Teacher-Researcher Partnerships to Promote Success in Inclusive High School Science and Social Studies Classes

Funded by

Promoting Success in Content Area Classes

Purpose

This project proposed to develop teacher-researcher collaborative partnerships to design, implement and field test instructional practices for high school aged students with disabilities in inclusive school science and social studies classes. This project is intended to improve academic performance and access to the general education curriculum for students with disabilities. The new mandate for maximum access to the general education curriculum is clear in the IDEA Amendments of 1997. However, students with disabilities (learning disabilities, emotional disturbance, mild mental disabilities) continue to fall behind regular education students as they move into more cognitively challenging areas, such as science and social studies instruction at the high school levels. Providing access to abstract concepts in science and social studies and confronting the tremendous breadth of content for students with disabilities has been educationally challenging.

The proposed model includes building teacher-researcher partnerships to design and implement effective strategies, based upon previous research. Major research-based practices that will be modified to meet the needs of high school aged students and teachers include peer mediation, comprehension strategy instruction, content enhancements, test-taking skills, and parent involvement. It is hypothesized that this model of designing and implementing instructional practices with teacher-researcher partnerships can increase access for students with disabilities to science and social studies curriculum, by providing specific strategy instruction and practice through an integrated model. Access to curriculum can lead to improved standards-based learning, post-secondary education experiences, and enhanced quality of life for individuals with disabilities

Products/Publications

  • Mastropieri, M.A., & Scruggs, T.E. (2001). Promoting inclusion in secondary classrooms. Learning Disability Quarterly, 24, 265-274.
  • Mastropieri, M.A., Scruggs, T.E., & Graetz, J. (in press). Reading comprehension for secondary students. Learning Disability Quarterly.
  • Mastropieri, M.A., Scruggs, T.E., Spencer, V., & Fontana, J. (in press). Promoting success in high school world history: Peer tutoring versus guided notes. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice.
  • Scruggs, T.E., & Mastropieri, M.A. (in press). Science and social studies. In H.L. Swanson, K. Harris, & S. Graham (Eds.), Handbook of learning disabilities. New York: Guilford.

Web-based Tutorial and Audio Interview

  • Scruggs, T.E., & Mastropieri, M.A. (2002). Mnemonic strategies. Strategy paper for Teaching LD, sponsored by the Division for Learning Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children. http://www.teachingld.org/
  • Scruggs, T.E., & Mastropieri, M.A. (2002). Interview on mnemonic strategies. Teaching LD, sponsored by the Division for Learning Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children. http://www.teachingld.org/

Presentations

  • Mastropieri, M.A., Fontana, J.L., Hardy, S.D., Scruggs, T.E., & Graetz, J.E. (2001, April). Enhancing academic learning: Recent research applications. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Council for Exceptional Children, Kansas City.
  • Mastropieri, M.A., & Scruggs, T.E. (2001, April). Impacting motivation for students with disabilities: Strategies that work! Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Council for Exceptional Children, Kansas City.
  • Mastropieri, M.A., & Scruggs, T.E. (2001, April). Ways to improve reading performance in adolescents with disabilities. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Council for Exceptional Children, Kansas City.
  • Mastropieri, M.A. (2002, March). Comprehension strategies for secondary students. Paper presented the Virginia Branch of the International Dyslexia Association, Richmond.
  • Mastropieri, M.A., & Morocco, C. C. (2002, April). Effective classroom instructional interventions (OSEP Strand on Research to Practice). Paper at the annual meeting of the Council for Exceptional Children, New York.
  • Mastropieri, M.A., & Scruggs, T.E. (2002, April). Overcoming special education's greatest challenge: Motivating students to learn! Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Council for Exceptional Children, New York.
  • Mastropieri, M. A., Scruggs, T.E., Graetz, J., Fontana, J., Cole, V., & Gersen, A. (2002, July). Teacher research partnerships in high school in inclusive science and social studies. Paper presented at the annual U.S. Department of Education Project Director's Meeting, Washington, D.C.
  • Mastropieri, M.A., (2003, April). Issues and trends in learning disabilities: Content area learning. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Council for Exceptional Children, Seattle.
  • Scruggs, T.E., Mastropieri, M.A., & Graetz, J. (2003, April). Tutoring in inclusive chemistry: Effects for high school students with mild disabilities. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago.
  • Scruggs, T.E., (2003, April). Issues and trends in learning disabilities. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Council for Exceptional Children, Seattle.