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…

Academics and athletics have been studied in the past and will be studied more in the future. There has not been a study conducted on this topic related to students who have an IEP or 504 service agreement for learning disabilities. This study compared the in-season and out-of-season GPA of these groups of students as well as the supports they…

The price of not being English proficient in the United States is costly. A study using 2000 census data showed that people who were not English proficient experienced lower earnings than those who spoke only English (Community and Regional Development Estate, 2005). The cost of being a non-proficient English speaker has the potential to decrease…

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 mandated that states implement standards and test-based accountability systems. In theory, local educators are free to select the means for teaching the standards so long as students achieve a predetermined proficiency level on the exams. What is unclear, however, is how this theory plays out in schools…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of individualized interventions for young children with persistent challenging behavior. Three children between the ages of 4 and 5 years participated in the study. For each child, target activities and target behaviors were identified. Multicomponent interventions were developed that…

The problem addressed is that inclusive classrooms lack consistent, collaborative learning opportunities for students with an identified learning disability (LD). A qualitative narrative inquiry was completed to collect teachers' stories and experiences. This study was framed by Vygotsky's social development theory, Bandura's theory of…

The period of transition from high school is challenging for most adolescents. There are a substantial number of life-changing decisions that transpire during this time. Choices must be made regarding career paths, continued education, future residence, and avenues for social activities and general integration in the community. Person-centered…

Although active parent involvement is mandated as part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), parents continue to report dissatisfaction with IEP meetings. Despite increases in parent participation policy since the adoption of IDEA, the parent-professional partnership originally envisioned by lawmakers is arguably not…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires professionals on Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams to provide family members of children with disabilities every opportunity to participate in IEP meetings. Despite this requirement, findings from qualitative and survey research suggest that many parents have reported they…

This basic qualitative study sought to understand the supports and procedures special education teachers were using to write transition Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities ranging from 16-21 years of age. The focus of the study was to explore the supports and procedures used by the special educators for writing…

By participating within the educational setting in making decisions about their lives that reach beyond choice-making, students with disabilities who acquire the skills of self-determination may express interests and goals through their own authentic voice. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe the experiences and…

The field of deafblind (DB) education has a long and rich history which includes a lack of qualified personnel to meet the needs of the population of learners. In addition, the literature base is small, lacking evidence for effective practices or methods of assessing and tracking growth with these learners. The ability to adequately track student…

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of general education teachers and capture how they differentiate instruction for students with special needs. The study ascertained teachers' understanding and implementation of differentiated instruction for elementary level students in first through third grade. The study will add to the…

In a world where children are likely to experience early-life trauma, relationships matter, and trust is a key in forming healthy working relationships. Intentionally teaching adults and teachers how to evoke calmness in ourselves and breathe to handle negative situations, trusted educators can then teach children to do the same. It is important…

This study examines parental perceptions of their participation in the special education process at a high school in southern Illinois. Eleven parents were interviewed based on either self-reported low socioeconomic status or non-participation in a formal IEP meeting during the previous year. Regarding the quality and the quantity of their…