Assistive technology (AT) is any item, piece of equipment or product system whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized that is used to increase, maintain or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities" (21st Century Assistive Technology Act of 2019, p.9-10). Students with multiple disabilities in…

Navigation of the state and federal child welfare and special education systems in the U.S. presents significant challenges for caregivers, particularly those of children with disabilities. This dissertation explores the experiences of caregivers who were involved in these two systems, discussing the challenges they faced and analyzing the…

The quality of inclusion for young children with disabilities in early childhood learning environments has long been attributed to the effectiveness of the teachers within such settings. As the service delivery system has shifted toward more inclusive models, endeavors to improve preparation for inclusion have been marked by efforts to combine the…

The study's focus is on special education delivery of service guidelines in practice and aims to research the factors that intervention specialists navigate when managing caseloads. Potential contributors to the study include intervention specialists, general education teachers, building administrators, and central office administration. The…

The inclusive service delivery model is a philosophy of education that involves changing how educators address disability and provide educational services. Arkansas has recently developed a plan to implement inclusion whenever possible to better comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act guidelines for students with disabilities.…

Millions of children with disabilities have benefited from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (United States Department of Education [USDOE], 2010). However, the law has also been a source of frequent litigation and conflict between schools and parents (Mueller, 2015; Pudelski, 2016). This study was initiated to examine the…

This study used qualitative multiple case study analysis to explore community inclusion implementation among developmental disability service providers in Massachusetts. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (and its affirmation of community inclusion in Olmstead vs. L.C., 1999) set the stage for rights-based understanding of community…

Inclusive education is generally conceptualized as "access" to learning opportunities, "participation" with typically-developing peers and adults, and systems-level "supports" (Division for Early Childhood [DEC] & National Association for the Education of Young Children [NAEYC], 2009). This definition has become…

Under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, states created statewide systems of support, in collaboration with existing agencies, to deliver targeted assistance to districts and schools identified as in need of support. With limited personnel and resources, state education agencies partnered with outside agents to address the needs of a growing…

The purpose of this case study was to examine the schools in Indiana with students identified with disabilities who are performing successfully on the state achievement assessment, ISTEP+. The intent was not to focus on how to help this population of students pass the state assessment, rather it was to see what was happening to make this type of…

Leisure participation is influential on the quality of life of individuals. Individuals with disabilities can face barriers in leisure participation, impacting their quality of life. IDEA (2004) recognizes recreation as a related service as one way to enhance the leisure experiences for students with disabilities. The purpose of this embedded case…

This study examined the academic impact in reading and mathematics when Collaborative, Co-Teaching Team Model of high incidence special education student service delivery implemented in a suburban school district. This study hypothesized that the implementation of an inclusive collaborative co-teaching model of service delivery could possibly…

Adults with a diagnosis of High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (HF ASD) are becoming a significant presence on college campuses across the United States. A number of colleges have created programs to provide services to support accommodations for these students under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); the first was created in 2002.…

Students with disabilities have diverse needs that can be difficult for schools to meet. One promising approach that addresses this issue is Linked Learning, a high school reform initiative aimed at simultaneously preparing all students for college and career (ConnectEd, n.d.). Although research has shown that participation in Linked Learning is…

This study explored the retention rate of college students with disabilities and the factors that encourage this population of students to successfully persist to graduation. The study explored the current lack of information in regard to the comparison of the retention rates of college students with disabilities to that of the general college…