Caroline Dunn

Variables Affecting Students' Decisions to Drop Out of School

This study examined factors predictive of dropping out of high school for students with learning disabilities (LD) and mental retardation (MR). The sample was composed of 228 students with LD or MR who dropped out of school and 228 students with LD or MR who had not dropped out. Two sets of predictor variables (student demographics and interview responses) were analyzed using hierarchical logistic regression analysis in terms of their relationship to the outcome variable of dropout. The variables retained in the final model were learning disability, helpful person, helpful class, and general preparation. Specifically, the probability of dropping out for a student with LD who did not feel he or she was being prepared for life after high school and did not identify a helpful class and a helpful person was .86, compared to .16 for a student with MR who did find a particular class and person helpful and felt that school was preparing him or her for desired outcomes. Implications of the results are discussed.

Predictors of Post-High School Employment Among Young Adults with Disabilities

This study examined the employment status of 1,393 former special education students who had exited from 37 of Alabamas 128 school systems between 1996-2000. These 37 school systems served as demonstration sites through the states transition systems change grant. Follow-up telephone interviews revealed that 73% (N=1,013) of these former students were employed one year after exit. Using a hierarchical logistic regression analysis, there was an 87% probability that these students would be employed one year after high school if they held a job at the time they exited school. Other significant findings include the relationship between employment status and gender, disability, and urban or rural setting. The probability of the student having a job one year after high school, for example, was greater if the student was male, had a learning disability, was from an urban school, and had a job at the time of school exit. In contrast, the probability of employment was less likely for females with a disability other than a learning disability, from rural schools, and without a job at the end of high school. These findings suggest that students with disabilities can benefit from participating in paid work experiences during high school and that females in rural settings need better transition planning and programs.

A Status Report on Transition Planning for Individuals with Learning Disabilities

The predominant focus of the transition movement has been on individuals with moderate and severe disabilities. Only recently have professionals begun to comprehensively address the transition needs of individuals with learning disabilities. Although certain transition planning components are applicable to all youth, regardless of disability, the unique needs of specific disability categories must be recognized. The purpose of this article is to provide a review of transition as it relates to students with learning disabilities. Specifically, it provides (a) an overview of state and federal mandates and initiatives that influence transition practices, and (b) a discussion of transition practices for individuals with learning disabilities.

A Follow-Up Study of Former Special Education Students from a Rural and Urban County School System

This study examined the employment status of young adults with mental retardation, behavior disorders, or learning disabilities who had exited a rural (n = 25) or urban (n = 43) county school system within the past year. Additionally, the relationship between employment and demographic and secondary school variables were evaluated. The employment rate for students from the rural school system was 72%, while the employment rate for students from the urban school system was 81.4%. Subjects in rural settings were employed primarily in trade and industry (43.5%), whereas the subjects in the urban area were employed almost equally in service occupations (23.3%), and trade and industry (27.9%). The results of Chi-square analyses were significant for employment status and gender, employment status and disability, and employment status and paid employment during school.

Comparison of the Slosson Full-Range Intelligence Test and Teacher Judgments as Predictors of Students' Academic Achievement

This study investigated the use of teacher judgments and the Slosson Full-Range Intelligence Test to estimate the academic achievement of 89 students who were attending a small, private school. The results indicated that the validity coefficients for teacher judgments were moderate and comparable in magnitude to those found in existing literature. Validity coefficients for the Slosson Full-Range Intelligence Test were generally higher than those typically seen in the literature. When the unique contributions of teacher judgments and the Slosson Full-Range Intelligence Test were compared via multiple regression analyses, the intelligence test was the superior predictor for three of five predictions. Teacher judgments were superior for predicting spelling achievement. No substantial differences between the teacher judgments and the Slosson Full-Range Intelligence were noted in the prediction of reading. When the mean standard scores of the Slosson Full-Range Intelligence Test and the Peabody Individual Achievement Test-Revised were compared, 12 significant differences were found among the 66 comparisons. Possible explanations for these differences were discussed.

Actions Against Poverty: The Impact of Career Technical Education

There is clear and convincing evidence that students with disabilities living in poverty are facing the double jeopardy of dealing with issues associated with their disability, as well as the challenges of living in minimal conditions. Improving outcomes for this population requires the identification and implementation of effective programs. This study analyzed program factors and post-school outcomes of 500 former students with disabilities to determine to what extent predictions regarding employment for these students can be determined. Findings suggest that in high-relative poverty areas, participation in career technical education is associated with higher rates of employment during and after high school.

Statistically Significant Differences Between Standard Scores on the Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests—Revised

Standard scores on the Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests—Revised may be used to diagnose strengths and weaknesses in reading achievement. However, decisions regarding discrepancies that are based on visual inspection are tenuous because apparent differences may be a function of the unreliability of the tests being compared. A table was produced to facilitate paired comparisons between Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests—Revised standard scores. Use of this table can assist in determining intra-individual strengths and weaknesses, and thus, contribute to instructional planning.

A Validation Study of the Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude-Primary Second Edition

Validity of the test scores from the Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude-Primary: Second Edition (DTLA-P:2) was evaluated by examining correlations between it and the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery (WJPB), an instrument with established validity. Fifty-seven students in kindergarten through second grade were given the DTLA-P:2 and the WJPB, Part I (the Broad Cognitive Ability: Preschool Scale) and Part II (the Reading, Math, and Skills Clusters). Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were calculated between the DTLA-P:2 quotients and the WJPB clusters. Correlation coefficients from.68 to.87 indicated a strong relationship between the two and provided evidence for the criterion-related and construct validity of the DTLA-P:2 test scores when using the WJPB as the criterion variable.