Browsing by Subject "Mainstreaming in education"
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Item A comparison of Braille reading and writing instruction in rural and urban areas for students in the state of Texas who are functionally blind(Texas Tech University, 1997-05) Wedding, Jeannette A.The purpose of this study is to compare the differences between rural and urban teachers in their attempts to meet the requirements of H.B. 2277. A review of the literature suggests that no research has been conducted to determine how school districts in rural and urban areas of the state are attempting to meet the mandates regarding instruction of braille reading and writing to students with visual impairments. The significance of this study is to determine whether or not the services offered in rural and urban settings are comparable. Whether a student who is functionally blind attends a rural or urban school should not be the predetermining factor in the level of services he or she receives. If these services are not comparable, concern exists as to whether the individual needs of the student, as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), are being met. Further, this study may be used as a basis for judging improvements made in school districts and to provide insights into methods of complying with the legislation in other states that may be attempting to reach the same goal.Item A school for mainstreaming autistic children(Texas Tech University, 1994-08) Cook, William R.Not availableItem A school for mainstreaming autistic children(Texas Tech University, 1994-08) Cook, William R.Documented cases of autistic behavior have been identified as early as 1801, although the appellation "autism" was not ascribed to this condition until 1943. Leo Kanner, a child psychologist, utilized a series of symptomatic conditions to describe the characteristics of autism, most of which are still presently used.' Historically, the known cases involving these same characteristics came to light, although the diagnoses were generally for other diseases. The first documented case is that of Itard (1801) in his description of Victor, the wild boy of Aveyron, who was found wandering the forests of Aveyron, France. Itard assumed that the young boy was uneducated and untouched by societal influences, however, most of his behavioral characteristics are recognizable today as those of an autistic individual. Unfortunately, it was not until later that the full impact of these traits was recognized. This was done by Leo Karmer in the mid-twentieth century. Kanner began a full investigation into the phenomenon causing these distinctive characteristics, coining the name "early infantile autism."Item Attitudes of preservice and inservice teachers toward disabled children(Texas Tech University, 1983-05) Marsh, Jean CrawfordNot availableItem An exploratory study of the implementation and teacher outcomes of a program to train elementary educators about ADHD in the schools(2004) Niznik, Marina Enrica; Tharinger, Deborah; Borich, Gary D.This study explored the implementation and outcomes of a district-wide teacher inservice training program on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Outcomes with regard to teacher knowledge about ADHD, perceived teacher confidence in working with students with ADHD, and teacher attitudes toward mainstreaming students with ADHD were investigated. Teacher efficacy was also examined. Theoretical linkages among the aforementioned constructs were explored and participant satisfaction with the inservice program was assessed. Participants, elementary school teachers (N=47), responded to several self-report measures prior to, and immediately following, the presented inservice training program. One multiple-choice measure, the Educator ADHD Knowledge Form, was utilized, as were several Likert-type scales, including: Perceived Confidence in Working with Students with ADHD, Teacher Attitudes Toward Mainstreaming Students with ADHD, and the Teacher Efficacy Scale. The Demographic Information Form was used to solicit information describing the participants. The Participant Satisfaction Form was administered to assess the extent to which the training program met the identified needs of the participants. Teacher outcome results of this study demonstrated that teacher knowledge and teacher perceived confidence in working with students with ADHD significantly improved as a result of the training program. Teacher attitudes toward mainstreaming students with ADHD did not improve. With regard to theoretical linkages, results revealed that teacher perceived confidence in working with students with ADHD was significantly correlated to teacher attitudes toward mainstreaming students with ADHD. Additionally, teacher efficacy was found to be significantly correlated to teacher perceived confidence in working with students with ADHD. Relationships among: teacher efficacy and teacher knowledge about ADHD; teacher efficacy and teacher attitudes toward mainstreaming; teacher knowledge and teacher perceived confidence in working with students with ADHD; were not found to be significant. Results also reflected participant satisfaction with the inservice training program presented on ADHD and the extent to which it met their training needs. Limitations and implications for theory and practice are noted. Suggested future research directions include similarly assessing other school staff, assessing additional effects of the training within the classroom setting, and exploring teacher factors with regard to varying degrees of severity of ADHD among students.Item Interactions between teachers and students with learning disabilities in general education classrooms(2004) Boardman, Alison Gould; Schallert, Diane L.Traditionally, research on students with disabilities has focused on an individual difference model. More recently however, to elucidate the conditions and contexts under which students develop academically and socially, researchers have begun to call for models of study that employ a sociocultural theory perspective. Sociocultural theory is based on the notion that children learn through participation in social contexts. Accordingly, the type and amount of contact - most importantly the “talk” - that takes place between the teacher and the student seems to have strong implications for academic and social success at school. This relationship is particularly important for students with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to contribute to an understanding of the interactions between general education teachers and students with learning disabilities as they relate to participation in the learning community of the general education classroom. Qualitative methods were used to guide the observations and analyses of four fifth-grade teachers and three target students in each classroom, one student with a learning disability, one low-achieving student, and one average-achieving student, over a two-month period. Data collection included discourse analysis of interactions between teachers and target students, interviews with teachers, and teachers’ selfreflections throughout the study. Results indicated that teachers had a higher rate of interactions with students with LD than with other target student groups. However, despite the amount of time that teachers spent talking to students with LD, the quality of most interactions, in terms of their ability to increase learning, was judged to be low. In addition, while teachers reported that they learned more about the target students and became more attuned to their individual needs during a trial intervention, classroom observations and analysis of classroom talk demonstrated that teachers did not change either the quantity or quality of interactions with students with LD. A model for understanding the teacher negotiation of LD students’ integration into the learning environment was developed and supported by the following themes: teacher beliefs, classroom practice, student response, and teacher perception of student success. The value of teacher-student interactions in terms of both student outcomes and teacher motivation to work with students who struggle to succeed are discussed.Item Perceptions of special education by regular classroom teachers(Texas Tech University, 1997-05) McCormick, KellyA 50-item survey was given to 86 regular classroom teachers to examine seven areas of special education. Three areas addressed their perceptions of special education regarding inclusion, teacher preparation, and legal issues. This section contained 30 questions to be answered on a four-point Likert scale. The second section included four areas on regular classroom teachers' actual knowledge of special education: referral, eligibility, parental rights, and laws pertaining to special education. The second section included 20 true/false questions. The results of this study suggest that regular education teachers have skewed perceptions of inclusion. Most teachers agree with inclusion, but then want to place restrictions on who can be included. A majority of the teachers reported that they did not have sufficient preparation or materials to educate students with special needs. Teachers did not perceive that they understood IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) or the lEP (Individualized Education Plan). There were slightly higher percentages reported for actual knowledge of special education. Teachers responded most correctly to questions regarding referral, followed by actual legal knowledge of special education, eligibility, and parental rights.