This literature review examines the use of text-to-speech (TTS) software as an accommodation for students with learning disabilities and its impact on improving reading comprehension. As the development and availability of TTS tools and assistive technologies have increased over the past decade, it is significant to explore how they are used to…

Developing quality learning in inclusive schools is an essential issue for educators. Several aspects that need to be considered to create quality learning in inclusive schools are assessment, lesson planning, good classroom management, learning materials and media development, implementation of accessible education using appropriate technologies…

The purpose of the current study was to determine how students identified as Emotionally Disturbed (ED) with severe internalizing concerns who receive special education services are placed in different school districts throughout the country. Examining the variance in how this population is placed in different parts of the country is of…

Within the five chapters of this dissertation, the overall theme was to examine student goal setting when engaged in the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI) in inclusive, secondary, academic content, general education classrooms over multiple years. Chapter 1 provides an overview of self-determination, goal setting, and the…

This study asked Teachers of the Visually Impaired to evaluate a shared reading intervention for Students with Intellectual Disabilities and Visual Impairments and how they felt about their preparedness to teach reading. There has been little research on the student population's literacy skills acquisition. For this study, TVIs evaluated stories…

This causal-comparative quantitative study investigates learning centers as a cooperative learning instructional strategy in the secondary mathematics setting. The research literature on group work within the secondary mathematics classroom indicates that group work is an effective way to increase academic success if supported with effective…

The foundation of a prosperous society calls for educated citizens to promote social equity in the community and positively contribute to the economy, yet persons with disabilities are often excluded from having the opportunity to engage in society, including the pursuit of education (Lindsay et al., 2018; Procknow et al., 2017). Most community…

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to discover the possible barriers to the implementation of counseling as a related service through the experiences and perceptions of special education directors, guidance counselors, and school psychologists. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is the guiding theory, as it has a direct…

The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced) strives to provide every student with a positive and productive assessment experience, generating results that are a fair and accurate estimate of each student's achievement. Further, Smarter Balanced is building on a framework of accessibility for participating students, including…

Today's schools are challenged to find strategies to guide curriculum and instruction that meets the needs of an increasingly diverse student population. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a research-based framework that guides educators to reduce barriers to learning. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the leadership…

Teacher education programs strive to promote social justice and critical thinking among candidates. However, limited attention is given to ableism and disability rights. This study investigates how special education teacher candidates discuss disabilities and the future of students with developmental disabilities, as well as their motivation to…

This qualitative study was conducted to explore the lived experiences of college students with mental health disabilities when requesting and using accommodations. Using a phenomenological approach aided in understanding the meaning of the lived experiences by considering their feelings and emotions. Findings showed that there are barriers…

The problem investigated by this study limited collaboration between parents of students with IDD and school personnel, limiting the quality of special education services delivered to students. A qualitative interpretive descriptive study was used to investigate strategies school personnel used resulting in positive collaborative experiences for…

The Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act (IDEA) safeguards the learning of students with disabilities and protects them from nondiscriminatory assessments that identify their disabilities and align them with the special education support and services required. However, when the IDEA is not adequately followed, students with disabilities…

Virtual instruction and blended learning are two of the fastest growing learning modalities in K-12 education. Blended learning is a formal education program in which students learn at least in part through online learning with some element of student control over time, place, path or pace and at least in part at a supervised brick and mortar…