The problem addressed in this study was that many parents cannot identify their children's early signs of developmental dyslexia, potentially causing academic and social-emotional issues into adulthood as well as delays in reading and writing development. The purpose of this qualitative generic study was to identify what parents perceive as their…

The problem investigated in this study was that, despite professional development (PD) training, elementary teachers at a school district in the western United States are challenged in instructing students with dyslexia. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate teachers' perceptions of the challenges of instructing students…

This study investigated the extent to which preschool teachers have been prepared to recognize students with potential learning needs. The ability of these teachers to recognize students with learning needs and provide appropriate support or referrals is critical for the success of the students. Through this research, several insights have emerged…

This study examines the disproportionality in special education, regarding African American students being overrepresented, specifically under the disability category of Emotional Disturbance (ED) within the state of Pennsylvania. Demographic information was collected with the use of secondary data provided by the Pennsylvania Department of…

Traditionally, most autism assessment instruments are based on medical models and designed to identify social communication deficits and behavioral abnormality in an individual. However, as more autistic narratives reveal the insider views of autists, some scholars and autistic activists support the neurodiversity model and assert the acceptance…

This research study presents the Scale of Dis/ability Apparentness in Education Settings (SDAES) to explore the complex and dynamic nature of dis/abled apparentness among college students. The study combines qualitative and quantitative data to examine five key domains: Environment, Ableism, Identity, Taking Action, and Embodied Dis/ability,…

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults can be significantly impairing across various life domains. As manifestations of ADHD in adulthood become increasingly recognized, however, research has started to address diagnostic challenges inherent in the clinical evaluation of adult ADHD. One such challenge is the reliance on…

Black males are disproportionately placed in special education throughout the United States. Yet, the degree to which such disparities are warranted has been subject to debate. Prior research suggests that special education is used too often in high-poverty schools partly due to limited resources available to support struggling students (Skiba et…

My research topic is the diagnosis of learning disabilities (LD) in elementary school children. The poorly defined criteria and methods of LD determinations leads to a large number of students labeled with the disability category of LD (Graves et al, 2011; Hutchison, 2021), even though the process is inconsistent and subjective (Graves et al,…

School administrators are key components in improving educational experiences for ELL students with disabilities. However, no studies have assessed how administrators perceive equitable school experiences for ELL students with disabilities in the Pacific Northwest. This qualitative study included semistructured interviews with 12 school…

This extended literature review is an overview of historical restrictions and current limitations of properly identifying African American students for special education. This review examines implications of overidentification and under-identification of African American students in predominately minority learning environments and predominately…

Autism spectrum disorder is diagnosed more in males than females, this difference is even more prevalent if the female is of at least average intelligence. The problem addressed by this qualitative exploratory case study was the under-identification of females with autism due to their masking behavior. This problem directly impacts females who…

The rate of children being diagnosed with autism is growing rapidly. Currently, 1 in every 36 children born will go on to have an autism diagnosis (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). Teachers and early educators working with young children do not have the training required to identify children at risk for this developmental…

The processes used in identifying/diagnosing specific learning disabilities (SLDs) vary across settings and classification systems. Moreover, the theoretically and mathematically derived identification models (i.e., discrepancy model) have thus far not demonstrated adequate reliability and validity. The present study explores the utility of…

In 2017-18, the number of learners ages 3-21 who received special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was 7.0 million, or 14% of all public-school learners. Of that 7.0 million, 13% were Hispanic learners (NCES, 2019). Among ELLs with disabilities, nearly 50% had specific learning disability, and 21%…