THE EFFECTS OF A CONTEXTUALIZED INSTRUCTIONAL PACKAGE ON THE AREA AND PERIMETER PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY STUDENTS WITH EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL DISABILITIES

The current study examined the effects of an instructional package on the mathematics performance of secondary students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) when applied to grade-appropriate area and perimeter objectives. The instructional package included the following empirically-supported approaches: (a) contextualized instruction; (b) use of manipulatives; (c) use of a cue card; and (d) self-monitoring techniques for behavior and academic performance. The intervention also incorporated pre-requisite skills and was delivered through a set of scripted lessons that employed explicit instruction balanced with constructivist-based activities. The multiple-probe design was implemented across two participants, then replicated across two more participants (Tawney & Gast, 1984). The participants were four middle school students with EBD in a suburban Maryland public school. Results of the study demonstrated that participants were able to improve mathematics accuracy on area and perimeter objectives. Three participants were also, to a limited extent, able to maintain performance over time and transfer performance to more complex mathematics tasks. Two participants were able to transfer performance to tasks of similar context to those practiced in the intervention. The study suggests that, when provided explicit and sustained instruction on pre-requisite math objectives and grade-appropriate mathematics objectives, students with EBD may be successful with non-computational mathematics

Detained and committed youth: Examining differences in achievement, mental health needs, and special education status

Currently, there is limited research about the relationship between academic, mental health needs, and special education status among populations of incarcerated youth. Additionally, little is known about differences between special education and general education students, or about differences between detained and committed populations. This article reports the results of an investigation of the academic achievement, mental health history, and special education status of 555 detained and incarcerated boys in one mid-Atlantic state. Descriptive data and results from a logistic regression analysis are reported. We found that mean standard scores of participants on standardized achievement tests were one standard deviation below the population mean. We also found high rates of participants with disabilities, and high rates of participants reporting prior therapy and prior use of psychotropic medication. In addition, we found that student academic and mental health characteristics obtained through an intake screening protocol were predictive of special education status, but not of placement in detention or commitment settings. Finally, we found that African American students had a significantly higher risk of being committed than Caucasian students. Implications for future research and practice are discussed