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Dub Squad Publicity Photograph

Xtremes Publicity Photograph Collection

Digitized copy of the Dub Squad Publicity Photograph

1993

Earth Tones Publicity Photograph

Xtremes Publicity Photograph Collection

Digitized copy of the Earth Tones Publicity Photograph

1996

Eaton, Albert Interview Audio

James Mennell Oral History Collection

Audio recording of the interview of Albert Eaton.

Educating the Severely Disabled Medically Complex Child

A Case Study on Parent Perspectives

Grassmyer, Cassie

This study examines the perspectives of parents who have children with severe and profound disabilities and medically complex conditions. Children have the right to a free and appropriate public education. However, when faced with extremely significant physical, cogn...
Show moreThis study examines the perspectives of parents who have children with severe and profound disabilities and medically complex conditions. Children have the right to a free and appropriate public education. However, when faced with extremely significant physical, cognitive, and medical deficits, quality of life plays a central role in determining the least restrictive environment for their education to take place. In this qualitative single case study research design, parent participants were interviewed to gain their perspective based on the conceptual framework that incorporates school options, barriers and resources, parent support, and quality of life. Data from interview transcripts were coded leveraging thematic analysis. Four major themes were found, and conclusions were developed by weaving evidence from the interviews and literature. Results revealed the importance of education, the importance of quality of life, giving the child what he or she needs, and finding the support needed to raise a child with severe and profound disabilities and medically complex conditions. These findings indicate that all stakeholders play a positive role in fostering more inclusive and equitable educational practices. This includes supporting educational programs, ensuring access to specialized schools or medical care, promoting social opportunities, advocating for vulnerable students, and acting with empathy, thereby shaping the policies and frameworks that guide special education.
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2024

Effective Professional Development Implementation and the Outcome on Student Progress

Decker, Alison

Professional development is a topic that has been researched in length. Researchers have spent time determining the most effective practices to increase student achievement. Although the research exists studies show professional development is still not consistently ...
Show moreProfessional development is a topic that has been researched in length. Researchers have spent time determining the most effective practices to increase student achievement. Although the research exists studies show professional development is still not consistently effective. Teacher’s views have been shown to contribute to the ineffectiveness of professional development practices. There is a need to determine what teachers’ opinions are as far as what professional development practices are useful for them within the classroom and what adaptations they make to these professional developments to use them in their classroom or with a particular group of students they serve. The study will be organized by the following central ideas: teachers’ views of professional development, teachers' views of professional development and the effect on student outcomes, what re-inventions participants made, and the effect re-inventions had on student outcomes. This study's purpose is to apply Roger’s Diffusion Theory to present professional development and determine student outcomes based on how the teacher views and re-invents professional development. The study uses mixed-method research to collect data and analyze results. The study results showed there was a positive correlation between re-invention and student outcomes. Based on the size of the sample, no conclusion on the effect of professional development on student outcomes could be made. The major theme of the study is the need for professionals to be adaptable and sustainable. The study highlights the need for the administration to have a plan of sustainability for each of the professional development trainings presented to teachers. Future research on the topic should be large-scale and include longitudinal studies.
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2023

Effectiveness of a summer intervention program on improving kindergarten readiness in at-risk students

Billak, Nicole

While a wealth of knowledge exists supporting the need for early intervention in improving kindergarten readiness, very few programs have offered an evidence-based solution to providing remediation for at-risk children demonstrating weak academic or social readiness ...
Show moreWhile a wealth of knowledge exists supporting the need for early intervention in improving kindergarten readiness, very few programs have offered an evidence-based solution to providing remediation for at-risk children demonstrating weak academic or social readiness skills during the kindergarten registration process. Often, children who are identifies as having weak readiness skills at kindergarten registration will need to wait until school begins in the fall to receive intervention, putting students further at-risk for school failure. The United Way of Mercer County’s Success By 6™ program offers a 6-week intervention for students identified during registration as having poor readiness skills. This study determined the effectiveness of Success By 6™ on improving both academic and social readiness skills deemed necessary for school success. A total of 216 students completed the Kindergarten Readiness Test at the beginning and the end of the program. Teachers also rated students’ social emotional learning using the Social Skills Improvement System Social Emotional Learning Progress Monitoring Scales. Results from paired sample t-tests indicated a statistically significant improvement in students’ academic readiness, t(215) = 16.58 p < .001, after completing the program. Students also made statistically significant gains in social emotional skills needed for kindergarten readiness, t(231) = 22.13, p < .001, after participating in the program. Both calculations revealed large effect sizes (d = 1.13 and 1.45, respectively). Implications of this research can effect social change at local, state, and federal levels in order to expand evidence-based practices in early childhood education.
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2021

Effectiveness of inclusion in K-12 schools on students' academic performance

a qualitative study

Confair, Angela

Students with disabilities are entitled to free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. With this mandate inclusionary practices are expected to be implemented into school districts nationwide. Inclusion is defined in many ways making it di...
Show moreStudents with disabilities are entitled to free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. With this mandate inclusionary practices are expected to be implemented into school districts nationwide. Inclusion is defined in many ways making it difficult for educators to effectively educated diverse students. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study sought to understand how inclusion impacts the learning of all students. Twelve participants were used in this study that included general education teachers, special education teachers, and administrators. Semi-structured interviews were conducted which each participant. The results of this study conclude that many educators feel unprepared to educate diverse classrooms and uneducated on special education regulations. A recommendation for future research is to evaluate the effectiveness of teacher preparation programs. Finally, there is a need for more professional development and training in the area of special education for educators.
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2023

The effects of an interactive online learning platform on second-grade students' mathematics performance

Swartzfager, Alyssa

As the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to surface, educational deficits are the main concern for many educators across the United States. Research has spelled out various effects the global pandemic and remote learning has had on families, especially childr...
Show moreAs the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to surface, educational deficits are the main concern for many educators across the United States. Research has spelled out various effects the global pandemic and remote learning has had on families, especially children and their academic progress. Regardless of the cause, educators are planning their approach on how to fill the educational gaps presented to them to ensure all students achieve academic success. While utilizing a single subject criterion changing quantitative methodology, the purpose of this study was to identify whether IXL Learning was a successful intervention for second-grade students demonstrating a need for remediation of place value skills, as measured by researcher-created, curriculum-based weekly assessments. Data shows a slight increase in weekly researcher-created, curriculum-based assessments centering around place value skills, a large number of exposed place value questions for each student, and a slight increase in place value scores. However, a general pattern of criterion shifting was not found while utilizing IXL Learning as an interventional practice. It is recommended that a blended educational approach with various components be utilized for instructing place value concepts at the second-grade level.
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2023

Effects of an iPad as a prompting device on increasing independence skills in elementary students with autism spectrum disorder

Stephanie M. Hindman

Students with autism spectrum disorder can experience challenges in acquiring the necessary adaptive skills to successfully transition out of high school. These challenges can prevent them from achieving independence, making them reliant on adults for everyday tasks ...
Show moreStudents with autism spectrum disorder can experience challenges in acquiring the necessary adaptive skills to successfully transition out of high school. These challenges can prevent them from achieving independence, making them reliant on adults for everyday tasks and having a restrictive impact on their level of involvement in their school and community. Current research is exploring the use of iPads as prompting tools on the acquisition of adaptive skills in individuals with autism spectrum disorder, specifically with individuals at the middle and high school level (Bouck, Savage, Meyer, Taber-Doughty, & Hunley, 2014; Gardner & Wolfe, 2015; Plavnick, Sam, Hume, & Odom, 2013). The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of an iPad with the FileMaker app to promote independence skills by presenting daily living tasks through video and static picture prompting to third through sixth grade students with autism. A multiple probe design was utilized across three daily living skills and replicated across four participants to determine the effectiveness of an iPad with the FileMaker app as a prompting tool. Results indicate that participants could select a desired prompt type and that some participants could self-prompt through task steps for various skills without adult intervention. All participants were able to decrease the mean percentage of steps completed independently correct from the initial probe phase to the iPad intervention phase. In addition, participants were able to maintain high levels of performance in follow-up and maintenance probes.
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2017

The effects of cooking independence on high school life skill students

Capuano, Meredith

Funding for schools is historically always an issue. It is increasingly such an issue that schools have been taking away funding for practical arts classes such as cooking classes and allotting the money towards other academic areas. That change in funding ends up sh...
Show moreFunding for schools is historically always an issue. It is increasingly such an issue that schools have been taking away funding for practical arts classes such as cooking classes and allotting the money towards other academic areas. That change in funding ends up shutting down practical arts classes causing a loss of skills that students need to know for adulthood. Practical Arts classes specifically cooking classes can be beneficial for students placed in the life skills classroom because it allows them to increase their functional academics, and social interactions. These classes help build their self-esteem while integrating sensory skills as well as teaching health and nutrition, and the ever most important transition to adulthood skills also known as independence. It is imperative that practical arts classes are fully funded to not only meet the needs of students while in class but to but to increase their skills for independence and daily living.
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2024

Effects of implementing a transition curriculum using Google Classroom on the self-determination, post-secondary readiness, and career readiness skills of high school students with high incidence disabilities

Williams, Katie

Students with high incidence disabilities continue to fall behind when compared to their nondisabled peers who experience much greater post-secondary and employment success after high school. The purpose of the study was to determine if using Google Classroom to impl...
Show moreStudents with high incidence disabilities continue to fall behind when compared to their nondisabled peers who experience much greater post-secondary and employment success after high school. The purpose of the study was to determine if using Google Classroom to implement a transition curriculum would affect the career readiness, post-secondary readiness, and self-determination skills of students with high incidence disabilities. The literature review revealed that there are several definitions and theories defining the components that comprise an effective transition curriculum. Using Google Classroom transition modules were created and implemented that focused on the components: age-appropriate assessments, individualized and student-centered planning and goal setting, career exploration, post-secondary training exploration, employment preparations, and self-determination. A quantitative study was designed to determine whether utilizing Google Classroom had an effect on the self-determination, career readiness, and post-secondary readiness skills of the student participants. Two rating scales were utilized, and a Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to analyze the data. Utilizing Google Classroom had an overall positive effect on the self-determination, career readiness, and post-secondary readiness skills. The transition curriculum also had a positive effect on all areas except leisure activities. This positive effect has many implications on future transition educational practices and post-high school outcomes for students with disabilities. This positive effect could help students secure financial stability and successfully live independently after high school.
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2021

The effects of music therapy on social skills in individuals with autism

a meta-analysis

Rux, Hannah

Over the past decades, the rate of autism has increased around the world (Ghasemtabar et al., 2015). A prolonged impairment in social skills and communication is a key feature of autism. According to Vaiouli and Schertz (2012) joint attention is an important developm...
Show moreOver the past decades, the rate of autism has increased around the world (Ghasemtabar et al., 2015). A prolonged impairment in social skills and communication is a key feature of autism. According to Vaiouli and Schertz (2012) joint attention is an important developmental milestone for developing higher levels of social engagement. The delay or absence of joint attention is typically seen in individuals with autism (Vaiouli & Schertz, 2012). Given that there is no known treatment or cure for autism, the focus in supporting individuals with autism is aimed toward implementing an intervention strategy that targets the symptoms of autism (Yum et al., 2020). The current investigation conducted a meta-analysis on the effects of music therapy on social skills in individuals with autism. The analysis for this study was based on data from four research studies providing 20 effect size estimates. The sample within the four studies included data from 117 participants. The sample size for the effect size analysis was based on a sample size of n = 596. The four articles included in this meta-analysis produced an overall large positive significant effect size of d = 0.572 with a 95% confidence interval of 0.37 to 0.78. The mean effect size suggests a large significant effect from music therapy across all studies. All studies included in this current investigation published and reported overall positive results. The Q-statistic tests revealed significant heterogeneity across all studies, with variability across the mean effect size estimates, ranging from d = - 0.14 to d = 1.28. Since the effect size estimates were all positive for the published studies, it is likely that publication bias existed in the studies used in this meta-analysis. According to Walker et al. (2008) high levels of heterogeneity can compromise the conclusion of a meta-analysis, therefore future research is also needed to help decrease the level of heterogeneity across studies.
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2023

The effects of physical exercise on stereotypic behaviors in autism

a meta-analysis

Christopher W. Tarr

The prevalence rate of children with autism has been on the rise for the past 20 years. A hallmark characteristic of this disorder is the presence of stereotypic behaviors. Children who engage in stereotypic behaviors experience difficulties in effectively interactin...
Show moreThe prevalence rate of children with autism has been on the rise for the past 20 years. A hallmark characteristic of this disorder is the presence of stereotypic behaviors. Children who engage in stereotypic behaviors experience difficulties in effectively interacting with their surrounding environment. Both consequence-based and antecedent based interventions have been successful in decreasing these interfering behaviors. The performance of physical exercise has shown positive results as both a consequence based and antecedent based intervention in reducing stereotypic behaviors. The current investigation conducted a meta-analysis on the effects of physical exercise on stereotypic behaviors in individuals with autism. This study was able to run this meta-analysis using both aggregate score studies and single subject design studies. This study identified 10 research articles that met all of the inclusion criteria. The 10 articles were coded according to sixteen primary moderators and four peripheral moderators. The 10 articles produced an overall large effect size of d = -.456. This large effect size demonstrated that physical exercise is effective in decreasing stereotypic behaviors in individuals with autism. However, no significant statistical difference was observed within any of the primary and peripheral moderators. The lack of significant statistical difference within any of the moderators lead the current investigator to conclude that the effect of physical exercise on stereotypic behaviors in individuals with autism may not be impacted by external factors. Further research is needed to determine the internal neurobiological effects of physical exercise on stereotypic behaviors in individuals with autism.
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2018

The effects of staff training in blocking techniques and trauma informed care on the number of student restraints in a special education setting at a suburban public-school district

Edward G. Nientimp

The purpose of this study was to determine if the implementation of a staff development program that included instruction in trauma informed care, de-escalation, and the use of soft blocking pads (Ukeru ™) would influence the number of times students attending public...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to determine if the implementation of a staff development program that included instruction in trauma informed care, de-escalation, and the use of soft blocking pads (Ukeru ™) would influence the number of times students attending public-school special education programs were physically restrained. Restraint reduction/elimination efforts have been documented at psychiatric hospitals and residential treatment facilities for individuals with disabilities but not in public-school settings. There are many peer reviewed studies in the professional literature that detail the potential negative effects of restraint which include injury, trauma, negative perceptions, and sometimes death. This quasi-experimental design employed a retrospective data analysis to determine the usage of restraint across multiple school district supported programs. In this study data that was submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Restraint Information System of Collection (RISC) by one school district was analyzed over a three-year period. State wide data reports were also analyzed. Restraints per student, total restraints, mean number of restraints, and injuries to students or staff were rep01ied and analyzed to dete1mine trends over the three-year study. The nomandom sample was dete1mined by program assignment. Students attended either a public-school special education program, a residential treatment facility program, a partial hospitalization classroom, or an approved private school. The public-school students (all identified as eligible and in need of special education) were exposed to the Ukeru™ intervention during pmi of year two, and all of year three. All other groups served as comparison groups where the use of restraint continued to be used as a crisis management intervention. The use of restraint was eliminated in year three in the public-school special education setting. The Ukeru™ intervention was employed with the same number of students that had been traditionally restrained, suggesting that use of the trauma informed care, de-escalation, and soft blocking pads (Ukeru™) replaced the need for restraint. All comparison groups continued to regularly utilize restraint, with a substantial increase in restraints occurring at the residential treatment facility and overall across the state of Pennsylvania. There was no reduction in injuries associated with the utilization of the Ukeru™ intervention. Three years of data review supports that student and staff injuries occurred at very low rates at all school district supported programs prior to the implementation of Ukeru™ (year one), during the trial school year (year two), and during full implementation (year three).
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2018

The efficacy of equine-assisted activities on social outcomes of individuals with autism spectrum disorder

a qualitative case study

Huston, Trisha

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have shown improvement through the use of various therapeutic approaches. Identifying these approaches that engage individuals with ASD is essential in facilitating opportunities for lessening the impact of symptoms. A ...
Show moreIndividuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have shown improvement through the use of various therapeutic approaches. Identifying these approaches that engage individuals with ASD is essential in facilitating opportunities for lessening the impact of symptoms. A recent CDC report indicates the prevalence to be 1 in 54 children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (Roth, 2020). While the prevalence continues to escalate, the epidemiology has yet to be discovered. While there is no cure for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there are forms of therapy that have been proven to be successful in lessening the associated symptomatic behaviors. The most distinct classifiers related to ASD include sensory impairments, communication and speech delays, and restrictive, yet repetitive patterns of behavior or interests. This study intends to examine the parental viewpoint on correlations existing between equineassisted therapies (EAT) and communication skill improvements of adolescents with autism. Equine-assisted therapies have been found to be successful in the improvement of modality, communication deficits, and behavioral needs of individuals with disabilities. The parental viewpoint and input of such therapies has not been as stringently studied.
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2021

Eisenberg Classroom Building

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Electronic Theses and Dissertations completed by Slippery Rock University Students.

Elon Gold Publicity Photograph

Xtremes Publicity Photograph Collection

Digitized copy of the Elon Gold Publicity Photograph

1991

Embodied Speech Through Song

A Queer Autoethnographic Exploration of Gender Affirming Voicework in Music Therapy

Gumble, Maevon

Through queer autoethnography (i.e., queerly telling stories), I have explored the beginning development of a gender affirming voicework method within music therapy, informed by my personal experiences of seeking a more affirming voice for myself as a nonbinary trans...
Show moreThrough queer autoethnography (i.e., queerly telling stories), I have explored the beginning development of a gender affirming voicework method within music therapy, informed by my personal experiences of seeking a more affirming voice for myself as a nonbinary trans person, specifically doing this through my singing voice. This was further informed by literature from the fields of speech-language pathology, vocal pedagogy, and music therapy. This method will potentially provide a uniquely holistic space, working with the physical voice in terms of working on gendered behavioral changes and healthy vocal habits; the psychological voice in terms of supporting the emotional relationship that a person has with their voice, body, and Self; and the body in terms of encouraging relaxation and groundedness as well as working with the ways a person expresses/relates to their voice, body, and Self. In attempts to ignite a conversation around the possibilities of gender-based work within music therapy for trans, nonbinary, and cis individuals, I share my experiences of engaging in gender affirming voicework. Although this voicework is likely relevant to all individuals, it is perhaps more pertinent for trans and nonbinary folk. This is reflected throughout my autoethnography.
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2019

Embodying the Black/African-American experience through collaborative improvised music and dance/movement

implications for the practice of music therapy

Martin, Tatyana

This thesis is the dissemination of the findings of an arts-based research study exploring the collaborative improvised music and improvised dance/movement on the experience of being embodied as Black. The overall aim was to explore the interpersonal and intrapersona...
Show moreThis thesis is the dissemination of the findings of an arts-based research study exploring the collaborative improvised music and improvised dance/movement on the experience of being embodied as Black. The overall aim was to explore the interpersonal and intrapersonal experiences of one Black/African American musician and one Black/African American dancer engaging in a collaborative creative process focusing on the experience of being embodied as Black. This study grew out of my own experiences when engaging in collaborative improvised music and collaborative dance exploring my racial identity. Participants were chosen through convenience sampling. Data was collected through video recording the collaborative improvised music and dance/movement collaborative experience, written responses to questions about the experience, and through a group discussion. Participants were asked to write down their feelings, thoughts, sensations, imagery, memories, perceptions of cultural aesthetics, interpersonal dynamics, intrapersonal dynamics, and any transpersonal experiences immediately after the experience. Cultural dynamics were explored individually and relationally. Questions posed were centered around connection/disconnection, shifts in power, being in the moment, perceived interpretations of what contributed to the overall collaborative engagement, and perceptions of cultural aesthetics. A poem was created from the themes and subthemes collected from the data. Member checking was utilized for the accuracy of the representation of the participants’ collaborative experience. To authentically represent the essence of the participants’ narratives through music and dance, a multimedia arts reflection of their expressions of being Black in the United States was cultivated. Themes of 1) resilience, 2) resistance, 3) Black aesthetics, 4) spirituality 5) connection, 6) trauma, 7) subjugation/oppression, and 8) Black power emerged in the data and are discussed in the context of individual and collaborative Black experiences. Implications for the practice of music therapy will be addressed.
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2021