Directions: For each classmate post below reply with 200 words, demonstrate course-related knowledge, and contain a minimum of 1 citation in current APA format to support assertions. Post 1: Specific learning disability (SLD) is a disability category included in the federal definition of educational disabilities.  A learning disability is a disorder that generally includes the inability to use or understand language sufficiently enough to learn core academic subjects like reading, writing, or mathematics. The best practices for the identification, classification, and support of students in need of SLD services have been the focus of considerable research over the past century. The evidence-based practices schools have chosen to assess students who are at risk and identify SLD have ranged from the evaluation and comparison of test scores to more subject interventions and psychological assessments. As research uncovers more data regarding learning, each generation tries to improve how students are identified and classified (Fletcher, Stuebing, Morris, & Lyon, 2013). Currently, Multitiered system of supports (MTSS) is widely used in K-12 schools in the United States to identify and support students receiving SLD services. MTSS was intended to help all students by using a multifaceted approach to identifying students at risk or simply in need of additional support to be successful in a specific subject. MTSS includes evidence-based response to intervention (RTI) procedures (Barrett & Newman, 2018).                Barrett & Newman (2018) evaluated the effectiveness of MTSS for the identification and classification of students in special education departments serviced under the SLD label as well as the level of achievement attained over a period of ten years. Examining MTSS Implementation Across Systems for SLD Identification: A Case Study describes the effect of MTSS implementation on the identification and achievement of students in a midwestern regional educational service agency (RESA). The authors found that a significant body of research conducted in local schools showed improvement in academic achievement and student behavior when MTSS or RTI frameworks were implemented. Decreases in special education placements and less misclassification of learning disabilities were also significant (Barrett & Newman, 2018). However, these positive findings were shown to be incomplete or inaccurate by a recent nationwide study conducted across 13 states by the Department of Education (2015). This study revealed either a negative or neutral effect of MTSS on students. Referencing this seemingly contradictory data, Barrett and Newman (2018) recognize that one evidence-based approach is insufficient to meet the multifaceted and individual needs of students. The authors suggest that the reliance on IQ test and achievement test discrepancies, or an attempt to identify an SLD through a series of interventions are inadequate. There are a multitude of factors .

1. Directions: For each classmate post below reply with 200
words, demonstrate course-related knowledge, and contain a
minimum of 1 citation in current APA format to support
assertions.
Post 1: Specific learning disability (SLD) is a disability
category included in the federal definition of educational
disabilities. A learning disability is a disorder that generally
includes the inability to use or understand language sufficiently
enough to learn core academic subjects like reading, writing, or
mathematics. The best practices for the identification,
classification, and support of students in need of SLD services
have been the focus of considerable research over the past
century. The evidence-based practices schools have chosen to
assess students who are at risk and identify SLD have ranged
from the evaluation and comparison of test scores to more
subject interventions and psychological assessments. As
research uncovers more data regarding learning, each generation
tries to improve how students are identified and classified
(Fletcher, Stuebing, Morris, & Lyon, 2013). Currently,
Multitiered system of supports (MTSS) is widely used in K-12
schools in the United States to identify and support students
receiving SLD services. MTSS was intended to help all students
by using a multifaceted approach to identifying students at risk
or simply in need of additional support to be successful in a
specific subject. MTSS includes evidence-based response to
intervention (RTI) procedures (Barrett & Newman, 2018).
Barrett & Newman (2018) evaluated the effectiveness
of MTSS for the identification and classification of students in
special education departments serviced under the SLD label as
well as the level of achievement attained over a period of ten

2. years. Examining MTSS Implementation Across Systems for
SLD Identification: A Case Study describes the effect of MTSS
implementation on the identification and achievement of
students in a midwestern regional educational service agency
(RESA). The authors found that a significant body of research
conducted in local schools showed improvement in academic
achievement and student behavior when MTSS or RTI
frameworks were implemented. Decreases in special education
placements and less misclassification of learning disabilities
were also significant (Barrett & Newman, 2018). However,
these positive findings were shown to be incomplete or
inaccurate by a recent nationwide study conducted across 13
states by the Department of Education (2015). This study
revealed either a negative or neutral effect of MTSS on
students. Referencing this seemingly contradictory data, Barrett
and Newman (2018) recognize that one evidence-based
approach is insufficient to meet the multifaceted and individual
needs of students. The authors suggest that the reliance on IQ
test and achievement test discrepancies, or an attempt to
identify an SLD through a series of interventions are
inadequate. There are a multitude of factors that could and do
interfere with a valid identification or classification of students
as SLD. The article suggests that schools should focus on Tier I,
classroom based, interventions for the identification and
provision of support for students in need of SLD services. This
would include teachers making data-driven decisions about each
child, using differentiated instruction, and constantly
monitoring and assessing the individual needs of the child.
References
Barrett, C. A. & Newman, D. S. (2018). Examining MTSS
Implementation across systems for SLD identification: A case
study. School Psychology Forum, 12(1) pp. 30-43. Retrieved
from
http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com
/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1173179&site=ehost-

3. live&scope=site
Fletcher, J. M., Stuebing, K. K., Morris, R. D., & Lyon, G. R.
(2013). Classification and definition of learning disabilities: A
hybrid model. In H. Swanson, K. Harris, S. Graham, & S.
Graham (2nd ed.). Handbook for learning disabilities (pp. 33-
50). New York: The Guilford Press.
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Educational
Evaluation and Regional Assistance. (2015). Evaluation of
response to intervention practices for elementary school
reading (NCEE 2016-4000. Retrieved from
https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/20164000/
Post 2: The disability category that I selected from chapter one
is Autism (ASD), in particular, students on the high-end
spectrum in an inclusion setting. As described in O’Brien &
Bettie (2017), the common characteristics of students on the
autism spectrum include engaging in repetitive activities and
stereotyped movements, and “resistance to environmental
change” (p 7). The peer reviewed article by Banda, et al (2010)
“Impact of training peers and children with autism on social
skills during center time activities in inclusive classrooms”
reveals the practice of using typically developing peers during
center time and academic activities in a 1st grade classroom to
enhance the spontaneous responses of disabled peers. This
particular interaction from peers in the classroom involved
several strategies that gave particular focus to the problems
related to social skills development categorized by students on
the spectrum of autism such as making eye contact, beginning
and sustaining conversation, and even developing lasting
friendships.
There have been several social skills interventions for children
with ASD including peer training, adult or peer modeling,
script/script fading, priming, direct instruction, reinforcement,
video modeling, group social skills training, etc. In this study,

4. peer-mediated strategies that involved simultaneous training of
children with ASD and/or their typical peers through direct
instruction (e.g., modeling, reinforcement, prompting, fading)
are reviewed.
Peer interventions typically involve training peers to initiate
interaction and/or respond to social initiations made by children
with ASD. Several studies have been conducted in which
children with ASD and their typical peers were simultaneously
trained to initiate, share, and respond to social skills (Goldstein
et al., 1992; Odom & Strain). In the study Odom and Strain
(1992) trained three preschool children with autism to initiate
and share with peers. Also, the investigators trained four
preschool children who were prompted by their teachers to
initiate and play with students with autism. Teacher prompts
increased initiations of students with autism and peer training
enhanced social responses. In another study, Gonzalez-Lopez
and Kamps (1997) investigated the effectiveness of several
social skill training approaches involving typical peers (e.g.,
prompting, reinforcing, ignoring the disruptive behavior). The
peers and students with autism were trained to initiate
greetings, play, imitate, share, take turns, ask for help, and
request things. Four children with autism participated in this
study. Three of four participants increased social initiations and
decreased problem behaviors at the end of the intervention
enhance social skills in children with autism. Likewise, Nelson
et al. (2007) investigated social skills using center time
activities involving play groups with children with autism and
their non-disabled peers in an elementary school. The
investigators used a packaged intervention (‘‘Keys to Play,’’ a
visual intervention strategy) in which peers were trained to
interact with children with autism. In addition, target children
were trained in social initiations through modeling and
prompting.
The intervention package was successful in teaching children
with autism to initiate entry into play groups. Also, the
participants were drawn to specific play material in learning

5. center which enhanced social initiations and time engaged in
social play. The primary purpose of this study was to
investigate the effects of training both students with ASD and
their typical peers to improve social initiations and responses
during academic-related center time activities in the general
education classrooms.
Banda, D., Hart,S.L., & Liu-Gitz,L. (2010). Impact of training
peers and children with autism on social skills during center
time activities in inclusive classrooms. Research in Autism
Spectrum Disorders, 4 (4), 619-625.
Goldstein, H., Kaczmarek, L., Pennington, R., & Shafer, K.
(1992). Peer-mediated intervention: Attending to, commenting
on, and acknowledging the behavior of preschoolers with
autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 289–305.
Gonzalez-Lopez, A, & Kamps, D. (1997). Social skills training
to increase social interactions between children with autism and
their typical peers. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental
Disabilities, 12, 2–14.
Nelson, C., McDonnell, A. P., Johnston, S. S., Crompton, A., &
Nelson, A. R. (2007). Keys to play: A strategy to increase the
social interactions of young children with autism and their
typically developing peers. Education and Training in
Developmental Disabilities, 42, 165–181.
O’Brien, C., & Beattie, J. (2017). Teaching students with
special needs: A guide for future educators. Dubuque, IA:
Kendall Hunt.
Plagiarism and Academic Honesty Lecture
While you have most likely heard the term plagiarism before,
I’d like us to review the concept and discuss what constitutes
plagiarism and academic dishonesty. You should know that

6. plagiarism is a serious academic offense and all students caught
plagiarizing or cheating on any assignments (discussion posts,
essays, etc.) in this course will be referred to the Office of
Student Conduct. Please make sure you read the following
information carefully as you will be held responsible for all the
information in this discussion.
In writing classes, plagiarism tends to refer to the use of
material written by others but submitted by a student as though
it is his or her own work. Under this general definition, the
University of Texas at Arlington First Year Writing Program
considers the following acts of plagiarism:
1. submission of a complete text not written by the student,
which may have been downloaded from the Internet or taken
from other sources such as student paper files;
2. liberal cutting and pasting of sources into the student’s text
without attribution;
3. liberal cutting and pasting of sources, which may include
close paraphrase or adoption of whole sentences, mixed with the
student’s own language, with attribution but without the use of
quotation marks to indicate language borrowed from other
sources;
4. occasional misuse of sources, with or without attribution, for
example, occasional sentences that do not “sound” like the
student writer’s typical prose that may include citation at the
end of the paragraph but no quotation marks indicating a direct
quote;
5. work done by the student for another class but passed off as
new, original work.
Plagiarism is also failing to correctly indicate places where you
are making use of another's work. It is your responsibility to
familiarize yourself with the conventions of citation by which
you indicate which ideas are not your own and where your
reader can find those sources. Read your textbook and handbook
for more information on quoting and citing properly to avoid

7. plagiarism. If you still do not understand, ask your
instructor. Also, please note that students will not be pardoned
from suspected plagiarism and a Student Conduct referral by
stating that they didn't know they were plagiarizing or claiming
that they turned in the wrong document without proper
citations.
In addition to the above, paying and/or exchanging gifts or
services for someone else to complete your assignments or write
your essays is also considered academic dishonesty. It is the
philosophy of The University of Texas at Arlington that
academic dishonesty is a completely unacceptable mode of
conduct and will not be tolerated in any form. All persons
involved in academic dishonesty will be disciplined in
accordance with University regulations and procedures.
Discipline may include suspension or expulsion from the
University. As outlined in the Regents' Rules and Regulations,
"Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating,
plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or
materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another
person, taking an examination for another person, any act
designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to
commit such acts" (Series 50101, Section 2.2).
Please also note the UT Arlington Honor Code.
I pledge, on my honor, to uphold UT Arlington’s tradition of
academic integrity, a tradition that values hard work and honest
effort in the pursuit of academic excellence. I promise that I
will submit only work that I personally create or contribute to
group collaborations, and I will appropriately reference any
work from other sources. I will follow the highest standards of
integrity and uphold the spirit of the Honor Code.
After reviewing the information above, view the video tutorial,
authored by the UTA library, on how to properly cite sources.
More on what constitutes plagiarism can be found online at the

8. Purdue OWL website.
· http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/1/
· http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/02/
· http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/03/
· http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/04/