| This study addresses the issue that No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) requires all students to perform at a level of proficient on state assessments. Although students with learning and intellectual disabilities have difficulty with written expression, they are expected to perform at the same level with no accommodations other than small group setting. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Fading Prompts through Graphic Organizers method (FPGO) for students with learning and intellectual disabilities in written expression as measured according to the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA). The researcher tested the differences between performance scores on the PSSA following FPGO treatment for students with learning and intellectual disabilities. This was investigated through a quantitative, quasi-experimental, single-group, pretest-posttest design. Forty-five students (N=45) enrolled in a rural school district in northwestern Pennsylvania who participated in the FPGO treatment in 8th or 11th grade for the 2003-2010 school years were included. Data analysis was conducted through the use of four dichotomies for percent differences. Through comparing pretests and posttests administered by the classroom teacher, the dichotomy resulted in FPGO making a 100% difference in passing the PSSA, or not passing the PSSA. The second dichotomy addressed the teacher administrated pretests and the state administered PSSA results and found that FPGO made a 96% difference in passing the PSSA, or not. The teacher administered posttest was then compared to the state administered PSSA results and found a 4% difference, which indicated rater reliability and generalization of the learned skills by the students to the actual PSSA. A dichotomy compared the PSSA state administered local results for the students that received FPGO to the average results of the entire state of Pennsylvania as administered by the state and found FPG0 made a 53.8% difference in passing the PSSA, or not for students with IEPs. This study needs to be replicated to address other geographical areas, ethnic groups, grade levels, and students without disabilities. It would be recommended to address outcomes of other researchers, compare learning disabilities and intellectual disabilities, and utilize a control group. |
