Special Education Classrooms Research Articles

A comparison of intensive behavior analytic and eclectic treatments for young children with autism

We compared the effects of three treatment approaches on preschool-age children with autism spectrum disorders. Twenty-nine children received intensive behavior analytic intervention (IBT; 1:1 adult:child ratio, 25–40 h per week). A comparison group ( n = 16) received intensive “eclectic” intervention (a combination of methods, 1:1 or 1:2 ratio, 30 h per week) in public special education classrooms (designated the AP group). A second comparison group (GP) comprised 16 children in non-intensive public early intervention programs (a combination of methods, small groups, 15 h per week). Independent examiners administered standardized tests of cognitive, language, and adaptive skills to children in all three groups at intake and about 14 months after treatment began. The groups were similar on key variables at intake. At follow-up, the IBT group had higher mean standard scores in all skill domains than the AP and GP groups. The differences were statistically significant for all domains except motor skills. There were no statistically significant differences between the mean scores of the AP and GP groups. Learning rates at follow-up were also substantially higher for children in the IBT group than for either of the other two groups. These findings are consistent with other research showing that IBT is considerably more efficacious than “eclectic” intervention.

Affective teaching: a method to enhance classroom management

The purpose of the study was to enhance classroom management in special education classrooms. ‘Affective teaching’ was compared with ‘cognitive teaching’ in 52 classrooms in Israel. Data was collected based on observations of three 90 minute lessons, equally divided into the two types of instruction. Results of MANOVA procedures indicated a lower frequency of misbehaviour, including off‐task behaviour, talking without permission, moving without permission and aggression, in the affective lessons compared with the cognitive lessons. In addition, positive behaviour, including expression of thoughts, expression of feelings, self‐awareness and peer support, was more frequent in the affective lessons compared with cognitive lessons. No age difference was revealed. The discussion focuses on the implications of affective teaching in classroom management. Le but de cette étude était de mettre en valeur la gestion des salles de cours dans les classes d'éducation spécialisée. L'“enseignement affectif” a été comparé ænbsp; l'“enseignement cognitif” dans 52 classes, en Israël. Des données ont été recueillies, basées sur des observations de trois leçons consécutives de 90 minutes chacune, équitablement divisées en deux types d'instructions. Les résultats des procédés MANOVA ont indiqué une fréquence plus faible en mauvaise conduite, également hors‐devoirs, en prise de parole sans autorisation, en mouvements sans autorisation, ainsi qu'en agressivité, lors les leçons affectives par rapport aux leçons cognitives. De plus, un comportement positif, incluant l'expression des pensées, l'expression des sentiments, la conscience de soi, et le soutien entre pairs était plus fréquent lors des leçons affectives comparées aux leçons cognitives. Aucune différence d'age n'a été révélée. La discussion se concentre sur les implications de l'enseignement affectif dans la gestion des classes El propósito de este estudio fue elevar la gestión en aulas especiales de educación. “Una enseñanza afectiva” fue comparada con “enseñanza cognoscitiva” en 52 aulas en Israel. La data fue recolectada y basada en observaciones de tres lecciones continuas de de 90 minutos, dividida en partes iguales en dos clases de enseñanzas. El resultado del MANOVA procedimiento indicó una descendencia en el mal comportamiento, incluyendo hablar y moverse sin permiso y agresión en la clase afectiva comparada con las lecciones cognoscitivas. Además, una conducta positiva, incluye expresiones de pensamientos expresiones de sentimientos, una propia toma de conciencia y un apoyo de sus camaradas mas frecuente en las clases afectivas comparada con las lecciones cognoscitivas. Ninguna diferencia en las edades fue apreciada. La discusión se centra en las implicaciones de la enseñanza afectiva en las gestiones de las aulas Das Ziel der Studie war die Verbesserung der Unterrichtsführung in Sonderschulklassen. In 52 Klassen in Israel wurden “Affektives Unterrichten” und “Kognitives Unterrichten” miteinander verglichen. Daten, basierend auf Untersuchungen von drei aufeinanderfolgenden, 90‐ minütigen, gleichmäßig in zwei Unterrichtsarten aufgeteilten Unterrichtsstunden wurden erfasst. Im Vergleich zum kognitiven Unterricht zeigten Ergebnisse des MANOVA Verfahrens im affektiven Unterricht eine niedrigere Häufigkeit von Fehlverhalten, einschließlich Nichteilnehmen am Unterrricht, unerlaubtes Sprechen, unerlaubtes und aggressives Bewegen. Außerdem konnte positives Verhalten, einschließlich Gedanken‐ und Gefühlsäußerungen, Ichbewußtsein, Unterstützung von Gleichaltrigen im affektivem Unterricht häufiger beobachtet werden als im kognitiven Unterricht. Es wurden keine Unterschiede zwischen den Altersgruppen erkennbar. Die Diskussion konzentriert sich auf die Auswirkung des affektiven Unterrichts in der Unterrichtsführung.

Uncertified (Waivered) Teachers: Who Are They?

The authors investigated the status of uncertified (waivered) teachers working in special education classrooms in the state of New Mexico. A survey was developed to gather information about (a) the cultural diversity of teachers and their students, (b) their educational background, (c) the relationship between teacher ethnicity and multicultural programming in the classroom, and (d) views of these individuals on alternative certification in special education. From the 208 surveys returned, information emerged that created a profile of the uncertified (waivered) teacher. The results suggest that there is a need to focus on training more qualified, licensed professionals in the field of special education.

Improving Homework Completion and Academic Performance: Lessons From Special Education

Homework problems among students with learningdisabilities can be attributed to two primary causes:(a) students' characteristics (e.g., poor motivation,problems in listening comprehension, lackof organizational skills), and (b) teachers' deficitsin making assignments (e.g., assigning work thatis too difficult or time-consuming, failing to ensurethat students record assignments properly orhave necessary materials). The past decade hasseen growing interest in homework interventionresearch, which has primarily addressed helpingstudents develop homework completion skills. Thisarticle summarizes the results of these studies ingeneral and special education classrooms and describesseveral strategies that appear to improvehomework compliance—including reinforcements,graphing, cooperative study teams, homework planners,and parent involvement. Because there havebeen so few studies, suggestions are made for futureresearch to fill in the large gaps in our knowledgebase for effectively using homework toenhance students' academic achievement.

Relationship of preschool special education outcomes to instructional practices and parent–child interaction

Developmental outcomes attained by children receiving preschool special education services in relationship to both the general instructional approach used by their teachers and their parents’ style of interaction were examined. The sample included 70 children from 41 Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) classrooms. The type of instructional model children received was determined by dividing the sample into three clusters based upon six global ratings of children’s classroom environment: Choice; Cognitive Problem-Solving; Child-Initiated Learning; Developmental Match; Child-Centered Routines; and Rewards and Discipline Strategies. Based on this analysis, 27 children were classified as receiving developmental instruction; 15 didactic instruction; and 28 naturalistic instruction. Observations of parent–child interaction collected at the beginning and end of the year were classified along four dimensions using the Maternal Behavior Rating Scale: Responsiveness, Affect, Achievement Orientation and Directiveness. Results indicated that the kinds of experiences that children received varied significantly across the three instructional models. However, there were no significant differences in the impact of these instructional models on children’s rate of development. Regression analyses indicated that children’s rate of development at the end of intervention was significantly related to their parents’ style of interaction but was unrelated to the type of instructional model they received.

PROTOCOL: The Effects of School‐based Social Information Processing Interventions on Aggressive Behavior

PROTOCOL: The Effects of School‐based Social Information Processing Interventions on Aggressive Behavior

Sustained Effects of the PATHS Curriculum on the Social and Psychological Adjustment of Children in Special Education

In this study, the authors examined the long-term effectiveness of the PATHS (Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies) curriculum on the adjustment of school-age children with special needs. The PATHS curriculum focuses on promoting children's emotional development, self-regulation, and social problem—solving skills. Eighteen special education classrooms were randomly assigned to treatment and control conditions in this controlled trial. Teachers received both training and ongoing consultation and provided PATHS to students in Grades 1 through 3. Data were collected before the intervention and for 3 successive years. Growth curve analysis indicated that the intervention reduced the rate of growth of teacher-reported internalizing and externalizing behaviors 2 years after the intervention and produced a sustained reduction in depressive symptoms reported by the children. Discussion focuses on the need for social—emotional learning (SEL) programs in special education and factors that can promote SEL among children with special needs.

Teaching Mathematical Problem Solving to Middle School Students in Math, Technology Education, and Special Education Classrooms

This study compared two approaches for teaching sixth-grade middle school students to solve math problems in math, technology education, and special education classrooms. A total of 17 students with disabilities and 76 students without disabilities were taught using either enhanced anchored instruction (EAI) or text-based instruction coupled with applied problems (TBI). Results showed that both EAI and TBI students benefited from instruction in their math class, but EAI students were able to maintain and transfer what they learned in the technology education classroom several weeks later. The performance level of students with disabilities was low in both groups, but additional small-group instruction in special education settings helped several students with disabilities achieve at levels commensurate with their peers without disabilities.

Improving Homework Completion and Academic Performance: Lessons From Special Education

Homework problems among students with learning disabilities can be attributed to two primary causes: (a) students' characteristics (e.g., poor motivation, problems in listening comprehension, lack of organizational skills), and (b) teachers' deficits in making assignments (e.g., assigning work that is too difficult or time-consuming, failing to ensure that students record assignments properly or have necessary materials). The past decade has seen growing interest in homework intervention research, which has primarily addressed helping students develop homework completion skills. This article summarizes the results of these studies in general and special education classrooms and describes several strategies that appear to improve homework compliance—including reinforcements, graphing, cooperative study teams, homework planners, and parent involvement. Because there have been so few studies, suggestions are made for future research to fill in the large gaps in our knowledge base for effectively using homework to enhance students' academic achievement.

Classroom management of children with emotional and behavioral disorders A storied model: Torey Hayden's One Child A storied model: Torey Haydenapos;s One Child

Torey Hayden's style of classroom management in her nonfiction book One Child was examined. One Child unfolds within the space of a special education classroom for children with severe behavioral impairments and focuses on Sheila, a troubled 6-year-old, who has tied a 3-year-old boy to a tree and critically burned him. Each technique Hayden used to respond to Sheila and her other students' problem behaviors was categorized according to Fritz Redl's theory on managing behavior problems. Redl identified five strategies educators can use to handle their students' behavior problems: changing, managing, tolerating, preventing, and accommodating. The methodology used to categorize Hayden's techniques was analogous to constant comparative analysis of documents. Hayden is portrayed through Redl's strategies as a teacher who relies on managing without consequences and changing techniques. Narrative passages illustrating these techniques are presented. The role of caring relationships and student empowerment in Hayden's storied model of classroom management is discussed.

Single-Gender and Co-Educational Special Education Classrooms: Latina Student Attitudes, Perceptions, and Experiences

This qualitative research was designed to give voice to Latina students in single-gender and co-educational secondary-level special education placements for students with mild to moderate learning disabilities. Classroom observations and interviews were conducted with Latina special education students and classroom teachers in both single-gender and coeducational special education classrooms in one urban school site serving a large special education population. The findings of the study indicate that the single-gender special education environment provides greater comfort levels and less distractions in the classroom and increased levels of classroom participation and school attendance than the co-educational classroom environment.

Single-Gender and Co-Educational Special Education Classrooms: Latina Student Attitudes, Perceptions, and Experiences

This qualitative research was designed to give voice to Latina students in single-gender and co-educational secondary-level special education placements for students with mild to moderate learning disabilities. Classroom observations and interviews were conducted with Latina special education students and classroom teachers in both single-gender and coeducational special education classrooms in one urban school site serving a large special education population. The findings of the study indicate that the single-gender special education environment provides greater comfort levels and less distractions in the classroom and increased levels of classroom participation and school attendance than the co-educational classroom environment.

Status of and Trends in Academic Intervention Research for Students with Emotional Disturbance

Recent research has examined overall trends in the experimental literature relating to students with emotional disturbance (ED). The current review was conducted to examine both the status of and trends in interventions designed to improve the academic functioning of students with ED. Fifty-five studies were included in the descriptive analysis, which spanned the years from 1975 to 2002. Descriptive dimensions of the research included participant demographics, settings, research designs, and dependent and independent variables. Results indicated (a) complete demographic information, especially race and socioeconomic status, was difficult to ascertain for many of the participants; (b) settings were generally special education classrooms; (c) researchers used predominantly single-subject designs; (d) treatment fidelity data were often absent; (e) few studies focused on women and girls or minorities; and (f) there has been a recent decline in both the number and type of studies published, particularly in the areas of self-management and peer tutoring. Limitations of the analysis and future research directions are examined.

Instructive Feedback

Instructive feedback involves presenting extra nontarget stimuli in the consequent events of instructional trials and not requesting students to respond to those stimuli during instruction. The purposes of this study were to evaluate whether students (a) would acquire the behaviors for instructive feedback stimuli when those stimuli were presented after trials on any of a set of target behaviors rather than after a given target behavior and (b) acquired instructive feedback behaviors during acquisition of target behaviors or after mastery of those target behaviors. Four 11-year-old boys with mild disabilities participated, instruction occurred in their special education classroom, and a multiple-probe design across sets of behavior was used. Results indicate that the students (a) acquired their target behaviors, (b) acquired a high percentage of the behaviors for instructive feedback stimuli, and (c) generally acquired instructive feedback responses while acquiring target behaviors. The findings are discussed in terms of future research on instructive feedback and implications for practice.

Complementary and alternative medicine use in families of children with cerebral palsy

In order to assess patterns of usage of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in families of children with cerebral palsy (CP), 213 families with a child (0 to 18 years) with CP were recruited at the university medical center in Ann Arbor, MI, USA as part of a descriptive survey. Two hundred and thirty‐five surveys were distributed. Mean age of the child was 8 years 6 months (SD 4y: 9mo) and 56% of the sample was male with 35% full‐time independent ambulators, while the rest used an assistive device or a wheelchair. Fifty‐four percent were in special education classrooms. Families were given a survey on functional status of the child with CP, CAM usage of the child and the parent, factors influencing the decision to use CAM, demographics, and clinical information. Of the families, 56%, used one or more CAM techniques. Massage therapy (25%) and aquatherapy (25%) were the most common. Children of families that used CAM were significantly younger (7y: 9mo, SD 4y: 7mo) than non‐users (9y: 6mo, SD 4y: 6mo: t‐test p < 0.01 two‐tailed). Children with quadriplegic CP, with spasticity, and those who could not walk independently were more commonly exposed to CAM (Pearson's X2 [PX2] p=0.01 two‐tailed; for mobility, odds ratio [OR] of 2.5 with regression). Mothers with a college degree had a greater tendency to use CAM for their child than those without (PX2p=0.01 two‐tailed). Fathers of children who used CAM were older than fathers of those who did not (37y: 9mo versus 33y: 2mo, p=0.04 two‐tailed). There was no significant difference between groups for mother's age, father's education, income, or for population of home town. Parents who used CAM for themselves were more likely to try CAM for their child (70% versus 47%, OR 2.1), and were much more likely to be pleased with the outcome (71% versus 42%, OR 3.5). Child's age (younger), lack of independent mobility, and parental use of CAM were the most significant predictive factors identified via logistic regression.

Complementary and alternative medicine use in families of children with cerebral palsy.

In order to assess patterns of usage of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in families of children with cerebral palsy (CP), 213 families with a child (0 to 18 years) with CP were recruited at the university medical center in Ann Arbor, MI, USA as part of a descriptive survey. Two hundred and thirty-five surveys were distributed. Mean age of the child was 8 years 6 months (SD 4y : 9mo) and 56% of the sample was male with 35% full-time independent ambulators, while the rest used an assistive device or a wheelchair. Fifty-four percent were in special education classrooms. Families were given a survey on functional status of the child with CP, CAM usage of the child and the parent, factors influencing the decision to use CAM, demographics, and clinical information. Of the families, 56%, used one or more CAM techniques. Massage therapy (25%) and aquatherapy (25%) were the most common. Children of families that used CAM were significantly younger (7y : 9mo, SD 4y : 7mo) than non-users (9y : 6mo, SD 4y : 6mo: t-test p < 0.01 two-tailed). Children with quadriplegic CP, with spasticity, and those who could not walk independently were more commonly exposed to CAM (Pearson's chi2 [P(chi)2] p = 0.01 two-tailed; for mobility, odds ratio [OR] of 2.5 with regression). Mothers with a college degree had a greater tendency to use CAM for their child than those without (P(chi)2 p = 0.01 two-tailed). Fathers of children who used CAM were older than fathers of those who did not (37y : 9mo versus 33y : 2mo, p = 0.04 two-tailed). There was no significant difference between groups for mother's age, father's education, income, or for population of home town. Parents who used CAM for themselves were more likely to try CAM for their child (70% versus 47%, OR 2.1), and were much more likely to be pleased with the outcome (71% versus 42%, OR 3.5). Child's age (younger), lack of independent mobility, and parental use of CAM were the most significant predictive factors identified via logistic regression.

Preservice Teachers' Beliefs about Inclusive Education: What Should Teacher Educators Know?

The purpose of this study was to examine the beliefs of preservice teachers concerning inclusive education for students with mild disabilities. Two hundred thirty-nine undergraduate and graduate students participated in the study. Data were collected using a survey instrument that questioned where preservice teachers believed that students with mild disabilities should receive educational services (general education or special education classrooms) and why they held that belief. Data analysis revealed that, while many preservice Teachers' responses indicated a positive attitude toward inclusive education, nearly half of the respondents believed the special education classroom to be the optimum placement for students with mild disabilities. Implications for teacher education programming are discussed.

Emotional Security With Teachers and Children's Stress Reactivity: A Comparison of Special-Education and Regular-Education Classrooms

Examined children's exposure and reactivity to negative peer and teacher events in special-education and regular-education classrooms. Participants were 40 children in regular classrooms and 20 children classified as seriously emotionally disturbed (SED) in special-education classrooms. Children completed 7 days of diary data over the course of the school year. SED children reported higher rates of exposure to negative teacher and peer events than comparison children. The self-esteem of both SED and comparison children was reactive to negative peer events in the classroom, but emotional security with teacher (EST) reduced this reactivity. The self-esteem of SED children was also reactive to negative teacher events but, EST, once again, reduced reactivity to negative events. Finally, SED children's perception of maternal warmth moderated their self-esteem reactivity and was concordant with their views of teachers. Results are discussed in light of treatment implications for SED children.

Emotional Security With Teachers and Children's Stress Reactivity: A Comparison of Special-Education and Regular-Education Classrooms

Emotional Security With Teachers and Children's Stress Reactivity: A Comparison of Special-Education and Regular-Education Classrooms

Software Evaluation for Special Needs: Preparing the Preservice Teacher from an Inservice Perspective

For most experienced educators, choosing software for children with disabilities is challenging as the number of programs in our technology rich marketplace increases dramatically. Purchasing titles for entertainment is much less complicated than selecting effective educational materials based upon sound instructional objectives through a systematic review of characteristics of learner and learning environment. This study was designed to investigate the software selection process engaged in by special education teachers. Questionnaires were completed by 144 respondents with a return rate of 69% to (a) identify characteristics perceived as important to consider when determining which programs to select for use by students with high incidence disabilities, and (b) ascertain a list of software titles used in special education classrooms currently. Based upon qualitative data analysis, results indicated ten themes inservice teachers consider when selecting software titles. Those themes include: (a) welcoming; (b) sensory stimulating; (c) learner program design; (d) learner empowerment; (e) technology adaptation; (f) diversity; (g) individual instructional integration; (h) narration; (i) curriculum encompassing; and (j) teacher functionality. Additionally this paper provides a list of software titles used in classrooms currently and describes implications for integrating a software evaluation component into a methods course.