Marie Tejero Hughes

Social Outcomes for Students With and Without Learning Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms

Social outcomes of students who participated in two different educational settings designed to provide special services for students with learning disabilities (LD) placed full-time within the general education classroom were examined. Participants were 185 thirdthrough sixth-grade students: 59 students with LD, 72 low to average achieving, and 54 high achieving. There was an overall educational setting effect, with students on the consultation/collaborative teaching setting demonstrating more positive outcomes than students in the co-teaching setting on friendship quality and peer acceptance. Students with LD in the consultation/collaborative teaching setting also demonstrated moderate increases in the number of reciprocal friendships from fall to spring. Discussion addresses the positive social outcomes for students with LD and high-achieving students in the consultation/collaborative teaching setting, and the importance of monitoring student progress in all settings.

Sustaining Research-Based Practices in Reading A 3-Year Follow-up

This study examined the extent to which the reading instructional practices learned by a cohort of teachers who participated in an intensive, yearlong professional development experience during the 1994-1995 school year have been sustained and modified over time. Teachers learned three multileveled practices—partner reading, collaborative strategic reading, and making words—that promote gains in reading for students from a wide range of achievement levels. Teachers were observed and interviewed 3 years later to determine the extent to which they continued to implement the practices, the ways in which they modified them, and factors that influenced their sustained use of the practices. With the exception of one teacher, all the teachers sustained one or more of the three practices at a high rate.

Social Skills Interventions for Young Children with Disabilities A Synthesis of Group Design Studies

This study synthesizes the findings of social skills interventions conducted with 3- to 5-year-old children with disabilities between 1975 and June of 1999. An extensive search of the professional literature yielded a total of 23 group-design intervention studies that met criteria for inclusion in the synthesis. The synthesis provides a description of the purpose, procedures, measures, and findings of each study as well as an analysis of effect size outcomes in relation to critical features of the primary studies. Positive outcomes were associated with a range of interventions, including modeling, play-related activities, rehearsal/practice, and/or prompting.

Computer-Assisted Instruction to Enhance the Reading Comprehension of Struggling Readers: A Review of the Literature

This literature review synthesizes the effects of computer-assisted instruction to enhance the reading comprehension of students with disabilities and struggling readers from 1985–2009. First, it addresses research that investigates the impact on comprehension when students are presented with computerized versus printed reading material. Second, it reviews work using computerized readers to enhance comprehension by compensating for reading difficulties. Finally, it considers research on a variety of tools used to help students gain meaning from the text with which they are engaged, often through Web-linked hypertext. Computer-based tools offer students with learning disabilities and reading difficulties interlinked support for reading. Intervention results are mixed, with many showing positive effects but not consistently so. Future research is needed to gauge the overall effectiveness of hypermedia supports on comprehension.

Experiences of Latino Families With Their Child's Special Education Program

The goal of the study was to develop a better understanding of how Latino families with children with disabilities perceive their childs special education program and their involvement in school. Participants were families of children with disabilities attending a predominately Latino elementary school in a large, urban school district. Forty-four families participated in a questionnaire and a representative subgroup (n = 16) were interviewed individually. Findings revealed that overall families were quite satisfied with their childs special education program and with their own involvement. The majority of families indicated that they received regular communication and were satisfied with the overall school to home communication. However, some families still wanted more information about classroom activities and expressed frustration with communication citing their limited English skills as the primary source of difficulty.

Effects of Toys or Group Composition for Children With Disabilities: A Synthesis

This synthesis reviewed the findings of 13 intervention studies, published between 1975 and June 1999, that examined the effects of manipulation of toys or group composition on social behaviors of 3- to 5-year-old children with disabilities. The purpose, participants, intervention, measurement, and findings of each study are described. An analysis of study outcomes is provided for (a) toy effect, (b) group composition effect, and (c) toy effect combined with group composition effect. Positive outcomes were associated with childrens playing with social toys and play groups that included children with and without disabilities.

The Voices of Latino Families Raising Children With Special Needs

In this study we examined the perceptions of 16 Latino families regarding their views and experiences raising a child with special needs and their involvement in their childs schooling. Families talked about treating their child like a “normal child” regardless of the childs unique needs, but they also stated that their level of involvement was different compared to raising their other children. All families shared their expectations for their child, with most wanting their child to reach a level of independence. Overall, families were satisfied with the special education program; however, some families were concerned with the progress their child was making.

Preparing Special Education Mentors Using Classroom Artifacts as a Vehicle for Learning about Teaching.

The authors examine a project that focuses on preparing special educators to mentor preservice teachers throughout their preparation program, instead of mostly at the end of their program. Through use of classroom literacy artifacts, mentors are prepared in how to guide novices as they transition through coursework and into classroom practice. Fifteen mentors participate in the yearlong project and have regular interactions with preservice teachers through campus field advisories. Responses regarding the selection, preparation, and discussion of the artifact are collected. Findings indicate that mentors can select and use artifacts that illustrate teaching complexities. Also, pre-service teachers value the discussions surrounding the artifacts and say it helped them learn about teaching students with disabilities. Although helpful as a way to focus on learning to teach students with disabilities, the artifact is still only a resource. Key to its usefulness is work with mentors to help them select, plan, and discuss the artifact.

Integrating Comprehension Strategies into Social Studies Instruction.

The number of middle school students with learning disabilities (LD) taught social studies in general education classes continues to rise. Providing general education teachers with additional ways to support students with LD as they navigate social studies reading materials could help planning and teaching for all students. In middle school, when reading challenges become increasingly complex and focused on expository text, an understanding of how to select and integrate comprehension strategies into instruction could enable teachers to assist students’ access to curriculum and overall success in learning major concepts. Drawing on highly effective evidence-based strategies, this article presents scenarios and research-based resources to help middle school teachers integrate comprehension strategy instruction into teaching social studies. When teachers incorporate strategy instruction into their lessons, students with LD are provided with support to access text even when the special education teacher is not present in the classroom to provide individualized assistance.

Students With Learning Disabilities in Inquiry-Based Science Classrooms: A Cross-Case Analysis:

Students with learning disabilities (LD) often receive instruction in general education science classrooms. However, little is known about the academic success of students with LD in this setting. As inquiry-based science instruction has become more prominent, research focusing on student learning is needed to explore how such instruction meets students’ needs. To address this, a cross-case analysis was conducted. It included six middle school students, each with LD, from a Midwestern city. Each student was enrolled in a general education science class that used inquiry-based instruction. Data sources included student and educator interviews, classroom observations, and student portfolios. Results indicated that most of the students with LD had difficulty acquiring science process knowledge and that students relied on peer supports to facilitate their learning. Findings extend the research on science instruction for students with LD in middle school classrooms using inquiry-based instruction.