This journal analysis identifies types of articles published in 11 highly visible journals relevant to special education from 1988 through 2006 paying particular attention to intervention research. It was concluded that (a) research articles represent the largest category of articles published across all journals, (b) the proportion of intervention research studies published (15.9%) is disappointingly small, (c) academic intervention research is conducted more frequently than social intervention research, (d) reading intervention research represents the largest area of academic intervention research, and (e) intervention research employing preschool and elementary students with disabilities is published more frequently than research with middle and secondary students. Findings are discussed with respect to implications for research, practice, and policy in special education.
We examined the effectiveness of the Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) model of writing instruction with a self-determination training component for middle school-age students with emotional and behavioral disorders. We randomly assigned students to experimental or comparison treatments during which special education teachers provided the intervention. Students in the experimental groups received instruction on how to plan and write persuasive essays, were trained on self-determination skills, and were taught how to use persuasive writing to self-advocate. Students in the comparison condition received writing instruction with the established school writing curriculum. Instruction for both groups lasted 33 days, four days a week during 30-minute sessions. Experimental students significantly outperformed comparison students at posttest in all the persuasive essay-writing components assessed, in their ability to recall the parts of a persuasive essay, in the self-efficacy measure, and on self-determination knowledge. Experimental students were able to maintain gains in almost all writing measures and were able to generalize to content areas, although comparison students slightly increased in number of words. Student and teacher interviews revealed an overall satisfaction with SRSD procedures and the results.Writing is a skill of extreme importance and one in which students with disabilities struggle the most. Many students with disabilities experience difficulty understanding the writing process and developing content, and many struggle with the mechanics of writing (Gregg & Mather, 2002). Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) often experience difficulties both behaviorally and academically in school. Nelson, Benner, Lane, and Smith (2004) noted
A multiple-baseline design study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of strategy instruction in persuasive writing with eighth-grade students who attended a public day school for students with severe emotional and behavior disabilities. Students were taught to plan and write persuasive essays using the Self-Regulated Strategy Development model. Following mastery of the strategy, students were taught to apply the learned strategy to write fluently in 10 min. After more than 4 months of instruction, findings indicated that all students had mastered the components of effective persuasive essay writing and increased from baseline to postinstruction and fluency phases in length and quality of essays. Effects were also noted on maintenance and generalization essay probes administered over 11.5 weeks after fluency testing. Observed on-task behavior was significantly correlated with a number of fluency, maintenance, and generalization outcomes. Implications for teaching and further research are discussed.
An exploratory study was undertaken to examine the implementation of strategy instruction in persuasive writing with a class of 10 adolescent students with severe emotional/behavioral disabilities (EBD). Several learner characteristics were observed to interact with curriculum and instructional variables. Modifications were made, on an ongoing basis, to respond to these student characteristics. After approximately four months of instruction, findings indicated that all students had mastered the components of effective persuasive essay writing, and performed competently on criterion writing measures, greatly different from performance at the beginning of instruction. Although the design of this investigation does not allow for definitive causal explanations, insights were gained regarding the interaction between EBD characteristics and strategy instruction. Implications for further research are discussed. Persuasive Writing 3 Persuading Students with Emotional Disabilities to Write: An Exploratory Investigation Students with serious emotional/behavioral disabilities (EBD) face significant learning challenges in school (Lane, 2004); among these challenges is developing proficient expressive writing skills. Writing skills are of critical importance because of their emphasis on organized, rational thinking, considering the perspectives of others, and clearly communicating facts and opinions to others-skills that are of great potential value for students with EBD (Regan, Mastropieri, & Scruggs, 2008). Unfortunately, relevant research in this area is very limited. In a review of academic interventions for students with EBD, Lane (2004) stated, "academic interventions targeting written expression…represent, by far, the least developed instructional area of the three [i.e., reading, writing, math] examined in this chapter" (p. 475). Unfortunately, students with emotional and behavioral disabilities are at a great disadvantage with respect to writing skills. Lane, Wehby, Little, and Cooley (2005a) reported that mean achievement in written language in self-contained elementary and secondary schools for students with EBD was below the 10 th percentile. In a following study, these low scores were seen to decline over time (Lane, Wehby, Little, & Cooley, 2005b). Lane, Barton-Arwood, Nelson, and Wehby (2008) reported that written expression among students with EBD in self
Twelve seventh- and eighth-grade students with emotional disturbance participated in a multiple probe, multiple baseline design two-phase intervention study to improve persuasive writing skills. The first phase after baseline taught students to plan and write persuasive essays including counterarguments. In the second phase, students were taught to plan and write fluently in 10 min. Students were assessed on their essay writing, the Woodcock–Johnson Fluency subtest, writing probes, and were interviewed post instruction. Findings revealed that all students mastered the components of effective persuasive essay writing, included counterarguments, and improved from baseline to postinstruction and postfluency phases in length and essay quality. Although students’ performance decreased slightly on surprise maintenance and generalization measures, results remained substantially higher than baseline. Strategy reports revealed all students enjoyed using and seeing the benefits of instruction. Findings are discussed for future research and practice for students with emotional disturbance.
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