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Title: SPECIAL EDUCATION COMPETENCIES OF BUILDING LEVEL ADMINISTRATORS IN A SCHOOL-BASED MANAGED PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
Creator: EHREN, BARBARA J., Florida Atlantic University, Smith, Lawrence E.
Abstract/Description: This study was undertaken because of the increased role of the building level administrator in the administration of special education programs at the school level. The essential purposes of the study were to assess the special education competencies of regular elementary, middle, and high school principals or designees, in a school-based managed public school system in Florida, and to locate sources of knowledge/training contributing to the attainment of competencies. As a basis for the...
Show moreThis study was undertaken because of the increased role of the building level administrator in the administration of special education programs at the school level. The essential purposes of the study were to assess the special education competencies of regular elementary, middle, and high school principals or designees, in a school-based managed public school system in Florida, and to locate sources of knowledge/training contributing to the attainment of competencies. As a basis for the study, eight competencies previously delineated by Nevin in Vermont in 1977 were utilized. A portion of the present study sought to validate the eight competencies as essential for implementation of special education programs in Florida. A predominantly closed form type questionnaire was used to obtain the following data for each of the eight competencies: (1) determination of essential vs. non-essential, (2) level of possession of the competency (level 0 = no competency, level 1 = level of awareness, level 2 = level of understanding, level 3 = level of mastery or application), and (3) sources of knowledge/training in the past contributing to competencies possessed and desirable sources of knowledge/training for further training on competencies not yet mastered. Sources included university coursework, in-service by the district, special conferences, on the job experience, and reading professional literature. Major findings were that most respondents: (1) considered all eight competencies to be essential, (2) have not mastered all eight competencies but possessed each to a degree of understanding, and (3) obtained knowledge/training most often from on the job experience and wished to receive further training by in-service provided by the district. Competencies not mastered tended to be those requiring specific knowledge in special education involving due process, student records, federal and state mandates, programming policies, and staff functions/qualifications. Several implications relative to competency status, pre-service and in-service training, and future research with building level administrators are discussed.
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Date Issued: 1981
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11778
Subject Headings: Special education--Florida--Administration
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A Comparison of Perceptions of Specific Learning Disabilities Teachers with Exceptional Student Education Lead Teachers Toward Goal Achievement.
Creator: Brater, Patricia Barrack, Urich, Ted R., Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to assist in the program evaluation process by comparing perceptions of Specific Learning Disabilities teachers with Exceptional Education lead teachers toward indicators of goal achievement. The procedures employed in the study involved a review of the literature, and the design, field testing, and utilization of the Goal Achievement Instrument. Data was obtained from the 111 teacher questionnaires and the 111 questionnaires completed by lead teachers who rated...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to assist in the program evaluation process by comparing perceptions of Specific Learning Disabilities teachers with Exceptional Education lead teachers toward indicators of goal achievement. The procedures employed in the study involved a review of the literature, and the design, field testing, and utilization of the Goal Achievement Instrument. Data was obtained from the 111 teacher questionnaires and the 111 questionnaires completed by lead teachers who rated individual teacher performance of goal indicators. Analysis of variance was utilized to determine whether there were differences in ratings between the groups. A follow-up study was completed to determine goal achievement indicators which might have been overlooked in the goal achievement indicator development process. 1. There were significant differences in responses between resource Specific Learning Disabilities teachers and lead teachers, indicating that data from neither group should be used in isolation to determine levels of goal achievement. 2. There were no significant differences between self-contained, elementary, and secondary Specific Learning Disabilities teachers when each group's ratings were compared to lead teacher ratings. This indicated that either teachers or lead teachers could be used to determine levels of goal achievement for these groups of teachers. 3. Teachers in all groups were achieving goals at a satisfactory level, as perceived by teachers and by lead teachers. 4. Several additional items were developed and recommended for inclusion to the Goal Achievement Instrument before use in the formal program evaluation process. In-service programs for teachers, guidance committee activities, strong financial support to the classes, and the positive attitude of teachers may have been important factors in leading to the high performance levels achieved by Specific Learning Disabilities teachers in Brevard County, Florida.
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Date Issued: 1983
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000652
Subject Headings: Special education teachers, Learning disabilities, Exceptional children
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Perception of facial affect: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study of adolescents and adults with and without nonverbal learning disabilities.
Creator: Vallabha, Taube Lubart, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences
Abstract/Description: Individuals with nonverbal learning disabilities (NLD) have an impaired ability to interpret facial expressions of emotion (FEE), the consequences of which can include progressively debilitating socioemotional disturbances. Thus, it is important to determine how the neuroanatomical structures underlying the perception of FEE in people with NLD differ from the normal population. To this end, functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to compare brain activation patterns in male and female...
Show moreIndividuals with nonverbal learning disabilities (NLD) have an impaired ability to interpret facial expressions of emotion (FEE), the consequences of which can include progressively debilitating socioemotional disturbances. Thus, it is important to determine how the neuroanatomical structures underlying the perception of FEE in people with NLD differ from the normal population. To this end, functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to compare brain activation patterns in male and female adolescent subjects and male adult subjects with and without NLD. The subjects were presented with FEE at low and high intensities while they performed a gender decision task. Subjects with NLD displayed less activation in limbic areas responsible for processing emotion in the normal population. The NLD subjects exhibited more activity than controls in the orbital gyrus, inferior, middle and superior frontal gyri, fusiform and superior temporal gyri, insula, striatum and inferior and superior parietal lobules. Several of these structures participate in language function: as individuals with NLD have superior verbal abilities, it is probable that this population relies on their linguistic strengths to compensate for their nonverbal weaknesses whilst processing FEE. Additionally, because of an impaired capacity for attention to and discrimination of visual details, the NLD subjects showed more active responses for low intensity FEE in comparison to controls. This may have led to a failure of regions such as the middle and superior frontal and superior temporal gyri to habituate or sensitize appropriately to emotionally salient visual stimuli. In comparison with the normal population, people with NLD utilize different neural structures when processing FEE, in accordance with the strengths and deficits associated with the NLD syndrome.
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Date Issued: 2003
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FADT12051
Subject Headings: Biology, Neuroscience, Education, Special, Psychology, Cognitive
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The international, national, state, and local influences on the establishment of exceptional student education in Dade County Public Schools.
Creator: West, Shirley Merlin., Florida Atlantic University, Weppner, Daniel B.
Abstract/Description: In Dade County Public Schools a program for exceptional students actually began in 1940 with four classes for the physically handicapped. Through legislation, policy issues, research, organizations, and parent groups, many people worked toward that goal long before 1940. Assistance for the handicapped in Europe can be traced back to the late 1700s; such support lent impetus for our culture to also assist the deviant. The first efforts toward providing an education for the handicapped were...
Show moreIn Dade County Public Schools a program for exceptional students actually began in 1940 with four classes for the physically handicapped. Through legislation, policy issues, research, organizations, and parent groups, many people worked toward that goal long before 1940. Assistance for the handicapped in Europe can be traced back to the late 1700s; such support lent impetus for our culture to also assist the deviant. The first efforts toward providing an education for the handicapped were directed toward students with visible conditions, primarily the physically impaired, the deaf, and the blind. Then the movement to help the mentally retarded was initiated. Special education progressed through: segregation in institutions; limited integration with special classes housed in regular school facilities; and integration, or mainstreaming, in classes with regular students. Legislation at the federal and state levels assisted the ESE movement, as had policy changes at the local level. The mandate of P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, signed into law in 1975, brought about dramatic changes in ESE. The purpose of this historial analysis was to depict the influences that resulted in the establishment of special education in Dade County Public Schools and the improvement of ESE programs in what is now the fourth largest school district in the United States.
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Date Issued: 1988
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11919
Subject Headings: Special education--Florida--Miami-Dade County
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Effects of giftedness and achievement on the training and transfer of a strategy for solving analogies.
Creator: Muir-Broaddus, Jacqueline E., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
Abstract/Description: This research explored group differences according to giftedness and achievement in the acquisition and generalization of a strategy for solving analogies. A distinction was made between proximal and distal transfer, with the latter expected to differentiate between gifted and nongifted cognition. Underachievement in gifted children was expected to reflect either strategy deficits, or the absence of performance differences in a theoretically important cognitive skill (generalization) between...
Show moreThis research explored group differences according to giftedness and achievement in the acquisition and generalization of a strategy for solving analogies. A distinction was made between proximal and distal transfer, with the latter expected to differentiate between gifted and nongifted cognition. Underachievement in gifted children was expected to reflect either strategy deficits, or the absence of performance differences in a theoretically important cognitive skill (generalization) between the so-called "underachieving" gifted and other bright but nongifted children. 162 seventh and eighth graders were selected according to intelligence and achievement scores, academic program, and teacher opinion, and assigned to one of four groups: high achieving gifted, underachieving gifted, high achieving nongifted, and average achieving nongifted. Each child was seen individually for two sessions, and solved a total of five sets of ten multiple-choice analogies. The first session included two baseline trials (one verbal and one figural set), followed by training in the use of a strategy. The second session included a proximal transfer trial (same analogy type as used at training), and a distal transfer trial (analogies from the never-trained domain). All analogies were solved orally, and strategy use was determined from audio-recordings. The results showed that the high achieving gifted children were more spontaneously, frequently, and successfully strategic than the other three groups, as well as most accurate following the decision not to use a strategy. They were also the only group to show performance increases at distal transfer. In terms of gifted underachievement, there was evidence to support both hypotheses. The underachieving gifted children showed qualitative deficits in strategic functioning as compared to their high achieving gifted counterparts, and also tended to "look" like the high achieving nongifted group in their patterns of performance. These results were discussed in terms of the likelihood of subgroups of underachieving gifted children, and their implications for education and the identification of giftedness.
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Date Issued: 1990
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12258
Subject Headings: Education, Educational Psychology, Education, Special, Psychology, Developmental, Psychology, Experimental
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A Curriculum-Based Alternative Value-Added Model for Special Education Teacher Preparation Programs.
Creator: McCormick, Jazarae K., Brady, Michael P., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Exceptional Student Education
Abstract/Description: The reality of changing state and federal policy, as well as the process of program improvement across teacher preparation programs has prompted a line of research into the exploration of an alternative curriculum-based value-added model (VAM). Based upon a thorough review of VAMs as they have been applied to education policy and decision-making, this line of inquiry focused on a curriculum-based approach to increasing our understanding of how the instructional efforts of our candidates...
Show moreThe reality of changing state and federal policy, as well as the process of program improvement across teacher preparation programs has prompted a line of research into the exploration of an alternative curriculum-based value-added model (VAM). Based upon a thorough review of VAMs as they have been applied to education policy and decision-making, this line of inquiry focused on a curriculum-based approach to increasing our understanding of how the instructional efforts of our candidates affect the learning gains of the K-12 students they teach. Designed to conform to the fundamental principles of evidence-based practice, candidate and program level data for 109 student teachers between 2013 and 2017 were analyzed. Results indicate that variation in K-12 students’ learning gains can likely be attributed to the instructional efforts of our special education teacher preparation program (TPP) completers. Limitations, implications, and directions for future inquiry across policy, practice, and scholarship are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2017
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004989, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004979
Subject Headings: Dissertations, Academic -- Florida Atlantic University, Special education teachers--Training of., Teaching & Instruction., Special education.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A SUPERVISORY COMPLIANCE PLAN IN EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT EDUCATION FOR FLORIDA LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCIES.
Creator: ALLEN, VALERIE., Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: The study involved the development of a model compliance plan for the in-service training of Exceptional Student Education Specialists for Florida Local Education Agencies. Compliance was based upon Public Law 94-142 as well as other Federal and State Laws pertaining to the referral, valuation and placement of exceptional education students. Literature reviewed for the study included current legislation with related legal and judicial mandates, the status and function of in-service education...
Show moreThe study involved the development of a model compliance plan for the in-service training of Exceptional Student Education Specialists for Florida Local Education Agencies. Compliance was based upon Public Law 94-142 as well as other Federal and State Laws pertaining to the referral, valuation and placement of exceptional education students. Literature reviewed for the study included current legislation with related legal and judicial mandates, the status and function of in-service education programs and the impact of change on staff development. Presentation was divided into four phases. The first phase was the three groups of individuals responsible for procedural compliance: school-based personnel, parents and other professionals. The second phase was the eferral of individual students. The third phase was the monitoring of reviews and reevaluations of students. The fourth phase was the status of chool-wide referrals. A chart was used to illustrate each of the phases in the plan. Each hart was immediately followed by a narrative description of the components in each phase. The plan was used for staff development during the inservice training of Exceptional Student Education Specialists for the 1981-82 school year, in the Broward School District. The plan was developed over a period of time beginning in 1976 and undergoing revisions based on legislation, court decisions, professional input and actual use in three different schools. The comments of participants and administrative personnel reflect a positive acceptance of the plan for use in staff development in maintaining compliance in the area of xceptional student education.
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Date Issued: 1982
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11805
Subject Headings: Special education teachers--In-service training--Florida, Special education--Florida
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: AN INVESTIGATION OF THE UTILIZATION AND TRAINING NEEDS OF PARAPROFESSIONALS IN LEARNING DISABILITY CLASSES IN BROWARD COUNTY SCHOOLS (FLORIDA).
Creator: VAN HOUTEN, LOIS AARDEMA., Florida Atlantic University, Wells, Jack G.
Abstract/Description: Learning disability teachers in Broward County, Florida, were surveyed for the purposes of identifying competencies, actual practices and training needs of paraprofessionals. The survey was conducted in two phases. Phase One yielded information from which two competency lists were derived. The first list consisted of twenty-five essential competencies that a paraprofessional must demonstrate for minimum performance in the learning disability classroom. The second list consisted of 136 ...
Show moreLearning disability teachers in Broward County, Florida, were surveyed for the purposes of identifying competencies, actual practices and training needs of paraprofessionals. The survey was conducted in two phases. Phase One yielded information from which two competency lists were derived. The first list consisted of twenty-five essential competencies that a paraprofessional must demonstrate for minimum performance in the learning disability classroom. The second list consisted of 136 "preferred competencies," i.e., skills which learning disability teachers have identified as useful in the classroom, but not necessarily essential to paraprofessional performance. Phase Two yielded information from which was formulated two additional lists; the first composed of actual current practices of paraprofessionals in learning disability classrooms, and the second composed of possible current training needs. As a result of this study, information was compiled identifying (1) essential competencies, (2) preferred competencies, (3) actual competencies and (4) current training needs of paraprofessionals serving learning disability classes in Broward County, Florida. This information can be used as a guide for evaluation, needs assessment, job interviews and training of paraprofessionals. The study provided a basis from which the scope and sequence of a pre-service and inservice paraprofessional program could be constructed. The data suggest a possible three-level educational program for paraprofessionals. Level One: training in the essential competencies; Level Two: training in the preferred competencies; and Level Three: training in specialized areas. Thus, a generic core of competencies can be taught initially to all paraprofessionals simultaneously, gradually advancing to higher level skills and finally, providing the specialized training needed in specific areas of education.
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Date Issued: 1983
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11834
Subject Headings: Special education, Special education teachers, Teachers' assistants--Florida--Broward County
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The Implications and Impact of Impartial Due Process Procedures on Planning, Programming and Staffing by Exceptional Student Education Divisions Within the Florida School System.
Creator: Kelly, Zara Ann, Rothberg, Robert A., Weppner, Daniel B., Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to describe the implications and impact of impartial due process procedures on planning, programming and staffing by exceptional student education divisions within the Florida school system. A questionnaire was developed by the author, and validated by three directors of exceptional student education. Items for the questionnaire were drawn from the literature related to the effects of P.L. 94-142 on departments of special education. The questionnaire was...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to describe the implications and impact of impartial due process procedures on planning, programming and staffing by exceptional student education divisions within the Florida school system. A questionnaire was developed by the author, and validated by three directors of exceptional student education. Items for the questionnaire were drawn from the literature related to the effects of P.L. 94-142 on departments of special education. The questionnaire was distributed to the sixty-seven directors of exceptional student education in Florida. There were fifty respondents, or a 75 percent return . Tables were developed to indicate the percentage of responders within each category on the questionnaire. Tables of rank order were developed to detail types of problems encountered by responders, solutions utilized by responders, and particulars of policy changes and staff development plans. In summary, this study provided data which indicated the areas of impact and concern to directors of exceptional student education in Florida. General and specific recommendations for remediation strategies are outlined.
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Date Issued: 1982
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000672
Subject Headings: Special education--Florida, Special education--Law and legislation--Florida
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A comparison of parents' perceptions and speech/language pathologists' perceptions of selected social competency needs of speech/language impaired preschool children in Broward County, Florida.
Creator: Thornton, Robin Elizabeth, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description: The problem investigated in this study was to determine the significance of agreement between the perceptions of parents and speech/language pathologists toward selected social competency needs of speech/language impaired children in the personal, family, and school contexts. Preschool children exhibiting speech/language impairments are more likely to demonstrate a lack of social competency development than children with normal speech and language development. As children with speech/language...
Show moreThe problem investigated in this study was to determine the significance of agreement between the perceptions of parents and speech/language pathologists toward selected social competency needs of speech/language impaired children in the personal, family, and school contexts. Preschool children exhibiting speech/language impairments are more likely to demonstrate a lack of social competency development than children with normal speech and language development. As children with speech/language impairments receive intervention in the absence of parental support, the intervention results may be minimized. If perceptions of parents and speech/language pathologists differ significantly, parents may not reinforce carryover activities in the home, thereby reducing therapy gains. The evaluation instrument utilized in this study was a 31-item survey developed by Tunstall (1993) at the College of Education, University of South Carolina. The survey was created using a 4-point Likert-type scale. Reliability was obtained by Tunstall in 1993 and revealed good internal reliabilities. In 1996, this study included the entire sample of 100 respondents to obtain a high reliability coefficient alpha of .9189. The sample included 70 parents of preschool speech/language impaired students and 30 speech/language pathologists of the Broward County Public School System in Florida, during the fall of 1996. Surveys were distributed to parents of children exhibiting a speech/language impairment, who attended a preschool speech/language, developmental, and hearing screening provided by the Broward County Public Schools. During an annual Speech/Language Policies and Procedures meeting in August of 1996, surveys were distributed to 30 speech/language pathologists providing treatment for preschool children. Three hypotheses were developed to determine if there was a significant difference in the perceptions of the two groups surveyed. Analyses of variance were utilized to test the statistical significance of the group (parents and speech/language pathologists) differences for each factor (personal, family, and school). Descriptive statistics were included to describe the demographic characteristics of the respondents from the survey instrument. A Boneferonni type adjustment was made to the nominal alpha of .05, such that all the hypotheses were tested at the .017 level. Based on the findings of this study, there was a significant difference between the perceptions of the parents and speech/language pathologists toward selected social competency needs of preschool children with speech/language impairments within the family context, F(1,98) = 7.44, p =.0078. The results revealed the two groups were not in agreement as to the importance of family factors and the contributions of those factors to a preschool child's social competency. The mean score of the parents' responses was significantly higher than that of the speech/language pathologists.
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Date Issued: 1997
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12544
Subject Headings: Health Sciences, Speech Pathology, Education, Early Childhood, Education, Special
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A resource guide for parents and classroom teachers educating special education students to increase appropriate communication with all individual education program (IEP) team members.
Creator: Nast, Amy Thomasson., Florida Atlantic University, Burks, Valerie C., O'Rourke, Kathleen
Abstract/Description: Historically, individuals with special needs have been isolated from society and educational opportunities. Though the professional care for these individuals improved in two hundred years, only since the passage of Public Law 94-142, in the past twenty-seven years, have the needs and accomplishments of special needs individuals been made public. Based on ten years in the classroom, one special educator experienced the need for parents and classroom teachers to have a resources reference for...
Show moreHistorically, individuals with special needs have been isolated from society and educational opportunities. Though the professional care for these individuals improved in two hundred years, only since the passage of Public Law 94-142, in the past twenty-seven years, have the needs and accomplishments of special needs individuals been made public. Based on ten years in the classroom, one special educator experienced the need for parents and classroom teachers to have a resources reference for educating special needs individuals and to improve the communication among parents, classroom teachers and special educators. Each group should have an understanding of some history of persons with disabilities, the legislative timeline implemented to aid these individuals, the process in which special education services are provided within a public school setting, and alternatives to resolving disputes. A survey to establish baseline data concerning communication and knowledge was designed and gathered within one Colorado school district.
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Date Issued: 2001
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12821
Subject Headings: Children with disabilities--Education, Parent-teacher relationships, Special education--Parent participation, Special education--Law and legislation
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: EFFECTS OF COVERT AUDIO COACHING ON COMMUNITY-BASED EMPLOYMENT COMMUNICATION FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY.
Creator: Downey, Angelica, Dukes, Charles, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Exceptional Student Education, College of Education
Abstract/Description: College students with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) are afforded many educational opportunities through Inclusive Post-Secondary Education (IPSE) programs, including employment training. Competitive employment can contribute a rich independent life, thus more employment training opportunities can be beneficial. Low employment rates for adults with ID have motivated these efforts to develop proper employment training. In the past, on-the-job (OTJ) training with a job coach was one of the only...
Show moreCollege students with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) are afforded many educational opportunities through Inclusive Post-Secondary Education (IPSE) programs, including employment training. Competitive employment can contribute a rich independent life, thus more employment training opportunities can be beneficial. Low employment rates for adults with ID have motivated these efforts to develop proper employment training. In the past, on-the-job (OTJ) training with a job coach was one of the only supports for adults with ID in the workplace. Now, there are a variety of evidence-based strategies that can be used in the workplace or in other community settings, such as Covert Audio Coaching (CAC), to teach adults with ID the skills they need to maintain a job. This study used a multiple probe design to examine the effects of CAC on teaching workplace communication skills to college students with ID in a real-world setting. In this study, students interned in an office setting and spoke to a co-worker at their work setting while the interventionist used a two-way radio system to provide coaching statements to the student during their conversations. All students in this study increased their on-topic communication exchanges, and these results demonstrate that CAC is an effective intervention for this population.
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Date Issued: 2023
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014132
Subject Headings: Intellectual Disability, College students with disabilities, Special education
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: An analysis of environmental variables affecting the observed biobehavioral states of individuals with profound handicaps.
Creator: Richards, Stephen Boyd, Florida Atlantic University, Taylor, Ronald L., Sternberg, Les
Abstract/Description: Historically, there have been questions concerning the areas and methods of assessment that are appropriate with individuals with profound handicaps. Recently, research efforts toward the assessment of biobehavioral states of these individuals have been advocated. The purpose of this study was to examine how biobehavioral states and orienting responses might be influenced by environmental variables. More specifically, this study involved investigation into whether increasing degrees of...
Show moreHistorically, there have been questions concerning the areas and methods of assessment that are appropriate with individuals with profound handicaps. Recently, research efforts toward the assessment of biobehavioral states of these individuals have been advocated. The purpose of this study was to examine how biobehavioral states and orienting responses might be influenced by environmental variables. More specifically, this study involved investigation into whether increasing degrees of stimulation provided through individuals, activities, and objects in the environment appeared to influence the biobehavioral states of the subjects. Additionally, the influence of time of day, day of week, the position of the subject, and the subject's prior state were explored. Five subjects were selected from a classroom for students with profound mental handicaps in southeast Florida. Subjects were observed using a partial-interval recording procedure and a previously developed and piloted instrument. Each subject was observed for 20 observation periods with each period consisting of 15, 20 second intervals. These observation periods were evenly distributed across mornings and afternoons and across the days of the week. Subjects were randomly selected for the order of observations. One additional rater was used in addition to the investigator for reliability purposes. The overall reliability coefficients for all observed variables exceeded.90. All environmental variables and the prior state variable were crosstabulated with the state variable and the significance of each bivariate relationship was tested using the chi-square statistic. All environmental variables, with the exception of the continuous auditory stimulation variable, shared a statistically significant relationship with the state variable (p < .0277). Prior state also shared a statistically significant relationship. Additionally, those environmental variables with the strongest relationships with the state variable along with the prior state variable were used as predictors for a multiple regression procedure. State was used as the criterion variable and significant variance was predicted by the environmental and prior state variables. This study resulted in an increase in the data base concerning state assessment in students with profound handicaps, investigated environmental variables that may have affected state occurrences, and raised issues concerning previous and future research. In addition, implications concerning how instructional grouping, provision of stimulating activities, intensity of staff-student interactions, positioning of students, and time of day and day of week might have affected subjects' biobehavioral states were discussed.
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Date Issued: 1990
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12263
Subject Headings: Children with disabilities--Education, Children with mental disabilities--Education, Special education, Behavioral assessment
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A MODEL MICROCOMPUTER-BASED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR LEARNING DISABLED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS.
Creator: STAGGS, MARY WEEKS, Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to develop a model management program which would substantially increase the efficiency of the special education teacher and administrator by using the microcomputer. An investigation utilizing a survey of South Florida schools to determine which schools had access to microcomputers, followed by a questionnaire to forty-two selected schools revealed that only fifteen of the schools surveyed were using the microcomputer in special education classes. Telephone...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to develop a model management program which would substantially increase the efficiency of the special education teacher and administrator by using the microcomputer. An investigation utilizing a survey of South Florida schools to determine which schools had access to microcomputers, followed by a questionnaire to forty-two selected schools revealed that only fifteen of the schools surveyed were using the microcomputer in special education classes. Telephone calls to these fifteen schools revealed that only six were using the microcomputer to assist with management procedures for special education classes. A personal visit to each of the six schools which were using the microcomputer determined that the only duty the microcomputer was performing was attendance record-keeping. The information gathered from the survey, questionnaire, telephone calls, and personal visits indicated a need for the development of a program to be utilized with a microcomputer at the school level which would assist in the management of special education. The study then focused on the development of a model program in one elementary school which would assist with special education management. This was accomplished by designing a computer program that accomplished a variety of record-keeping tasks on the microcomputer such as attendance records, mailing labels, classroom rosters and other demographic data for individual classes. Programs were also utilized that assisted with the scoring of student mastery tests that were a part of a county-wide unified curriculum. The RECIPE program, which assists with the task of creating and implementing the individual education program, was incorporated into the model. Several recommendations were made at the conclusion of this study. The microcomputer should be more accessible to school administrators and teachers. In-service training in the use of the microcomputer should be provided to all interested personnel and students. A computer department should be a part of the school system to provide programmers, in-service trainers, and to program, evaluate, and disseminate software. Colleges and universities should begin classes in computer literacy and programming for all future teachers. Educators must take over the job of writing and programming appropriate software for use in our schools. Education in the microcomputer age should not be in the hands of technicians.
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Date Issued: 1984
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11850
Subject Headings: Special education, Children with disabilities--Education, Elementary school administration, Electronic data processing--Education (Elementary)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Effects of a Professional Development Training Package on Nature-Based Teaching Strategies for Early Childhood Educators of Children with Developmental Disabilities.
Creator: Collazo, Sylvia, Ramasamy, Rangasamy, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Exceptional Student Education, College of Education
Abstract/Description: Research suggests spending time outdoors and with natural materials can benefit all young children across different areas of development. However, children with developmental disabilities often have fewer opportunities to engage with nature as a result of the limited understanding and negative views about nature expressed by their caregivers and educators. This study examined the effects of a professional development training package on the knowledge, perception, and application of nature...
Show moreResearch suggests spending time outdoors and with natural materials can benefit all young children across different areas of development. However, children with developmental disabilities often have fewer opportunities to engage with nature as a result of the limited understanding and negative views about nature expressed by their caregivers and educators. This study examined the effects of a professional development training package on the knowledge, perception, and application of nature-based teaching strategies of early childhood educators who teach young children with developmental disabilities. It also explored how teachers’ implementation of nature-based activities support children’s developmental outcomes. Results showed the professional development training was effective to some degree in increasing teachers’ knowledge, primarily in their sharing of strategies and ideas for incorporating natural materials and outdoor spaces in learning activities. Following the training, teachers demonstrated a significant shift in their views about different aspects of nature. Teachers were also able to develop action plans to implement nature-based learning opportunities into their practice. Moreover, they reported these activities supported the developmental outcomes they set forth for the children with developmental disabilities in their class. Limitations and challenges that arose are discussed as well as the implications for future research.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013847
Subject Headings: Developmentally disabled children--Education, Early childhood educators--Training of, Special education
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The effects of disability labels on special education and general education teachers' referrals for gifted programs.
Creator: Bianco-Cornish, Margarita, Florida Atlantic University, Smiley, Lydia R.
Abstract/Description: This study investigated the effect of the disability labels learning disabilities (LD) and emotional handicaps (EH) on general education and special education teachers' willingness to refer students to gifted programs. Referral differences between general education and special education teachers were also examined. Two hundred forty-seven teachers (195 general education teachers and 52 special education teachers) from one south Florida school district participated in this study. Participants...
Show moreThis study investigated the effect of the disability labels learning disabilities (LD) and emotional handicaps (EH) on general education and special education teachers' willingness to refer students to gifted programs. Referral differences between general education and special education teachers were also examined. Two hundred forty-seven teachers (195 general education teachers and 52 special education teachers) from one south Florida school district participated in this study. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions (no label, LD, EH) and asked to read a vignette describing a gifted student. All vignettes were identical except for one statement added to the LD or EH group stating the student had a disability. After reading the vignette, teachers completed a survey instrument with six questions regarding possible referral options. One of the six questions asked if they would refer the student to their school's gifted program. Teachers indicated their responses by circling one of four choices: strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree. Responses to the gifted referral question on the survey instrument served as the dependent variable. A 2 x 3 factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate the main effects of labeled conditions (three levels), teacher certification type (two levels), and the interaction between labeled condition and teacher type. Results indicated that teachers were significantly influenced by the LD and EH label when making referrals to gifted programs. Both special education and general education teachers were much less willing to refer students with disability labels to gifted programs than identically described students with no disability label. Additionally, when compared to general education teachers, special education teachers were less likely to refer a gifted student, with or without disabilities, to a gifted program. Implications were discussed and recommendations for future research were made.
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Date Issued: 2003
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12076
Subject Headings: Special education, Children with disabilities--Education, Educational tests and measurements, Students with disabilities--Rating of
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Specific learning disability services: Benefit or risk?.
Creator: Braynen, Viva, Florida Atlantic University, Pisapia, John
Abstract/Description: The educational reforms of the last two decades have placed an increased demand on accountability and refocused efforts toward maximum achievement for all students, including those with disabilities. The goals of such reforms are that no child is left behind in achieving high standards. Under these reforms, exceptional education students who seek to earn a standard high school diploma are being held to the same standards as regular education students. This study provides information on the...
Show moreThe educational reforms of the last two decades have placed an increased demand on accountability and refocused efforts toward maximum achievement for all students, including those with disabilities. The goals of such reforms are that no child is left behind in achieving high standards. Under these reforms, exceptional education students who seek to earn a standard high school diploma are being held to the same standards as regular education students. This study provides information on the achievement of students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) in the standard diploma program in the Broward County School system. Students included in this study, were in the 10th grade during the 2003-2004 school year and were administered the 10th grade Sunshine State Standards (SSS) FLAT. They also were enrolled in the standard diploma program and had been diagnosed with a Specific Learning Disability. In addition, enrollment in the Broward County School system for a minimum of seven consecutive years was mandatory along with having FCAT SSS scores in both reading and math for three consecutive years. A sample of all of the students (N=278) that met the specified criteria was utilized. To investigate the relationship among the variables---achievement, ESE services, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and gender---correlations, descriptive statistics, and regressions were used. Some of the findings were that students have a higher pass rate on the math achievement test (57 percent passed) than they do on the reading achievement test (32 percent passed). However, Black, Hispanic, and White students did not benefit equally from ESE services. Further, a statistically significant moderate correlational relationship exists between FCAT reading and FCAT math scores. This research explained less than a quarter of the variation in the achievement levels analyzed; therefore, further longitudinal research is needed to continue to evaluate the effectiveness of special education programs.
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Date Issued: 2005
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12184
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Increasing Learn Units by special education teachers: Supervision via bug-in-ear technology.
Creator: Goodman, Janet I., Florida Atlantic University, Brady, Michael P.
Abstract/Description: Preparing teachers for diverse populations in the 21st century is a daunting task that must be addressed systematically. Because society requires strict accountability measures (Danielson, 1996; NCLB, 2002), educators must ensure that students achieve at high levels. Teacher education literature increasingly addresses the need for standards and accountability (Hardeman, McDonald, & Welch, 1998) and stresses the importance of well-researched, teacher preparation methods. While teacher...
Show morePreparing teachers for diverse populations in the 21st century is a daunting task that must be addressed systematically. Because society requires strict accountability measures (Danielson, 1996; NCLB, 2002), educators must ensure that students achieve at high levels. Teacher education literature increasingly addresses the need for standards and accountability (Hardeman, McDonald, & Welch, 1998) and stresses the importance of well-researched, teacher preparation methods. While teacher education institutions face the challenges of preparing a greater quantity and higher quality of teachers, a teacher shortage continues to exist (SREB, 2001). Several researchers have focused on efficient and effective means of preparing teachers who can reach these higher standards and remain in the teaching profession. Coaching is a positive means of providing support to teachers while improving teachers' instructional effectiveness (Fieman-Nemser, 2001). Sheeler, McAfee, and Ruhl (2004) determined that teachers' instruction improved when a coach provided specific, immediate, corrective feedback. Giebelhaus (1994), Lindell (2001), and Scheeler and Lee (2002) demonstrated that "bug-in-ear" (BIE) technology permitted coaches to provide immediate, corrective feedback without interrupting instruction. The present study was designed to examine the effects of using BIE technology on novice teachers' rate and accuracy of Learn Unit delivery and to determine if improved rates continued when prompts were removed. Learn Units are a definable measure of teaching, and the smallest unit through which the act of teaching can be presented (Greer, 2002). In this study, using BIE technology the coach delivered immediate, corrective feedback to three teachers regarding delivery of Learn Units. A multiple-baseline design across teachers was used. Data were collected during baseline, intervention, fading, and maintenance phases. The independent variable was the prompts delivered by the coach, and the dependent variables were the rate and accuracy of Learn Units. The results showed that novice teachers did increase both their rate and accuracy of Learn Unit delivery during the intervention and these increases remained when prompts were faded or removed. This study extended Scheeler and Lee's (2002) research on Learn Units and immediate feedback through BIE technology, and demonstrated the efficacy of this coaching method with various individuals, groups of students, and instructional formats.
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Date Issued: 2005
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FADT12131
Subject Headings: Special education teachers--Training of, Classroom management, Teacher effectiveness--United States, School supervision--United States
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: School choice and Florida’s McKay scholarship program for students with disabilities: an analysis of parental satisfaction.
Creator: Black, David B., Sapat, Alka K., Florida Atlantic University, College of Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this dissertation was to add to the literature on the school choice debate and educational voucher programs through an analysis of Florida’s John M. McKay Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities. This dissertation looked at the major aspects of school choice theory, parental satisfaction, and reasoning for choice. A theoretical framework for analyzing school choice programs was put forth in this dissertation through an analysis of the over-arching dynamical elements...
Show moreThe purpose of this dissertation was to add to the literature on the school choice debate and educational voucher programs through an analysis of Florida’s John M. McKay Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities. This dissertation looked at the major aspects of school choice theory, parental satisfaction, and reasoning for choice. A theoretical framework for analyzing school choice programs was put forth in this dissertation through an analysis of the over-arching dynamical elements that have shaped the administrative and political arguments for and against these programs. A comprehensive review of the literature on school choice comprised a substantial part of this study due to the need for citizens to better comprehend the origins and evolution of school choice planning and programming.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004428, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004428
Subject Headings: Educational equalization -- Florida, Educational vouchers -- Florida, John M. McKay Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities, Parents of students with disabilities, School choice -- Florida, Special education -- Parent participation -- Florida, Students with disabilities -- Education -- Florida
Format: Document (PDF)

Special education (6)	+ -
Children with disabilities--Education (4)	+ -
Education, Special (3)	+ -
Special education teachers (2)	+ -
Special education--Florida (2)	+ -

Behavioral assessment (1)	+ -
Biology, Neuroscience (1)	+ -
Children with mental disabilities--Education (1)	+ -
Classroom management (1)	+ -
College students with disabilities (1)	+ -
Developmentally disabled children--Education (1)	+ -
Dissertations, Academic -- Florida Atlantic University (1)	+ -
Early childhood educators--Training of (1)	+ -
Education, Early Childhood (1)	+ -
Education, Educational Psychology (1)	+ -
Educational equalization -- Florida (1)	+ -
Educational tests and measurements (1)	+ -
Educational vouchers -- Florida (1)	+ -
Electronic data processing--Education (Elementary) (1)	+ -
Elementary school administration (1)	+ -
Exceptional children (1)	+ -
Health Sciences, Speech Pathology (1)	+ -
Intellectual Disability (1)	+ -
John M. McKay Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities (1)	+ -
Learning disabilities (1)	+ -
Parent-teacher relationships (1)	+ -
Parents of students with disabilities (1)	+ -
Psychology, Cognitive (1)	+ -
Psychology, Developmental (1)	+ -
Psychology, Experimental (1)	+ -

Children with disabilities--Education--United States (1)	+ -
Educational accountability--United States (1)	+ -
Learning disabled children--Education--United States (1)	+ -
Special education--United States--Evaluation (1)	+ -

Florida Atlantic University (19)	+ -
College of Education (4)	+ -
Department of Exceptional Student Education (3)	+ -
Brady, Michael P. (2)	+ -
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science (2)	+ -

Weppner, Daniel B. (2)	+ -
ALLEN, VALERIE. (1)	+ -
Bianco-Cornish, Margarita (1)	+ -
Black, David B. (1)	+ -
Brater, Patricia Barrack (1)	+ -
Braynen, Viva (1)	+ -
Burks, Valerie C. (1)	+ -
Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences (1)	+ -
Collazo, Sylvia (1)	+ -
College of Design and Social Inquiry (1)	+ -
Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology (1)	+ -
Department of Psychology (1)	+ -
Downey, Angelica (1)	+ -
Dukes, Charles (1)	+ -
EHREN, BARBARA J. (1)	+ -
Goodman, Janet I. (1)	+ -
Kelly, Zara Ann (1)	+ -
McCormick, Jazarae K. (1)	+ -
Muir-Broaddus, Jacqueline E. (1)	+ -
Nast, Amy Thomasson. (1)	+ -
O'Rourke, Kathleen (1)	+ -
Pisapia, John (1)	+ -
Ramasamy, Rangasamy (1)	+ -
Richards, Stephen Boyd (1)	+ -
Rothberg, Robert A. (1)	+ -

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