VTechWorks Repository :: Browsing by Author "Williams, Thomas O. Jr."

Browsing by Author "Williams, Thomas O. Jr."

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Administrators' Pespectives of the Impact of Mandatory Qualifying Examinations for Students with Learning Disabilities
Clayton-Prince, Lynn (Virginia Tech, 2007-06-13)
In Virginia students with learning disabilities, as well as students in general education, are required to pass the Virginia Standards of Learning test in order to receive a diploma from high school. Currently there are 20 states that use exit exams with five more states anticipated to start by 2009 (Center on Education Policy, 2005). The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions of Virginia Special Education Directors, Principals and Lead Teachers regarding the impact of the state graduation requirements on the educational experiences of and outcomes for students with learning disabilities. This study was adapted from a similar investigation conducted from Indiana and applied to survey Virginia administrators. Additionally, the study was used to identify the changes Virginia administrators perceive are needed in order to best support students in meeting those requirements. The target population of participants of this study consisted of three groups of educators: (a) Directors of Special Education; (b) Principals; and (c) Lead Teachers of Special Education in Virginia public high schools. A survey research design was employed for this study. The instrument included 70 Likert type items, with one demographic item. A total of 510 surveys were sent through email to administrators in the state of Virginia; 148 were returned with incorrect addresses. A response total of 104 emails were received: Directors of Special Education, 26.9%; Principals, 56.7%; and Lead Teachers, 16.3%. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. A descriptive summary of responses for respondents was developed using mean and frequency percentages. Inferential statistics was used to answer the research questions presented in this study. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to determine if there was a significant difference between the three groups regarding high stakes testing of students with learning disabilities. Significance (p less than or equal to .05) was not noted in any areas when comparing administrators perspectives of graduation requirements that impact educational experiences and outcomes of students, however the area of changes that administrators perceive are needed in order to best support students in meeting these requirements, significance (p less than or equal to .05) was noted. Findings indicate that administrators felt that as a result of the graduation requirement, it is important for special education students to be included in general education classes and exposed to the general education curriculum. They also agreed that special education and general education teachers need to be exposed to professional development to help students be successful in high stakes testing. Another finding from this study was administrators felt that including greater use of practice materials and instruction in test taking would also be needed to help students be successful.
The Assistive Technology Skills, Knowledge, and Professional Development Needs of Special Educators in Southwestern Virginia
Gustafson, Glenna Scarborough (Virginia Tech, 2006-04-05)
Assistive technologies can aid in removing many of the barriers that students with disabilities face in today's classroom. This study addressed special educators' perceptions of the facilitators for the successful implementation of assistive technology devices, skills and knowledge, and need for professional development. A self reporting questionnaire was designed to collect data. The questionnaire was mailed to 1164 special educators in southwestern Virginia. Educators reported that funding, time, technical assistance, assistive technology awareness and knowledge, professional development opportunities, and administrative support were highly important facilitators to the successful implementation of assistive technology. Special educators revealed an average level of skills and knowledge and need for professional development on 25 out of 27 assistive technology competencies. Furthermore, educators reported a preference for professional development opportunities in group settings that involved hands-on learning experiences.
Autism Programs in the Commonwealth of Virginia: From Theory to Practice
Jennings, Randy L. (Virginia Tech, 2007-04-10)
Educational law did not recognize autism as a disability category until the passage of The Education for all Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 101-476) in 1990. More recently, in 2005 the federal government issued a report from the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) detailing rising prevalence, expenditures that exceed general education per pupil spending, and multiple educational services. Furthermore, the Virginia Department of Education created an ad hoc committee to study autism in the Commonwealth. Therefore, the study sought to answer: (1) What programs are being used in the Commonwealth of Virginia to serve children identified with the educational disability label of autism? (2) What is the degree of effectiveness of these programs as perceived by directors of special education? and (3) Do selected demographics of the school division influence the types of programs that are delivered? A survey instrument was used to answer the research questions. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 14.0 (SPSS 14.0) resulting in descriptive statistics and One-Way ANOVA with post hoc Multicomparison. Analysis revealed that 48.4% of school divisions responding primarily rely on traditional special education to serve children with autism. Post hoc testing revealed that the mean score for school divisions using a combination of specially designed programs (M = 3.38) were statistically significantly different from the mean score of school divisions that primarily use traditional special education services (M = 2.9).The results of this study may be used to promote the use of specially designed programs for children with autism in school divisions in the commonwealth of Virginia and focus training for school divisions that serve metro, urban, and rural areas.
The Choices and Uses of Technological Tools in High School Government Classes
Wigginton, Erin O'Donnell (Virginia Tech, 2011-10-31)
The purpose of this study was to examine how government teachers make decisions regarding the type of technological tools they incorporate in their instruction. As a case study of two teachers, this work was oriented by the question: How are U.S. Government teachers' beliefs and perspectives about learning and teaching reflected in their pedagogical practice and use of technological tools. There is little work about how teachers prepare students for the 21st century. Teaching U.S. Government or about the U.S. government has been ignored in much of the research of social studies classes. Additionally, most studies that examine the use of technological tools in the social studies classroom have either investigated the use of non-digital tools specifically or the use of digital tools specifically. Few studies combine how social studies teachers use both non-digital and digital tools in their instruction. My goal was to shift the gaze and include the swirl of influences shaping U.S. Government teachers' decision-making process as when both types of technological tools are used with their classes. This study has its antecedents in my desire to examine Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge, TPCK. TPCK is a theoretical framework that posits that technological knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and content knowledge are the key elements to understand teachers' instructional choices. The findings in this study indicate that while TPCK can offer teachers a framework to help begin to understand knowledge bases one could consider when planning class instruction, it falls short of providing the complete picture necessary to describe teacher decisions.
Descriptions of Friendship from Preadolescent Boys Who Carry A Label on the Autism Spectrum
Daniel, Leslie S. (Virginia Tech, 2006-11-14)
This dissertation provides an account of the ways seven preadolescent boys with autism spectrum disorders describe friendship. This study extends previous research by providing more in-depth descriptions of friendship gleaned through iterative interviews. In addition to multiple interviews with each of the boys, I collected interview data from their parents, and one teacher of each boy. In order to convey friendship from the boys' perspectives, I present data across three broad themes: (1) Establishing and maintaining friendships, (2) Social reciprocity, and (3) Conflicts. The findings indicate that some important components of close friendships, (i.e., frequent and varied interactions, relative equality and reciprocity, maintenance over an extended period of time, and emotional support), that are commonly included in descriptions of preadolescent relationships in the general literature were evident in the close friendships of these boys with autism spectrum disorders. Not only does this study help increase the understanding of the construct of friendship, but of autism spectrum disorders as well. Specifically, my findings challenge the deficit perspective of autism spectrum disorders in several ways: (1) these preadolescents described ways that they socialize with friends rather than ways to avoid social situations in favor of isolation (Kanner, 1943); (2) the majority described same-age friendships as opposed to failing to develop peer relationships (American Psychiatric Association, 2000); and (3) four boys either are developing or have developed social reciprocity with friends, instead of demonstrating a lack of social reciprocity (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Researchers are just beginning to understand how preadolescents with autism spectrum disorders describe friendships. This study provides an important addition to the extant literature by providing insight into how a small group of highly verbal, preadolescent boys labeled with autism spectrum disorders describe friendship. Further research is necessary and will add to the sparse body of literature that just begins to depict how people with autism spectrum disorders understand and experience friendship.
Development of an Instrument to Evidence Knowledge Abstractions in Technological/Engineering Design-Based Activities
Figliano, Fred Joseph (Virginia Tech, 2011-05-02)
This document outlines the development of a Design Log Instrument (DLI) intended for use in identifying moments of abstraction as evidence of STEM content knowledge transfer. Many theoretical approaches to explaining knowledge transfer are rooted in a belief that transfer occurs through knowledge abstraction (Reed, Ernst, & Banerji, 1974; Gick & Holyoak, 1980, 1983). The DLI prompts participants to be reflective during technological/engineering design activities. During the development of this instrument, a three-phase multiple case: embedded design was used. Three distinct Phases accommodated the collection and analysis of data necessary for this investigation: Phase 1: Pilot Case Study, Phase 2: Establishing Content Validity, and Phase 3: Establishing Construct Validity. During Phase 3, data from the DLI was collected at each of seven work sessions from two design teams each working through different engineering problems. At the end of Phase 3, a comparison of abstractions found in DLI responses and observation data (Audio/Video transcripts) indicated the extent to which the DLI independently reflected those abstractions revealed in observations (Audio/Video transcripts). Results of this comparison showed that the DLI has the potential to be 68% reliable to reveal abstracted knowledge. Further analysis of these findings showed ancillary correlations between the percent abstractions found per DLI reflective prompt and the percent abstractions found per T/E design phase. Specifically, DLI Reflective Prompts 2 and 3 correlate with T/E Design Phases 3 and 4 (58% and 76% respectively of the total abstractions) which deal with design issues related to investigating the problem and developing alternate solutions. DLI Reflective Prompts 4 and 5 correlate with T/E Design Phases 5 and 6 (22% and 24% respectively of total abstractions) which deal with design issues related to choosing a solution and developing a prototype. Findings also indicate that there are highs and lows of abstraction throughout the T/E design process. The implications of these highs and lows are that specific phases of the T/E design process can be targeted for research and instruction. By targeting specific T/E design phases, a researcher or instructor can increase the likelihood of fostering abstractions as evidence of STEM content knowledge transfer.
Early Career Special Education Teachers in High-and Low-Poverty Districts: A Comparison of their Qualifications, Work Conditions, and Career Commitments
Fall, Anna-Maria (Virginia Tech, 2008-12-10)
I used teacher data from the Study of Personnel Needs in Special Education (SPeNSE) to compare the characteristics, qualifications (e.g., credentials, preservice preparation, self-efficacy, and induction) and work conditions (e.g., school support, work manageability and induction support) of early career special education teachers in high- and low-poverty districts and the effects of these variables on teacher commitment. Organized as a set of thee articles, this research presents findings from a nationally representative sample of 935 early career special education teachers. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, factor analysis, reliability analyses, and logistic regression. Significant differences were found in the credentials and preparation of teachers working in high poverty vs. more affluent districts, with those in high poverty schools having fewer credentials and less preparation. In contrast, the two teacher groups reported similar induction opportunities and gave themselves comparable ratings on both self-efficacy and in skillfulness in various work tasks. Teachers in high poverty districts also reported less desirable work conditions than their counterparts in more affluent districts. When compared to teachers in low poverty districts, those in less affluent districts viewed their principals and colleagues as less supportive, perceived less involvement in school decisions, reported having fewer materials, and indicated higher and more diverse caseloads. In contrast, the two teacher groups reported similar professional development and induction opportunities. Finally, logistic regression results suggest that problems with work manageability were negatively related to teacher commitment, whereas positive school support and good match between preparation and assignment positively influenced teachers' commitment. However, district level of poverty, district support, and perceived helpfulness of induction support were not significantly related to teachers' commitment. These studies draw attention to inequalities in the education of students with disabilities in high poverty districts; and emphasize the critical need not only to recruit and prepare qualified teachers for high poverty schools, but also to address disparities in work conditions. Policymakers and educational leaders concerned with fostering teachers' commitment should consider developing supportive work environments, involving teachers in decision making, and creating manageable work assignments.
An Exploratory Study of Project Lead the Way Secondary Engineering Educators' Self-Efficacy
Holt, Brent D. (Virginia Tech, 2011-10-24)
Researchers find that teacher self-efficacy influences student performance and student academic interest (Anderson, Green & Loewen, 1988; Ross, 1992; Ashton & Webb, 1986; Woolfolk & Hoy, 1990; and Muijs & Reynolds, 2001) and that prior teaching and teacher preparation experiences influence teacher self-efficacy (Preito & Altmaier, 1994). Since the late 1990s, a significant number of teachers have been drafted to teach engineering content in secondary schools across America (NAE & NRC, 2009). Given that none of those teachers were specifically prepared for that task in pre-service secondary engineering teaching licensure programs, some—or perhaps even many—of these new secondary engineering educators might be experiencing low teacher self-efficacy, which research suggests would lead to relatively ineffective secondary engineering teaching. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate experiences/factors that might influence secondary engineering teachers' self-efficacy, to inform those who are developing new pre- and in-service secondary engineering teacher preparation programs, and educational administrators / policy-makers. The population of Project Lead the Way (PLTW) secondary engineering teachers across the U.S. was invited to participate in this study. PLTW offers the best-known secondary engineering curriculum in the U.S. It features robust linkages/articulation agreements with post-secondary engineering programs (McVearry, 2003). The data for this study were obtained by administering the Teachers' Self-Efficacy Belief System-Self (TEBS-S) instrument (Dellinger, Bobbett, Oliver, & Ellett, 2008) and a demographic instrument developed by the researcher. The following factors had a statistically significant influence on teacher self-efficacy: pre-PLTW teaching experience, PLTW teaching experience, post-secondary course hours completed, teacher licensure process, and current and past teaching schedules. Implications of these findings may be used by administrators and educators who are actively involved in recruiting, selecting and preparing secondary engineering educators.
Freshman engineering students at-risk of non-matriculation: Self-efficacy for academic learning
Ernst, Jeremy V.; Bowen, Bradley D.; Williams, Thomas O. Jr. (2016-12-01)
Students identified as at-risk of non-academic continuation have a propensity toward lower academic self-efficacy than their peers (Lent, 2005). Within engineering, self-efficacy and confidence are major markers of university continuation and success (Lourens, 2014 Raelin, et al., 2014). This study explored academic learning self-efficacy specific to first-year engineering students with at-risk indicators. The at-risk determination was made through trajectory to matriculate, classified by cumulative grade point average of academic studies. An adapted version of the Self-efficacy for Learning (SEL) scale, modified by Klobas, Renzi and Nigrelli (2007), was administered to freshman engineering students identified at-risk and not at-risk of matriculation. Internal consistency of the SEL was analyzed and once deemed satisfactory (Cronbach alpha = .94), item-level outcome comparisons between student subgroups were made for each of the 22 instrument items.
The impact of a visual imagery intervention on Army ROTC cadets’ marksmanship performance and flow experiences
Rakes, Edward Lee (Virginia Tech, 2012-08-09)
This investigation used an experimental design to examine how a visual imagery intervention and two levels of challenge would affect the flow experiences and performance of cadets engaged in Army ROTC marksmanship training. I employed MANCOVA analyses, with gender and prior marksmanship training experience as covariates, to assess cadets' (n = 127) marksmanship performance and flow experiences. Findings revealed that the use of visual imagery did not positively enhance flow and improve performance with statistical certainty. The results, however, might be practically significant because they showed that when cadets were faced with a more challenging situation and had engaged in visual imagery exercises, they were more likely to outperform cadets in the same challenge condition who had not engaged in visual imagery exercises. On average, cadets in the high challenge condition who engaged in visual imagery exercises outperformed non-visual imagery cadets in the same condition by over one point on a six-point scale. Additional findings revealed that level of challenge did not affect flow experiences, which is counter to the postulates of flow theory. Level of challenge did, however, negatively impact performance. That is, when cadets were faced with a more challenging situation, they performed more poorly. Prior experience — and by extension skill level — was discovered to better facilitate flow experiences, as opposed to a balance of challenge and skills. Higher levels of prior marksmanship training experience were associated with cadets' potential to enter the flow state. Additionally, males rated flow significantly higher than their female counterparts. Males also significantly outperformed females. Implications for future research investigating how challenge and visual imagery affect flow experiences and performance in the context of Army ROTC marksmanship training are discussed.
Instructional Readiness in the Inclusive STEM Classroom
Williams, Thomas O. Jr.; Ernst, Jeremy V.; Rossi, Louis (2020-12)
Since the implementation of school inclusion, STEM educators have been tasked with serving an increasing number of students with disabilities in their classrooms. Often this requires that STEM educators and Special educators work together in the same classroom. Although their initial instructional preparedness is very discipline specific, the increase in inclusive STEM education classrooms has created new opportunities for both STEM educators and Special educators to collaborate. This study utilizes the National Teacher and Principal Survey to identify similarities and differences in perceived readiness for beginning secondary STEM educators and Special educators in instructional best practices necessary to facilitate students with disabilities in the inclusive STEM education classroom. While no statistically significant differences in perceived readiness scores were found within STEM educators, Special educators had statistically significantly higher perceived readiness scores than STEM educators both collectively and individually.
An Investigation of the Effect of Segmentation on Immediate and Delayed Knowledge Transfer in a Multimedia Learning Environment
Mariano, Gina (Virginia Tech, 2008-03-28)
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of segmentation on immediate and delayed recall and transfer in a multimedia learning environment. The independent variables of segmentation and non-segmentation, and immediate and delayed assessments were manipulated to assess the effects of segmentation on the participants' ability to recall and transfer information from the multimedia tutorial. Data was analyzed using a 2X2 factorial design. The results of this study found that segmentation of multimedia tutorials did not result in significant differences in recall or transfer. The results also revealed that the time period between when a tutorial was viewed and when the recall and transfer assessments were taken did significantly affect participants ability to recall and transfer information.
Profile of an Elementary STEM Educator
Bowers, Sharon W.; Williams, Thomas O. Jr.; Ernst, Jeremy V. (Springer Open, 2020)
Recent developments in initiatives, standards, and legislative agendas have led to increases in the number of STEM educators, in particular elementary STEM educators. This study investigates and reports the characteristics and credentials of this group and explores the features and characteristics of the student population within their classrooms. These criteria were analyzed over nearly a decade in efforts to identify progressions and changes in response to national demands. Data for this study was gathered from the Institute for Education Sciences (IES) School and Staffing Survey Teacher Questionnaire (SASS TQ) and documents a significant increase in the number of fulltime elementary STEM educators, depicting the current profile of these educators as largely female, mid-career, and fully certified with a bachelor’s degree from a traditional teacher preparation program. Trends support that this group is becoming more diversified with more seeking graduate degrees and more earning certification via alternative programming.
School Influence and Classroom Control: A Comparison of Career and Technical Education, Science, and Mathematics Teachers
Bowen, Bradley D.; Marx, Adam; Williams, Thomas O. Jr.; Napoleon, Larry (2017-12-30)
Teacher retention in the STEM fields is of national interest. Several factors, such as job satisfaction, classroom control, and school influence have been linked to teachers leaving the profession. By statistically analyzing various questions from the Schools and Staffing Survey Teacher Questionnaire, this study evaluated the current state of how early career mathematics, science, and career and technical education (CTE) teachers perceive their classroom control and influence over school policy. The results show that CTE teachers perceive they have significantly more influence over school policy than mathematics teachers. CTE teachers also reported having significantly more classroom control than both mathematics and science teachers. By understanding the current state of how CTE perceive school influence and classroom control compared to their mathematics and science teacher counterparts, further research can be conducted to address job satisfaction and teacher retention in the CTE fields.
Secondary engineering design graphics educators: Credentials, characteristics, and caseload
Bowen, Bradley D.; Coats, Teena; Williams, Thomas O. Jr.; Ernst, Jeremy V. (2018)
Although the caseload of students with categorical disabilities and limited English proficiency has increased in recent years for secondary engineering design graphics teachers, the level of preparation to teach students with these characteristics has not. Given that teachers must develop inclusive classroom environments for all students, the current state for teacher preparation in regards to working with students with categorical disabilities and limited English proficiency needs to be explored. This study analyzes data from the School and Staffing Survey Teacher Questionnaire to determine the current characteristics, credentialing, and caseload for secondary engineering design graphics teachers. The results show that almost two-thirds of engineering design graphics teachers have a bachelor's degree or less, while half of those have less than a bachelor's degree. In addition, approximately one-third of all engineering design graphics teachers are certified through alternative licensing programs, which include little to no preparation in working with students with categorical disabilities and limited English proficiency. The implications of these results are that as caseloads increase for teachers working with students with categorical disabilities and limited English proficiency, more preparation is required to provide teachers with evidence-based pedagogy in order for these students to achieve their learning potential.
Special Populations At-Risk for Dropping Out of School: A Discipline-Based Analysis of STEM Educators
Williams, Thomas O. Jr.; Ernst, Jeremy V.; Kaui, Toni Marie (Institute for STEM Education and Research, 2015-04)
The term at-risk without proper context and definition can evoke many possibilities, characteristics, and conditions that can make comparisons and interpretation difficult. [...]in this investigational description, the term at-risk is defined as individuals who have a high likelihood of failing or dropping out of school and who are from special populations. Similar to students with disabilities, students with LEP have special testing and academic accommodations. Since it has been shown that preparing a student for future success requires a high school diploma (Zhang & Law, 2005), it would seem plausible that these supports would increase graduation rates for both students with disabilities and students with LEP.
Teacher preparedness: A comparison of alternatively and traditionally certified technology and engineering education teachers
Bowen, Bradley D.; Williams, Thomas O. Jr.; Napoleon, L.; Marx, A. (Virginia Tech Libraries, 2019-03-01)
There is a national conversation about a secondary teacher shortage and the lack of qualified teachers in the classroom. Over recent years, there has been a rise in the number of alternatively certified teachers to fill these positions. This is particularly true in the field of career and technical education. However, there is a debate on whether an alternatively certified teacher is as effective as a traditionally certified teacher. The level of preparedness has been identified as a critical factor in teacher effectiveness. This study looks at the differences in perceived preparedness of early career technology and engineering education teachers to determine if there is a difference between alternatively and traditionally certified teachers. The Schools and Staffing Survey Teacher Questionnaire was used as a generalizable national dataset. The results show that there is no statistically significant difference in the level of perceived preparedness of early career alternatively and traditionally certified technology and engineering education teachers. One construct within preparedness, behavior management, was statistically significant for traditionally certified teachers. By better understanding the nature of teachers in regard to preparedness and certification type, further research can be conducted to better prepare teachers in the field of technology and engineering education.
Teachers' Perceptions of Educational Research: A Self-Efficacy Perspective
Byrd, C. Noel (Virginia Tech, 2009-03-20)
Educational research contains many data-driven implications for inservice educational professionals including those who work closely with students with disabilities, special educators. Although special education professionals are under increasing directives to make use of this body of literature in the form of evidence-based practices, they historically strive for self-improvement and often look to research information for strategies as well as innovative approaches to help improve student achievement. Therefore, developing a comprehensive understanding of the issues related to the use of and perceived barriers to educational research information is critical to cultivating a more synergistic relationship between academia and inservice educational professionals. The current study queried 130 inservice special education professionals using an online, anonymous survey instrument. Participants were asked to respond to items that related to four main variables that may exert influence over their interaction with educational research information: general perceptions about educational research, perceived barriers to the use of educational research, typical sources of educational research information, and self-efficacy in the context of information literacy. Self-efficacy, as measured by confidence ratings, was investigated through two contexts: (a) finding information (general vs. research information), and (b) specific steps in the information literacy skill set. The resulting data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics including t-tests and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Results indicated that teachers generally hold positive perceptions of educational research, use a wide variety of sources for research information, and believe three main barriers exist to their use of research information: time, access, and the manageability of information. Although self-efficacy ratings were higher for finding general information versus research information, no differences were present between the steps of the information literacy skill set.
Teaching Credentials in the Inclusive STEM Classroom
Williams, Thomas O. Jr.; Ernst, Jeremy V.; Rossi, Louis (Springer, 2018)
As integrated STEM education becomes more commonplace, the number of inclusive STEM classrooms containing students with disabilities will continue to rise. This presents many challenges to both STEM education teachers and Special education teachers. Do STEM education and Special education teachers have the appropriate credentials to effectively support the diverse needs of students and curriculum in inclusive STEM education classes? To examine this question, this study utilized a secondary analysis of the 2011- 2012 Schools and Staffing Survey Teacher Questionnaire restricted-use dataset to produce a nationally representative sample to determine how the degrees and state-level certification areas of Special education teachers and STEM education teachers reflect potential indicators of preparedness to educate students with disabilities in an inclusive STEM education classroom.
The Transition from Early Intervention to Early Childhood Special Education: Three Case Studies
Gatling, Veleka Studivant (Virginia Tech, 2009-03-26)
The reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) in 1997 increased educational standards and accountability for the education of students with disabilities. Specifically, the amendments of IDEA 1997 were directed at improving the results for all children served in Part B (early childhood special education) and Part C (early intervention). IDEA 1997 required that states develop a plan, including transition policy, procedures and practices to create a smooth transition from Part C (early intervention) to Part B (early childhood special education) services. IDEA 1997 also required that parents, school administrators, service coordinators, and special educators be involved in the transition process. In 2004, IDEA 1997 was amended and is now known as IDEA 2004. Among the many amendments of this legislation are increased emphasis on early intervention services and transition. This suggests that the transition process from Part C to Part B should be revisited by all agencies involved to ensure that smooth transitions occur. Few studies have addressed the transition process and no studies were found that looked comprehensively at the transition process among parents, administrators, and other service providers. The purpose of this study was to better understand the facilitators and inhibitors to successful transitions through the perceptions of all stakeholders involved in the process using three case studies. Major findings indicate that factors that may interfere with a smooth successful transition process include: (1) parents’ concerns about services, (2) confusion about meetings, and (3) lack of information, while factors that facilitate a successful transition include: (1) meaningful involvement and communication among all parents and school representatives and (2) having adequate information for decision-making. The findings reveal that although the school system was in compliance with the transition process, there were clear areas for improvement.

Browsing by Author "Williams, Thomas O. Jr."

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