist more students to be more successful in general education settings.

To integrate or segregate the cognitively impaired and cognitively intact in nursing homes: Lessons to be learned from educational mainstreaming

This paper explores the parallels between the mainstreaming of disabled and non-disabled students in schools and the integration of cognitively impaired and cognitively intact residents in nursing homes. The research on educational mainstreaming at a more mature stage of development, can serve as a foundation for gerontologists by suggesting that: • The physical location of service is non-specific and relatively meaningless as an independent variable; • Integration may benefit some impaired individuals while proving detrimental to others; • Moral and political arguments often drive the discussion; and • The well-being of non-impaired individuals is often overlooked.

Learning Disabilities and Social Environments: Kibbutz versus City Comparisons of Loneliness and Social Competence

In order to explore aspects of loneliness and social competence of learning disabled students in relation to specific environmental contexts, this study focused on children in two different social systems: a kibbutz and a city. The aim of the study was to investigate the social skills and loneliness patterns among 122 students with learning disabilities (LD) in self-contained special classes within regular school systems (66 kibbutz students; 56 city students) and among 120 nondisabled (nonLD) students within these same environmental conditions (69 kibbutz students; 51 city students). A four-way MANCOVA (LD/nonLD X kibbutz/city X male/female X lower/higher grades, with age as covariate) was performed for self-reported loneliness and empathy, peer-rated sociometric measures, teacher-rated social skills, and classroom adjustment as the dependent measures. LD youngsters were found to be less socially competent and more lonely than their nonLD peers in all social competence areas, and as assessed by three sources of information. When compared with LD city students, LD kibbutz students were evaluated by their teachers as demonstrating fewer maladaptive externalising behaviours, and by their peers as having more friends. Social contexts did not differentiate between the two LD groups' feeling of loneliness or rates of peer acceptance, and it can be concluded that students with LD were found to experience loneliness regardless of gender or environmental conditions.

Participation of children with autism and nondisabled peers in a cooperatively structured community art program.

Two groups (one younger, one older) of children with autism participated in monthly art activities with same-age nondisabled peers at a children's museum. The study sought to investigate the feasibility of offering a cooperatively structured art education class for students with autism and nondisabled students, and to evaluate the effect of joint participation on the students' interactions with one another. Results indicated that both groups of children with autism were targeted for interactions from nondisabled peers significantly more often during intervention than during baseline, even though positive social interaction bids by nondisabled peers were rarely reciprocated and hardly ever initiated by peers with autism.

Self-perceptions and social comparisons among children with LD.

The self-perceptions of third- and fourth-grade children with learning disabilities (LD; n = 59) and nondisabled students (n = 57) were compared using the Self-Perception Profile for Learning Disabled Students. Results suggested that the children with LD perceived themselves as less competent than did the controls in the areas of intelligence, academic skills, behavior, and social acceptance. These differences were not related to the length of time subjects with LD had received special education services. Contrary to expectations, subjects' self-perceptions were not affected by whether they chose LD or general education class peers as a reference group.

Where Has the Money Gone? An Analysis of School District Spending in New York

An important, but infrequently discussed, aspect of whether “money matters” concerns how school district expenditures have been allocated. New York state school districts spent $12 billion more on public K–12 education in 1991–1992 than in 1979–1980. School districts increased real expenditures per pupil by 46% over the 1980–92 period. A surprisingly large portion of the additional spending has gone to students designated as disabled, whereas the share of the new money to nondisabled students has substantially decreased. Other findings address the growth in administrative expenditures, district responses to changing enrollments, and increased compensation for teachers.

Homework Practices of Students With and Without Learning Disabilities

This article describes a study examining the homework practices of 48 students with learning disabilities and a matched sample of 48 nondisabled students. Students ranged in age from 11 to 15 years and attended Grades 6 through 8. Students in both groups completed the Student Survey of Homework Practices, a 27-item, Likert-type questionnaire examining students' homework practices and attitudes toward homework. Results indicated that although there were some similarities in the homework practices of both groups, the students with learning disabilities engaged to a significantly greater extent in practices that interfered with homework completion. Suggestions for increasing the homework completion rates of students with learning disabilities are provided.

Comparison of the Peer Status of Mexican-American Students with Learning Disabilities and Non-Disabled Low-Achieving Students

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of achievement on the peer status of Mexican-American male and female pupils with LD in academic and play contexts in classrooms where all students displayed low achievement. Participants were fourth- and fifth-grade pupils in a metropolitan school district in the Southwest. The sample was obtained from 13 compensatory regular education classrooms across six schools. Mexican-American pupils with LD received significantly lower sociometric scores than their low-achieving nondisabled Mexican-American peers even when the entire class was composed of low-achieving students.

Integrating Disability Awareness into Psychology Courses: Applications in Abnormal Psychology and Perception

The rising number of college students with disabilities and federal regulations concerning them impel educators to increase their own and nondisabled students' awareness of learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and emotional disorders. We describe simulation activities, discussion topics, and speakers appropriate for courses in abnormal psychology and perception. Students who simulated auditory or visual disabilities reported increased empathy toward people with disabilities, greater understanding of the stigma associated with disability, and a heightened appreciation for their sensory systems. We suggest that interested faculty work with existing campus offices for disabled students to implement these activities.

An Instructional Program in Comprehension of Narrative Themes for Adolescents with Learning Disabilities

These studies describe and evaluate an instructional program designed to help students with learning disabilities learn about the concept of theme, identify themes in stories, and apply themes to real life. Subjects were fifth- and sixth-grade nondisabled students and students with mild learning disabilities (Study 1) and seventh and eighth graders with more severe disabilities (Study 2). In both studies, the program improved comprehension of theme and identification of a specific theme that had been used in instruction. Instructed students were more successful on both measures than students who received no instruction (Study 1) or traditional instruction (Study 2). Applying a theme to real-life situations and identifying and applying themes not included in instruction were more difficult tasks—especially for Study 2 students. However, these students did show improvement on recall of story detail. These findings indicate that even students with severe disabilities can profit from instruction focused on abstract, higher order comprehension when it is geared to their particular instructional requirements.

Using the Computer with Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

The computer is the most powerful reinforcer available in the schools for the majority of students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Software typically used by nondisabled students can be implemented by creative teachers to support behavior change and emotional growth in students. For students with behavior problems, the computer can serve as an effective motivator, provide opportunities for cooperative learning, offer social and leisure time pursuits, and provide students the tools to engage in se(f-monitoring activities. For students with emotional problems, the computer can facilitate self-expression, assist in deter­ mining effective learning strategies, and build self-esteem. For students with behavioral self-control problems, the computer can provide training in impuL~e control and offer practice in problem solving skills and simulated social skills situations. This article describes promising practices for integrating the computer into therapeutic in~truction for these students and provides specific suggestions for implementation.

Self-Concept and Children with Learning Disabilities

This study assessed the self-concept of students with learning disabilities (LD), comparing observer ratings and self-reports both within the LD group and across LD, nondisabled, and high-achieving (HA) classes. Using the Multidimensional Self Concept Scale (MSCS) a total of 135 students from the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades rated their self-concepts. Teachers and parents also rated the children's self-concepts using an abbreviated form of the MSCS. Compared to students' ratings, teachers generally underestimated the LD and nondisabled students' self-concepts, but overestimated the HA students' self-concepts. Parents' ratings of children with LD and HA children generally matched their children's self-reports, but the agreement between nondisabled children and their parents varied depending on the domain of self-concept. This study demonstrates the importance of assessing multiple self-concept domains when working with children who have learning disabilities.

Prevalence and predictors of substance use: a comparison between adolescents with and without learning disabilities.

A considerable body of literature has accumulated that examines patterns of substance use and abuse among adolescents attending general education classes. However, much less information exists on the prevalence and predictors of substance use among adolescents with learning disabilities. One purpose of this study was to determine the comparative prevalence of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use among a sample of 123 students with learning disabilities (91 male and 32 female, mean age = 14.37 years) and 138 nondisabled students (77 male and 61 female, mean age = 13.71 years). A second purpose was to determine whether two psychosocial variables (self-esteem and type of behavior problem) or severity of drinking problem best predicted use of tobacco and marijuana. Students were administered the Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI)-School form (Coopersmith, 1987) and the Adolescent Drinking Index (ADI) (Harrell & Wirtz, 1989); their teachers completed the Revised Behavior Problem Checklist (RBPC) (Quay & Peterson, 1987). Tobacco and marijuana use were proportionally higher for adolescents with learning disabilities; no differences emerged for alcohol use between groups. A discriminant function analysis revealed that scores on the SEI and subscale scores of the RBPC did not reliably predict tobacco or marijuana use for either group. ADI scores were reliable predictors of marijuana use for students with learning disabilities and tobacco use for both groups.