Research Interests:
Longitudinal data from a 7-year prospective study was examined to investigate whether the presence of learning disabilities (LD) increases a youth's risk of becoming a juvenile delinquent. The sample included 515 students enrolled in... more
Longitudinal data from a 7-year prospective study was examined to investigate whether the presence of learning disabilities (LD) increases a youth's risk of becoming a juvenile delinquent. The sample included 515 students enrolled in the fifth grade in the fall of 1985, 51 (9.9%) of whom were youth with LD. Self-report data on delinquent activity were collected in the spring of 1993. Official court records were obtained for the vears 1985 through 1992. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed using a block of three demographic variables (gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status) as predictors in the first step and including LD status in a second step. Seven separate analyses were performed, using different measures of delinquency as criterion variables. In no case did LD status account for a significant portion of unique variance in the delinquency variables when the demographic variables were controlled for. The results of this study did not confirm the presence of a direct relationship between LD and delinquency and suggest that the finding of a direct relationship in other studies may have been due to confounding of the LD status with age, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Accountability for students with disabilities who receive special education services is now a result of policy requirements in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004 and the No Child Left Behind Act... more
Accountability for students with disabilities who receive special education services is now a result of policy requirements in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004 and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001. Together these pieces of federal ...
The preceding quotations from parapro- fessionals show the complicated rela- tionships and challenges that can devel- op with their students and with other educators. Many of these challenges involve social situations. Many students with... more
The preceding quotations from parapro- fessionals show the complicated rela- tionships and challenges that can devel- op with their students and with other educators. Many of these challenges involve social situations. Many students with disabilities, some by the nature of their ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This 5-year longitudinal study investigated post-high-school employment, postsecondary school degree attainment, and engagement outcomes for youths with behavioral disorders (BD). Subjects included graduates with BD and a random... more
This 5-year longitudinal study investigated post-high-school employment, postsecondary school degree attainment, and engagement outcomes for youths with behavioral disorders (BD). Subjects included graduates with BD and a random stratified sample of their typically functioning peers from three school districts in western Washington State. The study tracked two cohorts, 1985 and 1990 graduates, with annual data collection from 1990 to 1995. The data reflected what was happening in the lives of these youths, who had been out of school from 1 to 5 years and from 6 to 10 years. Outcomes are compared for the youths with BD and for their peers without disabilities. Employment rates for the graduates with BD were significantly lower at only 2 of 10 data collection points. Engagement rates were significantly lower at 6 of the 10 points. Rates of postsecondary degree attainment at the end of the study were significantly lower for the graduates with BD in both cohorts.
Research Interests:
This study examined the effects of a systematic, phonics-based reading intervention on the oral reading fluency and accuracy of adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) receiving educational services in a juvenile... more
This study examined the effects of a systematic, phonics-based reading intervention on the oral reading fluency and accuracy of adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) receiving educational services in a juvenile correctional facility. A multiple-baseline design across four participants was used to calculate the effect of daily, one-on-one, 30-minute reading instructional sessions provided over nine weeks. Oral reading fluency increased markedly and error rates decreased for each participant in the intervention phase. Participants also experienced improvements in reading as measured pre- and postintervention on a standardized reading assessment. Findings underscore the promise of systematic reading intervention for improving academic outcomes for adolescents with EBD confined to juvenile correctional facilities who are also struggling readers.
Research Interests:
As students with severe disabilities are included in general education settings, the use of paraprofessionals has expanded to meet these students' needs. Unfortunately, paraprofessionals can have the inadvertent effect of intensifying... more
As students with severe disabilities are included in general education settings, the use of paraprofessionals has expanded to meet these students' needs. Unfortunately, paraprofessionals can have the inadvertent effect of intensifying the social isolation of students with disabilities. This study investigated the effectiveness of a training program aimed at teaching four paraprofessionals to facilitate interactions between students with severe disabilities and their peers. A multiple baseline, single-subject design across four paraprofessional/student pairs was utilized. Observational data were collected over the baseline and postintervention phases. Rates of paraprofessional facilitative behavior increased following the intervention. Additionally, rates of student interaction increased immediately and dramatically and were maintained through the maintenance probe.
Research Interests: Psychology, Medical Education, Interaction, Staff Development, Intervention, and 10 moreNewspaper, Social Isolation, Behavioral Disorders, Focus on Exceptional Children, Proximity, Full Text Vol 5, Guidance and Counseling Intervention Programs, Observational Study, Training Program, and multiple baseline design
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This study examined service delivery and risk factors for 93 youth with emotional and behavioral disorders who were served by one jurisdiction's child welfare, juvenile justice, and special education agencies. The researchers... more
This study examined service delivery and risk factors for 93 youth with emotional and behavioral disorders who were served by one jurisdiction's child welfare, juvenile justice, and special education agencies. The researchers collected data through an archival review of agency records. The article discusses findings as they relate to the link between maltreatment and delinquency for youth with emotional and behavioral disorders and includes recommendations for integrating early intervention efforts.
Research Interests: Psychology, Law, Attribution Theory, Juvenile Delinquency, Child Welfare, and 15 moreDelinquency, Adolescent, Medicine, Humans, Child, Child Abuse, Female, Male, Disabled children, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, New England, Age Factors, Juvenile Court, Child preschool, and Child behavior disorders
Understanding the characteristics of youth with Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) impacted by multiple agencies, and the pattern of services provided to these youth in the absence of or prior to coordinated intervention, can assist the... more
Understanding the characteristics of youth with Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) impacted by multiple agencies, and the pattern of services provided to these youth in the absence of or prior to coordinated intervention, can assist the design and implementation of multiagency intervention programs. The current study provides a descriptive analysis of a cross-section of 93 secondary students with SED served concomitantly by special education, juvenile justice, and child welfare. Characteristics of early service delivery and child risk factors were examined through an archival record review. Gender differences were found for age at earliest contact, identification for special education, and contact with juvenile justice, with girls being significantly older in all. Ethnic differences were found for age at identification for special education and experience with neglect, substance abuse, and incarceration of a family member. A majority of participants demonstrated early conduct probl...
Research Interests: Psychology, Juvenile Justice, Economic Justice, Child Welfare, Linguistics, and 15 moreMedicine, Gender Difference, Service Delivery, Risk factors, Neglect, Cross Section, Public health systems and services research, Conduct Problems, Service system, Family and child studies, Risk Factors, Service Provider, Design and Implementation, service Business, and Ethnic Difference
(2005). Models of Classroom Management as Applied to the Secondary Classroom. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas: Vol. 79, No. 1, pp. 36-39.
Research Interests:
The current study investigates school-level factors that affect the performance of students with disabilities on statewide assessments. Data were collected as part of a larger study examining the effects of education policy reform on... more
The current study investigates school-level factors that affect the performance of students with disabilities on statewide assessments. Data were collected as part of a larger study examining the effects of education policy reform on students with disabilities. Statewide assessment data for students with disabilities from 2 school districts within 1 state were analyzed. Assessment results in reading and math in 3rd, 5th, and 8th grades across 2 school years were analyzed using a series of hierarchical linear regressions. Of the variables considered, only the performance of schools' general education students on the assessments added any predictive value to the regression model after accounting for school demographic indicators.
Research Interests:
The primary purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of a program designed to improve adolescents' relationships with at least one teacher in an urban high school. All participating students were nominated by... more
The primary purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of a program designed to improve adolescents' relationships with at least one teacher in an urban high school. All participating students were nominated by teachers as having significant emotional and ...
Research Interests: Psychology, Poverty, School Psychology, Social behavior, High School, and 11 moreSchool Effectiveness, Urban Environment, Group Intervention, Social Emotional Learning, Lessons Learned, Behavior Problems, Secondary School Students, Program Design, Social Behavior, Control Group, and Grade point average
Research Interests:
Longitudinal data from a 7-year prospective study was examined to investigate whether the presence of learning disabilities (LD) increases a youth's risk of becoming a juvenile delinquent. The sample included 515 students enrolled in... more
Longitudinal data from a 7-year prospective study was examined to investigate whether the presence of learning disabilities (LD) increases a youth's risk of becoming a juvenile delinquent. The sample included 515 students enrolled in the fifth grade in the fall of 1985, 51 (9.9%) of whom were youth with LD. Self-report data on delinquent activity were collected in the spring of 1993. Official court records were obtained for the vears 1985 through 1992. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed using a block of three demographic variables (gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status) as predictors in the first step and including LD status in a second step. Seven separate analyses were performed, using different measures of delinquency as criterion variables. In no case did LD status account for a significant portion of unique variance in the delinquency variables when the demographic variables were controlled for. The results of this study did not confirm the prese...
Research Interests:
Longitudinal data from a 7-year prospective study was examined to investigate whether the presence of learning disabilities (LD) increases a youth's risk of becoming a juvenile delinquent. The sample included 515 students enrolled in... more
Longitudinal data from a 7-year prospective study was examined to investigate whether the presence of learning disabilities (LD) increases a youth's risk of becoming a juvenile delinquent. The sample included 515 students enrolled in the fifth grade in the fall of 1985, 51 (9.9%) of whom were youth with LD. Self-report data on delinquent activity were collected in the spring of 1993. Official court records were obtained for the years 1985 through 1992. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed using a block of three demographic variables (gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status) as predictors in the first step and including LD status in a second step. Seven separate analyses were performed, using different measures of delinquency as criterion variables. In no case did LD status account for a significant portion of unique variance in the delinquency variables when the demographic variables were controlled for. The results of this study did not confirm the presence of a direct relationship between LD and delinquency and suggest that the finding of a direct relationship in other studies may have been due to confounding of the LD status with age, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.
Research Interests: Psychology, Research Design, Juvenile Delinquency, Visual perception, Adolescent, and 14 moreMedicine, Learning Disabilities, Space perception, Humans, Child, Incidence, Risk factors, Socioeconomic Status, Longitudinal Studies, Ethnic Group, Learning Disorders, Reproducibility of Results, Risk Factors, and Cohort Studies
Research Interests: Psychology, Education, Special Education, Mental Health, Emotional/Behavioral Disorders, and 13 moreJuvenile Justice, Juvenile Delinquency, Academic Mobility, Foster Care, Case Studies, Linguistics, Elementary Education, Elementary School, Risk factors, Cross Section, Public health systems and services research, Family and child studies, and Risk Factors
Research Interests:
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) represents the most significant federal education policy initiative in a generation. The perceptions of key personnel from four states and eight school districts on the opportunities and challenges of... more
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) represents the most significant federal education policy initiative in a generation. The perceptions of key personnel from four states and eight school districts on the opportunities and challenges of meeting Annual Yearly Progress requirements for students with disabilities reveal a complex situation. The success of students with disabilities on NCLB mandates is dependent on myriad factors, including access to the general education curriculum and the capacity of educators to teach diverse learners. Findings from a qualitative analysis, part of a larger 5-year mixed-method study, reveal that although participants recognized the challenges ahead, most seemed willing to tackle these challenges to the best of their abilities. Moreover, participants from both general and special education systems recognized that students with disabilities are a vital part of the current education reform.
Research Interests:
Behavior-focused alternative schools serve students who are identified by school personnel as exhibiting behavior difficulties, often coupled with low academic achievement. Students can be referred to behavior-focused alternative schools... more
Behavior-focused alternative schools serve students who are identified by school personnel as exhibiting behavior difficulties, often coupled with low academic achievement. Students can be referred to behavior-focused alternative schools as an alternative to expulsion. In this study, we examined the demographic characteristics of students who attended behavior-focused alternative middle schools, as well as the effectiveness of these schools on two outcomes: (a) standardized state reading assessment scores and (b) number of suspensions received. Using a retrospective cohort design study, we investigated whether students attending behavior-focused alternative middle schools experienced significantly different reading and suspension outcomes compared with a matched sample of students attending traditional middle schools. The majority of students in behavior-focused alternative middle schools were male, Black, and receiving special education services. Results showed that students attend...
Research Interests:
Urban school districts are comprised of many diverse high school environments including comprehensive neighborhood schools as well as a variety of smaller alternative models that focus on innovative practices, behavior remediation, or... more
Urban school districts are comprised of many diverse high school environments including comprehensive neighborhood schools as well as a variety of smaller alternative models that focus on innovative practices, behavior remediation, or academic recovery. In terms of enrollment distribution, urban school districts are increasingly offering nontraditional school placement options for students presenting academic and behavioral difficulty or for students seeking specific curricular emphasis or pedagogy, including—but not limited to—use of school choice voucher programs. In this study, we examined student distribution across school types in one large urban district to investigate enrollment patterns with regard to gender, race, socioeconomic status, and disability status. The results of this cross-sectional analysis indicated significant disproportionality in student demographics within different school types, including overrepresentation of African American students, male students, and ...
Research Interests:
The purpose of the current literature review is to understand how East Asian American (EAA) parents of students with disabilities perceive disabilities and special education. These parental perspectives are compared to those of their East... more
The purpose of the current literature review is to understand how East Asian American (EAA) parents of students with disabilities perceive disabilities and special education. These parental perspectives are compared to those of their East Asian (EA) parents to better understand whether EAA parents adjust their perceptions in the U.S. Findings from 21 studies indicate both similarities and differences between EAA parents and EA parents regarding (1) parents' perceptions of disability, including (a) familiarity with the concept of disability, (b) child's disability type, and (c) religious beliefs and (2) parents' perceptions of special education and related services, including (a) highly qualified teachers, (b) overall quality of special education and related services, and (c) level of parental involvement in their child's education. Implications for research and practice are discussed, including the need for increasing awareness of disabilities among immigrant communi...
Research Interests:
Reading instruction for students with intellectual disability (ID) has traditionally focused on single skill instruction such as sight word reading. Given that multicomponent reading interventions have been linked to improved reading... more
Reading instruction for students with intellectual disability (ID) has traditionally focused on single skill instruction such as sight word reading. Given that multicomponent reading interventions have been linked to improved reading skills across multiple reading components for students in general education, it is logical to examine the impact of multicomponent reading interventions for students with ID. The purpose of this literature review was to examine characteristics, outcomes, and quality of multicomponent reading interventions for students with ID. In this review, seven empirical articles fit the inclusionary criteria. Findings indicate that students with ID who were exposed to multicomponent reading programs significantly improved their reading skills compared to their peers with ID who received traditional sight word instruction or to their previous reading performance. This literature review highlights effective strategies used to provide multicomponent reading instructio...
Research Interests:
Education laws in the U.S. hold schools accountable for including students with intellectual disability on statewide reading assessments. Students with intellectual disability have been taking general or alternate reading assessments over... more
Education laws in the U.S. hold schools accountable for including students with intellectual disability on statewide reading assessments. Students with intellectual disability have been taking general or alternate reading assessments over the past two decades. However, very little attention has been given to the results of these assessments. The purpose of this study was to examine reading outcomes of students with intellectual disability on statewide general and alternate assessments in a Midwestern state in the U.S. We also examined whether students with intellectual disability’s reading outcomes varied across traditional and innovative school types. Results from descriptive analyses showed that a very low percentage of students with intellectual disability performed at the proficient level or above on 5th and 8th grades reading assessments. Also, students with intellectual disability’s reading proficiency levels did not significantly differ across school types. Implications of th...
Research Interests:
All in-text references underlined in blue are linked to publications on ResearchGate, letting you access and read them immediately.
Research Interests:
Traditional public high schools serve a diversity of students. However, not all students experience success in high school (Aud, KewalRamani, & Frohlich, 2011; McFarland, Cui, & Stark, 2018; McFarland et al., 2017). To meet the needs of... more
Traditional public high schools serve a diversity of students. However, not all students experience success in high school (Aud, KewalRamani, & Frohlich, 2011; McFarland, Cui, & Stark, 2018; McFarland et al., 2017). To meet the needs of students who do not experience success in traditional high schools, school districts increasingly rely on alternative schools and programs to provide basic educational services to a subset of students (Hodge, Liaupsin, Umbreit, & Ferro, 2014; Porowski, O’Conner, & Luo, 2014). Furthermore, Carver and Lewis (2010) reported a particularly high reliance on alternative education in public school districts in which a significant number of students are considered at risk. Alternative schools and programs take many forms but can be categorized into three broad types: (a) schools that offer innovative educational approaches and are often accessible through an application process, (b) schools with a behavior or disciplinary focus designed for students who exhi...
Research Interests:
The Importance of Social Skills. The Wide and Varied Definitions of Social Competence. Schoolwide Approaches to Social Skills Development with Catherine R. Lark. Classroom Approaches to Social Skills Development. Capitalizing on the Power... more
The Importance of Social Skills. The Wide and Varied Definitions of Social Competence. Schoolwide Approaches to Social Skills Development with Catherine R. Lark. Classroom Approaches to Social Skills Development. Capitalizing on the Power of Peers. Assessment of Individual Skills and Progress with Jennifer L. Schroeder. Developing and Implementing Individual Intervention Plans. References. Index.
Research Interests:
Lack of reading motivation impedes upper elementary and secondary school students’ willingness to improve critical reading skills and strategies to be successful in school. Struggling readers often show a negative attitude towards reading... more
Lack of reading motivation impedes upper elementary and secondary school students’ willingness to improve critical reading skills and strategies to be successful in school. Struggling readers often show a negative attitude towards reading tasks and manifest low motivation to read. Although the importance of motivation is clear, there is limited research on reading motivation of struggling adolescents with disabilities. This study examined whether reading motivation of struggling readers with and without disabilities significantly changed after an eighteen week period of reading instruction in two elementary schools and one high school in a Midwest state of the United States of America (USA). Findings yielded significant improvement in motivation for adolescents without disabilities while motivation scores declined for students with disabilities. An overview of students’ answers to survey questions is provided and some evidence-based methods that teachers can utilize to improve readi...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
School districts in the US often have many different types of high schools - some are traditional neighborhood schools, while others are more innovative or focused on behavior or academic remediation. In new research Aaron B. Perzigian,... more
School districts in the US often have many different types of high schools - some are traditional neighborhood schools, while others are more innovative or focused on behavior or academic remediation. In new research Aaron B. Perzigian, Kemal Afacan, Whitney Justin, and Kimber L. Wilkerson examine the characteristics of students across these school types. They find that African American students, ...
Research Interests:
Behavior-focused alternative schools serve students who are identified by school personnel as exhibiting behavior difficulties, often coupled with low academic achievement. Students can be referred to behavior-focused alternative schools... more
Behavior-focused alternative schools serve students who are identified by school personnel as exhibiting behavior difficulties, often coupled with low academic achievement. Students can be referred to behavior-focused alternative schools as an alternative to expulsion. In this study, we examined the demographic characteristics of students who attended behavior-focused alternative middle schools, as well as the effectiveness of these schools on two outcomes: (a) standardized state reading assessment scores and (b) number of suspensions received. Using a retrospective cohort design study, we investigated whether students attending behavior-focused alternative middle schools experienced significantly different reading and suspension outcomes compared with a matched sample of students attending traditional middle schools. The majority of students in behavior-focused alternative middle schools were male, Black, and receiving special education services. Results showed that students attend...
Research Interests:
Urban school districts are comprised of many diverse high school environments including comprehensive neighborhood schools as well as a variety of smaller alternative models that focus on innovative practices, behavior remediation, or... more
Urban school districts are comprised of many diverse high school environments including comprehensive neighborhood schools as well as a variety of smaller alternative models that focus on innovative practices, behavior remediation, or academic recovery. In terms of enrollment distribution, urban school districts are increasingly offering nontraditional school placement options for students presenting academic and behavioral difficulty or for students seeking specific curricular emphasis or pedagogy, including—but not limited to—use of school choice voucher programs. In this study, we examined student distribution across school types in one large urban district to investigate enrollment patterns with regard to gender, race, socioeconomic status, and disability status. The results of this cross-sectional analysis indicated significant disproportionality in student demographics within different school types, including overrepresentation of African American students, male students, and ...
Research Interests:
The purpose of the current literature review is to understand how East Asian American (EAA) parents of students with disabilities perceive disabilities and special education. These parental perspectives are compared to those of their East... more
The purpose of the current literature review is to understand how East Asian American (EAA) parents of students with disabilities perceive disabilities and special education. These parental perspectives are compared to those of their East Asian (EA) parents to better understand whether EAA parents adjust their perceptions in the U.S. Findings from 21 studies indicate both similarities and differences between EAA parents and EA parents regarding (1) parents' perceptions of disability, including (a) familiarity with the concept of disability, (b) child's disability type, and (c) religious beliefs and (2) parents' perceptions of special education and related services, including (a) highly qualified teachers, (b) overall quality of special education and related services, and (c) level of parental involvement in their child's education. Implications for research and practice are discussed, including the need for increasing awareness of disabilities among immigrant communi...
Research Interests:
Reading instruction for students with intellectual disability (ID) has traditionally focused on single skill instruction such as sight word reading. Given that multicomponent reading interventions have been linked to improved reading... more
Reading instruction for students with intellectual disability (ID) has traditionally focused on single skill instruction such as sight word reading. Given that multicomponent reading interventions have been linked to improved reading skills across multiple reading components for students in general education, it is logical to examine the impact of multicomponent reading interventions for students with ID. The purpose of this literature review was to examine characteristics, outcomes, and quality of multicomponent reading interventions for students with ID. In this review, seven empirical articles fit the inclusionary criteria. Findings indicate that students with ID who were exposed to multicomponent reading programs significantly improved their reading skills compared to their peers with ID who received traditional sight word instruction or to their previous reading performance. This literature review highlights effective strategies used to provide multicomponent reading instructio...
Research Interests:
Behavior-focused alternative schools serve students who have been unsuccessful in other school settings due to low academic achievement coupled with significant behavior challenges. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of... more
Behavior-focused alternative schools serve students who have been unsuccessful in other school settings due to low academic achievement coupled with significant behavior challenges. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of secondary behavior-focused alternative schools on four different student outcome variables: (a) school attendance, (b) credits earned, (c) number of office referrals, and (d) number of suspensions. Using longitudinal data from a large urban school district and propensity score matching, we examined the extent to which outcomes of secondary students attending behavior-focused alternative schools differed compared to a matched sample of students attending traditional secondary schools. Findings from Poisson regression analyses indicate that enrollment in a behavior-focused alternative school significantly predicts earning fewer credits in one semester, lower attendance, and a lower number of office referrals. Implications for policy, practice, and further...
Research Interests:
Behavior-focused alternative schools serve students who have been unsuccessful in other school settings due to low academic achievement coupled with significant behavior challenges. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of... more
Behavior-focused alternative schools serve students who have been unsuccessful in other school settings due to low academic achievement coupled with significant behavior challenges. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of secondary behavior-focused alternative schools on four different student outcome variables: (a) school attendance, (b) credits earned, (c) number of office referrals, and (d) number of suspensions. Using longitudinal data from a large urban school district and propensity score matching, we examined the extent to which outcomes of secondary students attending behavior-focused alternative schools differed compared to a matched sample of students attending traditional secondary schools. Findings from Poisson regression analyses indicate that enrollment in a behavior-focused alternative school significantly predicts earning fewer credits in one semester, lower attendance, and a lower number of office referrals. Implications for policy, practice, and further...