School vouchers are state-funded programs--often called scholarship programs--that allow students to use public monies to attend a private school. The state provides a set amount of money, typically based on the state's per-pupil amount, for private school tuition. There are currently 27 voucher programs in 16 states and the District of Columbia.…

The ability to support diverse populations is key in student affairs (SA) work. Professional development is one outlet for expanding multicultural competence in preparation of such work. This dissertation seeks to better understand SA professional development related to disability and disabled identity. The purpose is to assess how much…

Social interventions for children with disabilities are generally conducted in small groups and outside of the classroom; therefore, little is known about inclusive and classwide social interventions in early childhood educational settings. This study evaluated the effects of inclusive social skills training (ISST), a program delivered remotely to…

Students with disabilities are often disciplined differently than their peers in school. This qualitative study focused on eight secondary administrators in the Fort Smith Public School district and their perceptions of manifestation determinations and their understanding of the laws of special education. Participants were interviewed face-to-face…

Children tracked into special education services or support systems in public and private classrooms in the United States face many adversities with family, school, friends, and peers; this combination of tracking and adversity can lead to negative outcomes in adulthood. Resilience is often seen as a protective measure against adversity, but there…

A vast amount of research exists on the lack of teacher knowledge in areas relating to reading including dyslexia, but there is a limited amount of research dedicated to honing the belief systems teachers who have developed as the result of their experiences in and out of the classroom (Binks-Cantrell, Washburn, Joshi, & Hougen, 2012; Moats,…

This research evaluates childhood mental health disorders and their prevalence. Public-school systems are tasked with providing equitable education and services to students in special education who are in need under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Public school districts may look outside of the traditional academic setting, to a…

The lack of validated autism spectrum disorder (ASD) screening instruments hampers rehabilitation efforts for children with ASD in Africa. In the present study, the psychometric properties of two ASD screening instruments, that have been well-validated in the United States (US) context, were examined in the Ugandan context. These instruments were…

Children with a specific learning disability often struggle with written communication compared to their typically-developing peers (Graham & Harris, 2002; Graham et al., 2017; Troia, 2006). The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a researcher-created instructional strategy (i.e., "Audience and Structure…

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of implementing Project TEAM by examining its effects on school culture, teacher pedagogy, and program viability as measured by The CIPP Program Evaluation Model and The "Program Evaluation Standards" 2011. Project TEAM is a transition age occupational therapy based curriculum…

Background: Students with behavioral support needs are educated in elementary classrooms daily. However, teachers receive limited training to support students, resulting in limited preventative and intervention services for such students. It is currently unclear what types of training preservice and inservice teachers receive, their perceptions of…

Reading comprehension is contingent upon the integration of various reading skills, including word reading, reading fluency, and comprehension strategies. Students who encounter challenges in both word reading and reading comprehension present an opportunity for growth across multiple reading-related domains. Recent intervention data, as…

Significant barriers to training have been introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic, limiting in-person professional activities resulting in the development of the novel remote training. We developed and evaluated a remote training approach for master trainers of the Caregiver Skills Training Program. Master trainers support community practitioners,…

This study examined the nature of partnerships that exist between parents and teachers, the attributes that influence these partnerships, and the strategies that can enhance the partnerships between parents and teachers in two schools for the deaf in the Central Region of Ghana. We conducted focus group discussions with 12 teachers and had…

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often display serious problem behavior that hinders educational and social progress. Educators in public schools are often untrained in the use of intensive evidence-based positive behavior technologies. This study describes the preliminary investigation of a coaching and consulting model for increasing…