Effects of the Color Wheel System on Students With Disabilities in Inclusion Classrooms

The Color Wheel System (CWS) is a class-wide, rule-based, behavior management strategy that incorporates multiple sets of classroom rules to provide specific behavioral expectations for different classroom activities. This study used the CWS within three inclusion classrooms to evaluate improvements of classroom behavior for students with disabilities. A multiple-baseline design across classrooms evaluated the effects of the CWS on on-task behavior for three students with identified disabilities in each classroom. Momentary time-sampling was used to record on-task behavior, which was operationally defined as eyes on teacher or work or following teacher instructions. Visual analysis of time-series graphs and nonoverlap of all pairs (NAP) measures suggested the CWS caused immediate, large, and sustained increases in on-task behavior for students with disabilities when data are aggregated by classroom. However, individual changes in on-task behavior were variable across students. Implications for using the CWS as part of a class-wide behavioral prevention program and directions for future research are discussed.

More than de minimis: FAPE in the Post Endrew F. Era

Federal regulations for special education services have focused primarily on procedural issues since the Rowley decision, which held that Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) need only be reasonably calculated to yield educational benefit. However, the minimum threshold for benefit has changed with the recent Endrew F. decision as IEPs must yield more than de minimis progress. To ensure sufficient progress toward the achievement of ambitious goals, schools must develop IEPs that meet procedural and substantive requirements, employ interventions with clear evidence of effectiveness, effectively measure student response to services, and to communicate this information with parents/guardians so that they can actively participate in this process. Manuscripts invited for this special issue include investigations of IEP quality; co-teaching; intervention studies in reading, writing, and mathematics; meta-analytic findings regarding social studies education; and a discussion of the implications of Endrew F. for different student disability populations. These papers discuss challenges faced by stakeholders with vested interests in students with disabilities as well as areas of continued development and refinement in evidence-based practice.

Social Studies Content Knowledge Interventions for Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: A Meta-Analysis

The importance of social studies and civics education is increasing, as evidenced by the growing number of states requiring coursework in this area for graduation and its growing presence in school accountability frameworks. Social studies instruction is critical for all students so that they may understand their roles, rights, and responsibilities as citizens and how their actions can influence their communities. Students who exhibit antisocial behaviors, such as those with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), may especially benefit from social studies and civics education as it promotes college and career readiness and provides opportunities to engage in social problem solving and perspective taking. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the social studies and civics intervention research for students with EBD. We sought to describe and evaluate the extant literature, identify promising practices, and suggest areas for future research. A total of 17 intervention studies were identified. Overall, 10 out of the 17 studies met What Works Clearinghouse Design Standards with or without reservations. Eight of the 10 studies were eligible for effect size calculation, resulting in an overall large effect ( g = 0.83). Study limitations, implications for school practice, and directions for research are discussed.