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There has been limited research on the acquisition of grade-aligned science skills for students with moderate intellectual disability, with even more restriction on academic skills in inclusive settings. This study examined the effects of peer-mediated time-delay instruction to teach inquiry science and use of a knowledge chart to students with moderate intellectual disability in an inclusive setting. Six general education peers implemented an embedded constant time-delay procedure during three science units with 5 students with moderate intellectual disability. All 5 students increased the number of correct science responses across all science units. Three students required additional support by the special education teacher to reach mastery. In addition, all 6peers were able to implement the intervention with high fidelity, while maintaining science grades at pre-intervention levels. High levels of social validity were reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article was written as a response to Ayres, Lowrey, Douglas, and Sievers (2011) who commented on the degree to which promoting the teaching of functional skills had a higher probability of leading to a more independent life for students with severe disabilities. In doing so, the authors take issue with the use of a standards-based curriculum and suggest that working on grade-level content seizes time that could be allocated to teaching skills for adult life. We suggest that a standards-based curriculum affords students with severe disabilities a complete educational opportunity and need not preclude personally relevant instruction. In our rejoinder, we first describe our points of agreement (evolving curriculum, contribution of research on teaching functional skills, dismal transition outcomes), and then suggest seven reasons why a standards-based curriculum is appropriate. Our reasons include: (a) right to a full educational opportunity, (b) relevancy of a standards-based curriculum (c) unknown potential of students with severe disabilities, (d)functional skills are not a prerequisite to academic skills, (e) standards-based curriculum is not a replacement for functional curriculum, (f) individualized curriculum is limited when it is the only curriculum, and (g) students creating their own changing expectations through achievements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Science content is one area of general curriculum access that needs more investigation. Explicit instruction is effective for teaching students with high incidence disabilities a variety of skills, including science content. In this study, we taught three elementary aged students with autism spectrum disorder to acquire science descriptors (e.g., wet) and then generalization to novel objects, pictures, and within a science inquiry lesson via explicit instruction. A multiple probe across behaviors with concurrent replication across participants design measured the effects of the intervention. All three participants met criterion, some were able to generalize to novel objects, pictures, and objects within science inquiry lesson. Outcomes are discussed from the perspective of implications for practice and future research investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of scripted task analytic lessons with systematic prompting on engagement and comprehension of students with a multiple, severe disability using a multiple probe single case design. Three teachers followed the scripts to include a target student in a story based lesson to increase comprehension and engagement. All three students had both a severe intellectual disability and either a severe physical or sensory impairment and relied primarily on nonsymblic communication prior to the study. Each student used a different response mode to participate in the story based lesson (i.e., eye gaze response for a student with inconsistent hand use, point response for a student who grabbed, and object response for a student with visual impairments). Results indicated increases in both comprehension and engagement for all three students. Limitations and implications for research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Federal mandates as well as the National Science Education Standards call for science education for all students. IDEA (2004) and NCLB (2002) require access to and assessment of the general curriculum, including science. Although some research exists on teaching academics to students with significant disabilities, the research on teaching science is especially limited. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if teachers of students with moderate and serere intellectual disabilities could learn to use a task analysis for inquiry-based science instruction and if this training increased student responding. The findings of this study demonstrated a functional relationship between the inquiry-based science instruction training and teacher's ability to instruct students with moderate and severe disabilities in science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the underlying structure of the Nonverbal Literacy Assessment (NVLA), an instrument designed to measure emergent literacy for K–fourth-grade students with severe developmental disabilities. The NVLA was conceptualized as having six constructs that reflected emergent literacy skills: (a) phonemic awareness, (b) phonics, (c) comprehension, (d) vocabulary, (e) listening comprehension, and (f) text awareness. Confirmatory factor analysis using data from 207 student administrations was used to examine the six-factor model and two alternative models. Results suggested that all three models fit the data, but the high corrections coefficients among the constructs suggested that a one-factor model of emergent literacy was the best-fitting model. Implications and limitations are discussed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the concerns towards the special education of exceptional children which notes on the services made by teachers and special educators who are expert in this field of specialization. It discusses the reasons for promoting and teaching academic content to students with serious disabilities as proposed by the experts which can increase the level of competence for educational advantages and opportunities for adult living and the positive results shown by students having such disabilities. It also mentions that the ultimate objective of such perspective is for students to become independent in the community they belong with.

The purpose of this article is to propose a conceptual foundation for early literacy instruction for students with severe developmental disabilities. The two primary outcomes in the conceptual model are (a) enhanced quality of life through shared literature and (b) increased independence as a reader. Guidelines are offered for promoting shared literature by increasing opportunities for accessing literature and teaching access skills to students. For increasing students' independence as readers, recommendations are provided on teaching the components of reading outlined by the National Reading Panel. The proposed model will help develop guidance on the strategies for literacy instruction for students with severe developmental disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation focused on the effects of a treatment package including multiple exemplar training, time delay, and a self-directed learning prompt (KWHL chart) on students' ability to complete an inquiry lesson independently and generalize to untrained materials. Three middle school students with moderate intellectual disabilities learned to self-direct themselves through a 15-step task analysis to complete inquiry lessons in chemistry and physical science. All three student achieved mastery across materials, science concepts, and instructional settings, but unanticipated generalization weakened the demonstration of experimental control. The results provide a potential method for students with moderate intellectual disabilities to learn science concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the application of the assessment triangle developed by the National Research Council (Pellegrino, Chudowsky, & Glaser, 2001), most specifically the cognition vertex of that triangle, to the unique learning characteristics of students with significant cognitive disabilities in developing and demonstrating academic competence. Given the inclusion of all students, including students with significant cognitive disabilities, in measures of large-scale educational assessment and accountability under the No Child Left Behind Act, it is essential to examine how the primary elements of knowledge representation and competence identified by Pellegrino et al. for all students have special ramifications for students with significant cognitive disabilities. It is only in the development of such a model of competence that it is possible to construct alternate assessments for these students that validly represent what these students know and can do. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A review of the literature was conducted for articles published between 1975 and 2007 on the application of time delay as an instructional procedure to teach word and picture recognition to students with severe developmental disabilities in an effort to evaluate time delay as an evidence-based practice. A total of 30 experiments were analyzed using quality indicators for single-subject design research. In general, we found that time delay was an evidence-based practice for teaching picture and sight word recognition supported by standards for evidence-based practice proposed by Homer et al. (2005). We discuss lessons learned in summarizing a body of literature to define an evidence-based practice and suggestions for better defining the practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes an alignment procedure, called Links for Academic Learning (LAL), for examining the degree of alignment of alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS) to grade-level content standards and instruction. Although some of the alignment criteria are similar to those used in general education assessments, modifications to these criteria as well as additional unique criteria are incorporated because of the needs of the students with significant cognitive disabilities. This article addresses the alignment challenges that are specific to AA-AAS, the rationale for the LAL alignment criteria, and a description of how the criteria are measured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the impact of a curriculum called the Early Literacy Skills Builder on the language and early literacy skills of students with significant developmental disabilities. Students in the control group received the ongoing sight word and picture instruction prescribed by their individualized education programs. Results indicate statistically significant interaction effects for the treatment group for two research team-designed measures of early literacy (the Nonverbal Literacy Assessment and a pretest/posttest for the experimental curriculum). Significant interaction effects were also found for two standardized measures (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test III and Memory for Sentences of the Woodcock Language Proficiency Battery). Implications and fixture research needs are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study empirically evaluated a classification schema based on symbolic communication level use with students with significant cognitive disabilities. Ninety-five teachers of students with significant disabilities rated students' level of performance on 10 academic tasks. Cluster analysis suggested a range of two to four clusters solutions. Support was found for three clusters: symbolic (abstract), early symbolic (concrete), and pre-symbolic/awareness. The potential application of the classification system to planning general curriculum access and setting achievement expectations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on a comprehensive literature review and meta-analysis of 68 experiments on teaching mathematics to individuals with significant cognitive disabilities. Most of the studies in the review addressed numbers and computation or measurement. Within the computation studies identified, most focused on counting, calculation, or number matching. For the measurement studies, nearly all focused on money skills. Of the 54 single subject design studies, 19 were classified as having all quality indicators for research design (13 representing the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Measurement standard and 6 representing the Numbers and Operations standard). These studies offer strong evidence for using systematic instruction to teach mathematics skills and for using in vivo settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literacy may be one of the most important instructional areas for enhancing quality of life for all students. One way to promote literacy skills is through engaging students in the shared reading of a story. In this study, methods for planning and implementing shared stories for three students with multiple disabilities was evaluated via a multiple probe design across participants. Because the students had few consistent responses and complex physical challenges, a team planned the literacy participation using principles of universal design for learning (UDL). Outcomes indicate that all three students improved literacy skills and added to the literature base that shared stories can promote early literacy. Future research and implications for practical team implementation of the augmentative and alternative communication use and UDL components of representation, expression, and engagement are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to train teachers to follow a task analysis to teach a story-based literacy lesson using adapted, grade-appropriate middle school literature to students with moderate and severe developmental disabilities. A multiple-probe-across-participants design was used to examine the effects of training teachers to follow a literacy lesson plan task analysis on the number of steps completed by teachers on the literacy lesson plan template and changes made by students in response to teachers' use of the literacy lesson plan. Results indicated a functional relationship between teacher training and the number of lesson plan steps followed, with a corresponding student increase in both overall and independent correct responses. Implications for practice and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a review of current research and the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation, this paper focuses on two specific issues: (a) how students with developmental disabilities show adequate yearly progress, including a description of the assessments in which this population may participate, and (b) the policy issues surrounding NCLB including technical requirements of alternate assessments, alignment of content standards, assessments, and instruction, the requirement of all teachers to be highly qualified, and the relationship between NCLB and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA, 2004). Areas for future research are identified through a review of relevant literature. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. MRDD Research Reviews 2007;13:143–150. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current federal policy requires that students with disabilities participate in large-scale assessments and be included in schools' scores for adequate yearly progress. Students with significant cognitive disabilities may participate in an alternate assessment with alternate achievement standards, but these standards must be linked to grade-level content and promote access to the general curriculum. Because most research with this population has focused on nonacademic life skills, few guidelines exist for teaching and assessing skills that are linked to grade-level content. One challenge to developing research and practice in grade-linked academic content for students with significant cognitive disabilities is the absence of a clear conceptual framework. This article—developed by a team of special education, curriculum content, and measurement experts—proposes a conceptual definition and criteria for linking instruction and assessment to grade-level academic content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For students to have full access to the general curriculum, they need the opportunity to learn academic content that links closely to the standards for their grade level. In this article, we synthesize what we have learned through our research on aligning instruction for students with significant cognitive disabilities with state's academic content standards. In finding these links between state content standards and instruction for students with significant cognitive disabilities, we have discovered that it is important to understand (a) the implications of current federal policy; (b) the evidence for academic learning by this population, (c) the nature of national and state standards; (d) the importance of starting with universal design and general education collaboration; and (e) the concept of alignment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legislative initiatives and federal regulations require states to provide students with disabilities access to the general curriculum and to include all students in state assessment systems. Assessing the progress in the general curriculum for students with disabilities challenges states to determine how academic standards apply to all students and to create universally designed assessments. Decisions regarding the use of accommodations, alternate assessments, and out-of-level testing continue to be discussed and debated. Implications for research include the continued development and use of universally designed assessments and instruction, the alignment of alternate assessments to state standards, an increase in the scope of progress monitoring to include students with significant disabilities, and the promotion of state standard attainment by students through effective teacher practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study is to determine the comprehensive knowledge base of national secondary, principals related to special education issues. Using a survey developed from the empirical and conceptual literature for assessing fundamental and current issues in special education, data were collected from a national sample of secondary school principals. Overall, principals report being well informed in fundamental issues. Although the relationship between demographics and knowledge produced mixed results, principal practices have a positive relationship with knowledge of special education issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent guidelines for No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB; 2001) permit the use of alternate achievement standards for counting up to 1% of students with significant cognitive disabilities as proficient in adequate yearly progress (AYP) calculations. This provision increases the importance of assessing the technical quality of alternate assessments and their alignment to academic content standards. This study used a quantitative method of alignment to estimate the match between three states' alternate assessments and their state academic content standards. The results indicate that alternate assessments are aligned to academic content standards, but alternate assessments only capture a narrow range and depth of the content standards. Recommendations for using alignment procedures to address critical elements in Title I as amended by NCLB are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the passage of No Child Left Behind and the start of the high-stakes accountability movement, it has become increasingly important that teachers are able to appropriately assess all students, including those who qualify for alternate assessments. If suitable assessment is occurring, teachers can use these data to help improve student performance to meet both individualized education program (IEP) goals and state standards. In this study, which was conducted with teachers in an urban system within a high-stakes accountability state, students' alternate assessment scores improved when teachers received training on instructional practices. In addition, students who did well on alternate assessments also showed growth in direct observation of performance of their IEP objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on promoting student self-determination skills in Individualized Education Programs (IEP) planning, under the Self-Determination Synthesis Project (SDSP) for students with disabilities. The purpose of the project is to improve, expand and accelerate the use of this knowledge by the professionals who serve children and youth with disabilities, their parents and students with disabilities. According to authors, one of the major findings of the SDSP has been in treating self-determination, in relation to the IEP, with regard to increasing student involvement/leadership and transition planning processes. However, in developing self-determination goals and objectives, one needs to identify skills comprising self-determination, decisions have to be taken on skills to be taught to individual students and information regarding instructional material needs to be obtained. Self-determination includes teachable, measurable skills such as choice making, decision making and problem-solving and students should be involved or taking a leadership role in developing their own IEP and transition goals. INSET: What Does the Literature Say About Self-Determination?.

This article reviews promises, practices, and provisos of alternate assessment as a basis for illustrating what we know and what we need to know about measuring progress of students with disabilities in statewide assessment programs. In 19 data-based studies, professionals have begun to document the impact that alternate assessment is having on school reform and policy in general and to expectations, access to the general curriculum, and instruction for students with disabilities, especially those with significant cognitive impairments. At this juncture, there are insufficient data to report with confidence that alternate assessment will live up to its promises. Based on the data at hand, we offer recommendations for future research and a clearer focus on what we need to know to improve the outcomes of alternate assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summarizes the scientifically based research in education and students with low incidence disabilities. Definition of scientifically based research included in No Child Left Behind; Principles for scientific research in education; Response to principles proposed by the Committee on Scientific Principles in Education.

Provides information on a study that conducted a comprehensive review of literature and used quantitative methods of meta-analysis to investigate what self-determination interventions have been studied, what groups of individuals with disabilities have been taught self-determination. Methodology of the study; Results and discussion on the study; Conclusions.

Describes the transition of one program towards providing support for inclusive leisure for adults with mental retardation. Association of leisure satisfaction with life satisfaction; Barriers to obtaining inclusive leisure opportunities; Support for inclusion in the varied leisure opportunities.

Deals with a learning and teaching strategy called observational learning. Ability to acquire new responses as a result of observing the behavior of a model; Hierarchy of three distinct levels; Determination of status of a student's observational learning skills; Recognition of essential instructional components in planning.

The article announces that Margo Mastropieri and Tom Scruggs have been named editors of the journal "Exceptional Children."