May, 1999
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SPECIAL EDUCATION ELEMENTARY LONGITUDINAL STUDY (SEELS) | |
Relationship of Research Questions to Instrument Items |
SRI Project 3421 | |
Background
The following tables indicate the SEELS data collection instruments items that correspond to the research questions. Four instruments are included in these tables:
These 4 instruments constitute the 4 columns on the attached matrix.
The questions and indicators included in the tables resulted from discussions among task force participants at their meeting on November 23, 1998, and from review by the advisory group. The task force, composed of parents, teachers, principals, related service practitioners, researchers, local, state and federal policy makers, and advocacy organizations, was asked to identify the range of information needs that could potentially be met by SEELS, translate those information needs into research questions, and help to envision a conceptual framework to guide the study in addressing those questions. The tables correspond to the major domains in the SEELS conceptual framework (SRI, 1998).
Table 1 |
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RESEARCH QUESTIONS ñ Student AND HOUSEHOLD characteristics |
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Parent |
Teacher |
Program |
School |
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STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS |
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k What are studentsí identified disabilities, as indicated by: |
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B2a |
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B1a-d |
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B2a |
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k What is the pattern over time of studentsí special education disability classifications, including:: |
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B3a-e |
B2a |
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B3a-e |
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D13a-e |
A7 |
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k What are the implications of disability for student functioning in terms of parent reports of studentsí ability to hear, see, use arms/hand, and legs/feet? |
B4a, B4c, B5c, B5d, B7a-b |
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k What are studentsí strengths as reported by parents? |
I2 |
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k What are studentsí special education and broader treatment histories in terms of: |
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B2a-b, B4b, B5a |
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B2c |
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B2d-e |
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B2f |
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D12a-c, D14a-c, F1a-c |
Table 1 |
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RESEARCH QUESTIONS ñ Student AND HOUSEHOLD characteristics (Continued) |
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Parent |
Teacher |
Program |
School |
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k What are studentsí demographic characteristics, including: (parent report unless otherwise indicated) |
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A2a & b |
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A1 |
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A3 |
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A4a |
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A4b |
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D3 |
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k What are studentsí experience with health insurance in terms of: |
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C1, C3 |
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C2 |
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C4a-b |
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C5, C6a-b, |
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k How frequently have students changed schools? |
D11a-b |
Table 1 |
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RESEARCH QUESTIONS ñ Student AND HOUSEHOLD characteristics (Continued) |
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Parent |
Teacher |
Program |
School |
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Household Characteristics |
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k What is the composition of households in which students in special education live in terms of parent reports of: the following: (Track changes over time, e.g., marital status, household change, such as custody change, foster care change, moving among family members) |
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J1, J2a, J4a |
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S11,12 A5a-c,e,f, J5a-b, J6b |
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J2b, J4b |
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J8 |
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J6a, J7 |
Table 1 |
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RESEARCH QUESTIONS ñ Student AND HOUSEHOLD characteristics (Concluded) |
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Parent |
Teacher |
Program |
School |
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k What are the socioeconomic characteristics of households of students in special education in terms of parent reports of: |
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J9, J12 |
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J10a-c, J13a-c |
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J14a, J14c, J15, J16a |
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J14b, J14d, J14e, J16b, J16e |
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J17a-e |
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J18 |
Table 2 |
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RESEARCH QUESTIONS ñ Non-school Factors |
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Parent |
Teacher |
Program |
School |
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Presence and Participation |
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k To what extent do students in special education participate in organized group activities: |
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G5, G7 |
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G6, 67 |
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G7 |
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G7 |
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k Are students with disabilities supervised after school? What are their after school care experiences and needs? (Parent report) |
G1-3 |
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Use of Accommodations, Adaptations, Enrichments or Compensations to Achieve Outcomes |
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k What services and supports do families provide for their children outside of their school programs, in terms of: |
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E14 |
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B9a-b |
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E13 |
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k What medical or other disability-related assistive devices do students use, including: |
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B8b |
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B8c |
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B4d-g, B5b, B6c, B7c-d, B8f-i |
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k Do students have a case manager through some other organization than the school? |
B9a-b |
Table 2 |
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RESEARCH QUESTIONS ñ Non-school Factors (Continued) |
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Parent |
Teacher |
Program |
School |
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Family Involvement* |
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k To what extent do parents/guardians of students with disabilities engage in activities at home that support the educational and social development of their children in terms of parent report of: |
C4 |
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E11 |
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E10 |
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G12 |
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E9 |
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B4j |
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k What are parentsí expectations for students regarding: |
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K2-5 |
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K6 |
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K1 |
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K7 |
*NOTE: Questions related to direct parent-school interactions are included in the school programs domain.
Table 3 |
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RESEARCH QUESTIONS ñ School Programs |
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Parent |
Teacher |
Program |
School |
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General |
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k What are studentsí current grade levels? |
D15 |
A2 |
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Program Participation |
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k To what extent do students who had been in special education exit from special education over time? |
D13a-e |
A8a |
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k What are the other school programs in which students in special education participate? |
A5 |
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Classroom Characteristics |
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k What are all of the settings in which students spend the school day and how is time distributed among them? |
D14a-c |
A3a; B1 |
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k What are the characteristics of the classrooms in which students in special education are instructed in language arts, as indicated by: |
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A3 |
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A3 |
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A3 |
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B11 |
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k To what extent do language arts teachers report using different approaches to discipline in working with special education students? |
B6 |
Table 3 |
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RESEARCH QUESTIONS ñ School Programs (Continued) |
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Parent |
Teacher |
Program |
School |
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Curriculum and Instruction |
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k To what extent are students in special education exposed to the regular education curriculum, as indicated by: |
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B2; C3 |
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A7, B3; C4; C5 |
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k What subjects do students take? |
A3 |
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k What are the characteristics of instructional practices used with students in special education in terms of teacher reports of: |
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A7, B3 |
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B3; B4 |
A4; D2 |
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k What vocational experiences are included in the curriculum for students in special education in terms of school staff report of: |
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SS6 |
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SS7 |
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A3 |
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k To what extent are community-based (other than vocational) experiences included in the curriculum? |
SS7 |
Table 3 |
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RESEARCH QUESTIONS ñ School Programs (Continued) |
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Parent |
Teacher |
Program |
School |
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Student Assessment |
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k How is student progress evaluated in terms of teacher reports of: |
B5; C6 |
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B7 |
E3; E4 |
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B12 |
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B12 |
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D5 |
C5 |
F2 |
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B5 |
C6 |
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Use of Accommodations, Adaptations, Enrichments or Compensations to Achieve Outcomes |
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k What medical or other disability-related assistive devices do students use, including: |
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B8d-e |
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B4e1, B6c1, B4k, B7e, B8g1, B8j |
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B11 |
B4; B5a |
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B5a |
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B5b |
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k What accommodations or modifications do teachers report that students receive in: |
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B11; C7 |
B11 |
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B11; C7 |
B4 |
Table 3 |
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RESEARCH QUESTIONS ñ School Programs (Continued) |
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Parent |
Teacher |
Program |
School |
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k What related services do students in special education receive as part of their special education programs in terms of: |
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B9a-b |
B6 |
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B6 |
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IEPs |
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k What are studentsí IEPs like in terms of: |
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E5, E6a |
B8 |
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B3 |
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Transitions |
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k What preparation or support for the transition from elementary to middle and middle to high schools do students in special education receive? |
D9a-b, D10a,d |
A5; A6 |
G1 |
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k What is postsecondary transition planning like for students in terms of school staff reports of: |
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SS10 |
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H4 |
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SS8 |
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Family Involvement |
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k What is the level of contact between teachers and the studentsí families in terms of: |
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E4a-b, E5, E6a |
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E1a-b, E2a-b, E3a-b, E8a-c |
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D26 |
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D7 |
C6 |
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D5; D6 |
C4; C5 |
Table 3 |
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RESEARCH QUESTIONS ñ School Programs (Concluded) |
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Parent |
Teacher |
Program |
School |
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Personnel |
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k What are the characteristics of teachers who serve students in special education in terms of: |
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E3 |
D7 |
C4; C5 |
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E4 |
D8 |
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E6; E7; E8 |
D4; D10 |
C3 |
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E5 |
D3 |
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E13 |
D5 |
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D3b |
C7b |
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E10; E11 |
D12 |
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E10 |
D12; D13 |
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k What professional development is provided to language arts teachers who serve students in special education in terms of: |
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E9 |
D11 |
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E8, B9 |
D11; D13 |
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k Do students have a case manager at school? |
B9co |
E8 |
B6, D1; D6 |
Table 4 |
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RESEARCH QUESTIONS ñ SchoolCHARACTERISTICS |
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Parent |
Teacher |
Program |
School |
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General |
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k What are the schools like that serve students in special education in terms of: |
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D8a-d, D12a, F1a-c |
A1; A2 |
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D5b-c, D7a-b |
A5 |
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A4; H1 |
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A5; B1; B6; B3; B4; B2 |
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- Average daily attendance. |
B5 |
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- Aggregate number of suspensions/expulsions. |
D3 |
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- Drop out rate; graduation rate |
H4; H2 |
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A3 |
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School Climate |
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k What are the characteristics of principal leadership as indicated by teacher reports of such factors as the principal providing adequate support for teachers, frequently present in the classroom, using evaluation/feedback regularly and appropriately, sharing decision-making and problem solving? |
E11 |
D13 |
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k How safe are the schools, as indicated by: |
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D24a-f |
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E11 |
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D2 |
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k To what extent do teachers and principals report feeling pressure to have students succeed academically/focus on instruction as highest priority? |
D1 |
Table 4 |
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RESEARCH QUESTIONS ñ School CHARACTERISTICS (Continued) |
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Parent |
Teacher |
Program |
School |
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Policies |
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k What policies and practices related to special education are pursued by schools in terms of principal reports of: |
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E1 |
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E1 |
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E1 |
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E9 |
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E10 |
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E3; E4; E5; E6; E7 |
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Resources |
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k What placement options are available at the school for students in special education? |
C6 |
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k What programs operate at the school to support student learning and well-being (e.g., Chapter 1, Reading Recovery, Accelerated Schools, school-based health services, after-school care, after-school enrichment activities, consultation for teachers)? |
C2 |
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k To what extent are paraprofessionals used as direct service providers to students? |
A3; B9 |
B4 |
C1; E2 |
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k What personnel resources are at the school to support student learning and well-being (e.g., reading specialist, school counselor, school nurse)? |
B11; C7 |
C1 |
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k What specific special education interventions are in use in the schools? |
B4 |
C2 |
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k How large a student caseload is carried by special education teachers? |
C1 |
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Family Involvement |
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k What actions do schools take to encourage/support family involvement in the school (e.g., provide transportation to IEP meetings, holding parent meetings at places convenient to the parent, providing child care for school-wide events or parent meetings)? |
C2; F1; F2; F3 |
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Reforms |
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k What school-wide reforms have schools implemented and how are students in special education included in them? |
E8 |
Table 5 Research Questions ñ Student outcomes |
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Parent |
Teacher |
Program |
School |
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Academic and Functional Literacy |
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k What is the academic functioning/performance of students in special education as measured by: |
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D20a-c |
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D20a-c |
D2 |
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C3 |
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D1 |
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I4b-e |
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k What is the level of engagement in school of students in special education as measured by: |
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D1a-c, D5a, D6, D12b-c, E15a |
C1 |
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C4;D4 |
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D2-4 |
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k How well do students in special education communicate, as indicated by: |
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B4g-i, B6a-d |
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D4 |
Table 5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ñ Student outcomes (Continued) |
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Parent |
Teacher |
Program |
School |
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k To what extent do students in special education use computer technology, as indicated by: |
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C3 |
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k What are studentsí past academic experiences in terms of previous grade promotion and retention? |
B16a-b, B17a-b, F2a-b, F3a-b, F4, F5 |
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Personal and Social Adjustment |
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k To what extent are students in special education socially engaged, * as indicated by: |
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G9, G10, G11 |
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I1m |
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D4 |
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k To what extent do students in special education get along with others, as indicated by: |
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D21, D22 |
D4 |
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I1a-s |
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I1j |
*NOTE: Group-related aspects of social engagement are included under nonschool-factors in the domain of "presence and participation."
Table 5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ñ Student outcomes (Continued) |
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Parent |
Teacher |
Program |
School |
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k To what extent are students in special education personally well-adjusted, as indicated by: |
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I1n |
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Contribution and Citizenship |
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k To what extent do students in special education abide by rules, as indicated by: |
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D18a-b, D19a-b |
C2 |
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I6 |
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I1j |
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D4 |
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k To what extent do parents report that students in special education are involved in volunteer/community service activities? |
G8 |
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Responsibility and Independence |
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k How independent are students in special education in terms of: |
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I3a,b |
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I4a |
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G13 |
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I5a-d |
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k How do students in special education spend their leisure time, as reported by parents? |
G4-9 |
Table 5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ñ Student outcomes (Concluded) |
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Parent |
Teacher |
Program |
School |
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k To what extent are older students in special education beginning to take on adult roles in terms of: |
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H1-11 |
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K1 |
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J3a-c |
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Physical health |
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k How healthy are students in special education in terms of: |
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B8a |
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k To what extent do students in special education participate in risk behaviors in their teen years, including smoking, gang activity, and substance use, as reported by students in year 5 only when all students are ages 13 to 17 (potentially through completing anonymous brief written questionnaire during direct assessment). |
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Satisfaction |
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k How satisfied do parents of students in special education report being with: |
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D25 |
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D23a-f, D25b-d |
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E6b |
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D25c-d |
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D10b-c,e |
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D25e |
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k How satisfied are students in special education with their schools and school programs, as indicated by the extent to which they report liking school? |
Additional questions considered, but not included:
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