Education EDA Week 4 Assignment

EDU 503

Research Proposal Form

Assignment #3 Draft 2 of Research Proposal Form (Sections 2-10),

(Complete this form for Assignment #3)

Student Name: Brend Rouse

Title of Research Proposal: Impact of Differentiated Teaching Methods with IEPs

PREVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

1. Literature Preview

RESEARCH PROBLEM

2. Setting Description:

Name of organization and location where action research will take place:

Miramar High School, Broward County Public School District

Detailed description of the organization:

Miramar High School, a beacon of diversity in the Broward County district, is home to several elementary, middle, and high schools. The district's open-door policy for inclusive education ensures that all students have equal access to high-quality education regardless of their abilities. The Special Education Department, with its unwavering dedication and team of specialists, is committed to developing and implementing individual education programs for students with disabilities.

Key Personnel:

· Dr. Jane Smith – Superintendent of Miramar Public School District

· Mr. John Doe – Director of Special Education

· Ms. Emily Johnson – Special Education Teacher

· Ms. Sarah Lee – Speech-Language Pathologist

· Ms. Maria Gonzalez – Occupational Therapist

· Ms. Rachel Green – Physical Therapist

· Parents and Guardians of students with disabilities

3. Problem Identified in the Literature Preview

The extreme COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated unprecedented disruption to educational services for children with disabilities requiring IEPs. Chen et al. reported that almost half of the pupils with neurodevelopmental disabilities received fewer IEP services, with significant reductions in occupational and physical therapy during the pandemic. Irelanda and Hall-Mills (2024) stressed the urgent need for strategies for SLPs to navigate the IEP process effectively while striving toward inclusive practice with educators and families. Kauffman et al. (2019) discussed the complications of including students with severe disabilities in schools as a rationale for providing a continuum of alternative placements based on individual needs. Toprak and Çolak (2024) proposed specific challenges within the IEP preparation process, such as poorly trained or inexperienced staff and parental involvement.

4. Subjects

The study will involve students with different disabilities within the Broward County Public School District and those with IEPs. Samples also include students at varying levels of schooling, from other categories of disability, and special education teachers, therapists, and parents/guardians of students whose IEP services have been reduced to ensure adequate data for the study.

5. Guiding Question

How did the reduction in IEP services during the COVID-19 pandemic affect the educational outcomes of students with disabilities in the Broward County Public School District, and what strategies can be implemented to mitigate these effects in the future?

6. Research Question

What was the impact of reduced IEP services during the COVID-19 pandemic on the academic performance and overall well-being of students with disabilities in the Broward Public School District, and what measures can be taken to ensure continuity of services in similar future disruptions?

7. The study will concern itself with group differences or relationships among variables?

The study differs on account of differences between groups and relationships among variables. Hence, this study will contrast the academic performance and well-being of students with disabilities before, during, and after the pandemic; it will look for significant differences. The relationship between the attractiveness of the reduction in certain IEP services, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy, concerning student outcomes will also be investigated.

8. Variables used & scale of measurement

· Independent Variable: Reduction in IEP services (measured by the frequency and duration of services provided before, during, and after the pandemic)

· Dependent Variables:

· Academic performance (measured by grades, standardized test scores)

· Social-emotional well-being (measured by surveys and assessments from teachers and parents)

· Frequency of compensatory education and recovery services (measured by service logs and IEP meeting records)

· Control Variables: Age, type of disability, baseline academic performance, and socio-economic status.

9. Research Hypothesis

H1: The reduction in IEP services during the COVID-19 pandemic hurts the academic performance and social-emotional well-being of students with disabilities in the Broward County Public School District.

H2: Implementing targeted strategies to ensure the continuity of IEP services during disruptions can mitigate the adverse effects on students with disabilities.

10. Purpose of the Study

The study will examine how decreasing IEP services during COVID-19 affected students with disabilities within the Broward County Public School District. Measurements for the academic and socio-economic results of such students will allow the determination of precisely what's needed and what this pandemic tore apart degree things. It will also develop and recommend effective strategies for ensuring the continuity and adequacy of IEP services in case of future disruptions to support students with disabilities in improving their school experience and outcomes. The current study will contribute to the literature available on special education and inform practice for educators, policymakers, and families.

PROCEDURES

11. Design of the Study

12. Instrumentation – Dependent Measure(s)

13. Statistical Procedures

14. Definitions of Terms

15. Proposal Summary

16. References

References

Belinda Chen, Patrick Rasmussen, Mallory Legg, Nicole Alexander, Pooja Vedmurthy, Akua Asiedu, Mihee Bay, Harolyn Belcher, Vera Joanna Burton, Charles Conlon, Amena Fine, Ryan Gill, Eboni I. Lance, Paul Lipkin, Joyce Wong, Anna Maria Wilms Floet, Sarah C. Doerrer, Jennifer Glattfelder, Amy Kordek, … Mary L. Leppert. (2022). Reduction in school individualized education program (IEP) services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences, 3. https://doi.org/10.3389/fresc.2022.962893

Irelanda, M. C., & Hall-Mills, S. (2024). Empowering Speech-Language Pathologists: Strategies for Effective Individualized Education Program Navigation and Inclusive Practice in Schools: Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools. Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools, 55(2), 225–230. https://doi.org/10.1044/2024_LSHSS-24-00026

Kauffman, J. M., Travers, J. C., & Badar, J. (2019). Why Some Students with Severe Disabilities Are Not Placed in General Education. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 45(1), 28–33. https://doi.org/10.1177/1540796919893053

Toprak, Ö. F., & Çolak, A. (2024). IEP Team Members’ Experiences On the Process Of Preparing Individualized Education Program In A Secondary School. Kuramsal Eğitim Bilim Dergisi, 17(2), 351–375. https://doi.org/10.30831/akukeg.1325209

,

EDU 503

Research Proposal Form

Assignment #4 of Research Proposal Form (Sections 11-16),

(Complete this form for Assignment #4)

Student Name:

Title of Research Proposal: Impact of Differentiated Teaching Methods with IEPs

PREVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

1. Literature Preview

RESEARCH PROBLEM

2. Setting Description:

Name of organization and location where action research will take place:

Detailed description of the organization:

Key Personnel:

3. Problem Identified in the Literature Preview

4. Subjects

5. Guiding Question

6. Research Question

7. The study will concern itself with group differences or relationships among variables?

8. Variables used & scale of measurement

9. Research Hypothesis

10. Purpose of the Study

PROCEDURES

11. Design of the Study

12. Instrumentation – Dependent Measure(s)

13. Statistical Procedures

14. Definitions of Terms

15. Proposal Summary

16. References

,

Running head: IMPACT OF DIFFERENTIATED TEACHING METHODS WITH IEPS 2

IMPACT OF DIFFERENTIATED TEACHING METHODS WITH IEPS3

Impact of Differentiated Teaching Methods with IEPs

St. Thomas University

EDU 503 Applied Research Methods

June 30, 2024

Annotated Bibliography

Belinda Chen, Patrick Rasmussen, Mallory Legg, Nicole Alexander, Pooja Vedmurthy, Akua Asiedu, Mihee Bay, Harolyn Belcher, Vera Joanna Burton, Charles Conlon, Amena Fine, Ryan Gill, Eboni I. Lance, Paul Lipkin, Joyce Wong, Anna Maria Wilms Floet, Sarah C. Doerrer, Jennifer Glattfelder, Amy Kordek, … Mary L. Leppert. (2022). Reduction in school individualized education program (IEP) services during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences,  3. https://doi.org/10.3389/fresc.2022.962893

This report introduces a study on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on special education services delivery, as defined by IEPs. The authors present surveys from patients in a neurodevelopmental disabilities center in Maryland, showing that nearly half of the respondents received fewer IEP services, with occupational and physical therapy making up the most significant reductions. Findings bring to attention the challenges that children with disabilities face in remote learning and underscore the urgent need for increased awareness and education of clinicians about students' rights to compensatory education and recovery services to help modify these disruptions.

Irelanda, M. C., & Hall-Mills, S. (2024). Empowering Speech-Language Pathologists: Strategies for Effective Individualized Education Program Navigation and Inclusive Practice in Schools: Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools. Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools, 55(2), 225–230. https://doi.org/10.1044/2024_LSHSS-24-00026

This article is a comprehensive resource for speech-language pathologists (SLPs), highlighting their crucial role in effectively navigating and implementing IEPs within schools. It underscores the collaborative effort from general and special education teachers, SLPs, and families to develop solid educational plans for meeting the unique needs of students with disabilities. The authors present the legal mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Education Act, emphasizing both procedural and substantive compliance to ensure that IEPs are not only legally sound but specifically tailored to foster meaningful educational progress for students.

Kauffman, J. M., Travers, J. C., & Badar, J. (2019). Why Some Students with Severe Disabilities Are Not Placed in General Education. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 45(1), 28–33. https://doi.org/10.1177/1540796919893053

Kauffman, Travers, and Badar discuss one of the hot topics in special education when focusing on whether or not students with severe disabilities do or do not belong in general education classrooms. Their broadly reached conclusion is that inclusion and mainstreaming are not intrinsically good or bad, and decisions must be made on a case-by-case basis that first accurately identifies the specific needs and capabilities of the student. The authors stress the need to develop a continuum of alternative placements, which is legally required; this can then be modified at professional judgment with family input into decision-making. The authors give nuanced insights into the complexities of inclusion and argue for appropriate educational environments that support students with severe disabilities.

Toprak, Ö. F., & Çolak, A. (2024). IEP Team Members’ Experiences On the Process Of Preparing Individualized Education Program In A Secondary School. Kuramsal Eğitim Bilim Dergisi, 17(2), 351–375. https://doi.org/10.30831/akukeg.1325209

This phenomenological study explores the experiences of the IEP team association in preparing IEPs at a secondary school level. By applying qualitative data collection methods through observations and semi-structured interviews, the authors determine that some dilemmas arise for the stakeholders, including inadequate training and knowledge about procedures and the legal aspects. It is noted that the research underscores the crucial issue of parental involvement and further suggests that adequate family education and information-sharing systems are essential for effective IEP development. The study also puts forward some suggestions regarding the improvement of the IEP preparation process for meeting the needs of students with disabilities more comprehensively.

References

Belinda Chen, Patrick Rasmussen, Mallory Legg, Nicole Alexander, Pooja Vedmurthy, Akua Asiedu, Mihee Bay, Harolyn Belcher, Vera Joanna Burton, Charles Conlon, Amena Fine, Ryan Gill, Eboni I. Lance, Paul Lipkin, Joyce Wong, Anna Maria Wilms Floet, Sarah C. Doerrer, Jennifer Glattfelder, Amy Kordek, … Mary L. Leppert. (2022). Reduction in school individualized education program (IEP) services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences, 3. https://doi.org/10.3389/fresc.2022.962893

Irelanda, M. C., & Hall-Mills, S. (2024). Empowering Speech-Language Pathologists: Strategies for Effective Individualized Education Program Navigation and Inclusive Practice in Schools: Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools. Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools, 55(2), 225–230. https://doi.org/10.1044/2024_LSHSS-24-00026

Kauffman, J. M., Travers, J. C., & Badar, J. (2019). Why Some Students with Severe Disabilities Are Not Placed in General Education. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 45(1), 28–33. https://doi.org/10.1177/1540796919893053

Toprak, Ö. F., & Çolak, A. (2024). IEP Team Members’ Experiences On the Process Of Preparing Individualized Education Program In A Secondary School. Kuramsal Eğitim Bilim Dergisi, 17(2), 351–375. https://doi.org/10.30831/akukeg.1325209