Gretchen Butera

Collaboration in the Context of Appalachia: The Case of Cassie

A broad perspective on child development is important to understanding collaboration in special education. Bronfenbrenners ecological model of human development provides a backdrop to this case study of collaboration on behalf of Cassie, a 4-year-old child with disabilities in a small West Virginia community. The story of Cassie and her family is used to examine special education in a socio-cultural context. The implications of the research for special education in general and professional development in particular are discussed.

A Statewide Study of FAPE and School Discipline Policies

Telephone interviews were conducted with 141 randomly selected special education coordinators, principals, and special and general education teachers to explore their knowledge, experience, and opinions about common practice related to the mandate for a free and appropriate public education (FAPE), Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and school discipline procedures. Qualitative research methods were used to identify themes common across interviews. Both the IEP documents and process were viewed as too cumbersome and procedural to be used as a “workable” plan for intervention, especially for behavioral or social/emotional concerns. Educators reported that they did not always review IEPs to make discipline decisions. Findings are discussed with regard to FAPE.

Cognitive Education of Young Children with Autism

Autism presents persistent and frustrating problems in socialization and learning. Since the initial description of the syndrome by Kanner (1943), the literature on the effects of treatment and educational programs has been pessimistic with respect to long-term prognosis. Recent authors described the particular learning challenges and specific cognitive processing deficits that characterize children with autism and this more adequate description has led to the promise of more effective remedial procedures (see Schopler, 1987, 1989 regarding Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication-Handicapped Children).

Classroom Behaviors of Students with Disabilities in Rural Inclusive Classrooms: An Observational Study.

Observational data were collected to compare classroom academic and social behaviors of 71 students with mild-moderate disabilities to those of their normative peers in 48 elementary inclusive classrooms. Fifteen categories of observed behaviors were recorded in six-second intervals that alternated with the recording of observed behaviors of normative peers in each classroom using the Classroom Behavior Record (CBR). Analyses indicated students with disabilities did not differ from their normative peers on fourteen measures of social and academic classroom behaviors. Students with disabilities were observed as significantly less attentive than their normative peers and they were even less attentive if more than one adult was in the classroom. Implications for rural inclusive special education service delivery are discussed.