NCSER What's New

New National Study on Alternate Assessment reports

8/5/2009

The National Center for Special Education Research released two reports from the National Study on Alternate Assessments (NSAA) entitled: NSAA: State Profiles on Alternate Assessments based on Alternate Achievement Standards(NSAA: State Profiles) and NSAA: National Profile on Alternate Assessments based on Alternate Achievement Standards (NSAA: National Profiles). The NSAA: State Profiles report describes individual state approaches to designing and administering alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards, key features of individual state alternate assessments, and student participation and performance data for each state for the 2006-2007 school year. The NSAA: National Profile report summarizes state data for the 2006-2007 school year.

New NCSER Publication: Facts from NLTS-2: Secondary School Experiences and Academic Performance of Students with Mental Retardation

7/29/2009

The report uses data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) to provide a national picture of the secondary school experiences and academic achievements of students with mental retardation who received special education services. The NLTS2, initiated in 2001 and funded by NCSER, has a nationally representative sample of more than 11,000 students with disabilities.

NCSER Announces FY 2009 Grant Awards

7/2/2009

The National Center for Special Education Research within the Institute of Education Sciences recently made 16 awards for the following FY 2009 programs: 14 in the Special Education Research Grants Program (CFDA 84.324A, Session 2); and 2 in the Postdoctral Research Training Program in Special Education (CFDA 84.324B).

Post-High School Outcomes of Youth with Disabilities up to 4 Years After High School

6/2/2009

NCSER has released the report, "Post-High School Outcomes of Youth with Disabilities up to 4 Years After High School." The report uses data from the third wave of data collection from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) to provide information on youth with disabilities who had been out of secondary school up to 4 years in several key domains, including: (1) postsecondary education enrollment and educational experiences; (2) employment status and characteristics of youth's current or most recent job; (3) productive engagement in school, work, or preparation for work; (4) household circumstance (e.g., residential independence; parenting; and aspects of their financial independence); and (5) social and community involvement. The NLTS2, initiated in 2001 and funded by NCSER, has a nationally representative sample of more than 11,000 students with disabilities.

IES has released the FY2010 Request For Applications (RFAs) for NCSER research and research training grant competitions

3/23/2009

IES has released the FY2010 Request For Applications (RFAs) for NCSER research and research training grant competitions. The three NCSER RFAs are: Special Education Research Grants (84.324A); Special Education Postdoctoral Research Training Program (84.324B); and Special Education Research and Development Center Program (84.324C). The RFAs are available at: http://ies.ed.gov/funding/

NCSER announces FY 2009 Awards

3/3/2009

NCSER made a series of new research program grant awards in March. A list of these awards is as follows:

Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education

Parent-Implemented Social-Pragmatic Communication Intervention for Young Children with Developmental Disabilities
Illinois State University, Hedda Meadan-Kaplansky

Development of a Three-tiered Model in Early Intervention to Address Language and Literacy Needs of Children at Risk
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Susan Sheridan

Efficacy Trial of Carescapes: Promoting Social Development in Home-based Child Care
Oregon Research Institute, Julie Rusby

Reading, Writing, and Language Development

Formative Assessment and Instrumentation Procedures for Reading
University of Minnesota, Theodore Christ

Using the International Classification of Function-Children & Youth to Guide Communication Instruction for Augmentative and Alternative Communication Users
Oregon Health & Science University, Charity Rowland

Mathematics and Science Education

Dynamic Assessment to Predict First Graders' Mathematics Development
Vanderbilt University, Lynn Fuchs

Foundations of Mathematical Understanding: Developing a Strategic Intervention on Whole Number Concepts
Pacific Institutes for Research, Scott Baker

Social and Behavior Outcomes to Support Learning

Parent Connectors: A Parent Support Program to Improve Outcomes for Students Who Have Emotional Disturbances
University of South Florida, Albert Duchnowski

Developing a School-based Social Competence Intervention (SCI)
University of Missouri, Janine Stichter

Development and Validation of Progress Monitoring Tools for Social Behavior
Louisiana State University, Frank Gresham

Ecological Approach to Family Intervention and Treatment (Eco-FIT) Integrated with PBS: An Effectiveness Trial in Middle School
Oregon Research Institute, John Seeley

Cognition and Student Learning in Special Education

Growth in Literacy, Language, and Cognition in Children with Reading Disabilities who are English Language Learners
University of California, Riverside, Lee Swanson

Strategy Training, Problem Solving, and Working Memory in Children with Math Disabilities
University of California, Riverside, Lee Swanson

Related Services

Language Growth and Therapy Characteristics for Early Elementary Students
The Ohio State University, Laura Justice

Write Start: Development of an Integrated Occupational Therapy Writing Intervention
The O

New PEELS report: The Early School Transitions and the Social Behavior of Children with Disabilities: Selected Findings from the Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study

2/25/2009

The National Center for Special Education Research has released the third major report from the Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study (PEELS) entitled, "The Early School Transitions and the Social Behavior of Children with Disabilities: Selected Findings from the Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study." This report describes changes in services and eligibility at times of transition, transitions into kindergarten, and social skills and problem behavior of young children with disabilities from 2003-04 to 2005-06.

Data Products From PEELS: CD-ROM Data Set Available for Waves 1-4

8/20/2008

NCSER has released a CD-ROM that contains documentation, an electronic codebook, and restricted-use data files for the first, second, third, and fourth waves of data collection for the Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study. Data from all the instruments used in the study, including surveys, questionnaires, and direct assessments, are provided in ASCII format. These CD-ROMS are only available to holders of restricted-used data licenses. Researchers interested in using the PEELS data may contact Celia Rosenquist for more information.

FY 2008 Awards, Second Phase, Awarded July 1, 2008

7/17/2008

NCSER made a series of new research grant awards in July.

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS

Efficacy and Sustainability of the Strategies for Teaching Based on Autism Research (STAR) Program
University of Pennsylvania, David Mandell

Development of an Intervention to Enhance the Social Competencies of Children with Asperger's/High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders
University of Buffalo, SUNY, Martin Volker

NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTERS

Center for Response to Intervention in Early Childhood
University of Kansas, Charles Greenwood and Judith Carta

Center on Serious Behavior Disorders at the Secondary Level
Lehigh University, Lee Kern

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH TRAINING

Postdoctoral Research Training Fellowship Program
University of Texas at Austin, Sharon Vaughn

Postdoctorate in Behavioral Education and Research
University of Connecticut, Sandra Chafouleas

Postdoctoral Methodological Training in Instruction, Reading, Math, and Cognition Research on Children At Risk for Learning Disabilities
University of California Riverside, H. Lee Swanson

VU Department of Special Education Postdoctoral Intervention Research Training Program
Vanderbilt University, Karen Harris

Georgia Measurement and Assessment Training–Postdoctoral Program
Georgia State University, Randy Kamphaus

RELATED SERVICES

Related Services Intervention for Expressive and Receptive Language Skills in Autism Spectrum Disorder and in Cognitive Impairment
Vanderbilt University, Stephen Camarata

RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION

Recognition and Response: A Response to Intervention Model for Early Childhood
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Virginia Buysse

Early Identification of Children with Reading Disabilities within an RTI Framework
University of Kansas, Hugh Catts

Online Teacher Training: Promoting Student Social Competence to Improve Academic and Behavioral Outcomes in Grades K-3
Iris Media, Inc., Brion Marquez

TRANSITION OUTCOMES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SECONDARY STUDENTS

Project READY: Research on Employability Skills for Adjudicated Youth with Disabilities

New PEELS report: Changes in the Characteristics, Services, and Performance of Preschoolers with Disabilities

6/10/2008

The National Center for Special Education Research within the Institute of Education Sciences has released the second major report from the Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study (PEELS) titled "Changes in the Characteristics, Services, and Performance of Preschoolers with Disabilities from 2003-04 to 2004-05: PEELS Wave 2 Overview Report." This report describes changes in disability status, changes over time in the special education and related services provided to preschoolers with disabilities, and changes in children's performance on a series of direct and indirect assessments.

New NCSER Report: Facts From NLTS2: Substance Use Among Young Adults With Disabilities

5/20/2008

The National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) within the Institute of Education Sciences has released "Facts From NLTS2: Substance Use Among Young Adults With Disabilities." The report uses data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) to answer questions about the use of alcohol, cigarettes and illegal drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and LSD among young adults with disabilities. The report compares substance use among this population with substance use in the general population, and compares different disability categories and demographic groups in substance use and in the receipt of substance abuse prevention education and services. The NLTS2, initiated in 2001 and funded by NCSER, has a nationally representative sample of more than 11,000 students with disabilities. For further information please contact David Malouf at 202-219-1309 or david.malouf@ed.gov.

Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study Data Analysis System

4/18/2008

The National Center for Special Education Research has released a dynamic web-based analysis system that allows the public to generate descriptive and inferential statistics using data from Waves 1 and 2 of the Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study (PEELS). The system includes over 1,000 variables related to child and family characteristics; special education programs and services; and academic, social, and functional performance for preschoolers with disabilities. Users may access the system at http://nces.ed.gov/dasolv2/tables/index.asp#early or http://nces.ed.gov/dasolv2/covariance/index.asp.

NCSER announces FY 2008 Awards

4/3/2008

NCSER made a series of new research program grant awards in March. A list of these awards is as follows:

EARLY INTERVENTION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION

A Randomized Efficacy Trial of the Kids in Transition to School (KITS) Program for Children with Developmental Disabilities and Behavioral Problems
Oregon Social Learning Center, Katherine Pears

Building Social Competence for School Success through a Continuum of Positive Behavior Supports (CPBS)
University of Virginia, Martha Snell

Establishing the Efficacy of the "Special Friends" Project
University of Illinois, Michaelene Ostrosky

Sit Together and Read: Early Childhood Special Education
Ohio State University, Laura Justice

MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

Math and Science Teaching that Promotes Clear Expectations and Real Learning across Years for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities
University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Diane Browder

Visualizing Science with Adapted Curriculum Enhancements (ACE)
Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning, Sheila Arens

READING, WRITING, AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

Project LIBERATE (Literacy Instruction Based on Evidence through Research for Adjudicated Teens to Excel)
Georgia State University, David Houchins

Spanish Screener for Language Impairment in Children (SSLIC)
Arizona State University, Maria Adelaida Restrepo

SERIOUS BEHAVIOR DISORDERS

Collaborative School-Home Behavioral Intervention for ADHD
University of California, San Francisco, Linda Pfiffner

Development of Universal, Selected, and Intensive Social Skills Intervention Programs
Louisiana State University and A&M College, Frank Gresham

Promoting Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Competence in Young High-Risk Children: A Preventative Classroom-Based Early Intervention Model
Virginia Commonwealth University, Maureen Conroy

IES releases RFA for an NCSER FY 2009 research training grant competition: Special Education Research Training Grants (84.324B)

3/20/2008

IES has released a funding announcement for the NCSER FY 2009 research training grant competition: Special Education Research Training Grants (84.324B).

IES releases the FY 2009 RFA for the Special Education Research program (84.324A)

2/29/2008

IES has released the FY 2009 funding announcement for the Special Education Research program (84.324A). The Special Education Research program covers 10 broad topics: (1) Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education; (2) Reading, Writing, and Language Development; (3) Mathematics and Science Education; (4) Social and Behavioral Outcomes to Support Learning; (5) Transition Outcomes for Special Education Secondary Students; (6) Cognition and Student Learning in Special Education; (7) Teacher Quality; (8) Related Services; (9) Systemic Interventions and Policies for Special Education; and (10) Autism Spectrum Disorders. The application deadlines are June 26, 2008, and October 2, 2008. The Request for Applications is available at http://ies.ed.gov/ncser/funding/.