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Virtual high schools: Improving outcomes for students with disabilities
... In these online environments, at-risk students can access content for the courses that they need to take at any time during the day or night, and from any location. Atrisk students are also provided with individual mentoring, safe communities in which to learn, and varied methods of teaching in these online environments (Repetto et al., 2010;Rose & Blomeyer, 2007;Shore & Shore, 2009). The use of online learning environments to help at-risk students makes sense in that online systems can be used to more quickly identify a student as at risk and get them the help they need (Watson & Germin, 2008;Cavanaugh et al., 2013;Repetto et al., 2010;Rhim & Kowal, 2008). ...
... Atrisk students are also provided with individual mentoring, safe communities in which to learn, and varied methods of teaching in these online environments (Repetto et al., 2010;Rose & Blomeyer, 2007;Shore & Shore, 2009). The use of online learning environments to help at-risk students makes sense in that online systems can be used to more quickly identify a student as at risk and get them the help they need (Watson & Germin, 2008;Cavanaugh et al., 2013;Repetto et al., 2010;Rhim & Kowal, 2008). Also, fully online schools have developed specific intervention programs for various groups of at-risk students that are tailored to their specific academic, social, and environmental needs in order to increase course completion (Archambault et al., 2010). ...
... Parents also confirmed that self regulation skills were key to their students' academic success, which confirms research by Michinov et al. (2011). The support received by teachers, and tools at this virtual school were critical in these students' academic progress (Hendrix & Degner, 2016;Repetto et al., 2010). ...
At-risk students face a variety of challenges that encompass cultural, social and environmental contexts and identities. Full time virtual schools offer help for at-risk students through the provision of a personalized learning option where students can catch up with past work or complete school work in a non-traditional environment. The purpose of this study was to understand parent perceptions of at-risk learner’s affective, behavioral, and cognitive engagement supports in a fully online school. Although research exists on at-risk learners in blended environments, this topic has not yet been fully explored for fully online schools. We need a much fuller understanding of at-risk learners’ supports in online schools. These data are critical for the future success of at-risk students who are increasingly enrolling in full time online schools. Results showed that parents of at-risk students enrolled in a virtual school described affective engagement in terms of relationships, communication with teachers, and communication with students. Interestingly, parents emphasized that the structure of the traditional in-person schooling experience hindered long term relationships. Parents saw behavioral engagement in terms of learning expectations, help with technological issues, and self regulation skills. Parents of at-risk students enrolled in the virtual school also described cognitive engagement opportunities in the areas of teaching and tutoring of academic content, co-learning with students, and collaboration between students. Discussion focused on how virtual schools could embrace innovative staffing models to better support at-risk students who are enrolled in a virtual school as their ‘last resort’.
... The teachers' social presence in online learning is important to reduce the sense of isolation. However, it is not sufficient alone (Garrison et al., 2000) as the value and care teachers invest in students are important (Repetto et al., 2010). Furthermore, the ability to provide students with flexibility over facilitating meaningful collaboration in online learning can be another reason for students' sense of isolation (Garrison, 2009;Gill et al., 2015). ...
... Furthermore, some students underestimate the time and effort required to complete their tasks and need some support (McClendon et al., 2017). Time management and prioritizing tasks are critical and are factors that cause success in behavioral engagement (Hendrix & Degner, 2016;Michinov et al., 2011;Repetto et al., 2010), where there are countless distractions such as social media (Cho & Littenberg-Tobias, 2016). Another important aspect was highlighted by Machado et al. (2016) that technological applications support innovative changes in education and promote students' behavioral engagement and meeting of their diverse needs. ...
... Regarding digital citizenship, there were high scores in the following items: exhibiting a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity; demonstrating personal responsibility for lifelong learning; and advocating and practicing safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology. These results are aligned with previous studies that stated the importance of the teachers' presence in online learning to reduce the students' sense of isolation (Garrison et al., 2000) to support their learning and productivity, and develop the responsibility of lifelong learning and accountability toward practicing safe and responsible use of technology (Repetto et al., 2010). ...
Aim/Purpose: This study investigates the impact of the relationship between social/emotional, cognitive, and behavioral engagements on developing preservice teachers’ digital competencies. The social/emotional engagement can be illustrated with actions associated with learning, such as excitement, interest, and motivation. Cognitive engagement is the active process of learning and is the most essential form of learning. Finally, behavioral engagement is the physical behavior associated with doing the work and following the rules. Background: Teachers’ digital competencies are essential in creating an active e-learning environment that ensures students’ engagements and reduces learners’ sense of isolation. Due to the lockdown of COVID-19 in March 2020, schools and universities shifted toward e-learning, where higher education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) experienced a digital transformation. Many questions have been raised about life after COVID-19, competencies needed for the new demands of jobs that do not yet exist, social/emotional development of students, and their engagements in online classes. Methodology: An explanatory sequential mixed-method approach was utilized, using a quantitative data method followed by a qualitative data method. An online survey was used to collect the quantitative data from participants. The convenient research population is female preservice teachers who are considered learners enrolled in semesters 3-8 and learning online. Focus group discussions were used to collect the qualitative data from selected participants. Contribution: The findings of the study contribute toward a deeper understanding of the relationship between social/emotional, cognitive, and behavioral engagements and their positive impact on developing learners’ digital competencies. The results can be leveraged during or after the pandemic to design strategies and pedagogies that enhance learners’ engagements and develop their digital competencies based on the conceptual framework of the study. Findings: The study’s results reveal a significant positive correlation between social/emotional, cognitive, and behavioral engagements that lead to the development of preservice teachers’ digital competency. The relationship between social/emotional and cognitive engagements is stronger than between cognitive and behavioral engagements, while the relationship between social/emotional and behavioral engagements is balanced. Recommendations for Practitioners: Instructors need to consider students’ well-being and avoid the sense of isolation among students through designing strategies and pedagogies using the framework of the study that enhance learners’ engagements. More focus is needed on training instructors and educators in using different interactive applications that enhance learners’ and educators’ digital competency. Recommendation for Researchers: The findings provide theoretical evidence of the impact of the relationship between social/emotional, cognitive, and behavioral engagements on developing learners’ digital competencies. However, this study was conducted in an early childhood education program in higher education where all the participants were females. It is highly recommended that future research repeats the study with male and female participants, as well as implement the study with different age groups from k-12 students. Impact on Society: This research highlights the importance of considering the social/emotional, cognitive, and behavioral engagements in developing learners’ digital competencies. It is interestingly important to reinforce the teaching, cognitive and social presence among all instructors and teachers due to the positive impact on students’ online learning. Future Research: Future research on measuring the impact of transforming students’ design thinking mindset after using interactive technology is recommended. In addition, it is highly recommended to consider measuring how the students’ learning is influenced by the teaching presence of their instructors. Also, it is recommended that future research considers measuring the instructors’ digital competencies and their impact on planning instructional activities.
... The term learners with special needs is generally used to refer to learners that experience difficulties in learning due to their cognitive, physical, or sensory impairment; chronic illnesses; or psychosocial issues to the extent that the learner in question may require assistance in regard to their learning process (Laamanen et al., 2021). On review of the literature, it can be observed that there are also other commonly used terms that refer to learners who require special education, such as exceptional learners, learners with disabilities, learners with special educational needs and disabilities, disabled learners, and learners with disabling conditions (Kinash, Birt, & Judd, 2019;Kirk, Gallagher, Coleman, & Anastasiow, 2009;Laamanen et al., 2021;Repetto, Cavanaugh, Wayer, & Liu, 2010). Though there is diversity among those terms that define special needs, all these terms focus on a single purpose, which is that learners in these groups require learning practices to be modified according to their specific learning needs. ...
... As a result, an increase in the number of learners with special needs has been observed in all levels of education globally (Fichten et al., 2009;Kinash et al., 2019;Laamanen et al., 2021;Tesolin & Tsinakos, 2018). Repetto et al. (2010) indicate that learners with disabilities are at risk of dropping out of school due to certain reasons such as access problems, lack of support, inability to find a helpful person to connect with, fear of course failure, poor self-esteem, etc. In this sense, ODDE is considered to be a means of increasing access to equal opportunities in education, thereby eliminating the barriers of access emerging in face-to-face education (Jelfs & Richardson, 2010;Kinash, Crichton, & Kim-Rupnow, 2004). ...
Open, distance, and digital education (ODDE) is meant to provide unique educational opportunities for everyone, including learners with special needs. While promising flexible and accessible learning experiences for learners with special needs, ODDE may simultaneously result in the creation of certain barriers. Supporting learners with special needs in ODDE environments, therefore, becomes a critical task for all educational institutions. This chapter focuses on the challenges that learners with special needs encounter during their learning process in ODDE, as well as those mechanisms that can be used to support them in order to overcome these challenges, such as means of increasing accessibility, recognizing Universal Design for Learning principles, using assistive technologies, providing accommodations, and adaptations in terms of pedagogical, managerial, social, and technical support. The chapter suggests that ODDE is inclusive in nature and that it should therefore further focus on empathy and care-oriented pedagogies. ODDE, inspired by openness philosophy, envisions equity, equality, and justice for every learner, including learners with special needs.
... Teachers of inclusive classrooms may have difficulty sustaining the attention and motivation of students with special learning needs, particularly in subjects that require a great deal of abstract thought, like Mathematics (DeSimone & Parmar, 2006). Studies have also found that students with learning disabilities and other complex challenges may invest less effort in their studies, demonstrate a reduced sense of academic confidence and self-efficacy (Lackaye & Margalit, 2006), and are more susceptible to dropping out of school on account of disinterest, lack of rapport with teachers, disciplinary issues, and high levels of absenteeism (Repetto et al., 2010). ...
... School can be a frustrating experience for students with special needs, especially if they do not feel they are being adequately supported. In classrooms that emphasize a more traditional approach to the curriculum, these students often become disengaged and inattentive, expending less effort in their schoolwork as a result (DeSimone & Parmar, 2006;Lackaye & Margalit, 2006;Repetto et al., 2010). To keep these students enrolled in school and ensure they have equitable chances to learn alongside their peers, it is important for teachers and administrators to promote student buy-in. ...
Today’s classrooms are diverse, composed of students with a wide range of strengths and experiences. It has never been more important for teachers to provide educational programming that enables all students to learn and thrive. This chapter explores the ways that our participating schools leveraged making and maker pedagogies to support learners with diverse educational needs. We first provide an overview of the inclusive educational context in Ontario, followed by an examination of the affordances of making to support these initiatives. We then highlight the experiences of our participating schools in supporting students with special needs, as well as those from lower-income communities. Educators identified how making provided multiple entry points promoted confidence and perseverance, facilitated collaboration and leadership, and generated engagement and a passion for learning in students that are often disadvantaged by traditional educational approaches. They also described the ways in which making enhanced community buy-in and supported English language learning. The chapter concludes with a list of considerations for developing an accessible maker program in your educational context.
... Assignments done during class time are therefore limiting for them, while on out-of-class assignments, they can take as much time as necessary. Working online gives students who need expanded learning time more flexibility (Repetto et al., 2010). The flip side of this benefit is that students with ADHD or EF deficits have difficulty managing their time (Daley & Birchwood, 2010), so the out-of-class work may pose a more considerable challenge for them. ...
... Assignments done during class time are therefore limiting for them, while on out-of-class assignments, they can take as much time as necessary. Working online gives students who need expanded learning time more flexibility (Repetto et al., 2010). The flip side of this benefit is that students with ADHD or EF deficits have difficulty managing their time (Daley & Birchwood, 2010), so the out-of-class work may pose a more considerable challenge for them. ...
Online open-ended and closed-ended surveys were conducted in 2014-2016 among 191 students at a small, private university located in South Florida. Our main goals were to evaluate student perceptions of in-class and out-of-class assignments in hybrid courses, determine what students value most about these modes of learning, and recommend ways to maximize advantages and minimize disadvantages of each. We discovered that students value instant feedback and interacting with their peers when they are in class as in-class assignments were rated significantly higher than out-of-class assignments (p < 0.05) and higher ratings were significantly associated with responses associated with student-student interaction (p <0.05). However, the time and place constraints of in-class work limits their ability to formulate their thoughts. Out-of-class assignments were appreciated for their flexibility of pace, time, and place, although students reported time-management problems as well. Like for in-class work, students valued the opportunity of reading their peers' answers as higher assignment ratings for out-of-class assignments were significantly associated with students' ability to read the responses of others. Although participants did not report an effect from specific learning differences, having to write for out-of-class work (as opposed to speaking in class) was reported as a hurdle. We discuss strategies for improving in-class and out-of-class assignments based on our study results.
... Assignments done during class time are therefore limiting for them, while on out-of-class assignments, they can take as much time as necessary. Working online gives students who need expanded learning time more flexibility (Repetto et al., 2010). The flip side of this benefit is that students with ADHD or EF deficits have difficulty managing their time (Daley & Birchwood, 2010), so the out-of-class work may pose a more considerable challenge for them. ...
... As such, an institution's top priority for providing academic engagement support to students could first be to ensure that all students are behaviorally engaged. The ACE framework gives practical suggestions for supporting this type of engagement, including troubleshooting, monitoring progress, organizing physical learning spaces, learning selfregulation strategies, and minimizing distractions [18,22,47,48]. ...
In this paper, we examine how universities can evaluate the level of support they provide to help their students with affective, behavioral, and cognitive engagement in their online and blended learning experiences. Additionally, it identifies what types of supports help students engage academically and what barriers hinder their online engagement. Using a survey instrument sent to university students (n = 1295), we conducted a mixed-methods analysis to understand better how students feel the institution supports their online engagement and what barriers they experience. To accomplish this, we addressed the following research questions: (1) How do students feel the institution supports their academic engagement for online and blended learning (including affective, behavioral, and cognitive dimensions)? and (2) What are the barriers to student academic engagement for online and blended learning at the institutional level? We used the Academic Communities of Engagement (ACE) framework as a lens for understanding the types of support institutions should provide in online and blended learning programs. While our descriptive statistics revealed that students might not distinguish the types of support they receive, the qualitative findings suggested they need more behavioral support. Our results also showed that 31% of students reported they experienced three or more barriers to their learning, which should be addressed when considering institutional support elements.
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the educational transition from traditional face-to-face to entirely online or hybrid learning. Online learning engagement has long been considered essential to effective learning and teaching, but with many challenges (e.g., learner autonomy, cyber distraction, and digital competence) in higher education, especially post-pandemic. This chapter aims to present empirical innovative practices and experiences in using H5P, a free and open-source content collaboration platform, to enrich online learning engagement in a hybrid mode teaching of the Post Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Supporting Learning in Higher Education (PGCert) in a Sino-British international university in China. The authors introduce the technological features and demonstrate how the H5P based educational technologies enhance online learning rather than just a substitute. For reflective rethinking, the challenges, barriers, and practical implications in developing the curriculum, designing the learning activities, and delivering the course using the H5P in an online learning environment.
Young adults with learning disabilities (LD) or emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) tend to achieve below their nondisabled peers in secondary school. They typically lack proficiency in academic skills and are less prepared for the world of work. A disproportionate percentage of these students drop out of school. Some of the dropouts find their way to adult education to pursue a General Educational Development (GED) diploma. Two hundred seventy-seven young adults with and without LDIEBD were interviewed regarding their school and post-dropout experiences. Findings indicate that factors such as disability status, when individuals drop out, and self-perspectives influence education participation.
Although the accommodation of students with disabilities in the traditional social work classroom has been discussed in the professional literature, the emergence of Internet-based courses raises new questions about accommodating students with disabilities. While the Internet has opened up new possibilities for learning, it has also interposed speed, uniformity, and efficiency as overriding principles, often running counter to accessibility and adaptability needs. Several key domains for Internet-based course work accommodations are identified: student privacy, online etiquette, ethical guidelines for online learning, and pedagogical integrity. Finally, recommendations are made for optimizing the online learning experience for social work students with disabilities.
This case study investigates the strategies used to deliver online course content to postsecondary students with learning disabilities who were enrolled in a history course. The purpose was to examine whether course design modifications had any impact on students' attitudes or performance, and if so, which were most beneficial to students with learning disabilities. This study uses Universal Design for Learning (UDL) methods that can be used for all students, not just those with learning or physical disabilities, and includes how proper use of UDL can benefit these learners in the ever changing online learning environment. The findings reflected no apparent differences between the 2 students with learning disabilities and 3 without disabilities in regard to the use of the instructional media. However, some of the most important instructional modifications that might have benefited students with learning disabilities were inaccessible due to technical problems. Results might have differed in a course where students did not experience these difficulties. The results do, however, provide insight into students' reactions to specific modifications and present researchers and course designers with recommendations for improving the experiences of all students in online courses.
This study examined factors predictive of dropping out of high school for students with learning disabilities (LD) and mental retardation (MR). The sample was composed of 228 students with LD or MR who dropped out of school and 228 students with LD or MR who had not dropped out. Two sets of predictor variables (student demographics and interview responses) were analyzed using hierarchical logistic regression analysis in terms of their relationship to the outcome variable of dropout. The variables retained in the final model were learning disability, helpful person, helpful class, and general preparation. Specifically, the probability of dropping out for a student with LD who did not feel he or she was being prepared for life after high school and did not identify a helpful class and a helpful person was .86, compared to .16 for a student with MR who did find a particular class and person helpful and felt that school was preparing him or her for desired outcomes. Implications of the results are discussed.
Although researchers have clearly connected dropping out of school to prolonged low achievement, to date, effective teaching practices are largely absent from the milieu of interventions and programs that are employed by schools to address dropout prevention. As such, effective instructional design and delivery as a focus for keeping students with disabilities in school appears to be an inconspicuous strategy for dropout prevention. We provide an overview of dropout prevention efforts by researchers and federal, state, and local educators; a rationale for connecting effective teaching principles to the challenge of graduating students with disabilities; and a brief overview of 10 effective teaching principles and how they relate to academic success that leads to school completion. Practical strategies that teachers can use to make their instruction more effective are also included.
The relationship between cognitive—behavioral interventions and therapies on the one hand and school dropout outcomes and violent verbal or physical aggression on the other hand for secondary-age youth with disabilities was explored in a systematic review. A total of 16 studies intervening with 791 youth with behavioral disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and learning disabilities were reviewed. The findings of this review strongly support the efficacy of the use of cognitive—behavioral interventions across educational environments, disability types, age groups, and gender in the reduction of dropout and correlates of dropout. A series of more detailed implications for practice are suggested, as well as directions to the reader to locate more detailed descriptions of how these interventions might be implemented in their secondary education environments.
Do teachers provide students with valuable forms of social capital? Do these forms of social capital increase the likelihood that students complete high school, particularly students who are at risk of failure? Using data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study (NELS:88), we address these questions and examine whether social capital reduces the likelihood of dropping out between the 10th and 12th grades for a cohort of 11, 000 adolescents who attended more than 1, 000 Public and private high schools between 1990 and 1992. We measure social capital in two ways: (a) students' beliefs about how much their 10th-grade teachers support their efforts to succeed in school and (b) teachers' reports about whether individual 10th-grade students receive guidance from them about school or personal matters. We find that teachers are an important source of social capital for students. These teacher-based forms of social capital reduce the probability of dropping out by nearly half. However, students who come from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and who have had academic difficulties in the past find guidance and assistance from teachers especially helpful. We discuss the implications of these findings for investigations of dropping out, risk, and social capital.
Current trends in the field of distance education indicate a shift in pedagogical perspectives and theoretical frameworks, with student interaction at the heart of learner‐centered constructivist environments. The purpose of this article is to explore the benefits of using emerging technology tools such as wikis, blogs, and podcasts to foster student interaction in online learning. It also reviews social software applications such as Writeboard™, InstaColl™, and Imeem™. Although emerging technologies offer a vast range of opportunities for promoting collaboration in both synchronous and asynchronous learning environments, distance education programs around the globe face challenges that may limit or deter implementation of these technologies. This article probes the influence of technology on theory and the possible implications this influence affords.