Dennis D. Munk

The Relationship between Instructional Variables and Problem Behavior: A Review

In recent years, there has been considerable discussion of positive procedures to reduce problem behaviors of persons with severe disabilities. One variable found in many of the situations in which these behaviors occur is instruction. The purpose of this paper is to review studies that have used instructional variables as nonaversive interventions for problem behaviors. Instructional variables that may decrease problem behavior include (a) student choice of task, (b) task variation, (c) pace of instruction, (d) interspersal of high-probability tasks, (e) partial- versus whole-task training, (f) decreasing task difficulty, and (g) a multielement package. Further research is needed in nonintrusive, naturally occurring, and positive methods for reducing problem behaviors in instructional settings.

A Model for Preparing Special and General Education Preservice Teachers for Inclusive Education.

Project ACCEPT (Achieving Creative & Collaborative Educational Preservice Teams) represents an initiative at Northern Illinois University, where special and general education preservice teachers are joined in a voluntary project featuring an enhanced curriculum and field experiences in inclusive classrooms. Participants receive intensive preparation in use of assistive technologies, functional behavioral assessment, and instructional accommodations as well as experience designing lesson plans that include features of universal design. This article describes the specific features of the Project ACCEPT curriculum and outcomes for the first year of implementation.

Evaluating the Impact of a Prevention-Based Model of Reading on Children Who Are At Risk

Large numbers of students are not benefiting from current reading curricula and practices. However, despite the presence of a scientifically validated basis for teaching reading, the nuances of exactly how to translate beginning reading research into day-to-day classroom practice remain to be validated. In this article, beginning literacy outcomes for the instructional practices employed in Project PRIDE are presented. Project PRIDE is a model for preventing reading failure that employs a combination of systematic, explicit instruction in phonemic awareness and phonics with a total classroom reading program; a multitiered teaching approach; data-based decision making; and professional development that includes ongoing, on-site coaching. The effects of 2 years of PRIDE implementation in three inner-city schools in a medium-sized midwestern city are presented, and the implications of these findings for current practice and future research are discussed.

Project ACCEPT: Preparing Pre-Service Special and General Educators for Inclusive Education.

Preparing educators to teach in inclusive classrooms is a critical first step in ensuring that all students in P-12 programs receive exemplary educational services. The need to restructure personnel preparation in response to the increasing diversity and inclusiveness of public school classrooms has evolved from discussion and debate more than a decade ago to an array of initiatives in teacher education programs across the country today. These initiatives have been influenced by standards-based reform proposals, changes in certification policies, feedback from graduates, or interests of particular faculty. In the Department of Teaching and Learning at Northern Illinois University, Project ACCEPT (Achieving Creative & Collaborative Educational Preservice Teams) was developed in response to implementation of standards-based certification requirements for special and general education teachers in Illinois as well as recognition within the college and department that new teachers would benefit from program enhancements focusing on education of all learners. The primary goals of Project ACCEPT was to prepare educators for inclusive schools and to encourage collaboration across different disciplines. The major features of Project ACCEPT are a shared course and clinical experience for pre-service special and general educators, instructional modules on critical competency areas for teachers in inclusive classrooms, and hands-on experience and assessment with assistive technologies. The Department of Teaching & Learning collaborated with the Regional Access and Mobilization Project (RAMP) to pursue and receive a four-year grant from the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities (ICDD). The purpose of the grant was to develop and evaluate an innovative model for preparing teachers for service and leadership in inclusive schools. As an advocacy organization for individuals with disabilities and their families, RAMP contributed expertise in shaping positive attitudes toward individuals with disabilities, as well as access to families of students with disabilities. University faculty focused on logistics of restructuring the program, development of field-based experiences, and enhancement of critical competencies for all pre-service teachers to meet new state standards. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Toni VanLaarhoven, Department of Teaching and Learning, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115. E-mail: tvanlaar@niu.edu Research described herein was supported by a grant from the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities. Teacher Education and Special Education 2006, Volume 29, No. 4, 209–212

Strategies for Improving Home-School Communication About Homework for Students with Disabilities:

Increased emphasis on the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classes has led to heightened research attention to educational practices affecting the outcomes of these students. Educational interventions, including homework, have been the focus of several studies, including those in which the opinions of educators and parents have been sampled through focus group interviews. The purpose of this study was to establish, through a national survey, the perceived effectiveness of several strategies for improving homework communication between parents, students, and teachers. Initially, principals were asked to randomly select two teachers from their schools for the survey. These nominated teachers then were mailed a survey on homework recommendations. A total of 639 general education teachers (50.5%) responded. The results indicated that these general education teachers perceived several common practices, as well as use of technology, to be highly effective for improving home-school communication about homework for students with disabilities. Among the most highly ranked recommendations were release and mutual planning time, assignment books and logs, parent attendance at meetings and daily monitoring of their childs homework, and use of telephone networks or answering machines to provide remote access to assignments. Several practice recommendations are discussed.

Homework Communication Problems: Perspectives of Special and General Education Parents.

The practice of including students with disabilities in general education classes has spawned interest in academic interventions, such as homework, that allow these students to be successful. Previous studies have revealed a number of communication problems that can limit the effectiveness of homework as an intervention. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the perceptions and experiences of parents of children with and without disabilities regarding homework load and problems related to communication with teachers. A national survey of 265 general education parents and 83 special education parents was conducted to determine (1) whether these two groups have different experiences with homework, and (2) the extent to which they agree with each other and with teachers regarding communication problems. Results revealed that both sets of parents have had similar experiences with homework, and that both groups perceive teachers to be at fault for not initiating timely and useful communication and for lacking information about their childs needs. Results are compared with those of other studies involving teachers, and recommendations for reducing blame and enhancing communication are discussed.

Grading Adaptations for Students With Disabilities

Issues surround grading for all students, especially those with disabilities, who are at increased risk for grades that are low, inaccurate, and lacking in meaning. Teachers often recognize grading issues and will exercise judgment in making informal adaptations to the regular grading system. When chosen collaboratively and implemented systematically, grading adaptations can be incorporated into the regular grading system to produce accurate and fair grades. A systematic process for selecting and monitoring grading adaptations, the Personalized Grading Plan (PGP) Model, has been implemented successfully with included students with disabilities.

In vivo functional assessment and multi-element interventions for problem behaviors of students with disabilities in classroom settings

Persons with developmental disabilities often do not follow instructions or complete tasks in educational settings, thus further disadvantaging themselves as they try to lead more normalized lives. The purpose of this paper was to address the problems of three persons referred for not following instructions and for engaging in associated behavior problems (e.g., crying, hitting, throwing materials) when given instructions. A functional assessment was conducted in the natural school setting without any prescribed conditions as in analogue functional assessments. Results of the assessments showed that problem behaviors for two subjects occurred much more in demand conditions requiring active responses than in demand conditions requiring passive responses. The results for a third subject showed problem behaviors were associated with toileting demands, less so with other demand conditions, but not with conditions in which there were an absence of demands. Individualized multi-element interventions were based on the negative reinforcement hypothesis and were intended to make tasks less aversive and to make instructions easier to understand. Results of the interventions showed increases in task engagement and decreases in problem behaviors during the active tasks and toileting tasks for which interventions were programmed, as well as for the passive tasks and other demand conditions for which no interventions were programmed. Results were discussed in terms of the value of functional assessments in directing therapists to base interventions on hypotheses of the function of the presenting problem.

Research on the Prevention of Reading Problems: Are Kindergarten and First Grade Teachers Listening?.

Abstract Reading problems can be prevented, or at least minimized, in a reading program that includes explicit instruction in phonemic awareness, word identification skills leading to accurate, fluent reading, and comprehension. This study reports the results of a survey of 549 kindergarten and first grade teachers designed to examine teacher attitudes toward, and knowledge of, beginning reading practices that have been shown to prevent reading failure. The results indicate that for children at risk, teachers display more positive attitudes toward explicit reading approaches that embody the teaching of phonemic awareness and phonics. The implications of these results for teacher training and future research are discussed.

What Report Card Grades Should and Do Communicate Perceptions of Parents of secondary Students With and Without Disabilities

Outcomes research for included students with disabilities indicates that many students are receiving low or failing grades, resulting in increased interest in using grading adaptations for these students. However, successful use of a grading adaptation may hinge on what purpose the student, parent, and teacher perceive the grade to serve or on what information they think it should convey. The purpose of this study was to determine which of 10 potential purposes for report card grades parents of general education and special education students perceive as being most important and to find out how effectively these parents perceive report card grades to be in meeting each of the purposes. Results indicated that the combined sample of parents thought some purposes were more important than others; however, they did not believe that report card grades were very effective in meeting these purposes. Significant differences were also found between the perceptions of the parents of high-achieving students without disabilities and those of students with disabilities.