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With the growth in digital teaching and learning, there has been a sharp rise in the number of cybersecurity attacks on K-12 school networks. This has demonstrated a need for security technologies and cybersecurity education. This study examined security technologies used, effective security practices, challenges, concerns, and wish list of technology leaders in K-12 settings. Data collected from 23 district websites and from interviews with 12 district technology leaders were analyzed. Top security practices included cloud-based technologies, segregated network/V-LAN, two-factor authentication, limiting access, and use of Clever or Class Link. Top challenges included keeping users informed, lack of buy-in from staff and decision-makers, lack of expertise to implement modern best practices, and cost of resources. Top concerns included possible cyberattacks, leaked student data, and lack of user awareness. Finally, their wish list included technology personnel, access to Clever of Class Link, external system diagnostic checks, professional development for staff, and replacing aging infrastructure. The findings have implications for K-12 administrators, technology leaders, and teachers.

Elementary school children are spending more time using digital technologies. Teachers and schools are concerned about the student's digital safety. We interviewed ten elementary school teachers virtually to understand their concerns and understand the actions they take regarding elementary school children's digital safety. Using thematic analysis, we identified themes of concerns and actions of teachers and schools on elementary school children's digital safety. Some digital safety concerns discussed by the teachers included content-related concerns such as accessing inappropriate content, contact-related concerns, inappropriate contact with others online, sharing personal information, lack of understanding of danger, conduct-related concerns regarding cyberbullying and digital footprint, contract-related concerns such as digital security and privacy, and home-related concerns. Teachers and schools have taken several actions to address these concerns. Some of the digital safety actions included security measures and limits, monitoring student activities, providing education on digital safety, and support from guidance counselors. This study has implications for elementary school educators, administrators, parents, and students on the safe use of digital technologies.

Based on a current Research to Practice Partnership (RPP) between a southeastern public university and a state virtual public school in the United States, ten high school teachers from a virtual school who teach Computer Science (CS) online participated in a summer workshop to collaborate through a participatory action research project regarding design, facilitation, and evaluation strategies to be included in effective professional development. The questions were posed through an online collaborative Jamboard during the summer workshop. The teacher posts were qualitatively analyzed to identify common themes. Recommendations for professional development on design included CS content, how to teach CS, and CS tools and activities. For facilitation, they recommended resources for supplemental instruction and feedback tools for providing feedback in various modalities and a tool repository. For assessment, they recommended content knowledge assessments, including lab assignments, single and pair programming, and coding assessments. Overall recommendations for a professional development course to teach CS online were also offered.

Quality Matters (QM) is one of the most widely adopted sets of standards for best practices in online courses to promote student learning. In this study, we examined student perceptions of the impact of QM-certified courses on students' learning and engagement. Fifty graduate students enrolled in online courses completed a survey developed based on the QM rubric items. The QM framework includes 43 individual standards clustered into eight general categories. Among the eight categories, students rated Course Activities and Learner Interaction to have the highest impact on both student learning and engagement. The exploratory factor analysis revealed that 12 factors explained 88.89% of the variance of the impact on learning, and eight factors explained 85.72% of the variance of the impact on engagement. Clear expectations loaded as the highest factor for both learning (eigenvalue = 12.85) and engagement (eigenvalue = 21.58). These results will help instructional designers and online instructors understand the impact of individual QM design standards from students' point of view to design online courses that effectively contribute to their learning and engagement.

This study investigated online faculty familiarity, course design use, and professional development interest regarding universal design for learning (UDL) guidelines. The researchers surveyed all 2017 to 2018 online faculty at a large university in the southeastern United States. Findings included 71.6% of faculty reporting familiarity with at least one UDL guideline, with most respondents indicating familiarity with guidelines relating to perception, expression, and communication. Faculty reported the highest implementation of UDL guidelines was for those suggesting options for comprehension as well as expression and communication; the lowest implementation was for those suggesting options for physical action as well as language and support. Survey results also indicated high to moderate interest in learning more about all UDL guidelines, with emphasis on comprehension, persistence, and expression. This study suggests that faculty members desire UDL training and offers possibilities for planning and implementing such professional development in areas targeted to best meet the needs of online faculty.

Current research surrounding online computer science education emphasizes the need for high-quality professional development opportunities. However, there is a gap in research in the inclusion of online computer science educators to identify needs and strategies that make the online computer science courses effective. Through a Research-to-Practice Partnership (RPP), this paper examines the instructional strategies and recommendations from online Computer Science teachers. This study seeks to better understand: (1) What design, facilitation, and assessment strategies do teachers use to teach programming online?; and (2) What recommendations do teachers have for those interested in teaching programming online? The feedback teachers provided during the study assisted in identifying the current needs in online AP Computer Science. The participants suggested additional ways the RPP could support teachers in strengthening their practice, which has assisted in the production of high-quality professional development to support novice teachers entering the field of Computer Science.

Children interact with digital devices for learning and entertainment at an early age. This study examines elementary educators' perceptions of student digital safety based on their interactions with others using technology in the classroom. Through a qualitative interview study, we analyzed data collected from ten elementary educators, including classroom teachers, media specialists, and instructional technology facilitators. Educators shared that their students interact with one another using technology for a variety of social and learning purposes in the classroom. Additionally, teachers described negative interactions with technology they have observed in their classrooms with elementary students, including incidents of cyberbullying and access to inappropriate content online. Findings from this study support the design of instructional materials for elementary student digital safety and have implications for teachers, parents, students, and administrators.

The international mobility of knowledge workers, as reflected in the vast numbers of international (or immigrant) scholars, help provide the intellectual infrastructure of several higher institutions of learning and research across the world. Although the large numbers involved reflect an apparent success of this phenomenon, there are hidden challenges faced by international scholars. In this study, a survey was administered to determine what international professors expected pedagogical challenges were before arriving in the United States, versus the actual experiences they faced after they began teaching in the United States. The most common pedagogical issues international professors expected to face included instructor-student communication, challenges with their own proficiency of spoken American English, and cultural differences. These three issues were also the most frequently reported pedagogical issues that they experienced, along with a sense of unpreparedness for different instructional strategies necessary for instructional success in the United States classroom. Implications for specialized support for immigrant scholars are discussed.

Undergraduate research (UR) experiences continue to proliferate across all higher education settings. Yet community-based research (CBR) experiences account for a small percentage of UR opportunities. This paper describes the pilot study results of a summer program that is intentionally expanding the paradigm for UR at a public research university to include CBR as an equally valued form of scholarship. Results indicate that CBR opportunities expand participation by underrepresented students in UR. Dedicated program administration by CBR faculty and unique recruitment, design, and programs contributed to program success.

Digital Safety refers to the knowledge and skills needed for the intentional protection of users in the digital environment. With children having access to digital devices at a young age, it has become essential for them to be educated on how to be safe in the digital world. Through a week-long summer camp on digital safety, elementary-age learners were introduced to four topics (digital identity and digital footprint, cyberbullying, netiquette, and digital security and privacy). This study found that the digital safety immersion camp was beneficial to elementary school learners based on the achievement, attitude, and behavior data that were collected. Posttest scores were statistically significant from the pre-test. Cyberbullying topic had the highest pre- and post-knowledge, whereas netiquette and online behavior, and digital security and privacy had comparatively lesser scores. Students demonstrated positive attitudes in the post-camp survey and they also included several lessons learned from the camp in the Pixton comic strip, which they created as the final project from the camp. The findings from this study contribute to the current literature on preparing elementary school students' knowledge and skills related to digital safety and have implications for students, teachers, administrators, and parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nonverbal Literacy Assessment (NVLA) is a literacy assessment designed for students with significant intellectual disabilities. The 218-item test was initially examined using confirmatory factor analysis. This method showed that the test worked as expected, but the items loaded onto a single factor. This article uses item response theory to investigate the NVLA using Rasch models. First, we reduced the number of items using a unidimensional model, which resulted in high levels of test reliability despite decreasing the number of questions, providing the same information about student abilities in less time. Second, the multidimensional analysis indicated that it is possible to view the NVLA as a test with four dimensions, resulting in more detailed information about student abilities. Finally, we combined these approaches to obtain both specificity and brevity, with a four-dimensional model using 133 items from the original NVLA.

Systematic reviews of literature are studies that strategically search for published research on a specific topic in order to synthesize what is known about the topic. This systematic review describes 157 articles on synchronous online learning (SOL) from thirty-four different countries on instructional setting, content areas, participant demographics, research designs, independent and dependent variables, SOL technologies, and data-collection tools.

A phonics-based reading curriculum in which students used an iPad to respond was created for students with developmental disabilities not able to verbally participate in traditional phonics instruction due to their use of augmentative and assistive communication. Time delay and a system of least prompts used in conjunction with text-to-speech software enabled students to participate in phonics instruction that included segmenting, decoding, sight words, and comprehension after reading a decodable short passage. Students were randomly assigned to a treatment group who received the phonics instruction or a control group who received sight word instruction on the iPad. A repeated-measures ANOVA found that students who received the iPad-based phonics curriculum outperformed the control students. Hierarchical linear model (HLM) analysis supports a two-level model with a time by group membership interaction effect, the inclusion of student-level variables was not statistically significant.

Literacy is an important skill for accessing all academic content areas, and there has been an increased focus on using a variety of assistive technology (AT) to support the acquisition of literacy skills for students with severe disabilities. Literacy also provides these students with skills to increase community participation, with independence, with skills to make individual choices, and with opportunities for potential employment. Portable technology such as an iPad2® can be used to enhance literacy skills for students with severe disabilities in elementary school. A typical way to teach literacy to this population is through the use of a shared story. Although systematic instruction has proven to be an effective teaching strategy, the generality of the literacy skills usually has not been the focus of the training. In this study, five students with severe disabilities (IQ below 55, range in age 7-11 years, grade range 2nd-6th grades) were taught to generalize literacy skills via multiple exemplar training. A multiple probe design across participants demonstrated a functional relation between student responding and the intervention. Extension of what we currently know, limitations, and future research are discussed.

Mandates such as No Child Left Behind (2001) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004) shifted the emphasis of instruction to include skills that access the general curriculum for students with moderate to severe intellectual disability. The purpose of this study was to describe changes in literacy instruction of teachers who participated in literacy research using secondary data analysis of instructional videos from 2004 to 2010. Results from the study suggest that teachers in 2004 focused on fewer components of reading that did not include phonemic awareness or phonics than teachers in 2010. Other changes in instruction included use of systematic instruction, grade-appropriate materials, and structure of literacy lessons.

Percentages of correct responses to decoding probes (i.e., phoneme identification, blending phonemes to identify words, blending phonemes to identify pictures) were measured across three participants with moderate intellectual disability or autism in elementary school. Time delay and system of least prompts were used in conjunction with an AAC device, which enabled participants to produce phoneme blends and receive articulatory feedback. Participants were taught the initial levels of a phonics curriculum designed by the research team. Each level introduced a new set of three phonemes. During the five lessons within each level, participants were taught to identify letter sounds, segment and blend CVC words, identify sight words, read connected text, and answer comprehension questions related to the stories. Using a GoTalk 32 Express, participants produced target phonemes and words, as well as blended phonemes to form words. All participants improved across the three target skills, indicating a functional relationship between phonics skills and the systematic delivery of the phonics curriculum using an AAC device.

Literacy skills are important for accessing all areas of academic content as well as for increasing quality of life. The use of shared stories to teach early literacy skills to students with extensive support needs, including students with autism, is an evidence-based practice. This project extends the research by examining the effects of systematic instruction, including constant time delay and a modified system of least prompts, paired with an iPad2® to teach grade-appropriate literature in a shared story format for students with limited verbal ability. The participants in this intervention were four elementary-aged male students with autism and limited to no verbal ability. A 10-step task analysis was developed to guide the shared story process. Results indicated that the participants were able to increase the number of independent correct responses on the task analysis from baseline to intervention. Study limitations and implications for future research are discussed.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a multicomponent early literacy curriculum that included phonics and phonemic awareness in comparison to a sight word approach. A total of 93 students with severe developmental disabilities who were enrolled in Grades K through 4 were randomly assigned to either a multicomponent early literacy curriculum or a sight word comparison curriculum. The instructional interventions were implemented over an academic school year. Results indicated that students in the multicomponent early literacy curriculum had significantly higher mean literacy scores than the students in the sight word condition, with small to moderate effect sizes (0.30-0.49). Further analysis indicated that phonics skills appeared to contribute most to the differences between the two curriculum approaches. Implications for teaching decoding skills, one of the components needed for students to become fully literate, are discussed. (Contains 3 tables and 1 note.)

This study examined the underlying structure of the Nonverbal Literacy Assessment (NVLA), an instrument designed to measure emergent literacy for K-fourth-grade students with severe developmental disabilities. The NVLA was conceptualized as having six constructs that reflected emergent literacy skills: (a) phonemic awareness, (b) phonics, (c) comprehension, (d) vocabulary, (e) listening comprehension, and (f) text awareness. Confirmatory factor analysis using data from 207 student administrations was used to examine the six-factor model and two alternative models. Results suggested that all three models fit the data, but the high corrections coefficients among the constructs suggested that a one-factor model of emergent literacy was the best-fitting model. Implications and limitations are discussed. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)

This study examines teachers' perceptions about a structured literacy curriculum that uses explicit instruction and teacher script combined with instructional practices common in special education such as time delay, error correction, and prompting strategies. The main research question addressed by this study was "What are the perceptions and beliefs of teachers of students with significant developmental disabilities about the effects of using an explicit reading instruction curriculum?" Three themes or key findings emerged from our analysis of the data regarding teachers' perceptions of such curricula. These themes suggest that these teachers believe that a structured literacy curriculum has a positive impact on student learning, teacher effectiveness, and teacher self-efficacy. (Contains 3 tables and 1 note.)

The purpose of this article is to propose a conceptual foundation for early literacy instruction for students with severe developmental disabilities. The two primary outcomes in the conceptual model are (a) enhanced quality of life through shared literature and (b) increased independence as a reader. Guidelines are offered for promoting shared literature by increasing opportunities for accessing literature and teaching access skills to students. For increasing students' independence as readers, recommendations are provided on teaching the components of reading outlined by the National Reading Panel. The proposed model will help develop guidance on the strategies for literacy instruction for students with severe developmental disabilities. (Contains 2 figures, 2 tables, and 1 note.)

The purpose of this study was to examine Differential Item Functioning (DIF) by disability groups on an on-demand performance assessment for students with severe cognitive impairments. Researchers examined the presence of DIF for two comparisons. One comparison involved students with severe cognitive impairments who served as the reference group and students with autism and severe cognitive impairments who served as the focal group. The other comparison compared students with severe cognitive impairments (reference group) and students with severe cognitive impairments and orthopedic impairments (focal group). Results indicated a moderate amount of DIF for the autism comparison and a negligible amount of DIF for the orthopedic impairment comparison. In addition researchers coded all test items based on characteristics likely to favor one of the three groups. Although several of the hypothesized coding categories resulted in accurate prediction of DIF, the study was limited to items from one testing program for students in one state. More research is needed to see if these hypotheses can be replicated across testing programs and populations. (Contains 8 tables and 2 footnotes.)

Under the requirement of both the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (1997) and No Child Left Behind (NCLB; 2002), states are required to provide alternate assessment for students who cannot participate in general curriculum and statewide assessments. According to NCLB, states are required to report the progress of all students in science in the 2007-2008 school year. Due to a lack of research on how to teach science for students with significant cognitive disabilities, states find themselves in a difficult position. The intent of this study was to examine the number of states that included performance indicators (PIs) for science in their alternate assessments. We also investigated how states generate their science PIs linked to the academic areas of the national standards set by the National Science Education Standards (NSES) and how to access these indicators to general curriculum for teaching science to students with significant cognitive disabilities. These findings are discussed with recommendations on how to access these indicators to general curriculum for teaching science to students with significant cognitive disabilities. (Contains 3 tables and 1 note.)

Literacy may be one of the most important instructional areas for enhancing quality of life for all students. One way to promote literacy skills is through engaging students in the shared reading of a story. In this study, methods for planning and implementing shared stories for three students with multiple disabilities was evaluated via a multiple probe design across participants. Because the students had few consistent responses and complex physical challenges, a team planned the literacy participation using principles of universal design for learning (UDL). Outcomes indicate that all three students improved literacy skills and added to the literature base that shared stories can promote early literacy. Future research and implications for practical team implementation of the augmentative and alternative communication use and UDL components of representation, expression, and engagement are discussed. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)

This study evaluated the impact of a curriculum called the Early Literacy Skills Builder on the language and early literacy skills of students with significant developmental disabilities. Students in the control group received the ongoing sight word and picture instruction prescribed by their individualized education programs. Results indicate statistically significant interaction effects for the treatment group for two research team-designed measures of early literacy (the Nonverbal Literacy Assessment and a pretest/posttest for the experimental curriculum). Significant interaction effects were also found for two standardized measures (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test III and Memory for Sentences of the Woodcock Language Proficiency Battery). Implications and future research needs are provided. (Contains 5 tables and 2 figures.)

The effects of training in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) on lesson plan development of special and general educators in a college classroom environment were investigated. A true experimental group design with a control group was used for this study. A one-hour teacher training session introduced UDL to the experimental group; the control group received the intervention later. A three-factor analysis of variance with repeated measures was completed for each of the dependent variables (i.e., UDL lesson plan). Differences were found between pretest and posttest measures for both treatment groups for special education and general education teachers. The results suggest that a simple introduction to UDL can help teachers to design a lesson plan accessible for all students.

Recent guidelines for No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB; 2001) permit the use of alternate achievement standards for counting up to 1% of students with significant cognitive disabilities as proficient in adequate yearly progress (AYP) calculations. This provision increases the importance of assessing the technical quality of alternate assessments and their alignment to academic content standards. This study used a quantitative method of alignment to estimate the match between three states' alternate assessments and their state academic content standards. The results indicate that alternate assessments are aligned to academic content standards, but alternate assessments only capture a narrow range and depth of the content standards. Recommendations for using alignment procedures to address critical elements in Title I as amended by NCLB are discussed. (Contains 7 tables.)

The purpose of this study was to examine teachers' perceptions of alternate assessments. A total of 983 teachers from five states participated in this study. The results suggest that teachers tended to agree that their students should be included in school accountability, but they did not agree with most items assessing the educational benefits of alternate assessments. Teachers reported that the most significant impact of alternate assessments is the increase in paperwork and demands on their time. In contrast, when teachers perceive alternate assessments counting in school accountability systems, more teachers report a positive impact for alternate assessments. Significant differences in positive impact of alternate assessment between testing approaches (i.e., portfolio, performance-based, checklist) were also found. Implications and recommendations are discussed. (Contains 5 tables.)

Despite the fact that there is a growing body of knowledge about how to effectively teach reading to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), little is known about how teachers of these students are being trained in early literacy skills and implementing these practices in the classroom. As knowledge of the capacity of these student's ability to read grows, we need to know whether teachers' beliefs about their potential reading ability are changing as well. Teacher members of the Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities, a subdivision of Council for Exceptional Children, were sent a survey that asked questions regarding training, instruction practices, and beliefs around literacy instruction. Results indicated teachers are receiving training in literacy instruction that is not always consistent with what they are implementing in the classroom. Additional results, implications, and recommendations are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the results of a comprehensive review of 128 studies on teaching reading to individuals with significant cognitive disabilities. The review compared these studies against the National Reading Panel's components of reading; although it revealed an inadequate consideration of the components of reading, it found strong evidence for teaching sight words using systematic prompting and fading. The reviewers considered not only the number of studies, but also indicators proposed for evidence-based practice and effect size. This study identified some high quality studies with strong effect size for comprehension and fluency, but only one phonics study was strong in both quality and effects. Additional research is needed to promote broader skills in literacy for this population., The "science of reading" that has developed over the last 20 years has led to new optimism that, as a nation, we can do better in teaching all students to [...]

This article reviews promises, practices, and provisos of alternate assessment as a basis for illustrating what we know and what we need to know about measuring progress of students with disabilities in statewide assessment programs. In 19 data-based studies, professionals have begun to document the impact that alternate assessment is having on school reform and policy in general and to expectations, access to the general curriculum, and instruction for students with disabilities, especially those with significant cognitive impairments. At this juncture, there are insufficient data to report with confidence that alternate assessment will live up to its promises. Based on the data at hand, we offer recommendations for future research and a clearer focus on what we need to know to improve the outcomes of alternate assessments., An important way states have been implementing school reform in recent years is through the use of large-scale state and district assessments for student and school accountability. These assessments are [...]

A study uses survey data to assess the extent of secondary school principals' knowledge of fundamental and current issues in special education. Results indicate that principals are well informed in fundamental and current issues in special education.

Objective: The purpose is to explore differences in confirmed, unconfirmed, and false allegations of abuse made by consumers with mental retardation in regards to type of abuse and perpetrator. Method: Interviews were conducted with 1,220 people with mental retardation who were part of a class action lawsuit in North Carolina. A content analysis of abuse allegations was performed. Frequencies of responses and subgroup differences are reported for type of abuse allegation and perpetrator. Results: Unconfirmed claims are the most frequent. Females made more allegations of abuse than males in general, and more allegations of rape. There are no significant differences among the subgroups (confirmed, unconfirmed, and false allegations) by type of abuse allegation. There are significant differences among the subgroups in regard to the alleged perpetrator. Other consumers with mental retardation are most frequently accused of confirmed assaults. Staff members are most frequently accused in false allegations. Conclusion: Ability of the alleged victim to report information and timing of the investigation are important factors in substantiating abuse. Awareness of consumer-to-consumer violence and prevalence of false accusations against staff necessitates increased safeguards for both consumers and staff. Keywords: Confirmed allegations; Unconfirmed allegations; Mental retardation

Education professionals are challenged with re-evaluating the learning capacity of students with developmental disabilities (e.g., intellectual disabilities, autism). Assistive technology (AT) provides both the means for delivery of instruction and the measure of outcomes. Students with developmental disabilities are learning to read and develop general education English Language Arts (ELA) skills across the grade span. This article summarizes ten selected research studies that demonstrate gains of students with developmental disabilities, including individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), who have made measurable strides in literacy general education ELA skills. This selected research focused on literacy interventions specifically created for students with developmental disabilities which incorporated the use of AT, use systematic instruction and shared stories, and are commercially available. The research studies include a range of literacy instruction from picture books and early literacy skills to adapted contemporary fiction novels grade aligned to general education secondary level ELA. In these research protocols, AT facilitated both the delivery of instruction and measure of outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]