Inclusive educational programs for students with disabilities : a comparison of language arts literacy performance by setting, and teacher perceptions, 2019

Item — Call Number: MU Thesis Too

Identifier: b7929562

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

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The collection consists of dissertations written by students enrolled in the Monmouth University graduate Educational Leadership program. The holdings are primarily bound print documents that were submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the Doctor of Education degree.

During the fall 2022 semester (in instances where the requisite waivers were received from consenting student authors), the Monmouth University Library, together with the University's Graduate School and School of Education, began providing open access to select full-text digital versions of current theses and dissertations through links to the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global website in the Library's Online Public Access Catalog. Links to these open access digital publications can also be found in the "External Documents" section under any conforming titles that are listed among the holdings itemized in the collection inventory for this finding aid.

Dates

Creation: 2019

Creator

Toohey, Thomas M. (1982- ) (Author, Person)
Bragen, Bernard (Thesis advisor, Person)
Stefankiewicz, James M. (Thesis advisor, Person)
Ridley, Scott (Thesis advisor, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use. Access is by appointment only.

Research appointments are scheduled by the Monmouth University Library Archives Collections Manager (732-923-4526). A minimum of three days advance notice is required to arrange a research appointment for access to the collection.

Access to the collection is confined to the Monmouth University Library and is subject to patron policies approved by the Monmouth University Library.

Patrons must sign a completed Researcher Registration Form and provide appropriate identification to obtain access to the collection. Copies of these documents will be kept on file at the Monmouth University Library.

Extent

1 Items (print book) : 106 pages ; 8.5 x 11.0 inches (28 cm).

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Research has shown a benefit to students with disabilities in inclusive settings. No studies conducted since the late 1970s have shown an academic advantage for students with intellectual and other developmental disabilities educated in a separate setting. The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of a programmatic shift, in Language Arts Literacy (LAL), from pull out resource to inclusion for fourth-grade students with disabilities. Achievement scores in LAL for fourth-grade students with disabilities were analyzed. This study compared this group's scores from the 2016-2017 Partnership of Assessment for Readiness for Colleges and Careers (PARCC) to their 2017-2018 PARCC scores. These students were educated in an inclusive setting in LAL between these two administrations of the PARCC. These scores were compared to assess the impact on academic achievement as it correlated to this inclusive setting for LAL.

Additionally, this study interviewed teachers involved in this program. Research suggests several preconditions for the successful implemenation of inclusive programs. This study evaluated the data generated from these interviews to determine whether teachers had the requisite collaboration skills, administrative support, and training to implement an effective inclusion program. Furthermore, teachers were asked to reflect on their perceived levels of peer support as well as any student variables, which may have impacted their ability to provide an inclusive program with fidelity. This study used a convergent parallel design to establish trends and relationships between the academic achievement of students with disabilities in an inclusive setting and the self-reflections of the teachers directly involved in those classrooms.

Student achievement data demonstrated an overall improvement on mean standardized assessment data; however, this growth was not statistically significant. This improvement correlates with teachers' positive perception of collaboration, peer support, training, and administrative support. Teachers identified student variables, in the form of perceived anxiety, as possible barriers to success in an inclusive environment.