Research has demonstrated that behavior specificity is a salient characteristic of teacher praise efficacy. Praise variety may also be an important characteristic to reinforce desired student behavior based on research about the quality of reinforcers. In this study, we used an alternating treatments design to examine the effects of varied and…

ADHD is a behavioral cognitive correlate of achievement associated with lower reading performance. The externalizing and internalizing symptoms that characterize ADHD behaviors negatively impact the engagement of students experiencing reading difficulties and the ability to regulate attention and behavior during the reading acquisition process.…

Since the start of the full inclusion movement, K-2 general education teachers have been overwhelmed with their behavior management due to the increased numbers of students with disabilities in their classroom who display emotional/behavioral challenges. This basic qualitative study aimed to explore K-2 teachers' perspectives on having a broad…

In this study, the psychometric properties of the Classroom Observation of Engagement, Disrespectful and Disruptive Behavior (COEDD), a systematic direct observation coding protocol designed to assess common school-based behavioral targets, were examined. Interobserver agreement and criterion-related validity were evaluated in a sample of 155…

We examined the association of students' ability to transition on a daily basis (horizontal transitions) as reported by teachers with academic achievement as mediated by the summer Extended School Year (ESY) services received. Transitions from summer break to re-entry in the fall are referred to as a vertical transition. We examined these…

A single subject multiple probe design across participants was used to examine the effects of distributing trials in shared stories on listening comprehension and skill acquisition with students with significant cognitive disability (SCD). The results suggest a functional relationship between the independent and each of the dependent variables. In…

Measuring reading engagement is critical for monitoring student involvement in academic tasks, as it predicts student reading achievement and further academic success (Anderson et al., 2021; Guthrie et al., 2012). As a multidimensional construct, researchers have employed various methods to assess reading engagement (Gill & Remedios, 2013; Lee…

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders often need behavioral supports to facilitate their success in the classroom. One commonly used intervention involves taking brief breaks at targeted times during the day to return to the classroom better prepared for participation. However, research is limited on what should happen while a student…

This study compared the effects of high-tech (clickers) and low-tech (response cards and hand raising) active student responding modalities on student classroom behavior during whole-group English language arts instruction in two 1st-grade classrooms serving students with and without disabilities. The authors combined an ABAB reversal design with…

The present longitudinal study investigated the hypothesis that early musical skills (as measured by melodic and rhythmic perception and memory) predict later literacy development via a mediating effect of phonology. We examined 130 French-speaking children, 31 of whom with a familial risk for developmental dyslexia (DD). Their abilities in the…

Research focused on identifying effective interventions for individuals with Down syndrome is increasingly informed by the behavioral phenotype -- a profile of performance associated with a genetic abnormality. Recent studies substantiate the efficacy of phenotypically aligned instruction in improving basic reading skills for children with Down…

Providing special education services for students with identified special education needs in the least restrictive environment continues to be a challenge for schools. The co-teaching model of special education service delivery provides an opportunity for students to receive individualized instruction, remediation, and practice in the general…

We examined to what extent subgroups of students identified with learning disabilities (LDs; N = 630) in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998 to 1999 (ECLS-K): 1998 national longitudinal study displayed heterogeneity in longitudinal profiles of reading and mathematics achievement from first to eighth grades.…

Academic underachievement, as measured on standardised assessments, is commonly reported among students on the autism spectrum. However, little is known about the factors that predict academic (under)achievement, limiting the development of effective and targeted interventions. This study explored teacher ratings of academic skills and enabling…

To compare the effect of sensory diets on children's sensory processing, psychosocial skills, and classroom engagement to a control intervention of non-therapeutic fine-motor or visual activities. A single-subject ABCA experimental design was used with five children attending prekindergarten through fourth-grade special education in an urban…