Despite extensive advocacy and research underscoring the benefits of inclusive education, students with Extensive Support Needs (ESN) continue to be predominantly placed in segregated educational settings, making inclusion a "wicked problem" within the field of education. Wicked problems are characterized by complexity, interconnected…

This research study, rooted in the theoretical framework of phenomenology, examined the impact of professional development related to specially designed instruction for students with a learning disability in reading. Teachers of students who had mastered at least 50% of their IEP goals in reading or had exited from special education services were…

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) require effective academic interventions tailored to their distinctive learning characteristics. This is especially important in mathematics since approximately a quarter of learners with ASD have a mathematics learning disability. This meta-analysis examined the effectiveness of mathematics…

With the increase in college students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) enrolled in inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programs, there is a growing call to understand additional support necessary for their mental health and wellness. Our IPSE program developed the personal development (PD) domain to meet the unique…

Students with disabilities often present social, emotional, and/or behavioral problems that can adversely impact their educational progress. As a result, interventions that are effective in addressing these non-academic challenges are needed. Self-management is an intervention that has demonstrated effectiveness across individual studies and…

This research focuses on education's transformative potential, particularly as it relates to school sport for students with disabilities. The study introduced a participatory action research approach, using Game Changers -- an inclusive sport program co-designed with students with disabilities using a human-centred design approach to address the…

In recent years, the growth of learning options and the availability of distance educational experiences have presented new opportunities for students, particularly those with disabilities. The exponential growth in distance educational opportunities has brought new expectations for stakeholders - particularly parents, educators, and…

This study explores teachers' perceptions of barriers to implementing the Response to Intervention (RTI) model for students with learning difficulties in Saudi Arabia. Using a qualitative case study approach with semi-structured interviews, the study included eight female teachers. Findings indicate that key barriers include time constraints,…

The current study was conducted to examine the types of adjustments used to support students with special educational needs in mainstream classrooms and how schools monitored the effectiveness of the adjustments they use. A range of stakeholders were interviewed in 22 mainstream schools across New South Wales, Australia, and the interviews were…

This qualitative phenomenological research study used purposive sampling to explore the perceptions of general education teachers who teach children with autism in the general education setting. Furthermore, this research study analyzed the effectiveness of ongoing professional development that general educators that instruct children with autism…

Blind youth have reported unfavorable PE experiences, however, are optimistic that positive changes could be made. Despite recommendations to involve students in learning decisions, those made for teaching blind youth in PE have largely been constructed from non-disabled adults. This dissertation used a participatory research method and positioned…

Alternative educational settings are serving students with emotional disabilities (ED) at an increasing rate; however, there a paucity of research examining the effectiveness of these programs. A review of the existing literature targeting students with problematic behaviors, supports the use of a positive, preventative, proactive, and systematic…

School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) is an inclusive multi-tiered system of behavioral supports that has been widely adopted by K-12 schools in the United States. SWPBIS focuses on creating safe, equitable, and inclusive school environments and has been linked to both positive behavioral and academic outcomes for…

Embedded instruction facilitates individualized support and promotes meaningful participation for all children, irrespective of their abilities or disabilities, by integrating learning opportunities into the natural, everyday activities of inclusive preschool settings. This study aimed to investigate the impact of a coaching intervention on the…

Efforts to improve outcomes for students amidst a climate of school accountability have led to a myriad of education initiatives, perhaps none as profound and widespread as the tiered intervention models offered by the RTI and MTSS frameworks. While those who advocate for tiered intervention models argue that these systems bring support to…