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Students with disabilities, when placed in out-of-district separate special education placements, are removed from their typically developing peers in their local public school. Positive peer interaction is important for students, not only for academic success, but also in helping students to create their identity (King, et al., 2017). This is particularly important for students diagnosed with autism. The purpose of this project was the formulation of evidence-based, practical recommendations to create a high-quality special education program for high school students with autism so that they can return to their local public school. This dissertation used qualitative methods to collect data. The focus of the research was on understanding the individual needs of the selected students, as identified in their individualized education plans (IEPs). Through interviews with administrators (such as superintendents, directors of special education, and principals) evidence-based practices were identified that can be implemented in in-district special educational programs that can support high school students with autism to return to their local public school and be educated appropriately alongside their peers.

Research indicates that parental involvement is a key role in student achievement. The purpose of this study was to explore the ways public school districts in New Jersey communicate to parents regarding their Special Education Parent Advisory Group (SEPAG). This document analysis reviewed the descriptive language presented in each school district’s Special Education Parent Advisory Group Plan. This qualitative research examined 30 elementary Special Education Parent Advisory Group Plans, seeking to better understand how public -school districts communicate their respective plans and how the information aligns with what is mandated by the state of New Jersey. The data displayed compliance with the mandated requirements of each school district’s Special Education Parent Advisory Group. Overall, most plans aligned with the states requirements of forming and organizing a SEPAG. However, the information included within individual SEPAGS varied. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to determine if a statistically significant difference existed between parental stress factors related to the transition process between pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, using the Committee on Preschool Special Education to Committee on Special Education transition process, of parents who were exposed to a workshop and those who were not. The study administered a parent survey from the Parenting Stress Index, Fourth Edition Professional Manual. The research addressed if exposure to a workshop on the transition process would decrease stress factors in parents of children who attended a self-contained setting (4410 programs). The study examined parental stress factors, which were possibly related to the CPSE to CSE transition process. The change between pre-kindergarten to kindergarten is a vital and significant developmental milestone for young children and educators, yet the scale to which primary caregivers are included in kindergarten groundwork is rarely considered, especially for parents whose children are classified with an educational classification and/or disability. The research examined parents whose children attended special education preschool programs within a lower urban area in the State of New York, north of New York City. The study included 180 families whose children were identified as students with educational classifications that attended a 4410 program and were in the process of completing a special education program and moving to kindergarten.

The purpose of this qualitative collective case study was to describe parent participation for home-based educators and parents at an Early Head Start home-based program in rural Appalachia. Parental participation in the Early Head Start home-based program was generally defined as the active participation of children with disabilities’ parents in a home-based program guided by home-based educators through the implementation of early intervention services. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs guided this study, as it relates to both identifying barriers that may prevent parents from being involved and illuminates how Early Head Start educators help families meet growth and developmental needs. The Epstein model was also a guiding factor due to the six types of parental involvement outlined in the theory. Data were collected from home-based educators and parents through individual interviews, focus groups, and document analysis. Triangulation and member checking through transcriptions were used to confirm the validity and reliability of the data collected. First cycle coding methods that included description coding and in vivo coding were used with pattern coding, a second cycle coding method, to analyze the data. The major themes of the study included meaningful interactions, building family partnerships, partnerships in the community, and participation. A majority of parents involved in previous and current enrollments have a positive experience with the home-based program. Views differ among home-based educators and parents regarding the barriers preventing parental participation. Further research recommendations and implications are presented for stakeholders to further improve the home-based program.

A select few African American families who have a child with a disability have the skills and knowledge to be proactive in the special education process. Special education teams must guide and mentor African American students and their families through the special education process. However, African American families have consistently contended that their child’s special education team does not provide the services necessary to meet their child’s academic goals. This qualitative study examined the perceptions, experiences, and expectations of African American female caregivers regarding the special education process. Participants were nine African American mothers and one sibling whose family members were from elementary schools, middle schools, or high schools. Data collection methods utilized in the study included a survey, semi-structured interviews, and three focus groups. Data were analyzed and compared to identify themes. Three themes emerged from the survey: education and training, participation, and challenges. Six major themes that categorized African American female caregivers’ experiences and perceptions emerged from the study: (a) differences in treatment and cultural disconnect, (b) lack of support and resources, (c) participants’ experiences with the special education process, (d) parent participation, (e) barriers and concerns, and (f) expectations. Implications for policy and practice are discussed. Recommendations for improving the special education process for African American families are provided for school districts.

The effects of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic continue to be unveiled. The pressures and stipulations for inclusion can cause great stress for teachers and administrators to attempt ways to create a least restrictive environment (LRE) for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), while maintaining rigor and safety for all students in the midst of changing policy and practice. Self-efficacy allows individuals to measure their beliefs in the ability to complete a task. The pandemic led to a need of examining students’ self-efficacy within the inclusive environment. The purpose of the study was to examine the differences in academic self-efficacy scores based on students’ classification as a student with and without a documented disability and gender among middle school students in an inclusive classroom. The research was conducted in this study through a casual comparative study to determine students’ self-efficacy toward inclusion in in-person and remote classrooms. This study examined 222 students, while using 2 two-way analyses of variance in disability qualification, gender, and learning format. The instrument of measurement is the Patterns of Adaptive Learning Scales (PALS) created by Midgley et al. (2000) used to measure students’ self-efficacy at the end of the 2020-2021 school year finding that having a documented disability had no significance on academic self-efficacy. Gender and learning format (in-person compared to virtual) did not have significant effect size within this study. There has been extensive research on the effects of inclusion; however, the measured self-efficacy of students throughout the pandemic experience needs continued development. Results indicate further research and intervention to improve academic self-efficacy of students.

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors serving as barriers to effective building-level administrator participation in special education individualized education program (IEP) meetings. For the purposes of this study, research was conducted in the multidisciplinary areas of social cognitive theory and self-efficacy, along with an examination of school-building administrators as instructional leaders, the role(s) of building-level leadership in special education and building administrator knowledge and understanding of special education policies and practices. A qualitative research approach was used to examine local building-level administrator participation in the special education IEP process. Building Level Administrators, in the district were surveyed via Qualtrics and interviewed in a one-on-one format using Zoom. The research questions used were:1. What perceptions do building-level administrators’ have of their role(s) in IEP meetings? 2. What potential obstacles impact building-level administrators’ participation in special education IEP meetings? 3. What specific procedural and/or professional practices would improve building-level administrators’ active and inclusive involvement in IEP meetings? The data gathered from this research was used to discover common themes in barriers to building administrator participation in special education IEP meetings, so that recommendations could be made to help building administrators in this area.

Although special education documents of public school districts are often scrutinized in litigation involving the progress of students with disabilities, scant research exists about effective and compliant methods for reporting progress toward IEP goals. This study examined the extent to which IEP progress reports align to the IEP goals they intended to measure. One hundred systematically selected IEP goals and corresponding progress reports from a suburban public school district in southern Ohio were analyzed using a researcher-created rubric; the collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The defined behavior, performance criteria, and overall alignment of each goal was examined by how well progress was reflected in the goal’s progress report during the span of the IEP year. Eight percent of the IEP goal progress reports analyzed earned the full points possible in the area of defined behavior, fourteen percent in the area of performance criteria, and three percent earned the full points possible overall. The implications of these low alignment rates for public education stakeholders are discussed.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a mental disorder commonly affecting children and adolescents. School is the primary setting outside of home where children and adolescents spend time as they learn and develop. In addition to their parents, teachers are the primary influencers in children’s and adolescents’ lives. With the current shortage of school nurses in the public school setting, many teachers are not only responsible for student educational needs, but developmental and medical needs as well. It is important teachers are knowledgeable and confident in their ability to educate and care for both their general education and their special needs students. Many teachers have misperceptions and knowledge gaps related to ADHD, ADHD treatment, ADHD academic modifications, and the behavioral interventions needed to successfully manage this population. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to determine if the implementation of an ADHD educational intervention could improve teachers’ preparedness for successfully educating, managing and caring for students with ADHD in the school setting.

The prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has increased 54.7% from 2000 to 2016 nationally (CDC, 2016), and comparably, 52.38% in the district where this program evaluation was conducted. This increase, paired with legislative requirements through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and recommendations from the National Research Council on educating students with ASD, has challenged school districts to develop programming targeting specific impairments characteristic of students with ASD. The purpose of this study was to evaluate programming through the evaluation of individualized education plans (IEPs) of students with ASD in kindergarten through third grade for the presence of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requirements and National Research Council recommendations. Additionally, 13 special education teachers providing services to one or more students in the category of ASD completed a 30 item self-report questionnaire on their confidence in developing IEPs and programming for students with ASD. Sixty-three IEPs were evaluated in the study for IDEA and NRC indicator proficiency levels and cross-referenced with teacher confidence levels on developing IEPs and programming for students with ASD. The study concluded data analysis of IEPs and special education teacher confidence levels resulted in the identification of programming strengths and weakness that can be used by the district in this study to develop a structured plan for improvements in the development of IEPs specific to the identified areas of impairments for students with ASD (behavior, communication, socialization). Specific to the district in this study is a recommended focus on the development of IEP goals based on individual student needs and NRC recommendations for students with ASD, descriptions of student motivational systems when appropriate, specially designed instruction, educational placement and the relationship of teacher knowledge and confidence about ASD to IEP and program development.

This quantitative, quasi-experimental research study was designed to determine the impact of a computer assisted reading instruction program on the fluency rates and comprehension skills of third and fourth grade students with reading disabilities at an Ohio suburban-metropolitan elementary school. Pretests established the participants' baseline reading skills. The participants' reading progress was monitored, during twenty-week baseline and intervention periods, with weekly measures of fluency and comprehension. Posttests measured the intervention program's impact on the participants' fluency rates and comprehension skills. Results were evaluated through visual analyses of experimental data graphs and by conducting time series matched pair t confidence interval tests to determine the reading intervention program's impact on the participants' reading skills, as measured by AIMSweb reading fluency probes, STAR reading comprehension tests, and Woodcock Johnson IV tests of reading achievement. The study provided two potential benefits for participants, improved reading fluency rates and comprehension skills, and increased value-added measures of student performance on Ohio's Common Core State Standards tests; and a third unintended benefit, improved school district's and teachers' value-added evaluation scores on the Ohio State Report Card.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires local education agencies to include parents as equal team members in the cultivation of their child’s individual education plan (IEP). Despite law, studies have shown that parents experience barriers to being included in the process. Barriers such as a lack of information, lack of understanding of the law, and feelings of unequal status or power as compared to school district team members have been noted. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions, feelings, and understanding of the initial IEP process as experienced by parents new to the world of special education. This study took the form of two research articles, each with a set of three research questions. Through the utilization of narrative inquiry, I was able to listen to the stories of parents as they tried to navigate their way through the initial IEP experiences, hear who supported their understanding along the way, learn how parents perceived their role during their journey, feel the emotions that parents shared feeling during their experiences, and find out if parents knew their procedural safeguard rights.The most impactful barriers for parents new to special education was the lack of adherence to legal timelines. Parent requests for special education assessment took up to two years for some parents. Lack of information and understanding of the IEP process and law was another major hurdle for participants. Without adequate information and understanding parents felt a power imbalance and feeling of being taken advantage of. Parents described a disconnect regarding how they viewed their parent role and how the school district viewed their role. A copious amount of praise was given to family resource centers for their support and trainings offered to parents.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires the parent, the special educationteacher, the general education teacher and a district representative to meet the requirements of afull Individual Education Program meeting. However, The Individuals with DisabilitiesEducation Act does not operationally define the roles of each of the Individual EducationProgram team members. In Doug C. v. Hawaii Board of Education, the U.S. Court of Appealsfor the 9th Circuit determined parents must play a central role in the Individual EducationProgram decision-making process. However, when reading the decision, it is challenging not toinfer that the court uses the terms attendance and participation interchangeably. This mixed methodstudy explored how Smithville Schools could better improve their policies andprocedures to prepare parents from being attendees at Individual Education Program meetings toequal decision-making members of the Individual Education Program team. Phase one of thestudy surveyed parents of special education students in the district as well as certified staffmembers of the district who provided services to learners with Individual Education Programs.The survey included statements asking about satisfaction with communication, school and staffrelationships, perspectives of the Individual Education Program process, and the bureaucraticnature of Individual Education Program meetings. After data analysis of the survey, the twomost satisfied staff members, the two most satisfied parent as well as the two most dissatisfiedstaff members and the two most dissatisfied parents were invited to participate in a semistructuredinterview. The interview allowed for parents and staff to share their uniqueperspectives on facilitators and barriers to shared decision-making to the Individual Education Program process at Smithville Schools.

Assistive technology devices are being utilized more frequently in classrooms for accommodations and modifications, especially for students with disabilities. These devices can be high technology devices containing batteries, or low technology devices which may be inexpensive and do not require batteries to be used. Throughout the thesis, the use of high technology devices and low technology devices is specified to introduce the idea of integrating devices into general education and special education classrooms. Furthermore, resources are provided regarding learning more about specific devices, how to further implement technology in the classroom, and catalogs to buy devices.

This case study explores the experiences of students with disabilities who have dropped out of high school, so as to identify related factors that led to their decisions. Participants included both males and females who were designated as students with disabilities at Ridgeville High School (pseudonym for a Virginia high school) and who dropped out between their third and fourth years of high school, during the 2010 to 2014 academic years. All participants were between the ages of 18 and 24. The case study was conducted through the use of semi-structured interviews, journaling, and observation of the sample population, with the aim of identifying common experiences among students who have dropped out of school close to graduation. The results of the semi-structured interviews were examined using reductive qualitative analysis, which included the use of coding and extraction of themes. The study results indicated that the overall sense of belonging of the students was low. The attitude of the students towards themselves, especially the nature of their disability, was another aspect that was found to be a great determinant of the reasons connected with high dropout rates of students with disabilities. The students also believed that more effort is needed from the teachers, their peers and the schools to help them in the school environment.

This case study explores the experiences of students with disabilities who have dropped out of high school, so as to identify related factors that led to their decisions. Participants included both males and females who were designated as students with disabilities at Ridgeville High School (pseudonym for a Virginia high school) and who dropped out between their third and fourth years of high school, during the 2010 to 2014 academic years. All participants were between the ages of 18 and 24. The case study was conducted through the use of semi-structured interviews, journaling, and observation of the sample population, with the aim of identifying common experiences among students who have dropped out of school close to graduation. The results of the semi-structured interviews were examined using reductive qualitative analysis, which included the use of coding and extraction of themes. The study results indicated that the overall sense of belonging of the students was low. The attitude of the students towards themselves, especially the nature of their disability, was another aspect that was found to be a great determinant of the reasons connected with high dropout rates of students with disabilities. The students also believed that more effort is needed from the teachers, their peers and the schools to help them in the school environment.

This study, to assess the prevalence and role of music therapy in various school systems across the United States, utilized a demographic survey design. The instrument used in this study was a 10 item self-report electronic survey. A mix of open ended and multiple choice questions were utilized. Descriptive statistics, percentage analysis, and topic categorizing were used to analyze the data supplied by 166 school-based music therapists from throughout the United States. Results indicated the following: 1. The majority of respondents (78%) provided music therapy in public schools with weekly self-contained groups being the most common type of session. 2. Autism was the most prevalent of disorders/disabilities represented by the music therapist's clients; Intellectual disability was the second most prevalent. 3. Persons aged 7 to 12 years were the most prevalent age group music therapists work with, persons 18 and older the least. 4. Education and qualification of respondents indicated that a majority hold Bachelor's or Master's degrees in music therapy over the equivalency option; furthermore 95% of music therapists are board certified. 5. A majority are employed full time with only 1% (two respondents) providing service as consult only. 7. A majority of music therapists in the schools are employed with the title of Music Therapist, while others have the title of Music Educator, Special Educator and more. Following the data analysis, discussion highlights the need for further analysis and related questions.

The purpose of this quantitative survey study was to examine the perceptions of administrators and other support staff in public middle schools across the United States regarding the current bullying prevention/treatment program being used in their school building and whether it is effective with all types of students, regardless of academic standing (particularly the effectiveness for students with learning disabilities). Secondary purposes included surveying administrators and other support staff about the differences in bullying behaviors between LD students and students not on an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and soliciting feedback from administrators to determine disciplinary procedures when an LD student is a bullying victim.The survey was distributed to public middle school principals, assistant principals, school psychologists, and school counselors across the United States. A correlational ex post facto design was used, and the survey instrument used was created by combining two surveys from previously published studies. The instrument data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and an independent samples t-test. Findings revealed significant differences amongst the administrator and school psychologist populations regarding the effectiveness of anti-bullying programs for all student populations (including the learning disabled). Further, findings indicated significant differences between school psychologists and the other populations surveyed with respect to the frequency of learning disabled students as victims of bullying. The results support a greater need for specialized bullying prevention programs, more intervention for this population following incidents of bullying, and heightened sensitivity with respect to the overall safety of students placed on IEP’s.

Family member-educator collaboration is envisioned as the "cornerstone" of the educational decision-making process for students with disabilities (e.g., Harry, 2008; Olivos, Friend and Cook, 2007, Gallagher and Aguilar, 2010). In the case of immigrant and refugee families, however, the ideal of coequal collaboration is often elusive for a variety of reasons (e.g., language barriers, disparate ideas about what familial involvement should be in educational decisions) (e.g., Lo, 2012). This qualitative multiple case study design (Yin, 2009) relied on interviews with family members and educators as well as observations of IEP meetings to examine the educational decision-making process in the context of Somali-American families of boys with autism. Findings from the present study echo many conclusions of previous research in terms of factors that facilitate (e.g., thoughtfully designed IEP meetings, frequent family-educator communication) and impede (e.g., divergent beliefs about the cause and course of autism, language barriers) family-educator collaboration in special education decision-making. The results, meanwhile, extended and challenged other aspects of existing literature. Analysis revealed, for example, the each school has a unique institutional culture whose norms (e.g., norms of parent participation in school activities, from dances and races to PTA meetings and in-class volunteering) can profoundly influence the ways in which family members and educators interact and engage in educational decision-making. In addition, while existing literature emphasizes the importance of cultural sensitivity among special educators (e.g., Harry, 1992; Lo, 2013), the present study suggests that in some cases, over-emphasis on cultural sensitivity can cause educators to be overly deferential and reluctant to actively engage with family members, in turn, leading to diminished or inauthentic communication.

Teachers and administrators implement and supervise the implementation of the individualized education program (IEP) for children with disabilities. An understanding of teacher and administrator knowledge and skills associated with implementation of instructional accommodations and interventions commonly identified in the IEP, may provide insight to averting negative student effects related to failure to provide a free and appropriate public education. This study investigated the self-reported knowledge and skills that educators possess related to IEP accommodations and their self-reported comfort level and ability to implement and supervise instruction prescribed for students with disabilities in reading. To examine what is proposed (i.e., the IEP) and what is actually done throughout the implementation of the IEP and subsequent supervision of instruction, the conceptual framework of espoused theory and theory of action (Argyris & Schön, 1974) and bureaucratic theory (Puch, Hickeron, Hirings, & Turner, 1968) was applied. Phase 1 analyzed the accommodations prescribed on the IEPs of students with learning disabilities in reading. The results were used to develop questionnaires with stimulus items designed to elicit self-reported knowledge and identify potential areas of need for professional development. In Phase 2 of the study, responses are reported from 6 unique surveys that were sent to elementary and middle school administrators and general and special education teachers who teach or supervise the instruction of students with learning disabilities in reading. Information and results extracted from survey responses of 222 participants from a large, urban school district in Texas shed light on the ways instructional strategies and accommodations are documented on IEPs for students with disabilities. Standardization due to IEP development software that forced committees to make decisions about accommodations, from limited number of options in a dropdown menu became evident during the review of the data and the district's IEP development process. A discrepancy between the reported level of educator knowledge about specific accommodations, and needed professional development was found. Implications for pre-service teacher and administrator preparation programs and future research are informed by participants' self-reported need for deeper understanding of basic special education practices, obligations, and responsibilities. A call for administrator leadership for organizational change that would facilitate continuous improvement in service delivery to students with disabilities is made. Improved and targeted preservice and inservice professional development relevant to the supervision and implementation of IEP interventions and accommodations is recommended.

Teachers and administrators implement and supervise the implementation of the individualized education program (IEP) for children with disabilities. An understanding of teacher and administrator knowledge and skills associated with implementation of instructional accommodations and interventions commonly identified in the IEP, may provide insight to averting negative student effects related to failure to provide a free and appropriate public education. This study investigated the self-reported knowledge and skills that educators possess related to IEP accommodations and their self-reported comfort level and ability to implement and supervise instruction prescribed for students with disabilities in reading. To examine what is proposed (i.e., the IEP) and what is actually done throughout the implementation of the IEP and subsequent supervision of instruction, the conceptual framework of espoused theory and theory of action (Argyris & Schön, 1974) and bureaucratic theory (Puch, Hickeron, Hirings, & Turner, 1968) was applied. Phase 1 analyzed the accommodations prescribed on the IEPs of students with learning disabilities in reading. The results were used to develop questionnaires with stimulus items designed to elicit self-reported knowledge and identify potential areas of need for professional development. In Phase 2 of the study, responses are reported from 6 unique surveys that were sent to elementary and middle school administrators and general and special education teachers who teach or supervise the instruction of students with learning disabilities in reading. Information and results extracted from survey responses of 222 participants from a large, urban school district in Texas shed light on the ways instructional strategies and accommodations are documented on IEPs for students with disabilities. Standardization due to IEP development software that forced committees to make decisions about accommodations, from limited number of options in a dropdown menu became evident during the review of the data and the district's IEP development process. A discrepancy between the reported level of educator knowledge about specific accommodations, and needed professional development was found. Implications for pre-service teacher and administrator preparation programs and future research are informed by participants' self-reported need for deeper understanding of basic special education practices, obligations, and responsibilities. A call for administrator leadership for organizational change that would facilitate continuous improvement in service delivery to students with disabilities is made. Improved and targeted preservice and inservice professional development relevant to the supervision and implementation of IEP interventions and accommodations is recommended.

As the field of composition changes for both students and teachers, the focus on the global scale becomes more prominent, specifically when discussing schools with large amounts of international students. With the ever-growing amount of international students, the need to examine how we respond to ELL (English Language Learners) student writing is extremely pressing. The key to an international student’s success is the written response given to the student by their instructor, specifically with regards to IEP (Intensive English Program) instructors and teaching assistants. When examining ELL student writing, it is important to consider the response methods used by IEP and TA (Teaching Assistant) instructors. The main issue to be surveyed is where disconnects between IEP instructors and teaching assistants are happening and how these disconnects can be fixed to improve ELL students’ writing and overall education. I have looked into the response to ELL student writing, specifically using one IEP instructors and two TAs’ written response on ELL student papers to discover where the disconnect between IEP and college-level prose happens. My thesis will pinpoint what is happening with teacher response to ELL student writing, specifically what IEP instructors and TAs are looking for when responding to student writing. By looking at these factors, I will be able to show how these findings will establish a better relationship between the teaching assistants and the IEP instructors, lead to future collaborations with each other, and help ELL students improve how and what they are learning.

Although standards-based IEP goals have been mandated in many states for almost a decade, their effectiveness is unknown. Standards-based IEP goals were first created to meet the requirements of No Child Left Behind and Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, which increased accountability for all students as well as those with disabilities, while providing targets for state standardized test scores and ensuring access to, and progress in, the general education curriculum for students with disabilities. Factors, such as teacher training, collaboration, and accountability may influence teachers’ perceptions of aligning IEP goals to grade level expectations. Using a survey, this study examined teachers’ perceptions of the efficacy of standards-based IEP goals. One hundred prekindergarten and kindergarten female teachers responded to the survey. Calculations from a linear regression indicated that a relationship existed between the usage of standards-based goals and curriculum-based measures. Results also indicated that teachers may choose to ignore standards-based IEP goals at times to focus on individual students’ needs. Overall, teachers reported that they wrote or gave input into the development of IEPs. However, not all teachers recognized the benefits of students with disabilities in general education classrooms, despite indicating that accommodations and modifications were generally defined. Future research suggestions include investigating perceptions regarding standards-based IEP goals in terms of type of disability of the student. Additionally, a review of personnel preparation programs could provide additional information about the training that teachers receive regarding standards-based IEP goals.

The present study, a quantitative lexical analysis, examines the extent to which vocabulary size and lexical diversity contribute to writing scores on advanced non-native speakers’ and native speakers’ academic compositions. The data consists of essays composed by 104 adult non-native English learners enrolled in advanced second language writing courses and 68 native speaking university students in a first-year composition course. The lexical diversity of the sample essays is quantified by both the Measure of Textual Lexical Diversity (MTLD) and the voc-D while vocabulary size is measured by CELEX word frequency means, three instruments that are available in the computational linguistics program Coh-Metrix 3.0. Writing scores are provided by three independent raters’ evaluations according to the TOEFL iBT Independent Writing Rubric. Results from a binary logistic regression reveal that lexical diversity has a significantly greater impact on writing score than vocabulary size (p < .01). Nevertheless, a series of MANOVAs indicate that vocabulary size initially facilitates writing scores at the lower proficiency levels, but it is an essay’s lexical diversity that promotes it to the higher score levels. Additional findings from the MANOVAs demonstrate that native speakers’ profiles of lexical diversity and size are significantly different from their non-native peers (p < .001). The lexical profiles also differed significantly among the individual score levels of the TOEFL iBT rubric (p < .05). A final outcome from a Pearson’s product moment correlation analysis shows that iii vocabulary size has only a moderate relationship to lexical diversity, suggesting that variation of mid-range vocabulary may be more important to writing proficiency than the use of more sophisticated terms that occur less frequently in natural language. Implications for practice suggest that it is not enough to simply teach vocabulary words in the L2 composition classroom, but also to guide learners in how to employ these words in a varied manner within their writing. Furthermore, the results of this study indicate that teachers should spend more time on helping students use medium frequency words along with synonyms of a similar frequency rather than teaching students infrequent vocabulary, which may appear to sound more advanced.

This qualitative case study drew on Positioning Theory (e.g., Davies & Harré, 1990) to explore the ways in which the negotiation of power and positioning affected language learning. Participants were nine students and their female teacher in a university-level English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Oral Skills (Listening and Speaking) class. Methods of data collection included the video- and audio-taping of classroom activities for 3.5 months, interviews with students and their teacher, field notes of classroom observations, diaries, and relevant teacher and learning artifacts. As a participant observer, I explored positioning, which refers to locating oneself and others with certain rights and obligations to allow or limit certain actions, in classroom talk and investigated its interaction with second language learning and use. After spending a certain amount of time in the field, I chose two male students as my focal participants, as their positioning and participation differed in terms of quantity and quality of their talk. Through a recursive micro-analysis of classroom interaction and qualitative analysis of other data sources, the findings indicated that the two focal participants constantly dominated classroom conversations and positioned themselves in ways beneficial to them, while other students in the same classroom experienced difficulties in negotiating symbolic power and gaining access to learning opportunities. Additionally the findings showed how interactive and reflexive positioning of learners, which were impacted by a large number of factors, including age, socio-cultural backgrounds, and beliefs, assigned students certain identities and social status over the course of the semester. If second language acquisition is fostered in the classroom by communicative interactions, teachers should attempt to minimize students’ differential access to second language learning opportunities as much as possible.

This qualitative case study drew on Positioning Theory (e.g., Davies & Harré, 1990) to explore the ways in which the negotiation of power and positioning affected language learning. Participants were nine students and their female teacher in a university-level English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Oral Skills (Listening and Speaking) class. Methods of data collection included the video- and audio-taping of classroom activities for 3.5 months, interviews with students and their teacher, field notes of classroom observations, diaries, and relevant teacher and learning artifacts. As a participant observer, I explored positioning, which refers to locating oneself and others with certain rights and obligations to allow or limit certain actions, in classroom talk and investigated its interaction with second language learning and use. After spending a certain amount of time in the field, I chose two male students as my focal participants, as their positioning and participation differed in terms of quantity and quality of their talk. Through a recursive micro-analysis of classroom interaction and qualitative analysis of other data sources, the findings indicated that the two focal participants constantly dominated classroom conversations and positioned themselves in ways beneficial to them, while other students in the same classroom experienced difficulties in negotiating symbolic power and gaining access to learning opportunities. Additionally the findings showed how interactive and reflexive positioning of learners, which were impacted by a large number of factors, including age, socio-cultural backgrounds, and beliefs, assigned students certain identities and social status over the course of the semester. If second language acquisition is fostered in the classroom by communicative interactions, teachers should attempt to minimize students’ differential access to second language learning opportunities as much as possible.

The primary purpose of this correlational study was to examine the impact of IEP team composition (team member attendance) and transition planning (types of transition outcomes) upon the success (graduation) of students with disabilities in urban districts. Other factors also included gender, academic status of school, socioeconomic status of the students, and age of students at graduation. Transition is defined as the point at which change occurs in somebody’s life (Cimera & Rusch, 2000). All humans are affected or impacted by transitions occurring in their lives. Some researchers agree that transition for students with disabilities can be more difficult than transition for students without disabilities, reflecting the need for the participation of students with disabilities in their IEP development specifically transition planning (Cimera & Rusch, 2000; Furney & Salembier, 2000; Gargiulo, 2003; Kohler & Chapman, 1999; Martin, Marshall & Sale, 2004; Patton, 2004; Trach & Sheldon, 2000; Wagner & Blackorby, 1996). Furthermore, planning and implementing transition services for students with disabilities is mandated by federal law.The evidence of transition planning is the development of the transition page of the student’s individual education plan (IEP). Every sixteen year old student with disabilities should have a transition page developed and incorporated into the IEP and every fourteen year old student with disabilities should have a statement of needed transition services incorporated into the IEP. The development of the transition page is critical because the goals of these transition services address the following areas: instruction, community service, employment, and other adult-living objectives (Yell, 2006). The achievement of these transition goals translates to a better quality of life in adulthood for students with disabilities (Gargiulo, 2003). For example, Benz, Lindstrom, and Yovanoff (as cited in Conderman & Katisyannis, 2002) identified that career-related work experience and the completion of student-identified transition goals were highly associated with improved graduation and employment outcomes. Furthermore, IDEA 2004 (IDEIA) requires IEP teams to prepare recommendations and a summary of the student’s academic achievement and functional performance, which includes recommendations on how to assist the student to meet postsecondary goals (IDEA, 20 U.S.C. sec. 1414(e)(5)(B)(ii)). Likewise, research indicates the need for comprehensive transitional planning with a broad focus (Childre & Chambers, 2005; The PACER Center, 2006; Warger & Burnette, 2000).The primary independent variables (IEP team composition, the number of transition outcomes present, and the type of transition outcomes present) demonstrated statistical significance as indicated by an increase in the number of transition outcomes when parents and students are present at the IEP conferences and by the increase in the types of transition outcomes included in the discussion during transition planning. These results may direct future research. Particularly, a relationship exists between parent presence, administrator presence, and student presence at the IEP conference and the number of outcomes present in the IEP; student presence at the annual IEP conference and graduation; parent presence and types of transition outcomes (independent living and community service) and student presence and types of transition outcomes during the eleventh grade year.

Transition services and programs for older students with disabilities were first mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1990. An important component of transition planning and programming centers on the Individual Education Plan (IEP). It is vital for educators to know the extent to which students possess the self-determination skills they need to participate as active members of their IEP meetings. Assessments that are reliable, valid, easy to administer, and that provide information about students' strengths and weaknesses are needed to help educators plan effective instructional programming in the area of self-determination. The purpose of this study was to develop a self-determination measure that can be used for instructional planning in transition programs. Specifically, I developed the Peper Transition Planning Scale to assess each of the major self-determination domains described by Abery and Stancliffe (2003). Participants included 57 students enrolled in a transition center in a large Midwestern suburban school district. Test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and criterion validity in relation to the Choicemaker Self Determination Assessment and the Minnesota Self-Determination Skills, Attitudes, and Knowledge Scale: Family/Educator Edition) were established, as well as the measure's capacity to show growth over time. Adaptive ability and general intelligence were found to be important predictors of students' performance. This study shows initial support for the Peper Transition Planning Scale as a reliable and valid measure of self-determination. Recommendations for further validation of the Scale are provided, as well as suggestions for use in transition program planning.

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Over the years, scholars have identified specific roles and responsibilities of adapted physical education (APE) teachers. In such capacities providing direct and indirect service to students with disabilities, APE teachers are expected to be effective. Some adapted and general physical education teachers have voiced concerns linked to their teaching and consulting. The purpose of this study was to determine and describe the job roles and responsibilities of APE teachers in service delivery at urban city schools. A second purpose was to determine whether or not these APE teachers had job-related concerns. If so, what were their concerns? Participants were six experienced itinerant APE teachers (all women) from the same urban school district in the Midwestern USA. The theoretical framework for this study was concerns theory as originally conceptualized by Fuller (1969) and later modified for applicability to physical education contexts by McBride (1993). Concerns theory posits that teachers have concerns and the level of concerns depend on: (a) their experiences; (b) individual differences; and (c) type of innovations (Fuller et al., 1969; Hall et al., 1973). A collective case study methodology based on an interpretive paradigm was used (Stake, 2000). Data were collected from two face-to-face interviews and field notes taken during nonparticipant observations, pre/post lesson conferences, and stimulated recall sessions. One interview was conducted starting data collection, followed by ten nonparticipant observations of each teacher’s teaching behaviors, and ending with another interview. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative approach (Goetz & LeCompte, 1981). Findings were presented descriptively and in narrative as recurring themes. These APE teachers: (a) described their primary roles and responsibilities as teaching students with disabilities; (b) viewed themselves as effective; (c) viewed coursework and hands-on experiences as beneficial to their practice; (d) felt that professional interactions and relationships with other professionals were individually contrived and contextually driven—some interactions were collaborative and supportive while at other times teachers felt disrespected, disregarded or marginalized); (e) had concerns characteristic of the self, task, and impact stages of Fuller’s (1969) concerns theory; and (f) expressed high levels of job satisfaction.

"Symposium: The Law and Economics of Development and Environment."