Date of Award
8-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
Education and Organizational Leadership Development
Committee Chair/Advisor
Dr. Brandi Hinnant-Crawford
Committee Member
Dr. Noelle Paufler
Committee Member
Dr. Pam Stecker
Committee Member
Dr. Amy Clausen
Abstract
Students with Disabilities (SWDs) are not making progress in reading, and this is a problem that occurs across the nation. The National Assessment of Educational Progress scores showed that students without disabilities are increasing in reading growth, while SWDs showed a decrease in reading (Stevens et al., 2024; Vaughn & Wanzek, 2014). On average, SWDs are about three years behind their peers in reading (Gilmour et al., 2015). All students, including those with disabilities, need to learn how to read because it leads to success in academics and future careers as an adult (Sullivan et al., 2016). If SWDs do not make progress in reading, it can lead to many deficits in the future, including continued low performance in reading in future grades (Kearns et al., 2018). Poor reading performance can also be linked to dropping out of high school, low pay in a future job, and unemployment, as well as obesity (Danielson & Rosenquist, 2014; Kearns et al., 2018). Data-based Individualization (DBI) is a research-based process that has shown to be successful for students receiving special education services (Bruhn et al., 2023; Filderman et al., 2018; Jung et al., 2018; Powell et al., 2022). It requires special education teachers to come up with an intervention, monitor progress, analyze data, collaborate with DBI team members, and come up with a plan to adjust instruction if needed so the student can be successful (Danielson & Rosenquist, 2014; Lemons et al., 2014; Kearns et al., 2018; NCII, n.d.). DBI is an ongoing process and may take many cycles and extra work but has shown to give impressive results to SWDs (Lemons et al., 2014). This study shows how a school in South Carolina uses DBI to help solve a problem, increasing reading performance for SWDs in the resource setting. Data involving reading performance, student confidence, and teacher mindset were studied and analyzed. Pre- and post-tests were given for reading performance and confidence, while a teacher focus group took place that analyzed teacher mindset towards teaching SWDs. Data from this study showed that DBI was successful in helping SWDs achieve reading success, as well as helping to shift the mindset and confidence for teachers when teaching SWDs in their general education classroom setting.
Recommended Citation
Hill, Jennifer J., "“They’re All Our Students!” Using Data-Based Individualization to Increase Reading Performance for Students With Disabilities in the Resource Setting" (2025). All Dissertations. 4002.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/4002