Our visual system samples external information, adjusts its sensitivity and constructs a stable representation of the world that allows us to perceive and interact with objects in our environments. Visual information with different levels of complexity is processed through the hierarchically organized visual cortical areas. This dissertation…

Dynamic visuospatial support (DVS) is an effective tool for helping people learn linguistic tones (Hannah et al., 2017, Morett et al., 2022, Zhen et al., 2019), and learn words with these tonal categories (Baills et al., 2019, Morett et al., 2015). Progress in the field of embodied cognition and learning has led to recent emphasis on the pitch…

The present study sought to evaluate trial designs and training designs that are commonly used in popular commercially available computer-assisted language-learning (CALL) programs. The first two experiments (Experiment 1a and 1b) compared the effects of passive viewing and active student response methods in vocabulary learning. Contingencies on…

This multiple probe across participants design evaluated the effectiveness of teaching early number sense skills (ENS) to young children (age 4) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using Number Talks with supports. Following participation in Number Talks with supports, young children with ASD learned the ENS skills of subitizing, one-to-one…

Preparing young children for kindergarten is an important task. There are many skills that need to be learned. Simple everyday school and daily living tasks are kindergarten readiness skills that need to be taught. Many preschool students struggle to learn these skills unless taught directly. There are a sufficient number of interventions that…

Most individuals with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) have difficulties in educational and social settings delaying academic and behavioral gains. Peer-mediated interventions (PMIs) have proven effective within both general and special education in academic and behavioral domains. The current study investigated the effect of peer-mediated…

Results from previous research studies suggest that inclusive settings benefit all learners. However, general education teachers often do not have built in supports within the classroom to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Implementing a sensory diet curriculum (SDC) is one instructional practice that addresses needs of students with…

In two experiments, I tested for the presence of conditioned seeing as a measureable behavior, which was measured by participants' accuracy in drawing a stimulus, and how this behavior was related to the demonstration of the naming capability. In Experiment 1, participants demonstrated a correlation between drawing responses and speaker…

The number of individuals being diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased over the past 10 years. As the incidences of this disorder continue to increase, so does the need for general education teachers to understand the benefit of implementing visual inclusive teaching strategies for students with autism. A qualitative…

This dissertation describes the development of a state-of-the-art immersive media environment and its potential to motivate high school youth with autism to vocally express themselves. Due to the limited availability of media environments in public education settings, studies on the use of such systems in special education contexts are rare. A…

There is an assumption that pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is observable and measurable. Yet, in many studies referencing PCK, the construct of PCK remains both undefined operationally and poorly described. In physical education, although one study has measured teachers' PCK using teachers' weak and strong units of instruction (Ayvazo, 2007),…

This study examined the use of technology by eighth grade students and teachers and perceptions of students and teachers toward technology use in the classroom and home. A mixed design method was selected to collect and analyze the data. Face-to-face interviews, field notes, and national survey results were used to triangulate the data. Three…

The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate the effects of textual and visual annotations on Spanish listening comprehension and vocabulary acquisition in the context of an online multimedia listening activity. 95 students who were enrolled in different sections of first year Spanish classes at a community college and a large…

Computer assisted psychomotor training is recognized as an appropriate tool in motor skill acquisition in adults with and without physical limitations. In specialized populations of individuals with physical deficits such as Parkinson's disease, previous researchers have examined the application of computer assisted training during upper extremity…

The assimilation and synthesis of knowledge is essential for students to be successful in chemistry, yet not all students synthesize knowledge as intended. The study used the Learning Preference Checklist to classify students into one of three learning modalities--visual, auditory, or kinesthetic (VAK). It also used the Kolb Learning Style…