Effects of Student Choice of Instructional Method on the Learning Outcomes of Students With Comorbid Learning and Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities

Abstract

Within the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004, the federal definition of learning disabilities (LD) excludes learning problems that are primarily the result of emotional and behavioral disabilities (EBD). However, students identified as having LD demonstrate a high incidence of concurrent internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems. The National Center for Learning Disabilities report, "The State of Learning Disabilities: Facts, Trends, and Emerging Issues" (Cortiella & Horowitz, 2014), reported that 30% of students with LD have an additional diagnosis, and 7% of students with LD were diagnosed with two or three additional disabilities. These additional disabilities included EBD. In a sample of 448 children with LD, Margari et al. (2013) reported that 62% also exhibited a neuropsychological disorder such as anxiety, mood disorder, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Conversely, a study by Mayes and Calhoun (2006) reported that over half of students with EBD also had an LD. Research has documented common and divergent characteristics of LD and EBD (Lane, Carter, Pierson, & Glaeser, 2006), but less is known about instructional practices that enhance academic achievement for students with comorbid LD/EBD (Lopes, 2005). Lopes (2005) suggested that insufficient recognition and attention to LD/EBD concomitance negatively affects outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to add to the knowledge base of interventions that offer more positive school outcomes, particularly in mathematics, for students with LD/EBD. Academic Failure and Risk for Students With Comorbid LD/EBD Students with LD/EBD present with academic deficits in reading, spelling, mathematics, and/or language (oral and written). These deficits appear to increase over time, resulting in poor outcomes, including high rates of academic failure, low grades, and grade retention (D.

Comparison of Augmented Reality and Conventional Teaching on Special Needs Students' Attitudes Towards Science and Their Learning Outcomes

“…As students with learning disabilities move from one stage to the next, academic requirements and expectations also increase. This is particularly true because evidence shows that learning disabilities have divergent characteristics (Billingsley et al, 2018), while more has to be researched on instructional practices enhancing learning outcomes, achievement and level of engagement of students with learning disabilities (Billingsley et al, 2018).…”

Developing Media Based on the Information and Communications Technology to Improve The Effectiveness of The Direct Instruction Method in Mathematics Learning

“…Before doing so, the teacher gave descriptions, then invited the students to be active by giving the case result which was discussed or guessing the information requested. Billingsley, Thomas, & Webber (2018) investigated the effects of direct teaching, computer-assisted instruction (CAI), and a combination of both.The study showed the unique contributions of direct teaching and CAI toward the secondary mathematics learning; however, not all the Direct Instruction lessons began with skill descriptions as some the Direct Instruction lessons did not involve skills. Davis' research (2018) on the interpretation of direct instructions revealed a variety of class phenomena.…”

High School Students with Learning Disabilities: Requesting Accommodations in Role‐Play

“…For example, when students with SLD have problems writing, accommodations may include dictating responses or using text‐to‐speech technology (Young et al., 2019). For other students with SLD who are experiencing difficulties with math calculations when solving word problems (Billingsley et al., 2018), calculators may be among the accommodations included in their IEPs.…”