Special Education Practitioners Research Articles

Building Learning Trajectories for Intentional, Inclusive, and Individualized Instructional Experiences in STEM

Early science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning experiences often exclude children with disabilities and intersecting identities. To promote learning in STEM for all children, the Curriculum Research Framework (CRF) was applied to build learning trajectories of STEM for children from birth to age 5. The CRF was extended and enhanced to generate explicitly inclusive learning trajectories for children with and without disabilities. The process of generating a priori foundations, building learning trajectories, and testing the results in inclusive settings led to new resources for early childhood education (ECE) and early childhood special education (ECSE) practitioners and generated implications for creating and evaluating learning trajectories in ways that affirm that all children belong in STEM. Challenges faced and lessons learned in this process are presented to guide future research and development using the revised and enhanced CRF.

Considering Social Validity in Special Education Research

This article is part of a special LDRP research–to–practice series introducing key concepts to enable special education practitioners and other nonresearchers to be more informed research consumers. In the article, we explore how social validity is assessed in special education research and how to interpret social validity assessments. Rather than focusing on measuring intervention effects, social validity involves assessing the social importance of the goals, procedures, and outcomes of interventions and programs. We define social validity, provide questions to consider when examining assessments of social validity in research papers, review approaches commonly used to assess social validity with examples from the research literature, and make recommendations for reconciling findings of positive intervention effects on targeted outcomes but absent or negative findings related to social validity in a study. Our take–home message is that considering social validity assessments helps research consumers interpret study findings and informs how to apply findings in practice.

A special educator’s guide to the Science of Reading

The term “Science of Reading” (SOR) has become a popular phrase in practitioner circles. To best serve students, it is important that teachers and interventionists are knowledgeable about the SOR. This article provides a special educator’s guide to the SOR by reviewing critical elements that have emerged in public discourse about the SOR. Background information is provided on the National Reading Panel, the Simple View of Reading, and the breadth of scientific evidence on reading instruction. We highlight key instructional considerations for special education practitioners who want to incorporate instruction aligned with the SOR in their classrooms.

Indicators of Progress in the Wake of Endrew F.: The Distinction Between Professional Recommendations and Judicial Rulings

The central obligation under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act is to provide each eligible student with a free appropriate public education (FAPE). In Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District RE-1 (2017), the U.S. Supreme Court revised the prior substantive standard for determining FAPE that the court had developed in Board of Education v. Rowley (1982). The Endrew F. court modified the Rowley standard of requiring the individualized education program (IEP) to be reasonably calculated to enable the student to receive educational benefit to requiring a student's IEP to be reasonably calculated to enable the student to “make progress appropriate in light of the student's circumstances.” The purpose of this article is to compare what the post– Endrew F. courts use with what the professional literature recommends as measures of appropriate progress. The results inform special education practitioners about the significant discrepancy between the courts’ focus on the “must” of legal requirements and the “should” of professional recommendations. The discussion suggests ways that special education professionals can use their expertise to inform courts and legislatures to narrow this gap for the benefit of more effective progress for students with disabilities.

Introduction

Dear JISNE reader,As I welcome you to this issue of JISNE, I would like to first thank the board of the Division of International Special Education and Services for the opportunity to serve as editor of this journal. I would also like to thank Dr. Rashida Banerjee for the outstanding work she did as editor of this journal for the past eight years. I was privileged to work with her as I served as one of the associate editors and have great admiration for the leadership she provided during that time. I would also like to thank Dr. Andrew Scheef for his remarkable work as managing editor over the years and for his role in ensuring continuity and a smooth transition during the search for a new editor. Finally, I thank members of the editorial board and all the reviewers whose contributions to the journal are invaluable.As the new editor I am committed to advancing the sterling work of my predecessors and to continue to grow JISNE into a leading journal in international special needs education. I recognize this takes concerted effort from the editorial team and the many outstanding researchers/authors and special education practitioners out there. As we continue to strengthen our peer-review system, we invite talented individuals from around the world who are interested in serving as reviewers to please contact us at jisne@dises-cec.org.Also, we now require all authors to submit their manuscript via email to jisne@dises-cec.org for pre-screening. Authors with manuscripts that meet the requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines will then be sent a link to our submission portal.In conclusion, I hope you will find this issue insightful as you explore behavior management issues in Ghana and Namibia, the impact of an international expedition to Nepal for adolescents with and without disabilities, the experiences of parents of child with autism spectrum disorders in Colombia, and issues related to the translation of the Supports Intensity Scale – Children's Version (SIS-C) into Italian.Sincerely,Morgan Chitiyo, Ph.D.

특수교육 분야 생애사 연구에 나타난 특수교육 경험 탐색(1995~2022)

This study tried to find implications by examining the school-age special education experience shown in the life history researches in the field of special education. From 1995 to May 2022, 31 papers were analyzed for description and content of research trends. Descriptive analysis focused on research methods and considered disability areas, research topics, participants, data collection and analysis, and research ethics and truthfulness. The content analysis looked at the experiences of special education by subject of special education according to the times. The special education period was divided into the period of suffering, the foundation, the development, the leap, and after 2007. The results of the content analysis are as follows. The study on special education practitioners was the life, thought, and achievements of people who had an influence on the early development of special education. The research on special education teachers included educational practice, practical knowledge of teaching and learning methods, and teacher identity. The experience of special education of persons with disabilities was divided into inclusive education experience and seperated education experience, and the educational experience was positive or negative. As for the parent’s special education, the more severe the child’s disability, the stronger the negative experience of special education. In the future research on life history in the field of special education, it was confirmed that it was necessary to clarify methodical aspects. In terms of content, it is necessary to clarify the scope of special education, expand topics such as specific events and places, participate in special education teachers, study life history focusing on the school-age educational experience of persons with disabilities, and distinguish between biography and life history researches.

Evaluating implementation outcomes of a measure of social vulnerability in adults with intellectual disabilities

BackgroundA test identified as valid and accurate in research will not automatically be considered appropriate by those involved in its use, or even be used in the first place. The Social Vulnerability Test-22 items [TV-22] is a measure specially designed for adults with intellectual disabilities (ID). This study aims to evaluate the implementation outcomes of the TV-22; more precisely its acceptability (e.g., complexity), appropriateness (e.g., perceived relevance) and the assessment fidelity (i.e., adherence to assessment guidelines) by special education practitioners. ProceduresThirty-one practitioners (8 psychologists, 11 educators, 12 special education center managers) administered the TV-22 during an interview with an adult with ID. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect practitioners’ opinions on the acceptability and the appropriateness of the TV-22 for their clinical practice. Quantitative analyses were performed to assess the fidelity of the assessments and the influence of some personal factors. ResultsThe results indicate a good appropriateness, a reasonable acceptability, – but a low assessment fidelity of the TV-22 by some practitioners. Psychologists stand out for a more rigorous use of the test. ImplicationsResults highlight the importance of evaluating implementation outcomes when a new measure is developed to ensure its appropriateness and correct use by stakeholders.

Use of Phono-Graphix<sup>™</sup> Method to Improve the Phonological Awareness Skills of a Student with Reading Difficulty

Reading is a reliable predictor for students to succeed and become productive members of society and phonological awareness (PA) has been identified as a strong indicator of becoming a skilled reader. It has to be understood that reading is not a natural skill and may not develop without intervention. Students experiencing reading difficulty should be provided intervention that recognizes PA as the basic skill to be gained. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of Phono Graphix™ method with a 6-year-old student diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and reading difficulties. This study used a single-subject design with a pre-test and post-test comparison and no control group. The principle of this design is that any changes upon the outset of intervention can be attributed as the direct result of intervention. Using four Phonological Processing Tests [21], the phonological awareness skills of the student were assessed prior and immediately after the intervention. Explicit instruction was delivered one-to-one for 40- minute sessions given three times a week for a 20-week period [26]. Findings suggest that the use of Phono-Graphix™ method improved the phonological awareness of the student in blending, segmenting, phoneme manipulation, and code knowledge. Findings of this study can add Phono-Graphix™ to the repertoire of strategies of special education practitioners, particularly when teaching students exhibiting the same characteristics as the participant herein. Results and implications for special education, teaching of reading and future researches are discussed.

Examining the Expectations of Parents of Young Children with Disabilities from a “Care” Perspective

ABSTRACT The terms parent-teacher relationship and partnership are used frequently throughout the literature in early childhood education and special education. Their prevalence may imply that we know more than we really do about what takes place between families and teachers, and how these parties cultivate and sustain relationships with one another. This qualitative study examined parents’ expectations of their journey into special education and their relationships with special education preschool teachers. Data collection methods for this study included semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Findings from the study inform early childhood special education practitioners about how they might view the notions of care and expectations, and in turn develop positive and caring relationships with the families of their young students with disabilities. Furthermore, this study raises additional questions that researchers might continue to investigate in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of how Noddings’ ethic of care might be used as a framework for applying family-centered practices in early childhood special education.

Perceptions of a Collaborative Professional Learning Program: Seeing the “Bigger Picture”

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of special education practitioners (i.e., speech-language pathologists, special educators, para-educators, and other related service providers) on their role as communication partners after participation in the Social Communication and Engagement Triad (Buckley et al., 2015 ) yearlong professional learning program. Method A qualitative approach using interviews and purposeful sampling was used. A total of 22 participants who completed participation in either Year 1 or Year 2 of the program were interviewed. Participants were speech-language pathologists, special educators, para-educators, and other related service providers. Using a grounded theory approach (Glaser & Strauss, 1967 ) to data analysis, open, axial, and selective coding procedures were followed. Results Three themes emerged from the data analysis and included engagement as the goal, role as a communication partner, and importance of collaboration. Conclusions Findings supported the notion that educators see the value of an integrative approach to service delivery, supporting students' social communication and engagement across the school day but also recognizing the challenges they face in making this a reality.

An Analysis of Special Education Practitioner Journals: A Focus on Behavior

ABSTRACT Practitioner journals are one means of translating research to practice. This study explored the extent behavioral interventions for students with mild disabilities are disseminated through special education practitioner journals. Researchers reviewed 3,298 articles published between 1988 and 2017 in four prominent special education practitioner journals: Beyond Behavior, Intervention in School and Clinic, Teaching Exceptional Children, and Teaching Exceptional Children-Plus. Results suggest that the majority of practitioner articles feature behavior interventions designed to prevent behavior problems from occurring in schools, but relatively few articles shared strategies for managing behaviors as they are occurring or providing consequences after a behavior. Implications for practice and future research inquiry are reported.

A Summary of NCSER-Funded Projects in the Area of Transition Outcomes for Secondary Students With Disabilities

Special education practitioners are required to use instructional practices based on scientific research. Conducting high-quality research can be expensive and researchers often need federal funding to assist in documenting effective practices. The National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) within the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) is a preferred source of funding for this type of special education research. The purpose of this review was to summarize publications from grants funded from 2006 until 2013 by NCSER in the area of Transition Outcomes for Special Education Secondary Students, describe major findings, and discuss their contributions to the field. We reviewed information from 22 grants and 132 articles published in refereed journals with an additional one article in press. Contributions to the field, limitations, suggestions for future research, implications for practice, and conclusions are discussed.

Translating Intervention Research for Students With Mild Disabilities to Practice: A Systematic Journal Analysis

Gains have been made over the last two decades in how to identify evidence-based practices for students with disabilities, but less progress has been made in ensuring that these interventions are used by classroom teachers. Although it is not the only area that needs to be addressed to bridge this research-to-practice gap, providing high-quality information about effective interventions in a format that is easy for teachers to understand is an important piece of a much larger implementation science puzzle. The current study analyzed a wide range of prominent special education practitioner journals to develop a comprehensive picture of the extent to which research is translated to practice for teachers who work with students with mild disabilities (learning disabilities, emotional/behavioral disorders, autism-Level 1 [A-L1]). Results from the analysis of 3,245 articles showed that across journals, fewer than 30% of articles translated intervention research findings to practice, with over half targeting academics.

Purposeful Reflection: Experiences in Introducing Mindfulness in an Online Environment

While this poster represents foundational data from an empirical study conducted earlier, the work is primarily targeting special education practitioners, positing ways to foster critical reflection as a means towards building culturally responsive practices. Developing critical reflection in special educators is important because, as a school leader, they must advocate for diversity to be recognized and valued (Howard, 2003). Historically marginalized students need culturally responsive educators to meet their needs. If special educators are not aware of their own cultural biases, they may fail to advocate for or individually provide appropriate interventions and supports, thus leading to disproportionate representation (Klingner et al., 2005).

Intervention in School and Clinic

Decreasing the well-documented research-to-practice gap in special education is thought to partially depend on practitioner access to quality evidence-based interventions. Practitioner journals are one such resource for obtaining this information. The current study is a systematic review of articles published over the last 25 years (1990–2014) in a prominent special education practitioner journal, Intervention in School and Clinic. Findings from review of 925 articles showed that 64% focused specifically on information related to students with learning disabilities (LD) or other mild disabilities. Forty-three percent of articles focused on educational practices based on intervention research for students with LD or other mild disabilities. Another 32% focused on information relevant for teachers of these students including strategies for managing other non-instructional teaching responsibilities, practices in general education settings, and changes in special education law and policy. Overall, this journal provides a wide range of resources for teachers of students with LD.

A Socio-Cultural Analysis of Practitioner Perspectives on Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice in Special Education

Despite the central role “evidence-based practice” (EBP) plays in special education agendas for both research and policy, it is widely recognized that achieving implementation of EBPs remains an elusive goal. In an effort to better understand this problem, we interviewed special education practitioners in four school districts, inquiring about the role evidence and EBP played in their work. Our data suggest that practitioners’ responses to policies that press for increased use of EBP are mediated by a variety of factors, including their interpretations of the EBP construct itself, as well as the organizational conditions of their work, and their access to relevant knowledge and related tools to support implementation. We interpret these findings in terms of their implications for understanding the problem of implementation through a more contextual and ecological lens than has been reflected in much of the literature to date.

Collaboration in Transition Assessment: School Psychologists and Special Educators Working Together to Improve Outcomes for Students With Disabilities

The ultimate goal for school psychologists, special education practitioners, and other professionals who work with adolescents with disabilities is to help students plan and prepare to transition from school to adult life with the skills and knowledge to live happy, productive, and fulfilling lives. This article describes how school psychologists can support special education practitioners in improving transitions for students with disabilities, introduces free resources, and recommends forms of additional training. School psychologists are well positioned to support special education practitioners in facilitating the transition assessment process by providing documentation of postschool accommodation needs as students exit the school system.

Using Evidence-Based Practice: A Case Study.

This research reports on the application of aspects of a model of evidence-based practice (EBP) which were used to review a behaviour management programme. Special education practitioners employed at the Aotearoa/New Zealand Ministry of Education (MOE) drew from MOE principles and practices, as well as their professional expertise as they reviewed and critiqued the Collaborative Problem Solving Model (CPS). This study reveals two critical aspects when applying an evidence-based practice (EBP) process: understanding of research, and using a structured process. The article discusses a range of benefits and reports on the compatibility of the behaviour management programme with MOE principles and practices.

Confidence and competence appraisals of early intervention and preschool special education practitioners

More than 1,800 early intervention practitioners serving birth to 3 year old children and preschool special education practitioners serving 3 to 5 year old children made self-judgments of their competence and confidence in using six different kinds of practices (family-centered practices, teaming and collaboration, assessment and evaluation, IFSPs and IEPs, instructional practices, and natural environments and inclusion). The participants include regular and special education teachers, speech, occupation and physical therapists, and psychologists and social workers. Results showed that in nearly all analyses, the practitioners judged themselves as more confident than competent in using the practices with children and families regardless of discipline. The findings taken together constitute the first set of data on the similarities and differences in practitioners' appraisals of their early intervention and preschool special education capabilities. Implications for research and practice are described.

Confidence and competence appraisals of early intervention and preschool special education practitioners

1800'den fazla 0-3 yas cocuklariyla calisan erken mudahale uygulayicilari ve 3-5 yas cocuklarina hizmet saglayan okul oncesi ozel egitim uygulayicilari alti farkli tur uygulamayi kullanmada (aile merkezli uygulamalar, ekip olusturma ve isbirligi, olcme ve degerlendirme, Bireysellestirilmis Aile Hizmet Planlari [IFSPs] ve Bireysellestirilmis Egitim Planlari [IEPs], egitimsel uygulamalar, dogal ortamlar ve kaynastirma) yeterliliklerini ve guvenlerini kendi kendilerine degerlendirmistir. Katilimcilar sinif ve ozel egitim ogretmenleri, konusma, is ve fizyo terapistleri ve psikologlar ve sosyal calismacilardan olusmaktadir. Sonuclar neredeyse tum analizlerde, uygulamacilarin kendilerini aile ve cocuklarla gerceklestirdikleri uygulamalari kullanmada yeterli olmaktan daha fazla emin olarak degerlendirdiklerini gostermistir. Hep birlikte bulgular, uygulamacilarin erken mudahale ve okul oncesi ozel egitim yeterliliklerini degerlendirmedeki benzerlikleri ve farkliliklari uzerine ilk veri setini olusturmaktadir. Arastirma ve uygulama icin yansimalar aciklanmistir.