Date Approved

8-5-2025

Graduate Degree Type

Project

Degree Name

Education-Instruction and Curriculum: Early Childhood Education (M.Ed.)

Degree Program

College of Education

First Advisor

Dr. Sherie Klee

Second Advisor

Dr. Kathryn Ohle

Academic Year

2024/2025

Abstract

Many young elementary students with disabilities often experience difficulty maintaining engagement in their learning and managing their emotions in general education classrooms. These challenges can have a negative influence on their ability to interact with their peers, develop foundational academic skills, and feel a sense of belonging. At the same time, many general educators report a lack of effective training, strategies, and confidence in implementing supports to students with disabilities, particularly in the areas of self-regulation and engagement. This project responds to this issue through the creation of a visual support toolkit developed for use in inclusive early elementary classrooms. The research reviewed in this project highlights the consistent lack of teacher training in inclusive practices for students with disabilities, barriers to implementing supports, and systemic issues with implementation fidelity. The project components included in this project were developed to respond to the realities that exist in general education classrooms and are supported by research in special education, inclusive education, and evidence-based practices. The toolkit is grounded in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and supported by both Bandura’s Social Learning Theory and Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory. Each element included in the product is designed to be practical, easy to implement into classroom routines, and adaptable to suit individual student needs. Evaluation of this project will consist of teacher reflection and observation data logs which allows general educators to document implementation fidelity. Conclusions drawn from the research suggest that visual supports not only can enhance student outcomes, but can also improve inclusivity in the classroom.

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