Examining the Relationship between Fidelity of Implementation of Accommodations for Students

169 Pages·2017·1.68 MB·English

Florida International University
FIU Digital Commons
FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations University Graduate School
3-22-2017
Examining the Relationship between Fidelity of
Implementation of Accommodations for Students
with Specific Learning Disabilities in Mathematics
and Student Achievement in High School Algebra I
Inclusion Classes
Belinda Baptiste
Florida International University, [email protected]
DOI:10.25148/etd.FIDC001739
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Recommended Citation
Baptiste, Belinda, "Examining the Relationship between Fidelity of Implementation of Accommodations for Students with Specific
Learning Disabilities in Mathematics and Student Achievement in High School Algebra I Inclusion Classes" (2017).FIU Electronic
Theses and Dissertations. 3258.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/3258
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FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Miami, Florida

EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FIDELITY OF
IMPLEMENTATION OF ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH
SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES IN MATHEMATICS AND STUDENT
ACHIEVEMENT IN HIGH SCHOOL ALGEBRA 1 INCLUSION CLASSES

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree of
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
in
EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT EDUCATION
by
Belinda B. Baptiste

2017
To: Dean Michael R. Heithaus
College of Arts, Science and Education

This dissertation, written by Belinda B. Baptiste, and entitled Examining the Relationship
between Fidelity of Implementation of Accommodations for Students with Specific
Learning Disabilities in Mathematics and Student Achievement in High School Algebra 1
Inclusion Classes, having been approved in respect to style, intellectual content, is
referred to you for judgment.
We have read this dissertation and recommended that it be approved.
____________________________________
Peter Cistone

____________________________________
Elizabeth Cramer

____________________________________
Maria Fernandez

____________________________________
Haiying Long

____________________________________
Linda P. Blanton, Major Professor

Date of Defense: March 22, 2017
This dissertation of Belinda B. Baptiste is approved.
____________________________________
Dean Michael R. Heithaus
College of Arts, Science & Education

____________________________________
Andrés G. Gil
Vice President for Research and Economic Development
and Dean of the University Graduate School

Florida International University, 2017
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DEDICATION
This dissertation is dedicated to my parents, Felix Emmanuel and Rita Ruby who
instilled in me the importance of a good education and for teaching me that with God all
things are possible. To my sister, Marva for her love and support throughout this journey
and to Dorothy Reid for her prayers and encouragement.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank God for giving me the persistence, strength, courage,
wisdom and ability to accomplish this undertaking. I have come this far by faith.
My sincere appreciation goes out to my major professor, Dr. Linda Blanton for
her inspiration and dedication to helping me throughout this process. Thank you Dr.
Blanton and Dr. Elizabeth Cramer for establishing Project EDUCATE, for opening this
door of opportunity and for believing in me. I am truly grateful for the encouragement
and support that you have given me throughout the years.
A special thank you to my committee members: Dr. Elizabeth Cramer, Dr.
Haying Long, Dr. Maria Fernandez and Dr. Peter Cistone for your interest, your time and
your assistance in very many ways. A special thank you also to Dr. Isadore Newman and
Dr. Linda Bliss for your time, attention and guidance during the Dissertation Boot Camp
sessions and the occasions when I met with you personally.
Thank you Laura Zamudio and Indira Gil, my peer observers. I could not have
accomplished this without your help. Thanks to the cohort members of Project
EDUCATE for your support especially Alexandre Lopes to whom I called upon on many
occasions and you were always willing to assist.
My sincere gratitude to Antoinette Reid for helping me through the review of the
literature, and to all of my other friends including Junette, Marva, Desmond, Debra and
Carol for rooting for me, catering to me, and for looking out for my well-being.

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ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION
EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FIDELITY OF
IMPLEMENTATION OF ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH
SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES IN MATHEMATICS AND STUDENT
ACHIEVEMENT IN HIGH SCHOOL ALGEBRA 1 INCLUSION CLASSES
by
Belinda B. Baptiste
Florida International University, 2017
Miami, Florida
Professor Linda P. Blanton, Major Professor
Students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) are educated in general
education classrooms. As a result, these students are faced with more challenging
instructional curricula. Although some students with SLD perform as well in
mathematics as students without disabilities, most perform below state standards despite
being provided instructional and testing accommodations. Policy makers have
envisioned the implementation of instructional accommodations as a primary means of
ensuring an appropriate education (Mcleskey, Hoppey, Williamson & Rentz, 2004;
Scalon & Baker, 2012) for students with disabilities in general education classrooms (Mc
Guire, Scott, & Shaw, 2006).
The researcher implemented a non-experimental ex post facto research design to
investigate the research hypothesis to determine the relationship between the five most
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frequently used accommodations by general education teachers who teach students with
SLD and student achievement in Algebra 1. At the beginning of the 2016 – 2017 school
year, the collection of data began by emailing the Qualtrics Survey Software (V.23) to
185 general education mathematics teachers in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Four
main instructional accommodation constructs were assessed using a 15-item
questionnaire. From the responses to the survey, the five of the most frequently used
accommodations were determined. Nine general education Algebra 1 teachers from six
high schools across the county who reported using similar accommodations and taught
three or more students with SLD in mathematics participated in the study. The researcher
and two peer researchers conducted in-class observations on the participants’ fidelity of
implementation of accommodations (FOI) using a checklist during the period in which
they taught students with SLD. An Algebra I test was used for pre- and post-testing to
determine student mathematics achievement.
The results of the survey indicated that teachers most frequently provided: (a)
sample problems of varying levels, (b) guides or prompts or personal (teacher/peer)
assistance, (c) extended access to instructional resources and equipment, (d) provided
preferential seating and (e) additional time to complete assignment or class projects.
Linear regression analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between teacher
FOI of accommodations and student achievement (p < .05).

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................1
Inclusive Education for Students with Disabilities ..................................................3
Historical Background of Inclusive Education ...........................................3
General Education Teachers Share Responsibilities in Inclusive
Education ....................................................................................................5
Inclusive Education in Secondary Schools .................................................6
Instructional Accommodations for Students with Learning Disabilities .................7
Instructional Accommodations in Mathematics .........................................8
Fidelity of Implementation of Accommodations ......................................10
Mathematics Outcomes for Students with Specific Learning Disabilities ............12
Theoretical Framework ..........................................................................................14
Purpose ...................................................................................................................16
Problem ..................................................................................................................18
Research Questions ................................................................................................18
Operational Definitions ..........................................................................................19

II. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE .......................................................................21
Difficulties Students with SLD Face in Mathematics............................................22
Algebra in High Schools for Students with SLD .......................................24
Comorbidity of Mathematics and Reading Disabilities .............................26
Mathematics Outcomes for Students with SLD.........................................32
Providing Access to the General Education Curriculum .......................................34
Interventions that Facilitate Access to Mathematics in the General
Education Curriculum……………………………………………………35
Instructional Practices and Accommodations ............................................36
Examples of Specific Accommodations ....................................................41
Fidelity of Implementation ....................................................................................44
Tying It Together ...................................................................................................49

III METHODS ............................................................................................................52
Research Questions ................................................................................................52
Research Design.....................................................................................................53
Predictor and Criterion Variables ..............................................................54
Phases of the Study ....................................................................................56
Setting ....................................................................................................................63
Participants .............................................................................................................64
Data Collection Procedures ....................................................................................66
Instruments .................................................................................................67
Validity of Instruments ..............................................................................70
Reliability ...................................................................................................72
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Quantitative Data Analysis ....................................................................................72
Summary ................................................................................................................75

IV RESULTS ..............................................................................................................77
Research Questions ................................................................................................77
Hypothesis..................................................................................................77
Descriptive Statistics ..............................................................................................78
Statistical Regression Assumptions .......................................................................83
Testing of Hypothesis ............................................................................................89
Summary ................................................................................................................97

V DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS .....................................................98
Limitations ...........................................................................................................102
Recommendations for Future Research ...............................................................104
Implications..........................................................................................................105
Summary ..............................................................................................................107

REFERENCES ....................................................................................................109

APPENDICES .....................................................................................................125

VITA ....................................................................................................................158

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LIST OF TABLES

TABLE PAGE

1 Phases of the Research ...........................................................................................56
2 Timeline for Phases of the Research .....................................................................62
3 Demographics of Participating Schools .................................................................64
4 Demographics of Participants ................................................................................65
5 Survey Data on Accommodations .........................................................................80
6 Descriptions and Data on High Frequency Accommodations ...............................82
7 Data on Predictor Variables and Teacher Fidelity of Implementation ..................92
8 Descriptive Statistics ..............................................................................................93
9 Summary of Teacher and Tests Data ....................................................................94
10 ANOVA ................................................................................................................94
11 Coefficients ............................................................................................................95
12 Confidence Interval for the Slope ..........................................................................95
13 Correlations ............................................................................................................96
14 Model Summary.....................................................................................................96

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