Needs of Military Families: Family and Educator Perspectives

This qualitative research study explores the problems military families, educators, and school districts have in building positive and effective partnerships. It is anticipated that a better understanding of the unique challenges encountered by military families and their children with developmental delays or exceptionalities will lead to more effective interventions. By understanding military families' needs and improving communication, more satisfying partnerships can be established, which in turn is anticipated to positively impact the well-being of the children with exceptionalities of military families. Little research exists to guide educators in finding effective strategies for supporting military families and their children with exceptionalities, particularly for young children (birth to eight years of age). Investigating programs and interventions which are effective for this age group is of particular importance, given that slightly more than 500,000 children of military families are under five years of age. Gaining a greater understanding of how to support these families is timely. We know from our work with families of young children with special needs that families are more satisfied and achieve a greater sense of empowerment when they are included as meaningful partners and respected for their knowledge. This family-centered approach, builds a "partnership of equals," collaborating to address challenges and build resources with families. For the military family, each new challenge taps new strengths and generates unique ideas for overcoming obstacles. This study suggests partnerships between the school leadership and military command could assist families with the challenges of relocation and deployment when they also have children with exceptionalities. Thus, implementing a family-centered approach in our work with military families should support the family as they work to enhance their family and child outcomes, build resilience, and achieve their long term goals with a sense of fulfillment

Exploring Ways to Support Preservice Teachers\u27 Use of UDL In Planning and Instruction

There is limited research documenting current efforts to support preservice teachers to use the universal design for learning (UDL) framework in authentic teaching experiences. To increase knowledge on the effects of preparing preservice teachers to incorporate the UDL framework, researchers examined the effects a UDL professional development seminar that was delivered during the student teaching phase had on eight teacher candidates during their K–12 placement. Using a concurrent triangulation mixed-method design, researchers examined lesson plans, video footage of teaching, teacher candidate reflections on their teaching sample, and university supervisor measures of the same sample before and after the UDL seminar. Findings are shared as well as recommendations for future practice

Results of a One-Day Seminar on Preservice Teachers’ Incorporation of the UDL Framework in Lesson Design

Students with disabilities are increasingly receiving their instruction in inclusive classrooms. General education teachers continue to report a lack of preparation to address their needs. This study examined the impact of a 6-hour professional development seminar on the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to determine if preservice general and special education teachers’ overall performance in lesson design to reduce barriers, identified through increased attention to student variability, improved. Two lesson plans, preseminar and postseminar, from 242 participants were scored using a modified education field experience (EFE) rubric that included 19 evaluation criteria. A Rasch analysis was used to determine pretest and posttest scoring validity and to enable regression analysis with a continuous outcome variable. Results indicated that the seminar resulted in higher scores for the participants’ postmeasures, controlling for the premeasure effects, as well as unique findings based on subject matter. These findings are presented, as well as implications for future research and practice

Exploring Ways to Support Preservice Teachers’ Use of UDL in Planning and Instruction

There is limited research documenting current efforts to support preservice teachers to use the universal design for learning (UDL) framework in authentic teaching experiences. To increase knowledge on the effects of preparing preservice teachers to incorporate the UDL framework, researchers examined the effects a UDL professional development seminar that was delivered during the student teaching phase had on eight teacher candidates during their K–12 placement. Using a concurrent triangulation mixed-method design, researchers examined lesson plans, video footage of teaching, teacher candidate reflections on their teaching sample, and university supervisor measures of the same sample before and after the UDL seminar. Findings are shared as well as recommendations for future practice

Family experiences of engagement in inclusive childcare programs for toddlers

Previous research has explored family engagement experiences and practices in childcare programs. The purpose of this study was to explore family members’ experiences related to their engagement in decision-making processes across various inclusive, toddler childcare programs. Five early educators and eight parents participated in the study. Four parents had a child with a diagnosed disability or developmental delays, were at-risk for developmental delays, and/or received speech, occupational, or physical therapy. Eligible early educators participating in the study taught toddlers (18 to 30 months) in a private, faith-based, or university childcare program. A semi-structured interview style was used to collect family participant responses. The early educators’ inclusive practice indicator rubric scores previously collected from the larger grant funded project were used to triangulate data. Through a phenomenological qualitative design, this study gained a better understanding of families’ decision-making experiences, facilitators and barriers that may impact family engagement, and opportunities early educators have provided or not provided to encourage family engagement in inclusive, toddler childcare programs

Professional Credential Program: Impacting Early Childhood Inclusive Learning Environments

For more than three decades, the inclusion of children with disabilities in early childhood education settings has been developing worldwide in educational research, policy, and real-world practice. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a Special Needs Inclusive Practices Credential Program with early educators working in the southeastern region of the United States. Researchers used the Inclusive Classroom Profile (ICP) with a pre-post research design to measure inclusive practice change. Initial results from this study revealed a statistically significant effect on all but two items for the initial cohorts (i.e. 1 and 2). After revising the PD for cohort 3 the analyses did not identify any items from the ICP that were not statistically significant. Importantly the overall analyses (including all 3 cohorts), revealed a statistically significant for within subjects on the total pre- and post-test score of the Inclusive Classroom Profile (ICPTM) (2016), Wilk’s Lambda = .49, F (1, 82) = 83.92, p = .000. The analysis did not identify any items that did not result in a statistically significant change between pre and post evaluations of all cohorts

Experiencing a Reduction In Classroom Auditory Distractions for Students With and Without Disabilities: A Phenomenological Inquiry

Since the early part of the 20th century, researchers in the fields of cognitive psychology and education have studied the ill-effect of noise on the social, physiological, and psychological aspects of the human psyche. In order for academic progress to take place, it is important for all teachers to select instructional methods and accommodations that address the varied needs represented in the classroom. The present phenomenological inquiry study explored the effect of a noise-reducing test accommodation on a reading comprehension assessment for 24 elementary students with and without disabilities. Eighteen classrooms in a total of two elementary schools in South Carolina were chosen to participate in this study and a purposive student sample (n = 24) was selected for interviews. Six themes emerged from the data: (a) increased reading comprehension, (b) reduced distractions, (c) increased comprehension, (d) a sense of calmness, (e) personal enjoyment, and (f) a different feeling. The results indicated that students who used noise reducing headphones, while taking a reading comprehension test, experienced a mutual appreciation and shared positive thoughts regarding reduced distractions and increased concentration

Social-Emotional Learning As a Vehicle For Vocabulary Acquisition: A Review of Recent Literature

To comprehend the ideals and perspectives of others in a socially just education, children must first be able to understand their emotions and social interactions. In the present study, we reviewed research articles aimed at exploring how social-emotional literacy could be taught through literature. Our specific focus included ways to teach children vocabulary for communicating emotions, guided by reading experiences where characters confront conflict. An initial search uncovered 65 articles, with only five classified as intervention studies. Ultimately, we identified five themes present across these studies, guiding future research and practice for integrating literacy and social-emotional learning to promote social justice in young children

Needs of Military Families: Family and Educator Perspective

Limited research has focused on the unique needs of military families and their preschool-age children and even less work focused on military families whose preschool children have special needs or disabilities. Researchers implemented a multicase qualitative research design conducted at two sites to gain the perspectives across all service ranks. The study included two groups of participants from each site including (a) early educators working for the school district associated with each military base, and (b) families who had been deployed within the past 5 years and had a child with a disability, or who was at risk for developing a disability, younger than the age of 8 years. Researchers used a semi-structured question protocol to align with the study’s overarching purpose, theory, extant research on military families, and the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) recommended practices for serving children with special needs and their families. Based on the data gathered, researchers describe professional development needs related to developing transportable detailed Individualized Family Service Plans and Individualized Education Programs, using family-centered approaches, and creating a collaborative partnership between school leadership and military command