Comparing Instructional Contexts of Students with and without Severe Disabilities in General Education Classrooms

1998 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kent R. Logan ◽  
D. Michael Malone
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
General Education ◽  
Elementary Classrooms ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Group Instruction ◽  
Education Students ◽  
General Education Students ◽  
Instructional Supports ◽  
Instructional Contexts ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities

This study compared the instructional contexts of 15 students with severe disabilities who were educated in general education elementary classrooms, and 15 general education students in those same classrooms. Results suggest that (a) different instructional contexts existed for students with severe disabilities; (b) more individualized instructional supports were provided for the students with severe disabilities, including one-to-one instruction, small group instruction provided by special education staff, physical and gestural prompting, and teacher focus on the student with severe disabilities; (c) most of the more individualized supports were provided by special education staff. Implications for supporting students with severe disabilities in general education elementary classrooms are discussed.

Comparison of the Instructional Contexts of Students with Severe Disabilities and Their Peers in General Education Classes

2000 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
John McDonnell ◽  
Nadine Thorson ◽  
Camille McQuivey
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Group Instruction ◽  
Instructional Interactions ◽  
One To One ◽  
Instructional Contexts ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities ◽  
Independent Work

This study examined the instructional contexts of six students with severe disabilities and six peers without disabilities enrolled in the same general education classes. The two groups of students were compared on (a) the extent to which they were the exclusive focus of instruction; (b) the amount of one-to-one, small group, and whole group instruction that they received and the amount of independent work they were asked to complete; (c) who delivered instruction; and (d) the types of instructional interactions that were directed toward them. Data were collected using The Code for Instructional Structure and Academic Response — Mainstream Version (MS-CISSAR; Carta, Greenwood, Schwartz & Miller, 1990). The results indicate that students with severe disabilities were much more likely than their typically developing peers to have instruction focused exclusively on them and to receive one-to-one instruction. The results are discussed in terms of the implications for educational programs for this group of students and future research.

From Enrollment to Membership: “Belonging” in Middle and High School Classes

1997 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberta F. Schnorr
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
General Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
General Class ◽  
Secondary Level ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Education Students ◽  
General Education Students ◽  
Class Participation

This study examined the meaning of “belonging” or membership in four secondary level general education classes. One or two students with moderate or severe disabilities were enrolled in each of these classes. Participant observations and interviews were used to gain an understanding of participation and membership from the perspectives of students without disabilities who attended these classes. Findings indicated that student membership depends on affiliation with a subgroup of peers within the class. General class participation and interactions influenced an individual's status within the group, but were not enough to create member status. General education students also reported taking active steps when they joined a class to get connected with a subgroup. In these classes, only two students with disabilities connected with subgroups and were, therefore, viewed as members. Considerations are offered for promoting classroom membership for students with moderate or severe disabilities.

Threats of Violence by Students in Special Education

2005 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian G. Kaplan ◽  
Dewey G. Cornell
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
General Education ◽  
Emotionally Disturbed ◽  
Threat Assessment ◽  
Education Students ◽  
School Suspension ◽  
General Education Students ◽  
Assessment Guidelines ◽  
K 12

We compared threats of violence made by K–12 students in special education (120 cases) or general education (136 cases) in schools that were implementing threat assessment guidelines for managing student threats of violence (Cornell, Sheras, Kaplan, McConville, Posey, Levy-Elkon, et al., 2004; Cornell & Sheras, in press). Students in special education made disproportionately more threats, as well as more severe threats, than peers in general education. Students classified as emotionally disturbed (ED) exhibited the highest threat rates. Nevertheless, use of school suspension as a disciplinary consequence for threats was consistent for students in special and general education, and few students were expelled. Our findings support the use of threat assessment to manage threats of violence by students in special education.

Curriculum and Context: Trends in Interventions With Transition-Age Students With Severe Disabilities

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 152-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacy K. Dymond ◽  
Anne M. Butler ◽  
Shari L. Hopkins ◽  
Kimberly A. Patton
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
School Outcomes ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Functional Skills ◽  
Transition Age ◽  
Instructional Context ◽  
Instructional Contexts ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities

The purpose of this systematic literature review was to determine trends in the curricular focus and instructional context of intervention research conducted with transition-age students with severe disabilities between 1975 and 2014. A total of 138 studies met inclusion criteria. Across the last three decades, interventions focused on functional skills declined while academic interventions increased. The most frequently used instructional contexts were special education classrooms, simulated activities, mass trials, and either a researcher or nonresearcher as the instructor. Differences in instructional context were present according to curricular focus. Findings suggest the need for interventions that span the breadth of curriculum promoted in the literature with specific emphasis on increasing interventions in areas predictive of positive post-school outcomes. Interventions are also needed that reflect instructional contexts that align more strongly with contexts valued within the field of severe disabilities.

Effects of Coaching on Teachers’ Implementation of Tier 1 School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support Strategies

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 131-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keri S. Bethune
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Behavioral Interventions ◽  
School Personnel ◽  
Group Instruction ◽  
Education Students ◽  
General Education Students ◽  
Positive Behavioral Interventions ◽  
Support Strategies ◽  
Tier 1

Fidelity of implementation of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) procedures within schools is critical to the success of the program. Coaching has been suggested as one approach to helping ensure accuracy of implementation of SWPBIS plans. This study used a multiple baseline across participants design to examine the effects of coaching on elementary schools teachers’ implementation of Tier 1 SWPBIS with their general education students. After providing the coach with an initial training on the SWPBIS and coaching procedures, four elementary schoolteachers were provided with side-by-side coaching during whole-class group instruction. Results indicated that there was a functional relationship between coaching and improved SWPBIS fidelity scores. Implications for practice included the need to consider selecting an appropriate person to act as the coach, scheduling difficulties, and the inability to standardize the number of opportunities for teachers to demonstrate some of the skills based on variability in student performance. However, utilizing school personnel to act as SWPBIS coaches may be a viable option to build sustainability and integrity of SWPBIS procedures within schools.

A Comparison of Instructional Context, Teacher Behavior, and Engaged Behavior for Students with Severe Disabilities in General Education and Self-Contained Elementary Classrooms

1997 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kent R. Logan ◽  
Elizabeth B. Keefe
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Elementary Classrooms ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Teacher Behavior ◽  
Student Response ◽  
Functional Activities ◽  
Teacher Attention ◽  
Instructional Context ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities ◽  
General Education Classrooms

This article presents results from an observational study comparing instructional context, teacher behavior, and engaged behavior for 15 students with severe disabilities in general education classrooms and 15 students with severe disabilities in self-contained classrooms. The observational data system was the Code for Instruction and Student Academic Response–Mainstream Version. The major significant differences were that students in general education classrooms received a greater proportion of their instruction through academic rather than functional activities and received more one-to-one instruction and teacher attention than did students in self-contained classrooms. No significant differences were found between the settings for student response. The most interesting finding may be that so few differences were found between general education and self-contained classrooms.

Teachers' Perspectives on Literacy Instruction for Students with Severe Disabilities Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication

2011 ◽  
Vol 36 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 100-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea L. Ruppar ◽  
Stacy K. Dymond ◽  
Janet S. Gaffney
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
General Education ◽  
Literacy Instruction ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
General Education Curriculum ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities ◽  
Teachers Perspectives

The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' perspectives on the appropriate skills and settings for literacy instruction, the factors influencing their decisions about literacy instruction, and the barriers to literacy instruction in general education classrooms. A sample of special education teachers (n = 69) of students taking the Illinois Alternate Assessment were surveyed, and results were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results indicate that teachers prefer to provide life-skills-linked literacy instruction in special education classrooms and consider student characteristics and features of the general education curriculum when making these decisions. Also, the setting had a significant effect on teachers' rankings of preferred literacy skills to teach. Teachers may not understand how to adapt literacy content or how access to literacy instruction in a variety of contexts may benefit their students with severe disabilities.

Adaptations in General Education Classrooms for Students With Severe Disabilities: Access, Progress Assessment, and Sustained Use

2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan S. Finnerty ◽  
Lewis B. Jackson ◽  
Renee Ostergren
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Language Arts ◽  
Elementary Classrooms ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Team Collaboration ◽  
Sustained Use ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities ◽  
General Education Classrooms

This study examined material adaptations being used with students who have severe disabilities in general education elementary classrooms during language arts, social studies, and science instruction. Data sources included classroom observations, interviews, and artifacts shared by three general and special educator teams. Findings revealed themes that describe how adaptations (a) facilitate access to grade-level content (tangible, student-centered, and blended with classroom materials and instruction) and (b) enable educators to assess progress in student learning (show what students know, blended with peer learning, and ownership of learning). Findings also revealed a set of themes (team collaboration, resources available, rhythm and routine, and build momentum) that help account for the sustained use of adaptations by educator teams across curricula and school days. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Applying Functional Assessment in General Education Classrooms

1998 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 338-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela J. Larson ◽  
John W. Maag
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
General Education ◽  
Functional Assessment ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Mild Disabilities ◽  
The Future ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities ◽  
General Education Classrooms ◽  
Theoretical Foundations

Functional assessment involves generating hypotheses about the purpose a behavior serves and the environmental variables maintaining it in order to develop effective and efficient interventions. Functional assessment has been used extensively with students with severe disabilities in special education settings. However, few applications of functional assessment have been reported with students with mild disabilities in general education classrooms. The purpose of this article is to address the use of functional assessment in general education classrooms with students with mild disabilities. We present the theoretical foundations of functional assessment, describe the procedures involved in conducting a functional assessment, discuss some of the obstacles to applying functional assessment in general education classrooms, and make recommendations for the future use of functional assessment in general education classrooms with students with mild disabilities.

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