Students with disabilities in college and beyond face numerous barriers to seeking out and receiving supportive services or disclosing that they have a disability. Research indicates that they are vulnerable to stigma, lack of support, and discrimination resulting in inequities in educational outcomes. Less is known about the challenges medical…

School counselors are professional educators who are responsible for the academic, social-emotional, and career development of students. The direct and indirect services that school counselors provide are vital for students but are more vital for students with disabilities. However, the roles and responsibilities of school counselors continue to…

The literature extensively documents the detrimental effects of exclusionary discipline on student outcomes, despite its continued excessive utilization. Exclusionary discipline often results in teachers not having the necessary support and training to deal effectively with problematic behaviors, which are useful for students who need behavioral…

Working through and successfully completing a project-based learning assignment requires the coordination of many skills; including focus, creativity, self-regulation, and executive functioning. A deficit in these skill areas can lead to incomplete or missing elements in the project, an inability to pull all the components together, frustration,…

Students with disabilities (SWDs) face challenges in following rules and expectations. The problem addressed by this study was that SWDs experience disproportionate levels of exclusionary discipline when compared to their non-disabled peers. This quantitative causal-comparative study examined the impact of different levels of positive behavior…

This dissertation examines the integration of behavior analytical procedures into teaching performing arts dance skills to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), mainly the innovative use of song-lyrics self-instruction. Individuals with ASD often face unique challenges, including social communication delays, limited play interests, and…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a brief, in-person training package on Functional Communication Training (FCT). The training corresponded with content presented in the AFIRM e-learning modules on FCT with modifications to suit an in-person format including the addition of modeling, practice, and feedback to enhance…

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe experiences of dialectical behavior therapy for special education teachers at a large, suburban school district in the Southeast United States. The theory guiding this study was Bandura's social cognitive theory (SCT), as it explains how new behaviors are learned and…

Despite the existence of various special education laws and mandates aimed at protecting the rights of students with learning disabilities (LD), these students tend to be removed from the classroom setting at disproportionate rates and durations when compared to students without disabilities. The purpose of this interpretive phenomenology was to…

The problem is that the recruitment and retention of special education teachers in autistic units represents a challenge nationwide, especially with the steady increase of students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The current efforts and strategies to address the public school system's shortage of qualified special education teachers have…

This dissertation study aimed to examine the relationship between Tier 1 Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) implementation fidelity and the academic (e.g., MAP Growth scores) and behavioral outcomes (e.g., major office discipline referrals, suspensions). High quality PBIS implementation fidelity has been linked with improved…

Modern inclusion practices aim to promote the social inclusion of students with disabilities among their same age peers. However, despite students with disabilities being placed in the general education setting at higher rates, they are still reporting feeling isolated and excluded. Research has shown that non-disabled students are inclined to…

This qualitative descriptive study was designed to explore educators and school leaders in Arizona and experiences that contributed to their preparation and work with the traumatic brain injured population. Specifically, experiences that influenced their understanding of the academic and behavioral needs of students were explored. Qualitative…

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have trouble in the classroom when it comes to social interactions, changes in routine, disordered environments, and intense sensory stimulation. In this study a workshop was designed to assist special education teachers and school administration to manage challenging behaviors of students with…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how public-school IEP team members describe decision-making influences and thresholds in least restrictive environment (LRE) placement for K-5 students with significant support needs in the Midwest. Decision-Making Ecology served as a framework for two research questions which…