Special Education Classrooms Research Articles

Understanding Risk for Reading Difficulties in Children With Language Impairment.

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively examine the preschool language and early literacy skills of kindergarten good and poor readers, and to determine the extent to which these skills predict reading status. Participants were 136 children with language impairment enrolled in early childhood special education classrooms. On the basis of performance on a word recognition task given in kindergarten, children were classified as either good or poor readers. Comparisons were made across these 2 groups on a number of language and early literacy measures administered in preschool, and logistic regression was used to determine the best predictors of kindergarten reading status. Twenty-seven percent of the sample met criterion for poor reading in kindergarten. These children differed from good readers on most of the skills measured in preschool. The best predictors of kindergarten reading status were oral language, alphabet knowledge, and print concept knowledge. Presence of comorbid disabilities was not a significant predictor. Classification accuracy was good overall. Results suggest that risk of reading difficulty for children with language impairment can be reliably estimated in preschool, prior to the onset of formal reading instruction. Measures of both language and early literacy skills are important for identifying which children are likely to develop later reading difficulties.

Inequitable variations: a review of research in technology, literacy studies and special education

AbstractThis essay presents the results of a review of research published in the last 10 years on the uses of what we term ‘productive’ digital technologies in special education contexts. There is little overlap between research on productive technologies such as digital storytelling in mainstream contexts and research on technology use to support literacy learning in special education classrooms. Analysis centred on theoretical frameworks, research methods, educational contexts and technologies used with children and youth labelled with special needs. The initial sample of refereed journal articles (n = 1,132) was reduced to 14 studies for review. Results suggest large variations in the knowledge base about why, how, when and to what effects productive technologies might be used with children labelled with special needs. The essay presents further areas for theorising and research in the juncture of these separate fields to address the inequitable variations and social justice issues engendered by current research and practice.

Educator perceptions of dance/movement therapy in the special education classroom

This qualitative study examined educator perspectives of the influence of group dance/movement therapy (DMT) sessions on their students’ behaviours, symptoms, and academic engagement within their special education classroom. Audio-recorded and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 educators who had observed and/or participated in their students’ group DMT sessions at one public school in an urban region in the United States. Results of the interviews revealed four overarching themes: (a) The process of a DMT session is perceived to improve regulatory behaviour; (b) DMT can meet individual needs as a part of a group experience; (c) DMT techniques and tools utilised can influence sensory systems (d) limitations in time, duration, and space may influence long-term benefits. While more research is necessary, results suggest that educators value the use of DMT within school settings to assist the children in gaining focus, modulating energy, and supporting healthy social engagement skills.

Feasibility and Implementation of a Video-Based Yoga Program in a Special Education Setting Using a Collaborative Model

Background:Yoga has been used as an intervention in children with evidence for reducing stress and for improving self- and social- confidence in children with typical and atypical development. Improvement in physical function has also been noted in the literature. Children with moderate to severe developmental delay often need support in the educational environment. While they may benefit from a school-based yoga program, the need for support to participate in a group yoga activity may create a barrier for implementation of such a program in many classrooms. A collaborative model with related service providers may help to remove this barrier. Aim: The purpose of this short communication is to describe the implementation of a yoga program in a self-contained education environment using a collaborative approach between classroom teachers and related service providers. This collaboration may improve participation in children with moderate-to-severe levels of intellectual or physical impairment. Outcomes: The yoga program was successfully implemented in two special education classrooms. The six participants in group 1 with a diagnosis of autism had reported anecdotal improvement in ability to focus following individual sessions. These students required cues primarily to remain engaged in group activity. In group 2, seven of eight participants were diagnosed with autism. One participant had a dual diagnosis of cerebral palsy and autism, and the eighth participant was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. These children required modifications and assistance to participate, with similar results as group 1. The child diagnosed with cerebral palsy demonstrated increased lower extremity flexibility and the child with muscular dystrophy had a more relaxed breathing pattern following yoga postures.

3. COACHING A SCHOOL BOARD'S TRANSITION INTO INCLUSION

Across the province of Ontario (Canada), local school boards/districts have adopted various approaches to facilitate shifts for students with disabilities from segregated special education classrooms to full inclusion. To assist educators with this transition, the mid-sized publically funded school board profiled here chose to provide classroom teachers with individualised personnel support (i.e., “inclusion coaches”). Although coaching models are beneficial for supporting educators to create inclusive environments (Morris & Sharma, 2011), there is little research on the experiences of coaches as their role unfolds in a school system undergoing transition to inclusion. Coaches provide specialised support, yet connecting with educators in an authentic way can pose great challenges (Sharma, Moore, Furlonger, et al., 2010). Coaches recognise that the inclusive practices of educators change when they have opportunities to engage in transformative learning by reflecting on and challenging their beliefs (Pyhältö, Pietarinen and Soini, 2012). In the current research, classroom teachers were provided with an inclusion coach. The coaches supported three to four schools where they worked one to two days per week, with several teachers who had a student with an exceptionality in the class. All coaches had special education training and an average of 12 years of experience in various capacities. Through a mixed methods design, the experiences of the inclusion coaches and the teachers they supported were explored. Inclusion coaches (n=13) completed four online reflective responses (Fall and Spring of Years 1 & 2) and four focus groups (December and June of Years 1 & 2). Teachers working with an inclusion coach (n=38) engaged in focus groups. Finally, a survey in the Spring of Years 1 and 2 assessed educators’ knowledge and beliefs about inclusion. The findings reported on herein reflect the qualitative data analysed to date. Some of the experiences of the inclusion coaches were unanticipated. They initially encountered negative attitudes and a misunderstanding of their role by teachers and principals, overall. The coaches began to ‘celebrate the baby steps’, which demonstrated inclusivity in the schools such as when they observed an educator implementing an inclusive strategy. They attributed their break through to scaffolding inclusion to ‘meet teachers where they are at’ and then encouraging teachers to take risks. One teacher said, ‘I set myself up to fail every time you come in’, and the coach reflected, ‘What she is really saying is that she is trying something new’. Coaches noted that it was invaluable to meet weekly with each other to share accomplishments, problem-solve and encourage one another as they translated their knowledge and beliefs about inclusion into practice. The teachers that received coaching acknowledged the challenges and positive outcomes of providing a fully inclusive classroom environment. A significant challenge was differentiating instruction, ‘The planning curriculum at kindergarten [level] for a child who is eleven – that was overwhelming’. Yet, teachers who were coached reported that their students were more confident, happy and socially, ‘you can see them out on the yard hanging out and playing with other students’. Most of the teachers that contributed to the focus group agreed that they still require ongoing professional support from their coaches to hone their inclusive practices. By examining the experiences of inclusion coaches during challenging and successful moments, this research has provided a glimpse into the process of breaking down barriers, changing teacher perceptions and facilitating genuine inclusive classrooms through partnerships and capacity building. The perspectives of the coached teachers have also provided insight to better practice guidelines for transitioning future educators in inclusive practices. The author reports no conflict of interest.

Pervasive Displays in Classrooms of Children with Severe Autism

The deployment of pervasive displays in classrooms of children with severe autism is challenging. In this article, the authors explore the use of pervasive displays in special-education classrooms to help children with autism better reflect on their behaviors. They designed and developed three pervasive displays, each one varying its visualization in relation to targeted behaviors and the reinforcement mechanism used. BxColor mimics traditional practices by varying the color of tags. BxPuzzle reinforces positive behavior by varying the clarity of puzzle pieces. BxBalloons penalizes negative behavior by deflating virtual aircrafts piloted by children. Each display was deployed in one classroom of children with severe autism for three weeks. The results indicate that BxColor was too abstract to be understood by participants. In contrast, both BxPuzzle and BxBalloons were instrumental in increasing behavior awareness, triggering social interactions, and promoting teamwork. This article is part of a special issue on pervasive displays.

Assessing the special education professional development needs of northern Malawian schoolteachers

This research examines special needs education professional development needs among both general and special education schoolteachers in northern Malawi. A semi‐structured questionnaire with open and close‐ended questions was used for the research. Quantitative and thematic analyses were conducted to determine the extent to which teachers believe that students with disabilities should be educated together with students without disabilities, the importance of professional development for teaching students with disabilities, prioritised professional development needs regarding special education knowledge, and self‐identified needs for successful special education classrooms. Results indicate that teachers are generally in favour of inclusive practices and identify a high need for special education professional development. Participants identified training and resources to teach students with visual impairments or auditory impairments as a high priority. Participants noted a need for improved infrastructure, more educational materials, and recognition by the government for work in special education.

Telehealth consultation in a self-contained classroom for behavior: A pilot study

ABSTRACTStudents with challenging behavior severe enough to warrant placement in a self-contained special education classroom statistically have poor school and post-school outcomes compared to typical peers. Teachers in these classrooms often lack sufficient training to meet student needs. This pilot study investigated the use of a telehealth consultation model to increase selected teaching behaviors (i.e., praise, prompts/precorrections, and student opportunities to respond) and reduce the presence of challenging child behaviors in a self-contained special education classroom. Overall results demonstrated increased targeted positive teaching behaviors and a substantial decrease of student challenging behavior upon the introduction of the first intervention phase. Although findings in phase two and three were less conclusive, challenging behavior remained low throughout the intervention. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Decreasing Vocal Stereotypy of a Youth With Autism in a Classroom Setting

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to investigate the use of response interruption and redirection (RIRD) to reduce vocal stereotypy in a student with Autism Spectrum Disorder in a special education classroom during group instruction. This study extends the literature on the use of RIRD, examining effectiveness with an adolescent with intellectual disability and limited functional language in a naturalistic setting. Results indicated that RIRD was effective in decreasing vocal stereotypy in this student.

짧은만화대화 중재가 고기능 자폐스펙트럼장애 초등학생의 수업참여행동에 미치는 영향*

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a comic strip conversation intervention on academic engagement behaviors of elementary school students with autism spectrum disorders. The subjects were two upper elementary-aged male students with autism spectrum disorders Multiple probe design across subjects was used to assess the academic engagement behaviors, and the procedures were composed of baseline, intervention, generalization, and maintenance phases. The comic strip conversion intervention was implemented in the special education classroom for 3-5 times in a week. The special education teacher provided one-to-one instruction to the subject. The data for generalization was collected in regular classroom after intervention termination, and the data for maintenance was collected after two weeks of intervention termination. The results were as follows. First, the comic strip conversation intervention had positive impact on the rate of academic engagement behaviors of the subjects with autism spectrum disorders. Second, the effects of the intervention were generalized in regular classroom setting. Third, the effects of the intervention were maintained after the completion of the intervention. These results imply that the comic strip conversation intervention is helpful to improve the academic engagement behaviors of elementary school students with autism spectrum disorders.

Participant Roles in Bullying Among Dutch Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders

This study investigated whether participant roles (i.e., bully, assistant, follower, defender, outsider, victim) identified in bullying among normative groups of adolescents educated in regular education could also be found among adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) educated in special education classrooms. Relationships between the participant roles and three social status measures (social preference, social impact, and popularity) were also examined. There were 260 Dutch adolescents with ASD, ages 12–18 (M = 13.75, SD = 1.42; 224 boys, 36 girls), and 743 Dutch typically developing (TD) adolescents, ages 11–17 (M = 13.41, SD = 1.24; 380 boys, 363 girls) who filled out questionnaires during classroom testing sessions conducted by the first author and trained (under)graduate students. Participant roles could be distinguished, although role distributions differed across groups and across sexes. There were more outsiders and defenders, and fewer followers among boys with ASD than among TD boys. Among girls with ASD, there were more victims than among TD girls. Students with ASD could more often be assigned multiple roles and were less often uninvolved than TD students. The relationships between participant roles and social status measures also differed across groups and across sexes. Whereas bullying is considered a universal social phenomenon, the existence of participant roles in bullying situations might be considered universal, as well. Apparently, the social difficulties of students with ASD do not seem to prevent them from taking on various participant roles in bullying situations. Additional practical implications are discussed.

Teacher satisfaction at the educational placement of students with special educational needs

This study conducted a large-scale survey to investigate the satisfaction of Finnish primary school teachers toward the current educational placement of their students with special educational needs (SEN). Teachers were asked to recommend the most suitable educational placement for each of their SEN students from a pool of six alternatives: a mainstream classroom, part-time special education, a special classroom in the mainstream school, a special school, a state special school, or an institution. Data were obtained from 980 students representing 68 schools. The results showed that, in the majority of cases, teachers recommended a different level to the current level of placement for their SEN students. Teachers in the mainstream classrooms mostly recommended special classrooms, while teachers of the special education classrooms frequently recommended special schools, and teachers of the special schools often recommended state special schools or special education classrooms. A less restrictive environment was recommended for 20% and a more restrictive environment was recommended for 33% of the students. The results are interpreted in terms of organizational selection.

Cogenerative Dialogue: Developing Biology Learning Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

<p><em>A prominent challenge, at times under-addressed in the science education literature, is considering what types of learning accommodations science teachers should employ for students with disabilities. Outside of science education, researchers have consistently outlined how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is one efficient means by which to engage students with disabilities in the curriculum. This paper presents the results of a research study in which teachers employed co-generative dialogue as a learning space where UDL was used to differentiate and individualize instruction in an inclusive biology class. The data originated from a larger, ongoing, longitudinal ethnography of science learning in several New York City special education classrooms. This ethnographic work presents a case study where teachers and a student used co-generative dialogue to develop learning accommodations which conformed to the principles of UDL. This research demonstrates how co-generative dialogue can provide biology teachers and special education co-teachers with an opportunity to collaborate with students to create learning accommodations that connect to the broader biology curriculum. </em></p>

Personalizing Research: Special Educators’ Awareness of Evidence-Based Practice

ABSTRACTAlthough evidence-based practices are considered critical to student success, a research-to-practice gap exists. This qualitative study examined practicing special education teachers’ perceptions of their use of evidence-based practices. Special education teachers were interviewed and their classroom practices examined. Major themes emerged and findings revealed that (a) teachers believe they are using evidence-based practices, (b) teachers’ awareness of research varies, and (c) teachers’ personalization of research varies by awareness level. Awareness levels of credible evidence-based practices ranged from Aware, Partially Aware, and Unaware. Sources of evidence varied greatly from university coursework, research articles, co-workers’ ideas, and self-generated ideas. Personalization of evidence-based practices consisted of teachers adapting and modifying practices to meet their own needs, rather than relying on fidelity of treatment measures. Implications for the special education classroom are discussed.

Communication interaction in special education preschool classrooms

Objectives: The purpose of this research was to examine the key features of interactions between special education classroom teachers and children with disabilities. Opportunities for communication made available by the teachers and the responses from the children in five special education preschool classrooms were investigated.Results: The results showed that the 28.2% of coding interval bins contained a communication opportunity provided by the teachers. The mean percentages of the provided opportunities to request, name/comment, answer, and imitation were 10.06, 69.64, 1.2, and 19.08%, respectively. However, 42.0% of the provided opportunities for communication by the teachers did not receive a response from the children.Conclusions: In summary, the opportunities for communication were infrequently provided by the teachers and the children's responses to these opportunities were found to be infrequent in these classrooms. The four types of communication opportunities were not equally provided by the teachers, furthermore, the four types of the children's responses to these opportunities did not equally occur. Different implications for the research and clinical contexts were also provided.

Use of an In-Class Sensory Activity Schedule for a Student with Autism: Critical Case Study

Many students with autism and intellectual disability demonstrate atypical sensory behaviours which impact on their schooling. Few studies provide empirical support for teachers using planned sensory activities in special education classrooms. Aim: To determine whether a classroom based Sensory Activity Schedule (SAS) improves behavioural outcomes for one student with ASD who demonstrated atypical sensory processing and associated challenging behaviour. Methods: Critical case study methods were used to describe changes in the frequency of challenging behaviour “incidents” recorded for one eight year old student with autism over one school term during implementation of a Sensory Activity Schedule. Results: There was a reduction in the reported frequency of challenging behaviour incidents which were associated with sensory triggers over one school term. Conclusion: When applied with caution, in context, and with appropriate training, a Sensory Activity Schedule was associated with a reduction in challenging behaviour incidents for one student with autism during classroom activities.

The Use of CeSo to Improve Turn-Taking Skills among Students with Learning Disabilities

This research was conducted to minimize the disruptive behavior among the students with learning disability in a special education classroom. Four samples consisting of students with Autism, ADHD, multiple disabilities, Autism-ADHD, and Slow Learner were chosen as research subjects. Selection of the samples was made based on the observation and document analysis. The research methodology is based on the action research model by Lewin (1946) and Laidlaw (1992). CeSo is an abbreviation from the phrase of ceritasosial which refers to social stories in English. The social stories used in this research is entitled Giliran Saya (My turn). The implementation of social story was aided by prompts (microphone) and the elimination of prompts in the intervention. Participants of the study consisted of four students of the schools in the Klang Valley, Malaysia, comprising of students with learning disabilities Autism/ADHD, Autism, ADHD and Slow Learner, aged between 10 - 13 years old. Data were collected using field notes, time sampling record and an interview protocol. The data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively using percentage, descriptive and narrative forms. Based on the results, there were reductions in non-turn-taking behavior on all the research subjects. Subjects were able to adapt the turn-taking skills and in turn showed improvement in turn-taking skills. There was also a significant improvement in class control. Through the implementation of CeSo intervention, students were able to understand the situation they faced in a positive manner. This approach is a form of teaching innovations that can be used by teachers in inclusive education in controlling discipline during the process of teaching and learning.

The home-literacy environment of young children with disabilities

Some studies have reported that young children with disabilities have qualitatively distinct home-literacy environments and interests than young children without disabilities. Such differences may contribute to differences in the early-literacy skills of children with and without disabilities. This study was designed to measure three distinct features of the home-literacy environment for children with and without disabilities (frequency of storybook reading, literacy teaching during book reading, children’s print interest; hereafter frequency, teaching, and interest) and determine the extent to which these may vary for the two groups of children. Parents of 692 preschool-aged children (57% with disabilities), all enrolled in inclusive early children special education classrooms, completed a comprehensive assessment of the home-literacy environment in fall of the academic year. Children’s teachers completed an assessment for each child on their early-literacy skills. The home-literacy environments of children with and without disabilities was distinguishable only for children’s interest; frequency and teaching were comparable. Importantly, children’s interest was positively associated, concurrently, with early-literacy skills. This study helps to pinpoint which aspect of the home-literacy environment distinguishes between children with and without disabilities. Findings also suggest the potential importance of identifying avenues to improve the print interest of young children with disabilities.

A Preliminary Investigation of a Specialized Music Therapy Model for Children with Disabilities Delivered in a Classroom Setting.

Music therapy is gaining popularity as an intervention strategy for children with developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study was a pilot investigation of a classroom-based music-based intervention, Voices Together®, for improving communication skills in children with ASD and children with intellectual disabilities. Four local public elementary school special education classrooms, serving 5 children with a classification of autistic disorder and 32 children with intellectual disability without autism, were randomly selected to receive one of two levels of exposure to Voices Together music therapy: “long-term” (15 weeks beginning in January 2015 (Time 1), n = 14) or “short-term” (7 weeks beginning 7 weeks later in February (Time 2), n = 17). Using observational ratings, investigators reliably scored participants live in terms of their level of verbal responsiveness to prompts during three songs featured each week of the program. Both groups demonstrated increases in verbal responses over time; however, only the long-term group demonstrated significant within-group increases. Preliminary findings suggest that music therapy delivered in a classroom in 45-minute weekly sessions for 15 weeks can promote improvements in verbal responsiveness among individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. Findings warrant further investigation into the efficacy of classroom-based music therapy programs.

Reading Comprehension Instruction for Adolescents with Learning Disabilities: A Reality Check

Reading comprehension is a significant concern for adolescents with learning disabilities (LD), particularly in secondary schools in the United States (US) where content is taught primarily through textbooks. Surprisingly little is known about the actual reading instruction for students with LD in secondary classrooms. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the reading comprehension instruction in US secondary special education classrooms. Eight special education teachers in urban high schools were observed and interviewed. Findings showed that teachers implemented a number of reading comprehension practices, not all were considered “best practice”. The most frequently observed practices included reading aloud, questioning, seatwork, activating prior knowledge, and using graphic organizers. Explicit instruction in how and when to use reading comprehension strategies, however, was not observed. This study reveals the extent to which evidence-based reading comprehension practices are not making their way into secondary reading classrooms and offers insight into factors that teachers state as influencing their instruction for students with LD.