Cynthia G. Simpson

Houston Baptist University

Students with disabilities have been recognized as disproportionately involved within the bullying dynamic. However, few studies have examined the interaction between disability status, gender, and grade level. The current study explored the gender discrepancies among students with and without disabilities in middle and high school on bullying, fig...

Students with disabilities are disproportionately represented within the bullying dynamic. However, few studies have investigated the interaction between disability identification and special education services. The current study evaluated bullying involvement (direct victimization, relational victimization, cybervictimization, bullying, fighting,...

Bullying is grounded in the interactions between an individual and complex social–ecological systems. Therefore, bullying involvement is not just confined to the classroom or school. Recent research suggests that sibling aggression may be a predictor for peer-level aggression. These findings may be more relevant for students with disabilities becau...

Bullying has been the topic of much debate and empirical investigations over the past decade. Contemporary literature contends that students with disabilities may be overrepresented within the bullying dynamic as both perpetrators and victims. Unfortunately, prevalence rates associated with the representation of students with disabilities is limite...

As children transition from Early Childhood Intervention Services to public education, it is critical that the results from the assessment practices used to identify children for services in public education are translated into instructional techniques that early childhood educators are able to implement in the classroom setting. This article aims...

The effective use of behavior management strategies and related policies continues to be a debated issue in public education. Despite overwhelming evidence espousing the benefits of the implementation of procedures derived from principles based on the science of applied behavior analysis (ABA), educators often indicate many common misconceptions in...

Students with learning disabilities are a large part of the population of students with disabilities as well as the total student body. In fact, for many students the general education classroom is where most of these students acquire their content knowledge. This, however, is not the only school placement in which students can receive services. Th...

The evaluation of minority children for special education by law should be nondiscriminatory. To be in compliance with federal mandates such as the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA), No Child Left Behind (NCLB), and Public Law 94-142, minority children who are also English language learners (ELLs) should be assessed in their native l...

Traditional approaches for addressing students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders primarily focus on behavior. While this is a fundamental component of the individualized education program for any student with EBD, teachers must recognize that academics and social-emotional development are fundamentally linked. Therefore, it is critical for ed...

Prison systems throughout the world exist to enforce societal rules, maintain the safety of the general population, provide punitive sentences to offenders, and rehabilitate prisoners. While the goals of global prison systems are relatively common, the United States incarcerates more citizens per capita when compared to other European countries. In...

One of the most pervasive, yet neglected, problems impeding the social-emotional development of school-aged children is bully perpetration and victimization. Bullying has been linked to detrimental long- and short-term outcomes, ranging from academic deficits and school avoidance to difficulties with depression, anxiety, psychosomatic symptoms, and...

In the United States, Response to Intervention (RtI) is used to promote the use of evidence-based instruction in educational institutions, with the goal of supporting general and specialized educators and enabling these professionals to work together in a comprehensive, integrated manner. In doing so, RtI provides a protocol for identifying student...

Assessment personnel are those individuals who work in the capacity of evaluation of students with disabilities, including, but not limited to, educational diagnosticians, educational examiners, psychometrists, and instructional specialists. These professionals are responsible for identifying strengths and weaknesses and for providing teachers with...

Positive and negative reinforcement contingencies are explored and a comparison between which contingency is more effective in increasing compliance and decreasing problematic behavior will be considered. Although positive and negative reinforcement are two distinct principles of behavior, the use of these two principles in combination will be sugg...

This article discusses pre-referral strategies. First, accommodations and modifications are defined and examples of each are provided. Next, pre-referral intervention teams are discussed, including who they are and what they do. Research is then provided in support of use of these teams and how schools are effective in reducing referrals to special...

The rate of bullying among individuals with disabilities is alarming. Because of the social and motor deficiencies that individuals with Asperger's syndrome (AS) often display, they are frequently targets of bullying. The physical education setting often consists of a larger number of students than the typical academic instructional setting. This i...

Misidentification of students with disabilities is a widely publicized aspect of the shortcomings of our special education programs. Many factors can contribute to misidentification. In the Congressional Research Service (CRS) Report for Congress (Apling, 2001), three issues were specifically identified as reasons for possible misidentification. “M...

Children of today may be the first generation in the United States in more than 200 years to have a life expectancy shorter than their parents. Low levels of fitness caused by physical inactivity and poor nutritional habits of many of today's youth may be a contributing factor. Combating low fitness levels with physical activity is of utmost import...

Children in the United States are less active and more overweight today than at any time in history, and there has been a dramatic increase in obesity. Obesity can lead to physical and psychological health issues. Many adults recognize the health issues that can stem from childhood obesity, but may not be aware of the clear implication of the socia...

Communication skills are of great importance for children with developmental disabilities to be functional and independent in their own lives. This paper provides results of a comprehensive literature review on current researched-based intervention strategies that appear effective to increase communication skills for students who have severe disabi...

This article presents an update of the research on the use of peer tutoring and students with emotional and behavioural disorders (EBD). Nine studies from 2001 to 2007 were identified in which students with EBD served as tutors and/or tutees to teach their peers academic and social behaviours. Five of these studies included elementary students, two...

Having a special or highly focused area of interest is a characteristic that is commonly found in many children with autism. These interests include a wide range of fascinations and can be highly motivating for students with autism. Although recognized as an inherent characteristic of autism, special interests and their role in motivating children...

There is a national movement underway to assist teachers in connecting the ideas and practices found in multicultural, general, and special education (Sobel & Taylor, 2006, p.29). In particular, educators are seeking innovative ways to implements general education practices with students with low incidence disabilities. This article describes the m...

Many caregivers doubt their ability to provide appropriate play experiences for children with special needs included in their program because some children with disabilities may not have the ability to interact and manipulate toys in a meaningful way. This paper provides guidance in appropriately adapting toys and the play situation to allow many c...

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Texas A & M University, 2002. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 120-125). Vita. "Major Subject: Educational Human Resource Development."