Department of Special Education & Multiple Abilities

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The effects of virtual coaching on co-teachers' planning and instruction
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2012) Ploessl, Donna Marie; Rock, Marcia L.; Gregg, Madeleine; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
Recent legislation requires that students with disabilities receive equal access to the same educational opportunities as their typically developing peers (Cook et al., 2011). Therefore, most students with disabilities receive all or part of their education in the general education classrooms (U.S. Department of Education, 2008). Because of the diverse needs of students within the classrooms, co-teaching has become a popular method of special education service provision. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of virtual coaching provided to practicing co-teachers as they planned and cooperatively carried out instruction in the general education classroom. Single-case (ABAB) within participants withdrawal design was used to investigate the effectiveness of virtual coaching through online technologies on three co-teaching dyads (n=6). Data were collected through observations of archived video files, a Likert-type communication scale, and observational scales published in the co-teaching literature. Semi-structured interviews provided a measure of social validity. The efficacy of the virtual coaching intervention was examined through visual inspection of the data and percentage of nonoverlapping data. Observers used time-sampling measures to document student engagement during baseline and intervention conditions. Results indicated that all teachers increased use of varied co-teaching models and student-specific accommodations. Praise remained high while redirection of student behavior decreased over the length of the study. Students and co-teachers were not distracted by the virtual coaching intervention. The limitations of the study, implications for research and practice, as well as suggestions for future research are discussed. This study extended the work of Rock et al. (2009) and Scheeler et al. (2010).
An examination of how knowledgeable and skilled elementary principals lead special education programs in Alabama: four case studies
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2012) Templeton, Richard Raymond; Beirne-Smith, Mary; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 increased the importance of having principals who are not only effective leaders of general education programs but knowledgeable and skilled in special education and able to effectively lead special education programs. The researcher examined four principals of elementary schools (i.e., kindergarten through fifth grades) in Alabama. Two principals (i.e., Case A and Case B) were identified as being knowledgeable and skilled in special education, and two principals (i.e., Case C and Case D) were identified as being marginally knowledgeable and skilled in special education. The purpose of this study is to determine the similarities between how principals who are knowledgeable and skilled in special education lead and support the special education programs at their schools, to examine the differences between how those principals and principals who are identified as marginal in their knowledge and skill in special education lead and support special education programs at their schools, and examine the role that the principal who is knowledgeable and skilled in special education plays. This study attempts to gain a deeper understanding of the constructs of effective special education leadership at the school level. A sequential mixed-methods process was used to collect data. The researcher used a survey to collect data during Phase 1 that was analyzed through the use of descriptive statistics within-case and a means comparison across cases. In Phase 2, data were collected from (a) archival records, (b) interviews, (c) documentation, and (d) direct observations. Data were analyzed through a within-case analysis through coding, categorizing, and identifying emerging themes. Data were analyzed through a cross-case analysis for similarities between principals who are knowledgeable and skilled in special education and then between principals who are marginally knowledgeable and skilled in special education. Then differences between the two groups where identified. Conclusions are drawn in five areas: (a) necessity of knowledge and skill in special education, (b) possession of knowledge and skill in special education, (c) the roles principals play as leader of the special education program, (d) how principals support special education programs, and (e) special education oversight at the school level.
The impact of the national board for professional teaching standards on special educators
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2014) Buchanan, Dania Lynne; Beirne-Smith, Mary; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
In the United States, educational reform has focused on teachers and their responsibility for student achievement. Hence, the development of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) to provide a national system of recognition for teachers that will transform and unify the teaching profession (Hamsa, 1998). The NBPTS' mission in education is to "maintain high and rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do, provide a national voluntary system certifying teachers who meet these standards, and advocating related education reforms to integrate National Board Certification (NBC) in American education and to capitalize on the expertise of NBPTS certified teachers" (NBPTS,2001, p. v). In 1994, the NBPTS created a committee of special educators to develop national standards to define professional growth and contemporary practice in the field of special education in accordance with the Five Core Propositions of the NBPTS. The changing role of the special educators in educational reform has forced special educators to seek alternative forms of professional development to meet the needs of the diverse population of students with disparate needs in the classroom. Current research on the use of NBPTS certification process as appropriate professional development has proven that the certification process is a viable means of maintaining professional knowledge for the general educator. However, there is minimal research on the impact of the NBPTS certification process has on special educators and the students that receive special education services. This study is a mixed methods study that explored the use of the NBPTS process as an appropriate mode of professional development for special educators outside of the traditional workshop model of professional development. Models of professional development are discussed, features of professional development are explored, professional development for special educators is examined, and the study is situated within the theoretical framework of Constructivism Theory. The NSDC Standards Assessment Inventory-2 survey (see Appendix A) was administered in addition to demographic information collected. The qualitative portion of the study engaged NBPTS Exceptional Needs recipients in a voluntary interview to determine their affective experience in regard to the NBPTS certification process.
Teaching students with severe and multiple disabilities: the implementation of shared stories
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2012) Lee, Cynthia Dockery; Beirne-Smith, Mary; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
This study investigated the results of employing shared story reading during literacy instruction for participants with severe and multiple disabilities. This intervention was conducted in an effort to improve independent responses made by participants with severe and multiple disabilities within a small group on a task analysis during shared stories. The participants of the study were elementary students receiving special education services who were enrolled in two schools within the local educational agency (LEA). The researcher employed a task analysis to identify correct response patterns from participants. The researcher and other professionals implementing related services employed Universal Design for Learning (UDL) techniques in an effort to augment independent correct responses within small group instruction. The UDL techniques incorporated augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices and intraverbal training techniques in an effort to promote independence and participation. The researcher provided intraverbal training by presenting various styles of questions during literacy training, and the participants used AAC devices, picture symbols, communication boards, and objects relating to the story to appropriately respond to specific questions from the task analysis. The task analysis measured the students' intraverbal skills, comprehension, and participation. Only the independent responses were incorporated for inclusion into this study; however, general reactions and nonresponsiveness were recorded to facilitate improved participant engagement through UDL planning. This task analysis was employed for each participant during the baseline, intervention, generalization, and maintenance phases of the study. Professionals who attended the team planning meetings completed a checklist to ensure that all components of UDL were addressed for each step of the task analysis. The results of the current study indicated that the number of independent correct responses increased for all participants across all phases of the study. The study indicated that the participants engaged during shared story reading by attending to objects, using AAC devices to interact during the story and demonstrate comprehension of text. Taken together with the Browder, Mims, et al. (2008) study, the results of the study suggested that the implementation of UDL components with shared story reading is an effective method to promote literacy learning for students with severe and multiple disabilities.

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