The referral process of early elementary grade level students can be long and complex. National statistics show that most of the referrals are done during or after fourth grade. This study worked around the decreasing number of students referred to the Special Education Program during the early grade level stages. The purpose of this qualitative…

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore secondary general education teachers' lived experiences that gave meaning to or defined the nature/essence of providing individualized instructions to SWDs in the classroom. The conceptual framework that guided this study was based on Fishbein's (1967) theory of response action.…

Inclusion teachers at the elementary level face challenges in differentiating instruction for all students. Despite inclusion teachers' willingness to use differentiated instruction (DI), many teachers struggle implementing DI because of teachers' understanding of DI, insufficient time for planning, and insufficient training and resources. The…

Response to Intervention has the potential to help schools reach the goals of both the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act and Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) 2004. The course of action with the Response to Intervention model is to apply instructionally sound practices based on students' needs, monitor students'…

This report concludes that for the U.S. to prosper and compete in the 21st century, the education system will need to change its goals and practices so all students may succeed. That is, as information has become ubiquitous, schools need to emphasize 21st century skills such as analyzing, synthesizing, and creating along with understanding and…

Testing students once a year, with data reported many months later, is like using an autopsy to determine how to help a patient, says Cindy Ambrose, chief academic officer of the Horry County Schools in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. In Horry County and many other districts around the country, assessment that monitors vital signs on an ongoing…

In this article, the author shares her experiences in teaching preservice and inservice teachers about differentiated teaching, a strategy that involves a student-centered classroom in which students are motivated and energized, focused on learning, and eager to meet challenges. These teachers, initially unsure how to turn theory into practice,…

The general program at Robinson Elementary School was supported by two compensatory programs, one federally funded under Title I of the 1965 Elementary Secondary Education Act and one locally funded. 24 pupils who were considered to be the most educationally deprived by virtue of standardized test scores were selected for the Title I…

The purpose of this study was to implement differentiated and peer-mediated instruction to determine if these instructional interventions were successful in preparing students with disabilities for state standardized tests. In addition, this study identified how exceptional needs learners responded to techniques utilized during differentiated and…