An increasing number of college students are coming forward to speak out against school violence, and there is increased attention placed on helping students seeking support if an incident occurs and exercising their right to speak out against those who perpetuate such behaviors. The skill of self-advocacy is not only useful for supporting changes…

The "invisible hand" is a metaphor that refers to teachers' impact on the classroom peer ecology. Although teachers have the capacity to organize the classroom environment and activities in ways that contribute to students' social experiences, their contributions are often overlooked in research on students' peer relations and the…

Social skills instruction (SSI) provides a promising avenue for teaching and promoting positive social interactions to students with high-incidence disabilities. Within SSI, a distinction can be made between social skills and social competence. Social skills are specific behaviors one must perform correctly within a specific social context or…

The "invisible hand" is a metaphor that refers to teachers' impact on the classroom peer ecology. Although teachers have the capacity to organize the classroom environment and activities in ways that contribute to students' social experiences, their contributions are often overlooked in research on students' peer relations and the…

This study compared the developmental gains of preschool children with disabilities (CWD) and children without disabilities (CWOD) during a year they spent in preschools and examined the predictors of development in both groups (60 CWD and 57 CWOD) of children. Data on the social skills, problem behaviors, school adjustment level, student-teacher…

Some researchers have characterized Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as a promising framework to provide diverse students with access to the general education curriculum, but to what extent and how have UDL-based interventions fulfilled that promise? The purpose of this review was to analyze studies that investigated impacts of UDL-based…

Around the world, dedicated professionals are implementing innovative programs to improve access to quality education for children living in poverty and otherwise marginalized communities. This article provides an overview of the work being conducted by BRAC, an international development organization based in Bangladesh that is working to…

Since the adoption of CCSS by 43 states, there has been growing concern regarding teacher training and preparation of state standards for students with disabilities. Through a better understanding of the kinds of support and training needed for teachers to apply the CCSS, the educational system may offer students with disabilities the experience…

It is understandable that misuse of the terms "specially designed instruction" (SDI), "high-leverage practices" (HLPs), "explicit instruction" (EI), and "intensive instruction"(II) has bred confusion among professionals, and this confusion may lead to miscommunication and misunderstandings in the field.…

School and community wellness programs are particularly important as many children and adolescents do not learn or are not exposed to healthy behaviors at home. Music has the potential to enhance all areas of wellness programs for students with and without disabilities; however, students with disabilities often face barriers to wellness programs…

Many populations served by special education, including those identified with autism, emotional impairments, or students identified as not ready to learn, experience social competence deficits. The Social Competence Intervention-Adolescents' (SCI-A) methods, content, and materials were designed to be maximally pertinent and applicable to the…

Research supports the inclusion of children with disabilities in general education classrooms as a way to boost academic and social development, not only for children with disabilities, but also for typically developing children. A wide variety of perspectives and abilities in the classroom builds empathy, understanding, and creativity--all…

As digital media devices have been increasingly used in early childhood educational settings, this study examined whether the iPad with a Vygotskian social development approach--namely, More Knowledgeable Other--can be integrated into low-income preschool classrooms to improve science learning. An analysis of variance was used to examine the…

Research conducted among student teachers during three academic years (2010-2011; 2011-2012; 2012-2013) at Israel's Levinsky College of Education sought to ascertain (a) the extent of implementation of repeated picture-book reading (RPBR) with preschool groups each academic year; (b) how does the implementation of RPBR progress throughout the…

Music, as an expressive art, plays a significant role in the lives of all children and it can be used in education to improve non-musical educational objectives as well as the musical ones. Music has also positive contributions to the development of children with special needs in terms of feeling the sense of achievement, giving self confidence,…