This study examined parental involvement as a mediator of the academic performance of middle school students with special needs. The study built on the different types of parental involvement theorized by Epstein and colleagues (2002) and studied empirically by Fan and Chen (2001). Using a specially developed questionnaire, a sample of 82 parents…

Historically, music educators have expressed concerns about inadequate preparation to work with students with special needs, specifically desiring skills related to instruction adaptation. Research has indicated that educational supports (written words, color coding, icons, echoing, buddy system, and other visual aids) can be particularly…

Principals are held accountable for achievement results of students on state-mandated assessments. Special needs students who struggle with literacy can impact the pass rates on these assessments. This study identifies how reading is taught to special needs students in both self-contained and inclusion settings at the secondary level in one school…

This qualitative study focused on student knowledge and perceptions of the resource room in a private school. Students on an IEP [Individualized Education Plan] or eligible for an IEP and that had attended the resource room were interviewed on the five constructs: knowledge, perceptions, benefits, limitations, and suggestions for improvement.…

The Fairview Reading Curriculum Based Assessment (CBA), which was used in a cross categorical elementary school resource program at Fairview Elementary School in Darien, Illinois, is described. The test measures oral reading accuracy, rate and comprehension on passages taken directly from the two basal reading series used in the school. As the…

This study examined whether self-evaluation and self-reflection coupled with self-monitoring of on-task behavior would increase the occurrence of on-task behavior in 12 fourth and fifth grade students with mild disabilities (learning disabilities, emotional disorders, and mild mental handicaps). Two teachers in different schools implemented a…

The primary purposes of this study were to establish the validity of the Gibson and Dembo (1984) teacher efficacy scale (modified for use by resource-room teachers) and to examine the association between resource-room teacher efficacy and the reported frequency and utility of the instructional supervision these teachers received. The 580 Maine…

A third volume of materials for special education resource specialists is presented concerning the resource specialist room, scheduling and grading, diagnosis and assessment, individualized education program (IEP) development, material selection, and screening. The first section includes diagrams of room arrangements, while the second section…

Students with learning disabilities often have difficulty in secondary content areas. In order to succeed in content areas, teachers need to develop strategies or content enhancements that provide a supportive environment. This thesis discusses the outcomes of a study that used an urban high school resource room geography class to determine the…

This manual was developed as part of a project that investigated the effectiveness of class-wide, peer-mediated reading instruction with middle grade students having mild disabilities and reading difficulties. It explains the procedures for introducing, implementing, and monitoring the project's version of sustained oral reading practice, in which…

New York University studied the impact of increases in instructional group size in resource rooms and speech service in the New York City Public Schools by examining increases in 45 public elementary, middle, and senior high schools. Questionnaires were distributed to parents, and teachers and administrators were interviewed. Observations of…

This study surveyed educators in 30 school districts in Eastern Kentucky to examine the extent to which a grassroots movement toward inclusive schooling is developing, as well as teacher attitudes toward the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) of 1990. Of the 3,393 questionnaires distributed, 651 were returned from 65 (of 178) schools. Generally…

This report studied intermediate grade students identified as learning disabled in a resource room setting to examine the effects of adapting repeated reading and sustained reading while manipulating level of text difficulty in a peer-mediated format. Twelve resource room teachers identified 67 students with learning disabilities and reading…

This paper discusses the findings of a study that examined the perceptions of 270 elementary school principals about a new Alabama certification model which abolishes categorical certification areas in special education and creates a generic "Collaborative Teacher" certification. Results indicate the most frequent special education…

The study investigated the effectiveness of and attitudes toward two delivery systems (an enrichment pull-out program and a self-contained classroom) for gifted/talented instruction in Southwest Allen County, Indiana. The effects on fifth-grade students (N=38) enrolled in the program and sixth-grade students (N=45) who had experienced the program…