▼ This study explored the predictors of multiple year kindergarten experiences. Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten data, the study examined whether child and family variables predicted who would receive more than one year of kindergarten. Data for 15,936 kindergarten students were analyzed. A backward Multiple Logistic analysis was conducted. Strong predictive relationships were found for gender and disability status. Boys and children with disabilities were found significantly more likely than girls and children without disabilities. Non-two parent families strongly predicted multiple year experiences. Mothers’ expectations for academic achievement and mothers’ age at first birth were strongly predictive. Whether children entered kindergarten on time or not was strongly predictive. And, the child’s reading assessment score was found to be strongly predictive of multiple year kindergarten experiences. Advisors/Committee Members: Johnson, Lawrence.

▼ Previous research has demonstrated that Number Heads Together (NHT), a peer-mediated intervention, is more effective than the traditional teacher-led instruction in academic areas such as language arts, social studies, and science. The current study compared the effects of two NHT strategies during a middle school math lesson. Four middle school students with emotional behavioral disorders participated in the study. An alternating treatment design was used to determine the effectiveness of NHT upon the participating students’ on-task behavior, total percentage of quiz scores, correct answer percentage on administrated quizzes, and accurate completion percentage of multiplication algorithms. The current study extended the previous studies through the incorporation of a preference stimulus assessment to determine the effectiveness of Number Heads Together +Incentives (NHT+I) and included the participating students’ Woodcock Johnson III math (WJ-III) computation scores to determine and develop the pre-test and post-test. Results of this study suggest that Number Heads Together + Incentives is a more effective intervention than NHT without the Incentives in terms of increasing on-task percentage and academic quiz scores. Results from this study replicates and extend which authors found for similar on-task behavior and academic quiz scores. Social validity assessments for the participating teacher and students are included with the results. Future research should compare the effects of NHT and NHT+I for students with EBD in a full inclusive environment and in a different academic content area such as social studies. A discussion on study limitations, implications, and future research directions is included. Advisors/Committee Members: Haydon, Todd.

▼ Special education teacher preparation programs are now expected to prepare special education teachers to work in a variety of settings, teach a variety of contents, and a variety of students with disabilities, including those with severe disabilities. Scholars have argued that for individuals with severe learning needs, the acquisition of literacy skills goes beyond mandated access to general education curriculum– arguing instead that acquiring literacy skills is a quality of life issue. Although some work has been done to identify evidenced-based practices for teaching students with severe needs, including literacy skills, the research to practice gap is well documented. Importantly, there has been little emphasis on examining preservice teacher preparation that prepares teachers to meet the academic and social learning needs of these students. Teacher education programs are under increasing pressure to demonstrate the importance of preservice preparation. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the various influences, processes and extent of special education preservice teachers’ appropriation of pedagogical tools for teaching reading to students with moderate to severe disabilities within the context of reading methods and instructional strategies courses paired with a field experience. This study will document which components of this experience influenced preservice special education teachers’ adoption of pedagogical tools for meeting the literacy needs of school-aged students with severe disabilities. Qualitative data included interviews with preservice teachers, course instructors, and field supervisors, as well as course artifacts data and field notes. Data were analyzed using grounded theory. Qualitative findings revealed that course and field experiences afforded preservice special education teachers access to both conceptual tools and pedagogical tools. During coursework, concepts related to evidence-based literacy instruction for students with moderate to severe disabilities were covered. In addition, conceptual tools such as the belief that every student can learn and every student deserves a functional communication system were communicated by course instructors. Practical tools such as assessing communication needs and goal setting were introduced. Notably, while all preservice special education teachers had access to tool introduction, findings suggest that individual factors interacted with contextual factors to influence preservice special education teachers’ appropriation of pedagogical tools. Preservice special education teachers varied on individual factors such as reflexivity, career direction, motivation, and prior experience with students with significant needs. Contextual factors included relationships with mentor teachers, classroom schedules, instructional practices, and on-site coaching and feedback from course instructors and field supervisors. The majority of preservice teachers adopted tools at a medium-high range, which suggests that coursework coupled with field experiences equipped the vast majority of preservice special education teachers with knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to serve students with significant needs in the future. Advisors/Committee Members: Williamson, Pamela.

▼ Transcript analyses of classroom observations reveal how three preschool teachers use the language of math as they interact and engage children in Circle Time. Subsequent interviews analyze how they make sense of their own ability to transmit important mathematical concepts and expectations for all children, and how each teacher’s language reflects her math efficacy, affecting the circular relationship between the teacher, her students and mathematics. Children may be capable of more math than we, as preschool teachers, are presenting in our daily activities and interactions with them. The present study considers the way preschool teachers use and think about mathematics, both in the classrooms and in general, in order to better understand how more robust mathematical content might be made available to children at the beginning of their formal education. I analyzed the subject-matter content in three separate and diverse preschool settings to illuminate some of these and related issues. A teacher’s misperception of her own math knowledge capabilities and the knowledge potential of her students, may contribute to a lack of efficacy toward mathematics teaching and a pattern of negative perceptions toward the subject matter. At the confluence of teacher, child and subject matter, embedded in each school day activity, are preschoolers challenged to a degree that is more representative of their developing ability to incorporate mathematical understanding into their lives? Advisors/Committee Members: Moomaw, Sally.

▼ Abstract This qualitative study examined the experiences of special education teachers as they strove to improve their practice of teaching students with autism. Each participant had a minimum of one student with autism on their class roster. They were enrolled in a summer intensive workshop designed to educate special education teachers about evidence-based practices found effective with students on the autism spectrum. Following a phenomenological research method, nine special education teachers were recruited and participated in interviews, occurring prior to, during, and after the summer workshop. The findings revealed that special education teachers share the following experiences: (a) lack of pre-service preparation for teaching students with autism; (b) lack of mentoring support during their initial phase as novice teachers; and (c) lack of reciprocating community throughout their careers. The teachers interviewed expressed a desire to provide best practice for their students on the autism spectrum to ensure that they would have the best quality of life possible. Also, the teachers wanted to acquire certain capabilities for improving students’ behaviors and their ability to work independently. Regardless of their pre- service preparation the participants shared similar beliefs, that: (a) on-going quality professional development was necessary to stay current in the field of education for students with autism; and (b) the summer intensive workshop was the means to update their knowledge and skill repertoire which would lead to improved student outcomes. Keywords: autism, characteristics, evidence-based practice, professional development Advisors/Committee Members: Williamson, Pamela.