Kim Killu

Choice vs. Preference: The Effects of Choice and No Choice of Preferred and Non Preferred Spelling Tasks on the Academic Behavior of Students with Disabilities

The effects of choice and no choice of preferred and non preferred instructional activities on the academic behavior of 3 students with disabilities were investigated. Participant preferences for spelling tasks were assessed and an ABCDEF design was used to examine choice and preference within 6 experimental conditions: a) choice of preferred tasks, b) choice of non preferred tasks, c) no choice of preferred tasks, d) no choice of non preferred tasks, e) no choice of preferred tasks (yoked-control), and f) no choice of non preferred tasks (yoked-control). Results indicate that all 3 participants had higher levels of task engagement when working with preferred tasks, regardless of a choice or no choice format. The findings from this investigation contribute to the growing body of research that focuses on developing interventions that are responsive to individual student preferences.

Developing Effective Behavior Intervention Plans Suggestions for School Personnel

With federal mandates to develop and implement programs for students with disabilities who have behavior problems that impede their educational performance, school personnel are faced with increasing responsibility for developing individualized interventions. Developing interventions that appropriately, effectively, and efficiently address the relationship between learning and behavior problems is a complex task that requires a host of essential elements and procedures. For intervention team members who lead and design the functional behavior assessment and behavior intervention plans, specific issues to consider in developing and monitoring these plans are discussed.

Behavior Intervention Planning and Implementation of Positive Behavioral Support Plans An Examination of States' Adherence to Standards for Practice

To address the behavioral needs of students with disabilities in school settings, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEIA) requires the development and implementation of a behavior intervention plan/positive behavioral support plan (BIP/PBSP) based on positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS). Despite the BIP/ PBSP mandate, there are no federal guidelines in place to direct school personnel. Many states have assumed responsibility for establishing policies governing BIPs/PBSPs. This investigation examined the resources acquired or developed and disseminated by state education agencies (SEAs) in all 50 states and compared the information available in these resources with standard practice for BIP/PBSP development and PBIS practice.

Effects of High-Probability Request Sequences on Preschoolers' Compliance and Disruptive Behavior

A high-probability request sequence was implemented with three preschool children with developmental delays within their classroom during typical activities. A multiple baseline design across subjects was used to evaluate the effects of the high-probability request sequence on compliant responding to low-probability requests and the occurrence of disruptive behavior. Results of the study indicate that the use of the high-probability request sequence was effective in increasing compliant responding to low-probability requests delivered by two different trainers for all children. No increases in disruptive behavior were noted as a result of using the high-probability request sequence. When the high-probability request sequence was withdrawn, compliant responding to low-probability requests was maintained for all children across time and in different settings.

Understanding and Accommodating Students with Depression in the Classroom.

gramming and intervention, educators are constantly challenged to effectively educate students who have emotional and behavioral disorders (E/BD). The behavioral excesses and deficits of these students contribute to the learning challenges they face in the classroom. Most students with E/BD academically perform at least 1 year below the standard grade level (Cullinan, 2002), and have difficulty mastering academic skills and content material. The deleterious effect on academic and social functioning can have a cumulative effect on achievement and school success. Students falling under the E/BD category are more likely to be excluded from general education settings (Heflin & Bullock, 1999) and have marginal to unsatisfactory educational performance (U.S. Department of Education, 1998). The general education environment is often unequipped to provide the resources and support necessary for the academic, behavioral, and social success of these students. There exists a critical need for research that addresses academic instruction for students with E/BD (Gunter & Denny, 1998). More importantly, there is a lack of research-based interventions available to educators for this population, especially in the areas of accommodations and modifications. It also is important to note that students with E/BD do not comprise a homogeneous group; the category of E/BD includes a wide variety and scope of disorders, and mood disorders are one such category. “A general, pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression” is one of the defining characteristics of serious emotional disturbance, as defined within the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004). The relationship between depression, the comorbid occurrence of other disorders, and academic and social deficiencies is evident. Depression and mood disorders present a significant challenge in the classroom; resulting symptoms can impact memory, recall, motivation, problem solving, task completion, physical and motor skills, and social interactions (Hammen & Rudolph, 2003; Nolen-Hoeksema, Girgus, & Seligman, 1992). Little information is available on practical instructional accommodations and modifications for use by the classroom teacher. A greater need exists to provide accommodations in the classroom to facilitate more successful classroom placements and educational performance. Educators need this information to effectively design and present instruction to those students displaying characteristics of mood disorders. This article describes the characteristics of mood disorders/ depression in children and adolescents, and discusses two cases in which educators designed effective accommodations and modifications in the classroom for these two students with depression.

Understanding and Developing Academic and Behavioral Interventions for Students with Bipolar Disorder.

Despite significant advances in practices for effectively designing and delivering instruction for students with disabilities, educators continue to face challenges addressing the needs of students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Little information is available for educators on accommodations and modifications that would serve the needs of these students and address the unique challenges they present in the classroom. The educational, social, and behavioral needs of students with bipolar disorder are discussed along with suggestions for providing effective accommodations and modifications in the classroom.

Flashcards and Guided Visual Vocabulary Practice: Experiences of Students with Learning Disabilities When Introduced to Concrete Spanish Nouns.

Successful inclusion of students with learning disabilities in foreign language courses has been problematic, likely due to factors such as heightened anxiety and individualized learning challenges which are characteristic of those with learning disabilities. These learning characteristics often necessitate that multisensory strategies be employed to support students with learning disabilities in academic content areas; prior research has suggested that such strategies contribute to successful completion of foreign language coursework for struggling learners. Accordingly, an initial study investigated the impact of an explicit, multisensory strategy called Guided Visual Vocabulary Practice (GVVP) in recalling English translations of concrete Spanish nouns. Progress of participants (n = 8) with GVVP was compared to performance with traditional flashcards in a single-subject, reversal design spanning a 10-week period. Student performance was assessed by tabulating the number of thematically grouped Spanish nouns correctly translated when presented orally from randomized lists. The findings indicated a moderate effect size (0.54) overall, but the largest impact with GVVP occurred among the three middle school participants included in the sample. An analysis of different aspects of the Spanish vocabulary words (cognates, number of syllables, initial letters) may have correlated with student performance is included, as are implications for future research and instructional practice. Subscribe to LDMJ

Attention Deficit Disorders Evaluation Scale - Second Edition (ADDES II).

1995/96 Complete Kit Pre-Referral ADD Checklist (50) Pre-Referral ISD (50) ADDES School Version Technical Manual ADDES School Version Rating Forms (50) ADDES Home Version Technical Manual ADDES Home Version Rating Forms (50) ADDES/DSM,IV Forms (50) Attention Deficit Disorders Intervention Manual Parents Guide to Attention Deficit Disorders Computerized Parents Guide to Attention Deficit Disorders, IBM and Macintosh Computerized Attention Deficit Disorders Intervention Manual, IBM and Macintosh