Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study Research Articles

Peer victimization and social confidence in youth with disabilities

With cross-lag mixture modeling we tested the direction of associations between peer victimization and social confidence over time for youth with developmental disabilities. We conducted secondary analysis on a subsample of 3188 youths from the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS; three measurement waves over four years). The model revealed three classes. The first class had relatively high levels of peer victimization and comprised youths with varied disability classifications. The second and smallest class had high levels of peer victimization and more likelihood of having emotional disturbance. The third and largest class had relatively low peer victimization levels and greater proportions of older youths with learning disabilities. In the third class, more socially confident youths were less victimized by peers at subsequent waves, and peer victimization at Wave 1 predicted increased social confidence at Wave 3. Findings underscore the value of identifying factors that decrease risk for peer victimization or promote resilience.

A Longitudinal Analysis of the Relationships Between Social, Communication, and Motor Skills Among Students with Autism.

Many students with autism have difficulties engaging with their classroom environments and forming friendships, which are mostly affected by deficits in social, communication, and motor skills. The Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS, 2000) data set was used, focusing on elementary age students with autism, to explore the longitudinal relationships between social, communication, and motor skills and the mediating role of motor skills in between communication and social skills by using structural equational modeling analyses. Results show that (a) motor skills mediate the relationship between communication and social skills in elementary school, (b) there are significant longitudinal relationships among these skills in elementary school. Increased motor skills may improve social skills for students with autism in elementary school.

Profiles and academic trajectories of cognitively gifted children with autism spectrum disorder.

Gifted children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often referred to as twice-exceptional, the term that highlights the co-occurrence of exceptional challenges and exceptional giftedness. This study performed secondary data analysis on samples of twice-exceptional children from the Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study and the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study datasets. The results provide a descriptive profile of twice-exceptional (e.g. demographics, average academic performance, and services utilized), trajectory plots that indicate how academic performance changes over time, and multilevel analyses that model growth in academic outcomes using demographics, school services, and giftedness as predictors. Some of the key findings are that twice-exceptional students show not only higher initial levels of academic performance, but they improve over time relative to the non-gifted ASD counterparts and-with the exception of Letter Word Matching-even relative to the general population. Moreover, they benefit from mental health services disproportionately. Together, the results offer a deeper understanding of the twice-exceptional autistic population, their academic performance over time, and the services that they utilize.

Does locus of control matter for achievement of high school students with disabilities? Evidence from Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study

ABSTRACTThis study aimed to investigate the association of locus of control (LOC) with reading and mathematics achievement of high school students with disabilities using data from the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS). Data used in analysis for the current study included achievement and self-concepts measures from students with learning disability (n = 352), students with speech impairment (n = 112) and students with emotional disturbance (n = 220). Through hierarchical linear regression the authors evaluated LOC and its influence on reading and math achievement. Two reading measures (i.e. oral reading fluency, passage comprehension) and two math measures (i.e. calculation, applied problems) were examined, as well as the impacts of demographic factors (i.e. age, gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic status). Results showed that (a) negative correlations between LOC scale scores and achievement were identified for all three subgroups; (b) the correlation coefficients between LOC and achievement scores were similar across three subgroups; (c) the extent to which LOC and/or demographic factors influenced on achievement varied according to reading and math task, as well as disability category. Based on these findings, the role of LOC in improving academic achievement of students with disabilities and the implications to practise and future research were discussed.

Are Special Education Labels Accurate for Black Children? Racial Differences in Academic Trajectories of Youth Diagnosed With Specific Learning and Intellectual Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to understand if special education labels are accurate for Black children. The study examined differences in academic achievement growth trajectories of children diagnosed with learning and intellectual disabilities. Utilizing the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study database, a nationally representative sample of students with disabilities, results indicated that significant differences in academic trajectories were present between children who were diagnosed with learning and intellectual disabilities. However, between-group racial differences were evident in academic categories and growth rates. While special education programs are touted to be helpful for student development, these results suggest that Black students are not getting the equal treatment, instruction, and academic benefits as their peers. Consequently, more academic intervention resources should be aimed at Black students to increase their academic growth rates. Implications are discussed in terms of assessment practices for identifying Black children for special education.

Factors that explain placement decisions for students with multiple disabilities: findings from national data

The Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study data set was utilised to examine the potential influences on placement decisions for students with multiple disabilities in the US. The sample consisted of 415 students. Specifically, the study investigated whether factors including students' prior special education experiences, parental involvement, parental expectations and educational risk factors explain the placement of students in classrooms. Results indicate significant relations between the explanatory variables and the hours spent daily in general education classrooms. However, only two variables, parents' education and receipt of early childhood special education services, were significantly associated with the dichotomised outcome of whether or not a child received any academic instruction in a general education classroom. Research limitations and implications for future research, policy and practice in the international context are discussed.

Situating Special Educators’ Instructional Quality and Their Students’ Outcomes within the Conditions Shaping Their Work

abstractThis investigation examined relationships among special education teachers’ working conditions (e.g., classroom characteristics, administrative support), personal characteristics (e.g., experience, certification status, self-efficacy), instructional quality, and students with disabilities’ reading achievement and behavioral outcomes. Data from the 2004–2005 administration of the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study were used. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the fit of models for five latent factors. Hybrid structural models were applied to test the hypothesis that working conditions would be positively associated with special education teachers’ self-efficacy and their instructional quality, which would, in turn, be positively associated with their students’ reading achievement and behavioral outcomes. Although the initial structural equation model tested failed to support the hypotheses, several significant relationships with theoretical and practical significance were discovered. Directions for future research and practical implications are discussed.

The Impact of Placement in the US on Social Opportunities for Students with Multiple Disabilities:An Analysis of the SEELS Database

<p><em>The authors of this study examined data from the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS) regarding school settings, time students spent in each setting, and opportunities for social interactions experienced by students with multiple disabilities. Findings suggest that over a span of six years, students in the US spent an increasing amount of time in resource or pull-out settings. This resulted in students spending less time with their general education peers but also less time in self-contained special education classrooms. Results also indicated that the opportunities for social interactions experienced by students with multiple disabilities increased in all settings and typical students are now spending more time with students with multiple disabilities. The data also revealed that social interactions increased for all students but when students spent a majority of their day in the general education setting, the increase was at a significantly higher rate. This leads us to understand the need to prepare all students to be prepared to exit school into adult life. Interacting with typical students will increase their ability to interact and understand the need for socially acceptable behavior. </em></p>

The Incidence of Potentially Gifted Students Within a Special Education Population

From a sample of 13,176 children with disabilities who were a part of the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study, 330 students achieved a score at the 90th percentile or higher on the Woodcock-Johnson III. These children represent some 9.1% of children who have disabilities nationally and who might be identified as gifted or academically advanced. Only 11.1% of these students were participating in programs for gifted and talented students with African Americans, Hispanics, or females significantly less likely to participate. The discussion considers the reasons behind these results and possible approaches for identifying and serving students within a current response-to-intervention approach.

Protocol for a systematic review: School‐based interventions for reducing disciplinary school exclusion: A systematic review

Protocol for a systematic review: School‐based interventions for reducing disciplinary school exclusion: A systematic review

Self-regulation and social interaction skills among children with autism across time

Purpose – In the current study, the purpose of this paper is to examine the self-regulation and social interaction skills of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as compared to children with intellectual disabilities (IDs) across time. Design/methodology/approach – Drawn from the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS), our sample consisted of 1,016 children diagnosed with ASD and 597 children diagnosed with ID. The self-regulation and social interaction skills were measured using relevant subscales of the Scales of Independent Behavior-Revised across three time points evenly spaced at two years apart. Findings – Results revealed that children with ASD have significantly worse self-regulation (p<0.01, η2=0.12, Cohen's f=0.36) and social interaction skills (p<0.01, η2=0.05, Cohen's f=0.21) as compared to children with ID across time. The results of the current study support the results of Bieberich and Morgan (2004) that children with ASD have significantly worse self-regulation and social interaction skills as compared to children with ID across time. Originality/value – The paper suggests that our results may be considered as more generalizable given the utilization of data from the SEELS as a large, nationally representative, and community-based sample of children with disabilities across the USA examined longitudinally.

Predictors of Bully Victimization in Students With Disabilities

Longitudinal data from the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS) national data set were used to examine risk of bully victimization in a sample of 4,155 students in special education. Results indicated that prior history of victimization was the greatest predictor of victimization risk across time, followed by the display of elevated internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experienced the greatest risk of victimization compared with all other children with disabilities, followed by children with emotional disturbance (ED). Overall, the results suggest that all children with disabilities are highly vulnerable to bully victimization. Implications for educational policy and future research are discussed.

Assistive Technology as a Predictor of General or Alternate Assessment Among Elementary-aged Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 specifically mandates that all students participate in the general assessment process or some form of alternate assessment as a measure of school accountability for student academic progress. Although levels of communication difficulties, intellectual impairment, and specific diagnoses such as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are correlated with increased probability of participating in alternate assessment methods, very little empirical research has focused on identifying predictors for students’ assessment modality. Archival data from the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS; 2005) were used to examine variables that predict whether elementary school students with ASD participated in the general or alternate assessment. Results indicated that receptive and expressive communication abilities appear to influence participation in the general vs. alternate assessment in tandem with access to assistive technology. Students with ASDs were approximately 2.71 times more likely to participate in the general assessment when they had access to assistive technology. Next, we performed a second, follow-up analysis for only ASD students with communication problems. The odds ratio value increased to 14.9 indicating that ASD students with communication problems that had access to assistive technology were almost 15 times more likely to participate in the general assessment than students with communication problems without access to assistive technology.

Racial Differences in Medication Use in a National Sample of Children with ADHD Enrolled in Special Education

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent of medication use among elementary school students in special education diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In addition, researchers sought to understand whether the frequency of medication use varied by demographic factors such as ethnic group and age. Participants were children enrolled in the nationally representative Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study. Results indicate that significant discrepancies exist between African–American children and their other-race counterparts in ADHD medication use. Additionally, younger children were more likely to take medication than older children, and the higher the parents’ educational level, the more likely their children took medication. Implications for ADHD treatment among racially diverse populations are discussed.

Special Education Services Received by Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders from Preschool through High School.

Little is known about how special education services received by students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) differ by age, disability severity, and demographic characteristics. Using three national datasets, the Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study (PEELS), the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS), and the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), this study examined the age trends in special education services received by students with ASDs from preschool through high school. Elementary-school students with ASDs had higher odds of receiving adaptive physical education, specialized computer software or hardware, and special transportation, but lower odds of receiving learning strategies/study skills support than their preschool peers. Secondary-school students had lower odds of receiving speech/language or occupational therapy and of having a behavior management program, but higher odds of receiving mental health or social work services than their elementary-school peers. Both disability severity and demographic characteristics were associated with differences in special education service receipt rates.

National prevalence rates of bully victimization among students with disabilities in the United States.

This study examined the prevalence rates of bully victimization and risk for repeated victimization among students with disabilities using the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study and the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 longitudinal datasets. Results revealed that a prevalence rate ranging from 24.5% in elementary school to 34.1% in middle school. This is one to one and a half times the national average for students without disabilities. The rate of bully victimization was highest for students with emotional disturbance across school levels. Findings from this study also indicated that students with disabilities who were bullied once were at high risk of being bullied repeatedly. Elementary and middle school students with autism and high school students with orthopedic impairments were at the greatest risk of experiencing repeated victimization. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Parent Support Services for Families of Children With Emotional Disturbances Served in Elementary School Special Education Settings

Using data from the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study, we describe parent involvement and support activities in schools educating a nationally representative sample of students with emotional disturbances (EDs). We describe the extent to which programs aimed at encouraging family involvement are offered by schools and received by families and their relationship to child, family, and school characteristics. Student-level information was obtained from students, teachers, and parents, whereas school-level information was obtained from school administrators. Although schools attended by 71% of the students reported offering at least one type of family involvement activity, teachers reported only 17% of families of children with ED received a parent support service. Compared with families who did not receive support services, those who did were more involved in their school, and their children received more services in the community and had higher achievement levels. The need and potential methods for increasing parent engagement are discussed.

Effect of School-Initiated Parent Outreach Activities on Parent Involvement in School Events

Parent involvement is a cornerstone of special education policy and best practice. Parents of students with disabilities participate in school events in a manner similar to parents of students without disabilities, and the benefits of parent involvement are widely recognized for all students. Recent legislation and federal funding opportunities have targeted parent outreach programs as an area of improvement for schools. Using data from the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study, this study examined the effect of school-initiated parent outreach activities on parent involvement in school. Parents reported greater involvement in schools that offered a greater number of outreach activities. Parent involvement was lower for older students, non-Caucasian students, students from non-two-parent households, and students from lower income households, and these lower participation rates were not differentially higher in schools that offered a greater number of parent outreach activities. Patterns and trends of parent involvement and school-initiated outreach programs are discussed, with suggestions for practitioners and future research.

The Causal Relationship Between Academic Self-Concept and Academic Achievement for Students With Disabilities

This study examined the reciprocal causal effect between academic self-concept and academic achievement with family SES and parent involvement as predictive factors. Elementary and secondary groups were also compared. Data were drawn from the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS). The sample consisted of 2,950 students ages 8 to 14 (Grades 1 -9) at the time of Wave 1 data collection. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used in the data analysis. It was found that, at the elementary level, Wave 1 academic achievement predicted Wave 2 self-concept and Wave 1 self-concept predicted Wave 2 achievement. Parent home involvement was a significant predictor for Wave 1 academic achievement. At the secondary level, family SES was a significant predictor for both Wave 1 academic achievement and self-concept. Implications of the findings are discussed.

A National Picture of Parent and Youth Participation in IEP and Transition Planning Meetings

Two prospective longitudinal studies of nationally representative samples of students with disabilities—the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study and the National Longitudinal Transition Study–2—are used to provide a broad look at the participation of parents of 11- through 19-year-old students with disabilities in Individualized Education Plan/transition planning meetings and their satisfaction with their involvement in them. Students’ attendance and the roles played in their transition planning meetings are also examined. Logistic regression analyses identify disability characteristics; demographics; aspects of parents’ involvement, expectations, and perceptions; experiences in students’ educational histories; and features of their instructional programs that help explain variations in parent and student participation, parent satisfaction, and student roles.