Counseling, Higher Education & Special Education Theses and Dissertations
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Item Using Discourse to Improve the Quality of Student Talk and Historical Argumentative Writing(2024) Otarola, Josue; De La Paz, Susan; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Frameworks that connect to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in Social Studies, such as the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies States Standards, highlight the need to engage in inquiry-based instruction (NCSS, 2013). Participation in such inquiry requires students to engage in disciplinary thinking and to articulate that thinking to others, both verbally and in writing. However, such disciplinary thinking does not come natural to students (Wineburg, 1991). Thus, students require instruction in disciplinary thinking to learn its complexities and nuances. Once students can engage in disciplinary thinking, they can communicate it and participate in valuable discourse. Therefore, the current dissertation was conducted to explore how students use discourse to engage in argumentation and historical thinking. Chapter 2 of the dissertation is a research synthesis of studies that use discourse to improve learning outcomes in primary and secondary science and social studies classrooms. The purpose of the synthesis was to determine the impact of argumentative discourse on students’ learning outcomes and to understand the instructional components teachers use when holding discourse. Asterhan & Schwarz’s (2016) Argumentation for Learning (AFL) framework guided the research synthesis and the subsequent multiple-case study. Results indicate that discourse can be improved by using multiple instructional groupings, incorporating explicit instruction, modeling, graphic organizers and technology, and engaging students in deliberation. Chapter 3 offers findings from a multiple-case study that was designed to explore how argumentation inhibitors and enablers moderate dialogue characteristics and learning outcomes and to provide a rich description of discourse in ninth-grade US History classrooms with academically diverse students. More specifically, the study captured how students engaged in argumentative discourse and historical thinking using two different discourse structures. The study used a cross-case analysis (Yin, 2018) to compare the discourse across three cases. Each case included a teacher and four students. The first case occurred in a co-taught class, the second case included the same teacher in an honors class, and the third case included a different teacher in an honors class. The first and second case used a modified structured academic controversy (SAC), while the third case used Johnson and Johnson’s (1988) approach to SAC. The multiple-case study and the research synthesis informed the practitioner manuscript provided in Chapter 4. The manuscript details how teachers can use structure and supports to improve student participation and historical thinking in classroom discourse, especially for students with disabilities (SWD) and other struggling learners. The current dissertation provides several important findings. First, my synthesis indicated that students achieve higher learning outcomes when teachers use multiple instructional groupings, students engage in deliberative discourse, and teachers provide students with explicit instruction, modeling, and graphic organizers. Second, the findings from the multiple-case study offered insight into how students of differing academic abilities engage in argumentative discourse and historical thinking. Students of all academic abilities participated at high levels and engaged in deliberative argumentation, though there were differences in the quality of historical thinking skills. The instructional approach used in the multiple-case study is further expanded in the practitioner manuscript. Areas for future research are discussed in the dissertation.Item Literacy Based Behavioral Interventions for Autistic and Neurotypical Children(2024) Pepkin Dataram, Sara Anne; Kang, Veronica; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The neurodiversity model of disability is a relatively new approach to teaching and working with autistic individuals. As a result, many interventions align with earlier models of disability, such as the medical and social models, and aim to assimilate autistic individuals among their neurotypical peers rather than celebrate their differences as one of life’s natural diversities. This study investigates how educators can create Literacy Based Behavioral Interventions (LBBIs) that align with the neurodiversity paradigm and foster equitable friendships between autistic and neurotypical children. I conducted focus groups with 34 autistic middle school and high school students and eight educators to determine how to feasibly meet autistic students’ social needs. Themes found across these focus groups included autism education for teachers and neurotypical peers, barriers to communication, and the impact of social stigma against autistic individuals. These findings indicate a need for LBBIs and overall classroom environments that amplify autistic perspectives and are not rooted in neurotypical standards.Item Examining the Disproportionate Representation of Bilingual Children in Special Education(2022) Ortiz, Jose A; Cummings, Kelli D; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Chapter 2: Nonword repetition has been endorsed as a less biased method of assessment for children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, but there are currently no systematic reviews or meta-analyses on its use with bilingual children. The purpose of this study is to evaluate diagnostic accuracy of nonword repetition in the identification of language impairment (LI) in bilingual children. Using a keyword search of peer-reviewed literature from several large electronic databases, as well as ancestral and forward searches, 13 studies were identified that met the eligibility criteria. Studies were evaluated on the basis of quality of evidence, design characteristics, and reported diagnostic accuracy. A meta-regression analysis, based on study results, was conducted to identify task characteristics that may be associated with better classification accuracy. Diagnostic accuracy across studies ranged from poor to good. Bilingual children with LI performed with more difficulty on nonword repetition tasks than those with typical language. Quasiuniversal tasks, which account for the phonotactic constraints of multiple languages, exhibited better diagnostic accuracy and resulted in less misidentification of children with typical language than language-specific tasks. Evidence suggests that nonword repetition may be a useful tool in the assessment and screening of LI in bilingual children, though it should be used in conjunction with other measures. Quasiuniversal tasks demonstrate the potential to further reduce assessment bias, but extant research is limited. Chapter 3: The disproportionate identification of language-related disorders in schools, including communication disorders and specific learning disability, is an ongoing problem for bilingual children, with evidence of both over- and underrepresentation. Previous research has uncovered distinct identification patterns for emergent and English-proficient bilinguals, as well as differences in identification rates across grades. However, there is limited information about disability identification for different groups of bilinguals across grades. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence and incidence of language-related disorders in emergent and English-proficient bilinguals in elementary school. Using a nationally representative, individual-level, longitudinal data set, this study examined representation in language-related disorder categories, as well as identification rates by year. This study also examined individual- and school-level predictors of disability identification for bilingual children. Results indicate that emergent and English-proficient bilinguals exhibit distinct patterns of language-related disorder identification. Emergent bilinguals experienced a disproportionate increase in disability identification rates in third grade, resulting in significant overrepresentation in subsequent grades. By fifth grade, emergent bilinguals experienced approximately twice the odds of being identified with a language-related disorder, compared to monolinguals. English-proficient bilinguals, on the other hand, were underrepresented in language-related disorder categories in early elementary school grades, but experienced identification rates similar to monolinguals by fifth grade. Outcomes from this study provide insight into patterns of language-related disorder identification for bilinguals that have not been addressed in previous research. The implications for education practice and policy are discussed. Chapter 4: The disproportionate representation of bilingual children in special education is an ongoing issue in US schools, with evidence of both over- and underrepresentation. Identification rates of language-related disorders, including communication disorders and specific learning disability, are particularly relevant for bilingual children given the challenges associated with differentiating language difference from disorder and the possibility of misidentification. School-based speech-language pathologists are well positioned to address the issue, but many do not engage in practices that may reduce disproportionate disability identification. The purpose of this practitioner paper is to provide school-based clinicians with an evidence-based model for addressing disproportionality in bilingual children, with a focus on prevention. This paper provides a review of the literature on the topic and integrates information from relevant studies to provide a clear depiction of the nature of the problem. In addition, this paper describes a model of disproportionality prevention, and provides a set of evidence-based methods that clinicians can employ. Topics include, pre-referral intervention, early identification, parent engagement, and collaboration. By adopting the methods described in this paper, school-based speech-language pathologists can strengthen their ability to meaningfully address many of the issues that contribute to over- and underrepresentation of bilingual children in special education.Item Addressing the Employment Gap with Workplace Supports for Transition-Age Autistic Youth and Young Adults(2022) Chen, Briella Baer; Yakubova, Gulnoza; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Transition-age youth and young adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have notably low rates of employment, compared to not only their peers without disabilities, but also compared to their peers with different disabilities. As such, the adoption of additional workplace tools and accommodations to better support transition-age autistic individuals is needed. This dissertation aimed to address this employment gap through examination of different employment supports for transition-age autistic youth and young adults. Chapter 2 is a synthesis of the literature on the use of video-based intervention (VBI) to teach vocational skills to transition-age autistic youth and young adults. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, this synthesis evaluated 22 studies, finding VBI to be an effective vocational training and support tool for this population. However, the synthesis also identified a lack of authentic implementation of VBI for vocational skills, or implementation by practitioners in real workplace settings. Chapter 3 is an experimental study which sought to examine the effectiveness of VBI when implemented in authentic employment settings and how to train practitioners to do so. The study had two aims: to evaluate the effects of a behavioral skills training (BST) package on vocational support practitioners’ creation and implementation of VBI, and to evaluate the effects of the resulting practitioner-created and -implemented VBI on the vocational skill acquisition of transition-age autistic adults in authentic workplace settings. This study ultimately found that both the BST package and resulting VBI were effective and socially valid. Chapter 4 is a qualitative study that sought to expand upon the topic of workplace supports for autistic youth and young adults by interviewing 12 currently or formerly employed transition-age autistic individuals. The qualitative study had two major aims: to determine what transition-age autistic individuals identify as key workplace supports, as well as their experiences with and views of technology-based work supports, specifically. Through qualitative interviews and analysis, the study identified six major themes for key workplace supports, and four for technology-based supports. The themes, their related subthemes, and practical implications for employers are discussed.Item AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CO-TEACHING AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT(2022) Clancy, Erin; Wexler, Jade A; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Federal law mandates that students with disabilities (SWDs) receive specially designed instruction (SDI), which includes the adaptation of the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction to meet SWDs’ unique needs, to ensure access to the general education curriculum (Rodgers et al., 2021; Ten Napel, 2017) within the least restrictive environment (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2004). One common service delivery model for the many SWDs in the general setting education is co-teaching, wherein a content-area teacher (CAT) and a special education teacher (SET) share instructional responsibilities. The CAT and SET can use a variety of models (e.g., team teaching) to implement co-teaching. Although research showing the effectiveness of co-teaching for improving student achievement is limited (Clancy & Wexler, see Chapter 2; Murawski & Swanson, 2001), co-teaching has the potential to increase student engagement due to the defining features of certain co-teaching models that may benefit SWDs. Increasing student engagement is important as engagement is positively correlated with student outcomes, such as retaining information, graduating from high school, and pursuing postsecondary education (Finn, 1993).To better understand the extent to which different co-teaching models are implemented and which teacher (i.e., CAT or SET) leads instruction during the implementation of certain co-teaching models, it is necessary to extend previous research (e.g., Wexler et al., 2018). Additionally, given the importance of engagement and the potential relationship between co-teaching and engagement, it is necessary to explore whether specific co-teaching models are associated with higher levels of student engagement. Thus, there are two goals of the current dissertation. The first goal is to investigate the frequency of use of each co-teaching model and the extent to which each co-teacher leads instruction during the implementation of certain models. The second goal is to explore the relationship between each observed co-teaching model and student engagement. The current manuscript includes a statement of the problem, theoretical framework, literature synthesis, research questions, methodological approach, results, and discussion for the study. I provide this information sequentially over five chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the problem the current dissertation seeks to address. This chapter provides an overview of current service delivery models for SWDs in the general education setting, including co-teaching, and includes extended descriptions of each of the six co-teaching models. Chapter 1 also provides an overview of the research on student engagement. The chapter closes by providing a statement of the problem and the theoretical framework. Chapter 2 of the dissertation presents a literature synthesis of experimental studies investigating the effect of co-teaching on student achievement. The purpose of the synthesis is to extend a previous synthesis (Murawski & Swanson, 2001) and provide updated knowledge on the impact co-teaching has on student outcomes. While co-teaching has been a commonly used service delivery model, information about its effectiveness is limited. This synthesis contributes a new understanding of co-teaching as more than 20 years have passed since Murawski and Swanson’s initial synthesis. In Chapter 3, I describe the methodological approach of the empirical study. I used archival observation data to determine which co-teaching models were used most often and which teacher led instructional delivery for specific models (i.e., one-teach-one observe, one teach-one assist, one teach-one monitor). I then investigated the relationships between student engagement and the observed co-teaching models. Chapter 4 provides the results of the empirical study. Results from the observation data showed that team teaching and one teach-one assist were the most relied upon co-teaching models. Additionally, the CAT typically led instruction during implementation of one teach-one assist and other independently driven models. Furthermore, there was a moderate significant relationship between engagement and the co-teaching models. Then, Chapter 5 contextualizes the findings within similar research and the theoretical framework. The findings of the first research question on observed co-teaching models align with similar recent research. The investigation into the relationship between co-teaching models and student engagement aligned with the theoretical framework. Specifically, student engagement was observed more frequently in models where both teachers drove instruction (i.e., alternative, station, and team teaching). In closing, I provide implications for practice as well as recommendations for additional research and present the conclusion.Item Speech-language Pathologists' Services for Children with Co-occurring Language and Executive Function Deficits(2022) Senter, Reed; Chow, Jason C.; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)There is a well-documented association between developmental language disorder (DLD) and executive function (EF) deficits. These co-occurring deficits pose risks to students’ short- and long-term academic and social outcomes. In the United States, school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are tasked to ensure that students with DLD are able to achieve academic success, and though EF generally lies within their scope of practice, it remains unclear the extent to which SLPs are equipped to address these deficits. This dissertation consists of three related studies, the sum of which shall provide insight into the SLPs’ services. The first of these studies, Chapter 2, offers a systematic literature review of the evidence supporting intervention for children with co-occurring deficits, as well as a synthesis of the guidance for SLPs addressing EF deficits in their services. I found a dearth of empirical studies for interventions targeting this population, though a relative abundance of practitioner papers provides a foundation of best practices for direct and indirect services. Chapter 3 presents the second study, an exploratory latent profile analysis of 167 Kindergarteners’ receptive language, expressive language, and working memory (WM), as well as follow-up analyses of variance which examine children’s average behavior ratings by profile. I identified a suitably-fitted three-profile model of language and WM, and I found that low-performing children, on average, were rated lower in social competence. Finally, Chapter 4 contains a mixed-methods analysis of school-based SLPs’ interventions for children with EF deficits. Following an explanatory sequential design, I first surveyed 350 SLPs, then followed up with eight interviews designed to explain and contextualize the survey results. I found that most SLPs support EF deficits through indirect services or embedded strategies, though fewer provide direct intervention. However, direct intervention is feasible, and SLPs’ knowledge and confidence about EFs influence their service provision. Overall, the findings of this dissertation support the notion that SLPs can be active and involved service providers, addressing EF deficits that are abundant in children with DLD, and which may otherwise hinder students’ education. However, to optimize these services, the field of SLP requires further empirical intervention research and improved SLP preparation to ensure that SLPs can meet all the needs of students with co-occurring deficits.Item An Exploration of Motivation, Transfer, and Implementation During Self-Regulated Instruction and Cognitive Apprenticeships in Secondary Science and Social Studies Classrooms(2021) Butler, Cameron; De La Paz, Susan; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The Next Generation Science Standards and the Common Core State Standards for Social Studies emphasize the importance of disciplinary literacy in helping students to think and interact with texts like experts (NCSS, 2013; NRC, 2013). Developing these skills, however, is difficult and students do not naturally display disciplinary thinking and literacy skills (Hogan & Maglienti, 2001; Wineburg, 1991). Researchers have determined several effective practices for addressing these cognitively demanding skills including the cognitive apprenticeship model with embedded self-regulated instruction (SRI; see De La Paz et al., 2017; Levin et al., 2021). In this dissertation, I discuss a range of topics that focus broadly on supporting students and teachers while they learn and teach cognitively demanding disciplinary literacy skills. I begin by examining SRI and its effects on motivation for students with or at risk for learning disabilities (LD). Next, I analyze the impact of a cognitive apprenticeship model that incorporates SRI on students’ literacy skills in science. Finally, I analyze the implementation of a similar cognitive apprenticeship model in history by observing fidelity, chronicling teacher curricular adaptations, and documenting the important factors that influence teachers’ instructional decisions. The first study identified that SRI has a positive impact on student motivation in addition to its positive impact on academics (see Antononiou & Souvignier, 2007; Graham & Harris 1989a; Schunk & Cox, 1986). The second study corroborates research on the cognitive apprenticeship model in science (Lee et al., 2021a; Levin et al., 2021) by demonstrating that the model can support the development of literacy skills in science inquiry settings. This study also shows how the model helps students to transfer learning to functionally different scenarios. The final study details the implementation of a cognitive apprenticeship intervention that supported the use of historical literacy skills during historical inquiries. This study establishes that with online professional development (PD) and continued coaching, teachers showed high degrees of fidelity and made adaptations that adhered to the tenants of the model and supported their specific students. Additionally, this study demonstrated how important factors such as teachers’ beliefs and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) affect teacher implementation.Item THE EXPERIENCES OF KOREAN IMMIGRANT PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN THE AMERICAN SPECIAL EDUCATION SYSTEM(2020) Joo, Riah; Beckman, Paula J; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)“At the end of the day, the most overwhelming key to a child’s success is the positive involvement of parents.” Jane D. Hull Korean families demonstrate a very strong enthusiasm for education. However, like other parents in the United States Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD), Korean immigrant parents face obstacles that make it difficult for them to participate successfully in the U.S. special education system (Park & Turnbull, 2001). Apart from mandating States to ensure free and appropriate public education for all students with disabilities, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997 and their subsequent reauthorizations also encourage parent involvement in the special education system by mandating institutions to see parents as equally responsible for the development of their children’s Individualized Education Program (IEPs). However, there is a gap between policy and practice: CLD parents have described the IEP process as frustrating and complicated (Lo, 2008; Salas, 2004). Prior research has also revealed specific barriers that marginalize CLD parents and limit them to passive roles in the IEP process (Cho & Gannotti, 2005; Cummings & Hardin, 2017; Garcia et al., 2000; Kummerer et al., 2007; Lo, 2008, 2009; Tellier-Robinson, 2000; Trainor, 2010). These barriers include language, cultural differences, insufficient information, and feelings of disrespect. Given the lack of research on Korean parents’ perceptions of parental participation in the U.S. special education system, the purpose of this study was to explore and understand the experiences of Korean immigrant parents who have children with disabilities in the U.S. special education system. Each individual’s experience of participating in special education processes in the United States was examined to answer the following four research questions: 1) How do Korean parents of children with disabilities describe their experiences with the special education system in the United States? 2) What community supports do Korean parents access to help them navigate the special education system? 3) What factors facilitate the Korean parents’ participation in the U.S. special education system? and 4) What factors serve as barriers to the Korean parents’ participation in the U.S. special education system? The data sources included a questionnaire, open-ended interviews, observations, and relevant documents. All Korean parents in this study agreed that the special education system in the United States was excellent. However, they reported that dealing with "the system" was a struggle for them and they wanted to be more familiar with and knowledgeable about how it worked. The parents reported that trust and partnership with professionals and having a knowledgeable advocate were important factors that facilitated their participation in the school system, while language barriers, cultural differences, a lack of trust with professionals, and a lack of relevant information served as barriers that hindered their participation. They expressed a consistent desire to be more actively engaged in the school system. The study suggests that qualified interpreter services and systemic and sustained state/community-level support are each needed to facilitate Korean parents’ participation in the special education system. It also suggests that teachers and associated professionals need a deeper understanding and acknowledgment of certain cultural differences to build good, working partnerships with these Korean parents. Keywords: Korean immigrant parents, parent participation, parent involvement, children with disabilities, special education systemItem Literacy Instruction and Intervention for Middle School Students with Mild Intellectual Disability(2020) Shelton, Alexandra Elizabeth; Wexler, Jade A; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Research reveals that many individuals with mild intellectual disability (ID) face significant challenges in foundational literacy skills that hinder their ability to comprehend texts. Thus, individuals with mild ID need access to instruction and intervention that target reading comprehension effectively. However, the extent to which interventions can improve reading comprehension among individuals with mild ID has been unclear. Therefore, the current dissertation was conducted to explore literacy instruction and intervention for individuals with mild ID. Chapter 2 of the dissertation is a synthesis of interventions targeting reading comprehension among individuals with mild ID. The purpose of the synthesis was to identify common features as well as determine the effectiveness of these interventions for individuals with mild ID. Chapter 3 presents findings from a mixed-method study, designed based on findings from the synthesis presented in Chapter 2. The study included an intervention intended to improve the main idea identification skills of one middle school student with mild ID. The student received sentence-level comprehension instruction, and a subsequent interview of the student’s special education teacher helped interpret the findings of the intervention in the context of the entire class. This mixed-method study as well as the Chapter 2 synthesis informed the practitioner manuscript presented in Chapter 4. The practitioner manuscript explains how teachers can provide middle school students with ID explicit instruction on using a main idea identification strategy, supplemented with instructional scaffolds, other forms of instruction, and peer-mediated practice to support students’ comprehension of grade-level texts. The current dissertation yields several important findings. First, the synthesis revealed that explicit instruction and peer-mediated practice improve reading comprehension among individuals with mild ID. Second, the findings of the mixed-method study suggest that middle school students with mild ID require main idea instruction—supplemented with background information and vocabulary instruction—as well as phonics instruction to support reading comprehension. These features were incorporated into the instructional approach outlined in the practitioner manuscript. Areas for future research are discussed throughout the dissertation.