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- Title
- An Analysis of Choice-Making as A Means To Decrease The Frequency of Self-Injurious Behaviors in Students with Severe Disabilities.
- Creator
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Olson, Melanie, Marino, Matthew, Vasquez, Eleazar, Hines, Rebecca, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This single case multiple baseline research study examined choice-making as a means to decrease the frequency of self-injurious behaviors in six students with severe disabilities. Five males and one female between the ages of 14 and 21 participated in the five-week intervention. The following research questions were addressed: 1) Does the choice-making intervention reduce hitting, biting, and self-injurious behaviors? 2) How much time does the choice-making intervention add to the classroom...
Show moreThis single case multiple baseline research study examined choice-making as a means to decrease the frequency of self-injurious behaviors in six students with severe disabilities. Five males and one female between the ages of 14 and 21 participated in the five-week intervention. The following research questions were addressed: 1) Does the choice-making intervention reduce hitting, biting, and self-injurious behaviors? 2) How much time does the choice-making intervention add to the classroom teacher's preparation? 3) What costs are associated with the choice-making intervention during an average lesson? The choice-making intervention was associated with positive behavioral outcomes for all of the students. The intervention added both time and cost to the lessons. Implications and areas for future research are discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007352, ucf:52086
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007352
- Title
- Quality Indicators for Classrooms Serving Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Construct Validation Study.
- Creator
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Hopkins, Rebecca, Vasquez, Eleazar, Marino, Matthew, Dieker, Lisa, Rosenberg, Michael, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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A rise in the prevalence of students with ASD points to the need for more qualified and effective teachers to meet the needs of this population. Existing research delineates evidence-based practices and teaching standards positively improve educational outcomes for students with ASD. Teacher evaluation systems have the potential to highlight strengths and areas for improvement in special education teaching practices. Research on observation instruments to evaluate the unique skills and...
Show moreA rise in the prevalence of students with ASD points to the need for more qualified and effective teachers to meet the needs of this population. Existing research delineates evidence-based practices and teaching standards positively improve educational outcomes for students with ASD. Teacher evaluation systems have the potential to highlight strengths and areas for improvement in special education teaching practices. Research on observation instruments to evaluate the unique skills and knowledge of special education teachers of students with ASD is limited. A need exists for high quality observation instruments to measure teacher performance in special education classrooms serving students with ASD. The purpose of this study was to examine the internal consistency reliability and the construct validity of the Quality Indicators for Classrooms Serving Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (QIASD) scores. The researcher used a confirmatory factor analysis framework to determine if the QIASD quality indicators load onto the seven factors as hypothesized in the measurement model. The researcher found promising results but was not able to identify an acceptable model with this sample.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007193, ucf:52246
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007193
- Title
- Examining potential teacher bias of Hispanic males with emotional disturbances in virtual settings.
- Creator
-
Lopez, Angel, Dieker, Lisa, Wienke, Wilfred, Vasquez, Eleazar, Correa, Vivian, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The importance of looking at student and teacher interactions holistically is essential and results in reflective teaching practices; consequently, the reflective practice of teaching needs to incorporate all facets of the teacher, known and unknown. This study looks at the potential influence of hidden biases towards adolescent Hispanic males and students with Emotional Behavior Disorders by observing preservice teacher (PT) interactions with students within a simulated classroom environment...
Show moreThe importance of looking at student and teacher interactions holistically is essential and results in reflective teaching practices; consequently, the reflective practice of teaching needs to incorporate all facets of the teacher, known and unknown. This study looks at the potential influence of hidden biases towards adolescent Hispanic males and students with Emotional Behavior Disorders by observing preservice teacher (PT) interactions with students within a simulated classroom environment. Factorial MANOVAs and Discriminant analyses revealed statistically significant interactions and relationships between participant level of bias and the identified student avatars. These exchanges were more prevalent with one student avatar by both experimental and control PTs; indicating that student characteristics and their differences are important factors that need to be considered when addressing issues related to bias.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004403, ucf:49401
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004403
- Title
- Recursive Behavior Recording: Complex Motor Stereotypies and Anatomical Behavior Descriptions.
- Creator
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Bobbitt, Nathaniel, Vasquez, Eleazar, Lambert, Stephen, Hughes, Charles, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
A novel anatomical behavioral descriptive taxonomy improves motion capture in complex motor stereotypies (CMS) by indexing precise time data without degradation in the complexity of whole body movement in CMS. The absence of etiological explanation of complex motor stereotypies warrants the aggregation of a core CMS dataset to compare regulation of repetitive behaviors in the time domain. A set of visual formalisms trap configurations of behavioral markers (lateralized movements) for...
Show moreA novel anatomical behavioral descriptive taxonomy improves motion capture in complex motor stereotypies (CMS) by indexing precise time data without degradation in the complexity of whole body movement in CMS. The absence of etiological explanation of complex motor stereotypies warrants the aggregation of a core CMS dataset to compare regulation of repetitive behaviors in the time domain. A set of visual formalisms trap configurations of behavioral markers (lateralized movements) for behavioral phenotype discovery as paired transitions (from, to) and asymmetries within repetitive restrictive behaviors. This translational project integrates NIH MeSH (medical subject headings) taxonomy with direct biological interface (wearable sensors and nanoscience in vitro assays) to design the architecture for exploratory diagnostic instruments. Motion capture technology when calibrated to multi-resolution indexing system (MeSH based) quantifies potential diagnostic criteria for comparing severity of CMS within behavioral plasticity and switching (sustained repetition or cyclic repetition) time-signatures. Diagnostic instruments sensitive to high behavioral resolution promote measurement to maximize behavioral activity while minimizing biological uncertainty. A novel protocol advances CMS research through instruments with recursive design.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005927, ucf:50846
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005927
- Title
- Applied problem solving in children with ADHD: The mediating roles of working memory and mathematical calculation.
- Creator
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Friedman, Lauren, Rapport, Mark, Beidel, Deborah, Vasquez, Eleazar, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The difficulties children with ADHD experience solving applied math problems (i.e., word problems) are well documented; however, the independent and/or interactive contribution of cognitive processes underlying these difficulties is not fully understood and warrant scrutiny. The current study examines two primary cognitive processes integral to children's ability to solve applied math problems: working memory (WM) and math calculation ability (i.e., the ability to utilize specific facts,...
Show moreThe difficulties children with ADHD experience solving applied math problems (i.e., word problems) are well documented; however, the independent and/or interactive contribution of cognitive processes underlying these difficulties is not fully understood and warrant scrutiny. The current study examines two primary cognitive processes integral to children's ability to solve applied math problems: working memory (WM) and math calculation ability (i.e., the ability to utilize specific facts, skills, or processes related to basic math operations stored in long-term memory). Thirty-six boys with ADHD-combined presentation and 33 typically developing (TD) boys aged 8-12 years old were administered multiple counterbalanced tasks to assess upper (central executive [CE]) and lower level (phonological [PH STM] and visuospatial [VS STM] short-term memory) WM processes, and standardized measures of mathematical abilities. Bias-corrected, bootstrapped mediation analyses revealed that CE ability fully mediated between-group differences in applied problem solving whereas math calculation ability partially mediated the relation. Neither PH STM nor VS STM was a significant mediator. When modeled together via serial mediation analysis, CE in tandem with math calculation ability fully mediated the relation, explained 79% of the variance, and provided a more parsimonious explication of ADHD-related deficits in applied math ability. Results suggest that interventions designed to address applied math difficulties in children with ADHD will likely benefit from targeting basic knowledge of math facts and skills while simultaneously promoting the active interplay among these skills and CE processes.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006593, ucf:51300
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006593
- Title
- The Design and Evaluation of a Video Game to Help Train Perspective-Taking and Empathy in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
- Creator
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Hughes, Darin, Vasquez, Eleazar, Kincaid, John, Marino, Matthew, Lindgren, Robb, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This paper discusses the design, implementation, and evaluation of a serious game intended to reinforce applied behavior analysis (ABA) techniques used with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by providing a low cost and easily accessible supplement to traditional methods. Past and recent research strongly supports the use of computer assisted instruction in the education of individuals with ASD (Moore (&) Calvert, 2000; Noor, Shahbodin, (&) Pee, 2012). Computer games have been shown...
Show moreThis paper discusses the design, implementation, and evaluation of a serious game intended to reinforce applied behavior analysis (ABA) techniques used with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by providing a low cost and easily accessible supplement to traditional methods. Past and recent research strongly supports the use of computer assisted instruction in the education of individuals with ASD (Moore (&) Calvert, 2000; Noor, Shahbodin, (&) Pee, 2012). Computer games have been shown to boost confidence and provide calming mechanisms (Griffiths, 2003) while being a safe environment for social exploration and learning (Moore, Cheng, McGrath, (&) Powell, 2005). Games increase children's motivation and thus increase the rate of learning in computer mediated environments (Moore (&) Calvert, 2000). Furthermore, children with ASD are able to understand basic emotions and facial expressions in avatars more easily than in real-world interactions (Moore, Cheng, McGrath, (&) Powell, 2005).Perspective-taking (also known as role-taking) has been shown to be a crucial component and antecedent to empathy (Gomez-Becerra, Martin, Chavez-Brown, (&) Greer, 2007; Peng, Lee, (&) Heeter, 2010). Though symptoms vary across children with ASD, perspective-taking and empathy are abilities that have been shown to be limited across a wide spectrum of individuals with ASD and Asperger's disorder (Gomez-Becerra, Martin, Chavez-Brown, (&) Greer, 2007). A game called WUBeeS was developed to aid young children with ASD in perspective taking and empathy by placing the player in the role of a caregiver to a virtual avatar. It is hypothesized that through the playing of this game over a series of trials, children with ASD will show an increase in the ability to discriminate emotions, provide appropriate responses to basic needs (e.g. feeding the avatar when it is hungry), and be able to communicate more clearly about emotions.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005184, ucf:50654
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005184
- Title
- Project iCAN: A STEM Learning and Persistence Model for Postsecondary Students with Disabilities.
- Creator
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Koch, Aaron, Vasquez, Eleazar, Dieker, Lisa, Marino, Matthew, Raij, Andrew, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Education and work in Science, Technology, Engineering, (&) Math (STEM) are of utmost importance in a post-modern society. Yet American performance in the STEM disciplines has waned over recent years. In order to recapture a global advantage in STEM, efforts are being made by educators and policy makers to compile and implement instructional supports. Of particular interest to this study are post-secondary students with disabilities (SWDs) who persist and learn in STEM degree paths. This...
Show moreEducation and work in Science, Technology, Engineering, (&) Math (STEM) are of utmost importance in a post-modern society. Yet American performance in the STEM disciplines has waned over recent years. In order to recapture a global advantage in STEM, efforts are being made by educators and policy makers to compile and implement instructional supports. Of particular interest to this study are post-secondary students with disabilities (SWDs) who persist and learn in STEM degree paths. This population is an (")untapped resource(") with limitless potential for contribution to the collective fields of STEM (Leddy, 2010, p. 3; Alston, Hampton, Bell, (&) Strauss, 1998, p. 5). The National Science Foundation (NSF) has funded Project Interdisciplinary Coaching as a Nexus for Transforming How Institutions Support Undergraduates in STEM (Project iCAN) at Landmark College as a model to develop a successful STEM support model. Post hoc interview data from students and staff at Landmark revealed themes pertaining to educational and vocational-training supports that may generalize to larger, urban institutions of higher education for further development of STEM persistence and learning models.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006340, ucf:51564
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006340
- Title
- Computer Programming with Early Elementary Students with and without Intellectual Disabilities.
- Creator
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Taylor, Matthew, Dieker, Lisa, Vasquez, Eleazar, Hines, Rebecca, Nickels, Megan, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Researchers suggest students at the preschool and kindergarten grade levels are active learners and creators and need to be exposed to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum. The need for student understanding in STEM curriculum is well documented, and positive results in robotics, computer programming, and coding are leading researchers and policy makers to introduce new standards in education. The purpose of this single case design study is to research the...
Show moreResearchers suggest students at the preschool and kindergarten grade levels are active learners and creators and need to be exposed to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum. The need for student understanding in STEM curriculum is well documented, and positive results in robotics, computer programming, and coding are leading researchers and policy makers to introduce new standards in education. The purpose of this single case design study is to research the abilities of kindergarten students, with and without intellectual disabilities (ID), to learn skills in computer programming and coding through explicit instruction, concrete manipulatives, and tangible interfaces. While constructionist methodology is typically used to teach robotics, best practice for students with ID is explicit instruction. For this reason, a group of students with ID and a group of students without ID were taught to program a robot to move in a square, through explicit instruction, and by using the iPad application, Blockly. It was discovered that students in both groups were capable of programming the robot, though students learned at different rates. Introducing STEM to students with and without ID at an early age could prepare students for future STEM careers and encourage students with ID to pursue STEM-related paths.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006807, ucf:51802
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006807
- Title
- Towards a Theory of Autism Spectrum Disorder Program Implementation.
- Creator
-
Gesundheit, Ian, Martin, Suzanne, Vasquez, Eleazar, Boote, David, Edwards, John, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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With the increased prevalence of students qualifying for services within Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) programs (Odom, Cox and Brock, 2013), it is imperative that the field comes to better understand how successful programs can be replicated at scale. The implementation of effective instructional programs for students with ASD across school systems on a large scale is a difficult task. School systems have tried to replicate successful programs for diverse learners but have been largely...
Show moreWith the increased prevalence of students qualifying for services within Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) programs (Odom, Cox and Brock, 2013), it is imperative that the field comes to better understand how successful programs can be replicated at scale. The implementation of effective instructional programs for students with ASD across school systems on a large scale is a difficult task. School systems have tried to replicate successful programs for diverse learners but have been largely unable to do so. For students with disabilities, who perform poorly compared to their peers without disabilities (Odom et al., 2013), the need to replicate successful programs is even more pressing. This need is most pressing for students in programs for ASD whose educational outcomes lag behind those of students in programs designed for all other exceptionality categories (Cook (&) Cook, 2013). The quality with which a program is designed matters little if the fidelity with which that program is implemented is lacking. For students with disabilities who perform poorly compared to their peers without disabilities (Odom et al., 2013), the need to replicate successful programs is even more pressing. The school leader plays an important role in the development, implementation, and maintenance of effective programs for students with ASD.The purpose of this study was to document the lived experiences of school leaders who have developed and/or managed successful programs for students with ASD within their school sites. It is clear that leadership matters in school and, therefore, influences program quality (Darling-Hammond, 2010; Reeves, 2006; Waters, Marzano, (&) McNulty, 2003). School and system change is difficult work, prone to being unsuccessful(-)but improvement is possible and sustainable (Fullan, 2007).The research questions for this study were:1.What are the characteristics of a school administrator who oversees effective self-contained classroom(s) for students with ASD?2.What are the lived experiences of principals who have led teachers to implement effective classrooms for students with ASD across their school setting?3.What rewards and challenges are associated with being a school administrator with an effective exceptional education program for students with ASD?In sum, these principal participants showed an intense interest in improving support services for students with ASD. They emphasized their vision that, if given the proper support and environment, all students can succeed. The principals were diligent in supporting that vision themselves and in making connections that could help reinforce that vision. A tremendous part of supporting that vision was ensuring that staff has the appropriate skills to work effectively with students with ASD. Once success was realized in these programs, it was reinforced by the success of the students and the emotional compensation received from parents. However, leading such programs is not without its challenges. Overall, though, all of these principals were clear about setting forth a path where the schools they were leading would do what is necessary to help their students with ASD be successful.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006309, ucf:51586
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006309
- Title
- The Role of Virtual Avatars in Supporting Middle School Students from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds on Science in After School Programs.
- Creator
-
Gallegos, Benjamin, Dieker, Lisa, Vasquez, Eleazar, Marino, Matthew, Hughes, Charles, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Students who receive additional educational supports in afterschool programs were the focus of the investigation. This study was conducted to measure what effects a TeachLivE avatar, a mixed-reality virtual environment, used in combination with a video game, had on the activation of prior knowledge in science for students in rural middle school. The delivery of the biology science lessons on cell structures and processes were delivered using the video game, Cell Command. The TeachLivE adult...
Show moreStudents who receive additional educational supports in afterschool programs were the focus of the investigation. This study was conducted to measure what effects a TeachLivE avatar, a mixed-reality virtual environment, used in combination with a video game, had on the activation of prior knowledge in science for students in rural middle school. The delivery of the biology science lessons on cell structures and processes were delivered using the video game, Cell Command. The TeachLivE adult avatar was customized as a biologist who spoke to students in the treatment group about science concepts prior to playing the science video game. Unexpected attrition rates and low numbers of participants in the targeted area of research providing consent affected the original research design to conduct the research study. Therefore, a pivot was made from the original research design. The initial target population was students with a learning disability who were culturally and linguistically diverse from low socioeconomic backgrounds in rural communities. By the end of the study, only one student with a learning disability consented and completed the study, with attrition rates in the original school approaching 90% due to various factors, which are discussed. Descriptive statistics were used to measure the effects between students in the control group who only played the Cell Command video game, compared to students in the treatment condition who played the Cell Command science video game, and had four, five minute conversations with a TeachLivE avatar. The analysis indicated varied differences between the treatment and control conditions. The analysis of a STEM-CIS survey, that measures career interests, sum means were included in the descriptive analysis along with the unique challenges presented in conducting research in a rural Title I school.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006304, ucf:51606
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006304
- Title
- An Analysis of Robot-Assisted Social-Communication Instruction for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
- Creator
-
Donehower, Claire, Vasquez, Eleazar, Dieker, Lisa, Marino, Matthew, Correa, Vivian, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Social and communication deficits are a core feature of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and impact an individual's ability to be a full participant in their school environment and community. The increase in number of students with ASD in schools combined with the use of ineffective interventions have created a critical need for quality social-communication instruction in schools for this population. Technology-based interventions, like robots, have the potential to greatly impact students...
Show moreSocial and communication deficits are a core feature of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and impact an individual's ability to be a full participant in their school environment and community. The increase in number of students with ASD in schools combined with the use of ineffective interventions have created a critical need for quality social-communication instruction in schools for this population. Technology-based interventions, like robots, have the potential to greatly impact students with disabilities, including students with ASD who tend to show increased interest and engagement in technology-based tasks and materials. While research on the use of robots with these learners is limited, these technologies have been successfully used to teach basic social-communication skills. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a social-communication intervention for young children with ASD that is rooted in evidence-based practices and utilizes a surrogate interactive robot as the primary interventionist. This study utilized a multiple baseline design across behaviors to determine the impact of the robot-assisted intervention on the manding, tacting, and intraverbal skills of four, 3-year old students with ASD. The researchers found that this intervention was effective in increasing the rate of all three the target behaviors.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006736, ucf:51852
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006736
- Title
- Reading comprehension deficits in children with ADHD: The mediating roles of working memory and orthographic conversion.
- Creator
-
Friedman, Lauren, Rapport, Mark, Beidel, Deborah, Vasquez, Eleazar, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Reading comprehension deficits in children with ADHD are well-established; however, limited information exists concerning the cognitive mechanisms that contribute to these deficits and the extent to which they interact with one another. The current study examines two broad cognitive processes known to be involved in children's reading comprehension abilities(-)(a) working memory (i.e., central executive processes [CE], phonological short-term memory [PH STM], and visuospatial short-term...
Show moreReading comprehension deficits in children with ADHD are well-established; however, limited information exists concerning the cognitive mechanisms that contribute to these deficits and the extent to which they interact with one another. The current study examines two broad cognitive processes known to be involved in children's reading comprehension abilities(-)(a) working memory (i.e., central executive processes [CE], phonological short-term memory [PH STM], and visuospatial short-term memory [VS STM]) and (b) orthographic conversion(-)to elucidate their unique and interactive contribution to ADHD-related reading comprehension deficits. Thirty-one children with ADHD and 30 typically developing (TD) children aged 8 to 12 years (M = 9.64, SD = 1.22) were administered multiple counterbalanced tasks assessing WM and orthographic conversion processes. Relative to TD children, children with ADHD exhibited significant deficits in PH STM (d = -0.66), VS STM (d = -0.84), CE (d = -1.24) and orthographic conversion (d = -0.85). Bias-corrected, bootstrapped mediation analyses revealed that CE and orthographic conversion processes modeled separately, partially mediated ADHD-related reading comprehension impairments, whereas PH STM and VS STM did not. CE and orthographic conversion modeled jointly fully mediated ADHD-related reading comprehension deficits wherein orthographic conversion's large magnitude influence on reading comprehension occurred indirectly through CE's impact on the orthographic system. The findings suggest that adaptive cognitive interventions designed to improve reading-related outcomes in children with ADHD may benefit by including modules that train CE and orthographic conversion processes independently and interactively.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006103, ucf:51210
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006103
- Title
- The Effect of a Self-Monitoring Treatment Intervention Package on the Academic Productivity Behavior of Three High School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
- Creator
-
Craanen, Patrick, Hoffman, Bobby, Vasquez, Eleazar, Spence, Kimberly, Harvey, Charlotte, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This study employed a multiple baseline across participants design to investigate the effect of a self-monitoring treatment intervention package (independent variable) consisting of a wristwatch that delivers timed vibrating and digital text prompts, a self-recording form, and a performance graphing worksheet, on the ability of three high school students with Autism Spectrum Disorder to self-monitor the academic productivity component behaviors (dependent variable) of homework assignment...
Show moreThis study employed a multiple baseline across participants design to investigate the effect of a self-monitoring treatment intervention package (independent variable) consisting of a wristwatch that delivers timed vibrating and digital text prompts, a self-recording form, and a performance graphing worksheet, on the ability of three high school students with Autism Spectrum Disorder to self-monitor the academic productivity component behaviors (dependent variable) of homework assignment completion and submission rates, classroom-based work completion and submission rates, and accuracy and rate of documentation of academic tasks in their student planners. Students earned academic productivity composite scores reflecting the percentage of academic productivity behavior they demonstrated in their target classroom each day. All participants achieved marked improvements in their academic productivity composite scores from baseline to intervention to the maintenance phase. A detailed analysis of the study results, implications for clinical practice, limitations of the current investigation and recommendations for future research completes this investigation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004831, ucf:49717
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004831
- Title
- Virtual Coaching of Novice Science Educators to Support Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.
- Creator
-
Garland, Dennis, Dieker, Lisa, Vasquez, Eleazar, Hines, Rebecca, Rosenberg, Michael, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Due to a multitude of convergent circumstances, students labeled in the disability category of emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) experience high rates of academic and behavioral failure. Such failure frequently leads to the students' dropping out of school, involvement in the judicial system, or a combination of those outcomes. Science is an academic content area that has the potential to enhance behavioral and academic success of students with EBD. Researchers, nonprofits, and...
Show moreDue to a multitude of convergent circumstances, students labeled in the disability category of emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) experience high rates of academic and behavioral failure. Such failure frequently leads to the students' dropping out of school, involvement in the judicial system, or a combination of those outcomes. Science is an academic content area that has the potential to enhance behavioral and academic success of students with EBD. Researchers, nonprofits, and business leaders have provided an impetus for nationwide reform in science education. Concurrently, a corpus of legislation has influenced the preparation of new teachers to use evidence-based teaching practices while addressing the needs of an increasingly diverse student population. Using technology is one way that teacher educators are providing in-vivo learning experiences to new teachers during their classroom instruction. A multiple-baseline across-participants research study was used to examine the effectiveness of providing immediate feedback (within three seconds) to novice general science educators to increase their use of an evidence-based teaching strategy, known as a three-term contingency (TTC) trial while they taught. Feedback was delivered via Bug-in-the-Ear (BIE) technology and during whole-class instruction in which students with EBD were included. The teacher participants wore a Bluetooth earpiece, which served as a vehicle for audio communication with the investigator. Teachers were observed via web camera over the Adobe(&)#174;ConnectTM online conferencing platform. During the intervention, teachers increased their percentage of completed TTC trials, opportunities to respond, and praise or error correction. Student responses also increased, and maladaptive behaviors decreased.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004847, ucf:49681
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004847
- Title
- Hyperactivity in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): Testing functional relationships with phonological working memory performance and attention.
- Creator
-
Sarver, Dustin, Rapport, Mark, Beidel, Deborah, Mouloua, Mustapha, Vasquez, Eleazar, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Excessive gross motor activity is currently considered a ubiquitous and disruptive feature of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); however, an alternative model challenges this premise and hypothesizes a functional relationship between activity level, attention, and working memory. The current study investigated whether, and the extent to which, particular forms of gross motor activity are functionally related to children's attention and phonological working memory performance....
Show moreExcessive gross motor activity is currently considered a ubiquitous and disruptive feature of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); however, an alternative model challenges this premise and hypothesizes a functional relationship between activity level, attention, and working memory. The current study investigated whether, and the extent to which, particular forms of gross motor activity are functionally related to children's attention and phonological working memory performance. Objective observations of children's gross motor movements and attention by independent observers were conducted while children with ADHD (n = 29) and typically developing children (n = 23) completed multiple counterbalanced tasks entailing low and high phonological working memory demand. The tasks were then sequenced hierarchically to reflect the lowest to highest activity level condition for each child. Results revealed that (a) ADHD-related phonological working memory performance deficits are moderated by increases in intra-individual activity level, (b) heightened activity level impacts performance independently of changes in observed attention, and (c) increases in particular forms of movement (foot movement and out-of-chair movement) contribute to greater phonological working memory performance within the context of attentive behavior. The findings collectively indicate that phonological working memory deficits in children with ADHD are associated with an inability to up-regulate motor activity to facilitate optimal task performance, and that behavioral treatments targeting reductions in certain forms of hyperactivity may have unintended consequences on working memory functioning in ADHD.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004930, ucf:49630
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004930
- Title
- The Effects of Synchronous Online Cognitive Strategy Instruction in Writing for Students with Learning Disabilities.
- Creator
-
Straub, Carrie, Vasquez, Eleazar, Wienke, Wilfred, Dieker, Lisa, Kaplan, Jeffrey, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This study investigates the effects of self-regulated strategy development (Harris, Graham, (&) Mason, 2009) for cognitive strategy instruction in persuasive writing (POW+TREE) using a synchronous online learning environment for special education students. Participants are four adolescent students with learning disabilities (LD) with low achievement in writing. One undergraduate research assistant delivered instruction using a synchronous online platform (e.g., Adobe Connect) in conjunction...
Show moreThis study investigates the effects of self-regulated strategy development (Harris, Graham, (&) Mason, 2009) for cognitive strategy instruction in persuasive writing (POW+TREE) using a synchronous online learning environment for special education students. Participants are four adolescent students with learning disabilities (LD) with low achievement in writing. One undergraduate research assistant delivered instruction using a synchronous online platform (e.g., Adobe Connect) in conjunction with collaborative writing software (e.g., Google Docs word processing). A multiple probe across participants design was used to demonstrate a functional relationship between instruction and number of essay elements (EE). Number of correct minus incorrect word sequences (CIWS) was used as a secondary dependent measure. A non-experimental pre-post design was used to compare the mean performance of holistic writing quality scores and standard scores from the TOWL-3. All four participants gained EE and CIWS from baseline to treatment and demonstrated standard score changes from pre to post-test on the TOWL-3. Implications for writing instruction for students with LD using online learning environments are discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004606, ucf:49937
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004606
- Title
- Supporting Middle School Students with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders in Blended Learning: A Fraction Intervention using Virtual Manipulatives.
- Creator
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Serianni, Barbara, Dieker, Lisa, Marino, Matthew, Vasquez, Eleazar, Basham, James, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Students with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) are more likely than other students with disabilities to drop out of school (Blackorby (&) Wagner, 1996) and suffer societal consequences that include higher probabilities and rates of incarceration, poverty, drug abuse, homelessness, low wages, and unemployment (Bradley, Doolittle, (&) Bartolotta, 2008; Wagner, 1995). High school graduation is a critical factor to improve post-secondary outcomes for students with EBD; yet it is often...
Show moreStudents with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) are more likely than other students with disabilities to drop out of school (Blackorby (&) Wagner, 1996) and suffer societal consequences that include higher probabilities and rates of incarceration, poverty, drug abuse, homelessness, low wages, and unemployment (Bradley, Doolittle, (&) Bartolotta, 2008; Wagner, 1995). High school graduation is a critical factor to improve post-secondary outcomes for students with EBD; yet it is often mathematics, specifically algebra, that stands in the way of graduation (Blackorby (&) Wagner). Students with EBD often enter middle school lacking foundational mathematics skills, such as fractions, which sets them up to struggle with pre-algebra and ultimately fail algebra (U.S. Department of Education, 2008). The purpose of this study was to improve the ability of middle school students with EBD to access online grade-level mathematics content by providing fraction remediation to improve conceptual fraction knowledge and procedural fluency. The intervention consisted of Initial Fraction Ideas, an intervention curriculum from the Rational Number Project (RNP; Cramer, Behr, Post, (&) Lesh, 2009), in conjunction with three online virtual manipulatives (VM). The unique blended learning environment of this study provided the opportunity to evaluate the use of an evidence-based fraction intervention, in conjunction with VMs, in a single subject, multiple baseline across subjects design. Fluency data was gathered from daily fraction addition assessments (FAA) administered after each intervention session. A second component of the study featured a non-experimental repeated measures design that assessed student conceptual understanding of fraction equivalency through the administration of pre, post, and delayed-post Equivalent Fraction Tests (EFT). The intervention was effective in producing increases in median group fluency with high effect sizes, across three replications, establishing a functional relationship between the intervention and the dependent variable for these groups of students with EBD. In addition, all groups posted mean gains in equivalent fraction knowledge from pre to post-EFT, and maintained those gains for at least 15 days after the intervention concluded.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005415, ucf:50435
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005415
- Title
- Effects of a Mathematics Graphic Organizer and Virtual Video Modeling on the Word Problem Solving Abilities of Students with Disabilities.
- Creator
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Delisio, Lauren, Dieker, Lisa, Vasquez, Eleazar, Hines, Rebecca, Dixon, Juli, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Over the last decade, the inclusion of students with disabilities (SWD) in the general education classroom has increased. Currently, 60% of SWD spend 80% or more of their school day in the general education classroom (U.S. Department of Education, 2013). This includes students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), a developmental disability characterized by impairments in behavior, language, and social skills (American Psychological Association, 2013). Many of these SWD struggle with...
Show moreOver the last decade, the inclusion of students with disabilities (SWD) in the general education classroom has increased. Currently, 60% of SWD spend 80% or more of their school day in the general education classroom (U.S. Department of Education, 2013). This includes students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), a developmental disability characterized by impairments in behavior, language, and social skills (American Psychological Association, 2013). Many of these SWD struggle with mathematics in the elementary grades; fewer than 20% of SWD are proficient in mathematics when they begin middle school, compared to 45% of their peers without disabilities. Furthermore, 83% of SWD are performing at the basic or below basic level in mathematics in the fourth grade (U.S. Department of Education, 2013). As the rate of ASD continues to increase (Centers for Disease Control, 2013), the number of students with this disability who are included in the general education classroom also continues to rise. These SWD and students with ASD are expected to meet the same rigorous mathematics standards as their peers without disabilities. This study was an attempt to address the unique needs of SWD and students with ASD by combining practices rooted in the literature, strategy instruction and video modeling.The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an intervention on the ability of students with and without disabilities in inclusive fourth and fifth grade classrooms to solve word problems in mathematics. The intervention package was comprised of a graphic organizer, the K-N-W-S, video models of the researcher teaching the strategy to a student avatar from a virtual simulated classroom, TeachLivE, and daily word problems for students to practice the strategy. The researcher used a quasi-experimental group design with a treatment and a control group to determine the impact of the intervention. Students were assessed on their performance via a pretest and posttest. Analyses of data were conducted on individual test items to assess patterns in performance by mathematical word problem type.The effects of the intervention on SWD, students with ASD, and students without disabilities varied widely between groups as well as amongst individual students, indicating a need for further studies on the effects of mathematics strategy instruction on students with varying needs and abilities.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005782, ucf:50065
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005782
- Title
- Respresentation of Hispanic Students in High Incidence Categories in Exceptional Student Education Programs and Educational Environments in K-12 Schools Across the State of Florida.
- Creator
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Miller, Douglas, Murray, Kenneth, Murray, Barbara, Doherty, Walter, Vasquez, Eleazar, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was first passed in 1975 and requires states to have policies in place to prevent misidentification and overrepresentation, and to monitor disproportionate representation by race/ethnicity and disability category. The fundamental premise of this legislation is to ensure that students with disabilities are afforded a free and appropriate education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). Even with the passage of IDEA, the...
Show moreThe Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was first passed in 1975 and requires states to have policies in place to prevent misidentification and overrepresentation, and to monitor disproportionate representation by race/ethnicity and disability category. The fundamental premise of this legislation is to ensure that students with disabilities are afforded a free and appropriate education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). Even with the passage of IDEA, the disproportionate representation of minority students continues to be a national issue.The disproportionate placement of minority students in Exceptional Student Education (ESE) began to receive attention prior to IDEA and has been well documented by researchers ever since. Hispanic disproportionality has received less attention in professional literature and has shown to vary depending upon the level of data being analyzed. Early studies analyzing national level data indicate that Hispanic students tend to be underrepresented in many ESE categories, while studies disaggregating state and district level data found that Hispanic students are overrepresented in the high incidence categories. The goals of this study were to determine (a) if a disproportionate representation of Hispanic students existed in the three high incidence categories of Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities (EBD), Specific Learning Disabled (SLD), and Intellectual Disabilities (ID) and(b) if Hispanic students already identified for Exceptional Student Education services were disproportionately represented, compared to all other students, in more restrictive educational placements in each of the 67 counties in the state of Florida. Three separate measures were employed to make this determination: the composition index (CI), the risk index (RI), and the risk ratio (RR). An analysis of the data revealed that in several of the school districts Hispanic students were both overrepresented and underrepresented across all high incidence categories. The data also indicated that Hispanic students already identified for ESE services were both overrepresented and underrepresented in several school districts across all educational environments. Also, differences in disproportionality were noted depending upon the measure being utilized for both research questions. Implications for practice and recommendations for further research are presented.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004720, ucf:49838
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004720
- Title
- Phonological Working Memory Deficits in ADHD Revisited: The Role of Lower-Level Information Processing Deficits in Impaired Working Memory Performance.
- Creator
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Raiker, Joseph, Rapport, Mark, Beidel, Deborah, Mouloua, Mustapha, Vasquez, Eleazar, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Working memory deficits in children with ADHD are well established; however, insufficient evidence exists concerning the degree to which lower-level cognitive processes contribute to these deficits. The current study dissociates lower level information processing abilities (i.e., visual registration, orthographic conversion, and response output) in children with ADHD and typically developing children and examines the unique contribution of these processes to their phonological working memory...
Show moreWorking memory deficits in children with ADHD are well established; however, insufficient evidence exists concerning the degree to which lower-level cognitive processes contribute to these deficits. The current study dissociates lower level information processing abilities (i.e., visual registration, orthographic conversion, and response output) in children with ADHD and typically developing children and examines the unique contribution of these processes to their phonological working memory performance. Thirty-four boys between 8 and 12 years of age (20 ADHD, 14 typically developing) were administered novel information processing and phonological working memory tasks. Between-group differences were examined and bootstrap mediation analysis was used to evaluate the mediating effect of information processing deficits on phonological working memory performance. Results revealed moderate to large magnitude deficits in visual registration and encoding, orthographic to phonological conversion, and phonological working memory in children with ADHD. Subsequent mediation analyses, however, revealed that visual registration/encoding alone mediated the diagnostic group status/phonological working memory relationship and accounted for approximately 32% of the variance in children's phonological working memory performance. Diagnostic and treatment implications for understanding the complex interplay among multiple cognitive deficits in children with ADHD are discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005694, ucf:50141
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005694
