Counseling, Higher Education & Special Education Theses and Dissertations
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Item PARENTS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: WHAT THEY KNOW, WHAT THEY THINK THEY KNOW, AND WHAT THEY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION RIGHTS AND PROCESS(2024) Kim, Julianna; Wexler, Jade; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Parents of students with disabilities play a vital role in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) planning process. Research has shown that parents’ engagement and advocacy could benefit students’ services. In order for more effective advocacy, parents must know their special education rights and process. Therefore, this dissertation study explored parent’s knowledge and understanding of special education rights and process.Chapter 2 is a research synthesis of how studies have quantifiably measured parents’ knowledge and understanding. Chapter 3 is a mixed-method design study that explores whether parents’ perceived knowledge and actual knowledge are different constructs through a nationwide survey. The second section of the mixed method study is qualitative design through focus groups, and the purpose of the focus groups was to explore what information parents from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds desire to find and how that information should be presented. The findings from the focus groups were used to write a policy paper in Chapter 4. Finally, Chapter 5 summarizes the findings and shares limitations and implications.Item What does it mean to be ready for school? Analysis of the measurement of school readiness.(2020) Mulder, Blakely; Teglasi, Hedwig; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Recent research has found that school readiness is a multi-faceted construct associated with academic ability as well as social-emotional skills, executive functioning, demographic, environmental, and other variables. However, most research assesses school readiness through children’s performance on discrete, typically standardized tasks, which may not be representative of the skills and behaviors children display at school day-to-day. The present study utilized a new measure, the Teacher School Readiness Scale (TSRS), to examine teachers’ perceptions of kindergartners’ school readiness. Drawing from a sample of 70 kindergarten students attending private schools in a semi-urban area, this study used exploratory factor analysis, bivariate correlation, and multiple linear regression to analyze how students’ demonstrated classroom skills and behaviors relate to one another as well as to students’ global school readiness. The study then used multiple linear regression to examine how teacher-rated school readiness relates to children’s performance on standardized performance tasks and rating scales representative of those typically used in school readiness literature. Factor analysis separated items on the TSRS into factors of Academic Understanding and Social Interactions, which correlated significantly with one another and predicted global readiness ratings. TSRS factor scores were not significantly correlated with performance measures of the same constructs. From five composite variables representing children’s academic, social-emotional, and executive functioning skills, only teacher-completed rating scales of executive functioning skills significantly predicted children’s overall school readiness. Results suggest poor ecological validity of traditional school readiness research methods and indicate need for inclusion of teacher-report measures in future school readiness studies.Item School-Based Referrals to the Juvenile Courts: Prevalence and Characteristics in Several States(2015) Wruble, Pamela Cichon; Leone, Peter E; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Effective school discipline practices are essential to keeping schools safe and creating an optimal learning environment. However, the overreliance of exclusionary discipline often removes students from the school setting and deprives them of the opportunity to learn. Previous research has suggested that students are being introduced to the juvenile justice system through the use of school-based juvenile court referrals. In 2011, approximately 1.2 million delinquency cases were referred to the juvenile courts in the United States. Preliminary evidence suggests that an increasing number of these referrals have originated in the schools. This study investigated school-based referrals to the juvenile courts as an element of the School-to-Prison Pipeline (StPP). The likelihood of school-based juvenile court referrals and rate of dismissal of these referrals was examined in several states using data from the National Juvenile Court Data Archives. In addition, the study examined race and special education status as predictors of school-based juvenile court referrals. Descriptive statistics, logistic regression and odds ratio, were used to analyze the data, make conclusions based on the findings and recommend appropriate school discipline practices.Item The Impact of the Five Day Rule on the Practice of School Psychology in Maryland(2014) Hughes, Kevin A; Strein, William O; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)In 2010, Maryland passed a law that required parents to have access to all relevant documents at least five business days in advance of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting. This study, a follow-up to a 2011 survey, was conducted to determine whether school psychologists' concerns about the law have merit and whether the law has achieved its intended purpose. Results showed that since the law's implementation, school-based psychologists have experienced, on average, an increase in the amount of time they spend in special education activities and a decrease in time devoted to consultation and direct services. This impact, however, was not felt by all; further analyses of quantitative and qualitative data investigated what characteristics led to the greatest effects. For most respondents there had been no changes in student testing practices, report writing, or IEP team decision-making, while time constraints and work-related stress have worsened.Item The Effects of the Duration of Special Education on Student's Externalizing Behavior(2013) Kuhn-McKearin, Megan; Strein, William; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)To date, the effects of the number of years students spend in special education on behavior outcomes has not been explored. This study sought to fill a gap in the existing literature by investigating the extent to which the number of years (i.e. duration) spent in special education and other aspects of special education (e.g. classroom setting and primary disability type) affected externalizing behavior in the fifth grade. Multiple regression analysis was used on data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K; National Center for Education Statistics, 2002) longitudinal study to address the research questions. Results showed that longer placements were associated with higher rates of externalizing behavior. Additionally, receiving services in less inclusive settings and having a primary disability code of ED were associated with higher rates of externalizing behavior. Existing research findings and psychological theory were utilized to provide potential explanations for the results.Item CHARACTERISTICS, PREDICTORS, AND GROWTH TRAJECTORIES OF CHILDREN WHO EXIT SPECIAL EDUCATION AND THEIR GENERAL AND SPECIAL EDUCATION PEERS(2013) Dragoo, Kyrie Elizabeth; McLaughlin, Margaret J; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics and predictive factors for children receiving special education services, and if they received special education services, factors associated with them discontinuing those services before eighth grade. In addition, a second purpose was to determine whether there are differences in the reading and mathematics growth trajectories of children who exit special education, children who remain in special education, and children who attend general education classes and how those growth trajectories vary by characteristics such as race and gender. I used data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), a study of a nationally representative sample of children attending kindergarten during the 1998 school year and followed through eighth grade. I used a subsample of the data to compare the characteristics and predictive factors of children receiving special education services or exiting from special education using chi-squares, t-tests, and logistic regression analyses. Using hierarchical linear modeling, I analyzed data on the academic growth trajectories of children who exited special education, remained in special education or never received special education. The results of my study indicate that large number of children exit special education between kindergarten and eighth grade and the children who exit special education differ from their general and special education peers both in their characteristics and their academic growth rates in reading and mathematics. Finally, I discuss the implications of these findings for policy and future research.Item INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS OF STUDENTS WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES WHO RECEIVED A WAIVER FOR THE REQUIREMENTS NECESSARY TO EARN A STANDARD DIPLOMA: A STUDY OF ONE SYSTEM(2013) Cantrell, David Jay; McLaughlin, Margaret J; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of individual characteristics to include disability status, age, gender, and race-ethnicity on receiving a waiver from one or more of the requirements for receipt of the standard diploma among students with and without disabilities. Student data was drawn from a large, international school system, referred to as the Participating School System (PSS) that operates schools throughout the world for military and civilian dependents. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression analyses were used to answer the four research questions. The results of this study demonstrated there was an association between age, race-ethnicity, and disability status and receiving a waiver from the requirements for the standard diploma. Logistic regression analyses showed that disability status, race-ethnicity, and age increased the odds of receiving any type of waiver, a mathematics waiver, a foreign language waiver, and an other course credit waiver (i.e., science, physical education). Regardless of a student's race-ethnicity, students with disabilities had increased odds of receiving a waiver than did students without disabilities. Although students with disabilities were more likely to receive a waiver than students without disabilities, regardless of race/ethnicity, non-White students with disabilities had increased likelihood of receiving a waiver than White students with disabilities. Additionally, older students with disabilities had increased odds of receiving a waiver. The rationales for granting a waiver for students with disabilities consistently cited were the student's disability status and assessed academic weakness as the reason for granting the waiver or waivers of requirements for the standard diploma. Recommendations stress that school procedures and guidance for awarding a waiver from the requirements for the standard diploma should be clearly designed and articulated to parents, students, and school staff, and specific guidance is provided to special education teams to ensure that students with disabilities are afforded a commensurate educational experience that is provided to students without disabilities. Additionally, school programs should be in place to develop appropriate accommodations and interventions to support the often depressed academic skills of students with disabilities; academic skills that are necessary to successfully complete the requirements for receipt of the standard diploma.Item PREDICTING COLLEGE ADAPTATION AMONG STUDENTS WITH PSYCHIATRIC DISABILITIES(2013) Lin, ChiaHuei; MacDonald-Wilson, Kim; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The number of college students with psychiatric disabilities has been growing steadily in higher education in recent years. Most of these students choose not to disclose their mental health conditions and do not register with disability services. Thus, little is known about the subjective experiences of these students in their college lives. This study seeks to identify college students with psychiatric disabilities and to explore the factors predicting college adaptation among these students. Participants in the study were 292 college students with psychiatric disabilities who completed at least one semester in a large mid-Atlantic University. Participants completed an on-line survey of college adaptation, internalized stigma, social supports, and coping strategies. With hierarchical multiple regression analyses, results of the study suggest that internalized stigma of mental illness has significant relationships with college adaptation. Supports from different sources may play different roles in adaptation to college. Family support was found to be associated with academic adjustment and personal-emotional adjustment, while support from friends was significantly related to better social adjustment and attachment. Use of coping strategies was also found to be predictive of college adaptation. Greater use of seeking support and less use of venting and self-distraction are associated with better academic adjustment. Particularly, self-blame coping was negatively related to all three types of psychosocial adaptation. The current study suggests that interventions that reduce internalized stigma and increase use of effective coping strategies should be developed and implemented in college. Collaboration among special educators in middle schools, families, and college disability services staff is also addressed. Finally, efforts should be made to create services that meet students' needs and increase their willingness to understand and use available resources.Item Examining the effects of state high school exit exam policies on selected outcomes of students with disabilities(2012) Wilkinson, Tracy Gail; McLaughlin, Margaret J; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study had several purposes. The first purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between selected student, family and school characteristics, and state exit exam policies and the impact on graduation from high school among a sample of students with disabilities. A second purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between attending high school in a state that has an exit exam policy and the academic rigor of the coursework, as measured by the highest math course completed, among a sample of students with disabilities. The last purpose of study was to investigate the contribution of attending high school in a state that has an exit exam policy and academic rigor in coursetaking on enrollment in postsecondary education among a sample of students with disabilities. Using binary and multinomial logistic regression, I analyzed data for roughly 1,000 students with disabilities in the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:02). The findings regarding the effects of state exit exam policies on the selected post-school outcomes of students with disabilities vary. I found that presence of a state exit exam requirement did not significantly predict receipt of a standard high school diploma for a student with a disability in the class of 2004, nor does the requirement predict enrollment in postsecondary education for a student meeting the same criteria. I also found that presence of a state exit exam requirement for the class of 2004 did predict completion of advanced math coursework for a student with a disability, though the same factor did not predict completion of middle academic math coursework for a student meeting the same criteria. Finally, I discuss the implications of these findings on policy and practice for students with disabilities, as well as for future research.Item A STUDY DETERMINING SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN TERRANOVA READING AND MATH SCORES BETWEEN EIGHTH GRADE AFRICAN AND EUROPEAN AMERICAN STUDENTS(2011) Smith, Barriett Jackson; McLaughlin, Margaret J.; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The participating school system's minority population, notably African Americans, ranked in the top five school systems in academic performance in reading and math when compared to other states and other African American populations across the United States. These measurements were taken from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The purpose of this investigation was to examine whether there was a significant achievement gap between races across system-wide assessments on a yearly basis. Results of the multivariate analyses of reading and mathematics scores indicated there were significant differences in both areas at the p <.05 level on the TerraNova, Third Edition. These significant differences lend support to the results of the NAEP testing in 2007 and again in 2009 that demonstrated the gap. Discussion of the implications of this gap for the school system was presented.