The prevalence of adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is growing worldwide. There is a lack of services to support adolescents and adults with ASD in different areas including social-communication intervention. To fill these research gaps in the literature, the three studies in this dissertation extended the literature on…

The purpose of this study was the effectiveness of a life skills training based on the response to intervention model on improving disruptive behavior of preschool children. The sample of the study comprised of 61 children (53 males and 8 females, Mean age= 5.2 years, SD = 0.87) attending two pre-schools in Baltim Town, namely Sanabil Kids and…

Although school counselors participate in response to intervention (RTI), little research describes the unique opportunities and challenges encountered in RTI with English learners (ELs). This phenomenological study explored the experiences of school counselors engaging in RTI for ELs. The researchers identified three themes: (a) key stakeholders…

Check In Check Out (CICO) is one of the most empirically supported Tier 2 behavior interventions for students who require additional supports to experience success. CICO incorporates regular performance feedback and adult interaction throughout the day in alignment with school-wide expectations. Performance feedback includes both reinforcing and…

Kinder Tools was developed as a Response to Intervention approach (RTI) to help students in kindergarten improve and develop their fine motor and visual motor perceptual skills within the first three months of entering kindergarten. Some students enter kindergarten ready to learn, while other students struggle with skill development and learning…

The purpose of this study was the effectiveness of a life skills training based on the response to intervention model on improving disruptive behavior of preschool children. The sample of the study comprised of 61 children (53 males and 8 females, Mean age= 5.2 years, SD = 0.87) attending two pre-schools in Baltim Town, namely Sanabil Kids and…

Special Education has made many changes in the educational delivery of services since the passing of the No Child Left Behind Act. Within these changes was a shift from the discrepancy model to the Response to Intervention (RtI) model in student identification for special education services. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact RtI…

Intensive, individualized interventions are certainly the hallmark promise of special education. In a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS), tier 3 interventions are the most intensive and require individualized delivery to address the learning and behavioral needs of students who are most often identified for special education services. MTSS,…

Historically, formative assessment has been credited with increasing student achievement. Student outcomes increase when constructive, immediate, formative feedback is provided in a systematic way for all students. Educators need to implement effective formative assessments in order to deepen learning through more critical thinking and reflection.…

The purpose of this qualitative single-case study was to develop an understanding of how mindfulness instruction strategies are being used in K-12 classrooms in Arizona, particularly as academic intervention. Recent literature discussing the use of mindfulness instruction in schools reveals psychological, behavioral, social, and physical benefits…

A few years ago, Marnie O. Malone and her team at Elmira City Schools found themselves facing a challenge that's all too common: How can we best support students who we know aren't likely to meet grade-level standards? To find an answer, they looked to the MAP® Suite of assessments from NWEA®. This brief case study describes how Malone and her…

Historically, Black males are disproportionately represented as the least likely to graduate at every level of education and the demographic most likely placed in Special Education courses, incarcerated, as victims of homicide and who live in poverty. The United States of America implemented a voluntary program, Multi-tiered Systems of Support for…

Internalizing problems may be associated with poor academic performance and school absenteeism among youth. This study investigated the impact of the EMOTION: "Coping Kids" Managing Anxiety and Depression Program on academic achievement and school adaptation in children. Data were collected in a national cluster-randomized controlled…

This convergent parallel mixed-methods pilot study explored the collaboration of preservice teachers (PSTs) in a university reading clinic. PSTs from a reading course and special education course were paired and shared responsibility for tutoring one child. Tutor surveys and focus group interview transcripts were used as data sources. Topics…

Fewer than half of students demonstrated proficiency on Michigan state-administered summative assessments at the end of third grade at a rural, Title I school in Michigan. The purpose of this quantitative study was to compare reading fluency gains between grade levels (i.e., kindergarten, first, and second grades) in an effort to better understand…