One concern raised about teaching content from the general education curriculum to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities is whether they generalize the skills learned to typical performance settings. We conducted a literature review of research studies that taught content from the general education curriculum and assessed generalization of the target skill to determine (a) whether the studies demonstrated a causal relationship between the intervention and the generalization-dependent variable(s), (b) what forms of generalization were assessed, and (c) what strategies were incorporated into the interventions to promote generalized responding by study participants. We identified 31 studies that met the initial selection criteria. However, only 22 demonstrated a causal relationship between the intervention and the acquisition-dependent variable(s), and only four of these studies demonstrated a causal relationship between the intervention and the generalization-dependent variable(s). The implications of the findings for future research are discussed.
The purpose of this review was to scope the existing research literature that describes educational interventions using mid- and high-tech assistive technology (AT) for students with disabilities in rural settings. The authors conducted a systematic literature search and then analyzed the included studies to develop descriptions of current conceptualizations of rurality in the research literature that report on educational interventions using AT, types of AT-supported educational interventions used in rural settings, and characteristics of participants and interveners. Results from 22 studies suggested that intervention research studies using AT in rural settings were primarily focused on students with similar demographics, grade levels, and disability category. Further, the studies evaluated lacked a robust focus on the unique characteristics of rural educational settings, their teachers, or their students with disabilities. The findings of this scoping review may inform the purpose and methods of future research activities, such as systematic reviews of the literature, that target specific instructional interventions using mid- and high-tech AT in rural U.S. schools.
In the spring of 2020, public schools across the United States were forced to close their campuses due to an emerging public health crisis caused by the detection of the first cases of the COVID-19 virus. Although schools closed their buildings, the delivery of educational services did not stop. This included the ongoing provision of services mandated by federal law under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which establish educational protections, processes, and rights for students with disabilities and their families to ensure educational equity. In this article, we describe the potential legal implications of COVID-19 for schools, students with disabilities, and their families with a focus on challenges faced in rural areas. Strategies for mitigating legal impacts are described.
Educational resources that describe best practices for students with mild and moderate disabilities highlight the importance of goal-setting and reflective processes to independent and generalized learning. These processes can be facilitated through the use of cognitive and metacognitive strategy instruction. In this compelling chapter, the authors describe strategies for implementing cognitive and metacognitive strategies for students with extensive support needs (ESN) to promote their generalized use of the skills they learn during classroom instruction.
Educational programs for students with moderate and severe disabilities (MSD) have undergone drastic changes since the mandate for access to the general curriculum was provided by Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. Since then, educators have struggled to find methods to use to promote optimal learning, including in the area of mathematics. The purpose of this systematic literature review was to provide an update on research related to teaching mathematics to students with MSD published from 2005 to 2017. Results from the included studies indicated that mathematics research has started to diversify in the skills that are being taught to this population. In addition to skills taught, current research has continued to inform the field on some promising methods that can be used to teach a broader range of mathematics skills. Emerging strategies that were identified included the use of concrete representations, anchored instruction, and instructional technology. Suggestions for future research are discussed.