The purpose of this qualitative collective case study was to explore current paraprofessional training programs offered to support paraprofessionals working with students with disabilities (SWDs), including both pre-service and in-service training. Specifically, this study evaluated training offered by local school districts within Southern…

Reading proficiency scores are the topic of many discussions in school districts nationwide. Low state test scores and current Science of Reading Research are driving many states to enact legislation to improve reading instruction. In order to better understand literacy instruction, a literature review explores the varied approaches to reading…

The estimated prevalence of neurodivergent (ND) conditions is approximately 15-20% of the population in the United States (Doyle, 2020; Maenner et al., 2023). ND students are increasingly enrolling in mainstream colleges and universities (Bakker et al., 2019) but report that they are not receiving adequate support on campus (Dexter et al., 2024;…

This study leveraged the knowledge and experiences of youth with disabilities, their families, and transition stakeholders to model how the frequency of family engagement activities and services and employment preparation activities and services predict the frequency of youth development activities and services. This information was obtained…

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to describe the participants' perceived effectiveness of their teacher preparation program and their experience of teaching students who are identified with a low-incidence disability. The theory guiding this study was the experiential learning theory. Kolb's experiential learning theory…

This paper presents the findings of a Consensual Qualitative Research partial program evaluation of the effectiveness of a secondary transition-to-work training program in a Southeastern public school system. Current literature regarding the history of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, barriers they have faced to…

Parent engagement in the transition planning process for students with IEPs is an essential indicator for positive post-school outcomes for students with disabilities graduating from high school. Barriers to parent participation include lack of communication, trust, and knowledge of the process in which they are participating. Educators must seek…

This study sought to understand better the administrator's perspective of transition services in the school building. The current systems in place for transition are not reaching the desired outcome for students with disabilities. Students with disabilities are less engaged with post-secondary education than their nondisabled peers. They are…

In this dissertation, I investigated the impact of the involvement of students with disabilities in the ASPIRE intervention program and examined the relationship between student involvement in the ASPIRE program and academic performance and growth. To do so, first, I outlined how I built my perspective for this study in the areas of transition,…

This study utilized a basic interpretive design to explore the experiences of parents/guardians who enrolled their children in the Build Our Kids for Success Program (BOKS) and autoethnography to explore the experiences of the researcher while implementing the BOKS program. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 individuals representing 13…

Transitioning away from high school to postsecondary life can be a complicated process for any young person. This process can be made more difficult for students with disabilities if options are not put in place before they leave high school. This is where the transition process becomes an important development to help guide students with…

Compared to all students with exceptionalities, people with intellectual disabilities (InD) have the poorest outcomes after high school regarding employment rate, advancement in education, and independent living (Hart et al., 2006). "Financial, legislative, and philosophical support for post-secondary education (PSE) programs for individuals…

The intent of this study was to address a problem of practice in an elementary school setting in order to provide opportunities for students with significant impairments to be educated in the least restrictive environment. Three research questions guided the study: How effectively has Be Your Best Elementary School (BYBES) developed and…

Beginning on July 1, 2022, in the state of Connecticut, all new Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for special education began to be written in the new Connecticut Special Education Data System commonly known as CT-SEDS. This investigation sought to understand to what extent Connecticut's implementation of CT-SEDS had impacted parents'…

The diagnosis of individuals on the autism spectrum (AS) has received international attention in recent years. This is partly due to the potentially distressing and challenging barriers individuals and their families face as well as a rise in prevalence rates (Weiss & Rohland, 2014). Research has indicated an increase in individuals on the AS,…