In April 2024, the author conducted a research study using an online survey in which Montessori Elementary teachers anonymously recorded their perspectives on the alignment of Montessori philosophy, methods, and the prepared environment with the inclusion of students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The thoughts and ideas…

There have been many calls for the development of discipline-specific argument writing interventions to integrate science-specific and general literacy standards and goals. Yet, adolescents with and without exceptionalities struggle to meet existing writing demands. This explanatory sequential mixed methods design draws from the strengths of…

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe experiences of dialectical behavior therapy for special education teachers at a large, suburban school district in the Southeast United States. The theory guiding this study was Bandura's social cognitive theory (SCT), as it explains how new behaviors are learned and…

Children with Down syndrome exhibit unique learning characteristics that impact their educational progress. Despite this, research on effective reading interventions specifically tailored for this population remains limited. The present study aimed to find the best ways to teach teaching foundational reading skills to children with Down syndrome.…

Students with high incidence disabilities are dropping out of high school at alarming rates. Compared with other demographic groups, students with disabilities have the lowest graduation rates of any group in the nation. The substandard graduation rates have remained stagnant for two decades, indicating that programmatic attempts to address the…

Youth with Usher syndrome (USH) can experience unique challenges in postsecondary preparation. Currently, there is a paucity of research addressing the postsecondary preparation experiences of youth with USH. The purpose of this study was to learn from college students with USH about their lived experiences of preparing for postsecondary…

This dissertation explores the impact of special education teacher (SET) turnover on general education teachers (GETs) in K-12 schools. Students with disabilities are increasingly placed in general education settings, where collaboration with SETs is critical. However, high SET turnover rates threaten this partnership. This mixed methods study…

Autistic students are enrolling at higher educational institutions at an increasing rate. To keep up with the population of pupils, colleges and universities are finding ways to support students. Yet, a small percentage of students who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder do not succeed in attaining a degree. This trend is significant and…

The Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) is one of the six elements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The practice, definition, and intention have been debated throughout its history. This study focuses on the elementary school educators' understanding and perspectives on how LRE affects how they support students with…

At Virginia's public institutions of higher education, the process of determining eligibility for accommodations occurs in two main steps: (1) establish that a student has a disability; and (2) determine the appropriate accommodations for the individual student. Given students' varied experiences at different Virginia public institutions of higher…

Differentiated instruction (DI) is an approach to learning that allows teachers to meet the unique needs of pupils in the classroom. This study aimed to explore the extent to which DI is implemented in learning to improve the science process skills (SPS) of Intellectually Disabilities (ID) pupils in inclusive primary school education. This…

Transition-age adults with disabilities largely desire the same community employment and community participation outcomes as young adults without disabilities. One common barrier to the manifestation of these desires is the lack of reliable and accessible transportation in their communities. This study used the participatory action research method…

Transportation is a necessity in adult life. Qualitative literature regarding the usability of transportation to travel freely within the community (e.g., school, work, leisure activities) is widely circulated; however, information regarding transportation needs and barriers specifically faced by individuals with an intellectual and developmental…

Digital competence in teaching is a challenge in the professional practice of university teachers and a problem identified in the research that needs to be addressed. In particular, assessment of the level of technological skills is a key element for making decisions regarding teacher training and future lines of research, especially when it comes…

Extant evidence indicates that there is a stronger link between homework difficulties and ADHD than in the general population of children. In addition, parents' involvement in education is an important factor in academic success. Despite the well-established challenges that homework presents to children with ADHD, none of the existing treatment…