Week3 assignment Special Education Reform Essay View Rubric Due Date: Apr 13, 2016 23:59:59       Max Points: 100 Details: Using the GCU Library, locate five scholarly articles on changes and/or reforms in special education during the past 100 years. Review the Topic 3 Lecture for a description of what is considered a scholarly article. In a 750-1,000-word essay, compare and contrast the three most significant positive and negative changes in special education. Discuss the changes/reforms you think still need to be made. Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.  This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion. You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. EDU-535 Lecture 3 Learning How to Research Introduction In Topic 1, you learned about the importance of scholarship and a little about what it takes to transition from student to scholar. In this Topic, you will learn about the heart of scholarship: Research. Learning how to research is critical to your transition from student to scholar, because it is a significant component of how you master the knowledge in your field, which will in turn equip you to contribute to the improvement of practice in your field. Review the learning objectives for this Topic within the course syllabus and use the following lecture, which is about the role of research in scholarship, to accomplish them. What Do We Mean by Research? You may have used the term  research  in many different scenarios and settings. You may have had to research locations of companies offering a particular service you needed, or maybe you had to research different schools before deciding to enroll at GCU. The term research is often used loosely in informal settings to mean, as illustrated in the previous examples, the search for information −but what does research mean in an academic setting? What does research mean in graduate study? What does research mean to the aspiring scholar wishing to improve the field in which they work? According to  The Free Dictionary , researchis defined as "scholarly or scientific investigation or inquiry." A Google search defines  research  as "the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions." The first definition uses the term  scholarly,  which, as you learned in Topic 1, refers to a "learned person" who more than likely has mastered a particular discipline. The second definition mentions "the study of materials and sources." This could include people, theories, concepts, studies, and a variety of other sources. Both definitions mention "systematic or scientific investigation," which means an orderly and logical process that is carried out in the act of research. Analyzing both definitions sho.

1. Week3 assignment
Special Education Reform Essay
View Rubric
Due Date: Apr 13, 2016 23:59:59 Max Points: 100
Details:
Using the GCU Library, locate five scholarly articles on
changes and/or reforms in special education during the past 100
years.
Review the Topic 3 Lecture for a description of what is
considered a scholarly article.
In a 750-1,000-word essay, compare and contrast the three most
significant positive and negative changes in special education.
Discuss the changes/reforms you think still need to be made.
Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found
in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
An abstract is not required.
This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to
beginning the assignment to become familiar with the
expectations for successful completion.
You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin.

2. EDU-535 Lecture 3
Learning How to Research
Introduction
In Topic 1, you learned about the importance of scholarship and
a little about what it takes to transition from student to scholar.
In this Topic, you will learn about the heart of scholarship:
Research. Learning how to research is critical to your transition
from student to scholar, because it is a significant component of
how you master the knowledge in your field, which will in turn
equip you to contribute to the improvement of practice in your
field. Review the learning objectives for this Topic within the
course syllabus and use the following lecture, which is about
the role of research in scholarship, to accomplish them.
What Do We Mean by Research?
You may have used the term
research
in many different scenarios and settings. You may have had to
research locations of companies offering a particular service
you needed, or maybe you had to research different schools
before deciding to enroll at GCU. The term research is often
used loosely in informal settings to mean, as illustrated in the
previous examples,
the search for information
−but what does research mean in an academic setting? What
does research mean in graduate study? What does research mean
to the aspiring scholar wishing to improve the field in which
they work?
According to
The Free Dictionary
, researchis defined as "scholarly or scientific investigation or
inquiry." A Google search defines
research
as "the systematic investigation into and study of materials and
sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions."
The first definition uses the term

3. scholarly,
which, as you learned in Topic 1, refers to a "learned person"
who more than likely has mastered a particular discipline. The
second definition mentions "the study of materials and sources."
This could include people, theories, concepts, studies, and a
variety of other sources. Both definitions mention "systematic
or scientific investigation," which means an orderly and logical
process that is carried out in the act of research. Analyzing both
definitions should provide you with a better understanding of
what research means in an academic setting, and to your ability
to advance in your field by contributing to its improvement.
What Am I Researching For, Again?
Throughout your graduate study, you will learn to distinguish
between two types of published knowledge−scientific and
professional−and become familiar with sources that specialize
in each type of knowledge. Mastering both the scientific and
professional knowledge in your field is the first step in making
the transition from student to scholar.
Scientific and Professional Knowledge
Scientific knowledge is information or data that has been
scientifically tested to be applicable under specified
circumstances and constitutes the most reliable source for
solving problems and making decisions. Professional knowledge
is, typically, information or data gained by practitioners or
organizations and published because the knowledge was
believed to be applicable and useful to other practitioners or
organizations within the same field. Ultimately, the application
of both types of knowledge to your chosen field is the hallmark
of scholarship.
Main Sources of Scientific and Professional Knowledge
Scientific knowledge is disseminated primarily through peer-
reviewed scientific journals, also called academic or research
journals. Each field has its own recognized scientific journals,
where the most prestigious authors prefer to publish.
Submissions to such journals are selected for publications
through a blind review process based on systematic criteria that

4. are public domain.
Another source of scientific knowledge are academic publishers
that specialize in textbooks, collective volumes edited by
prestigious experts (often senior graduate faculty with
substantial research and publication experience), and treatises
on major topics authored by the top experts in the field. All
major publishers have their manuscripts reviewed by prestigious
experts in their field.
A third source of scientific knowledge includes papers
presented at academic conferences. Like journal articles,
conference papers are selected through a peer-review process.
The difference between the peer-review systems of academic
journals and academic conferences is that the former has a
relatively stable and prestigious review team that ensures
consistency across time and enforces agreed-upon high
standards, whereas the latter relies on scarce, occasional
volunteers who pick the targeted number of best available
papers out of the pool of submissions. Consequently, there is no
guarantee about the scientific quality of conference papers. This
explains why conferences have become springboards or first
stops for researchers whose final destination is an academic
journal. The conference reviewers' feedback and the questions
asked during the discussion following the presentation of a
paper are used by authors to prepare their articles for
submission to the appropriate journals.
A fourth source of scientific information includes theses and
dissertations, which most often rely entirely on scientific
sources. The research findings they present have to be
scrutinized very carefully for limitations and possible flaws,
because the only scholarly reviewers of each thesis or
dissertation are the members of the author's committee. The
quality of the knowledge contained within a thesis or
dissertation depends not only on the pooled expertise of
committee members, but also on the quality standards of the
university that granted the degree. Considering the variability
of standards across universities, the findings of graduate

5. research presented in theses and dissertations ought to be used
with great caution.
In addition to the layered sources of scientific knowledge, each
field has a growing amount of sources of professional
knowledge, which disseminates that knowledge in a variety of
formats and, generally, has fewer requirements and a more
flexible selection criterion. The preferred format is the
professional journal. Authors' access to professional
publications is governed by factors such as the prestige of the
author and/or the organizations they represent, the urgency and
importance of the issue to the target audience, the scope and
dollar value of potential practical applications of information
contained in the material, and the engaging quality of the
material (e.g., comprehensibility, human interest,
entertainment). Scientific quality rarely comes into play as a
selection criterion.
So What Does All of This Mean to Me?
As a graduate student, you will use scientific and professional
knowledge you gain through research in academic and
professional journals to:
· Support your communication efforts (writing
assignments, discussion question responses, etc.) to express
your understanding and achievement of course learning
objectives
· Demonstrate mastery of knowledge in your field
To successfully research academic and professional journals,
you must learn to navigate the GCU Library. Access to the GCU
Library is found under the "Resources" tab within your
LoudCloud classroom. For more information on how to
successfully navigate the GCU Library, complete the "Library
Walk Through" tutorial.
Review the resources posted by the Library for your program.
Conduct a keyword search using one of the Library databases or
ask a librarian for assistance.
When you locate a relevant and appropriate resource, an
effective way to locate additional resources is to look in the

6. resource section of the resource you found. There, you will find
references the author used to support their writing. You may
ask, "How do I know if the resource is an appropriate source for
use in my writing?" Visit the Cornell University Library for a
review of how to critically analyze information sources. Also,
complete the "Evaluating Websites" tutorial, located in the GCU
Library.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a vital component to be a successful
scholar, particularly regarding the use of academic resources.
The following explanation of what academic integrity means at
GCU, was taken from the GCU website:
Academic integrity is at the heart of GCU's values and is
integral to our university community. According to the Center
for Academic Integrity, there are five fundamental values that
are center to academic integrity: honesty, trust, fairness,
respect, and responsibility. Students who utilize the work of
others without proper citation or reference are in violation of
these values, and are committing academic dishonesty. Such
dishonesty not only discredits the student who is plagiarizing
the work of another, but also the university community as a
whole. At GCU, we encourage students to develop practices that
support academic integrity, such as independent learning,
developing study skills such as note-taking and time-
management, and respecting the ideas of others by utilizing
proper citations and references. It is the responsibility of all
GCU students to be familiar with the specific policies
pertaining to student conduct and academic integrity that are
outlined in the University Policy Handbook.
All students are expected to demonstrate a high standard of
conduct and academic integrity in the classroom. Visit the GCU
website to review Academic Integrity in the University Policy
Handbook, as well as policy violation examples of academic
dishonesty.
The instructor determines the in-class penalty for academic
dishonesty. An in-class penalty may include, but is not limited

7. to, rewriting the assignment or paper with or without point
deductions, or awarding no or limited points for a specific
assignment or paper. The instructor may request a University-
level penalty, which may include, but is not limited to,
awarding a failing grade for the course, removing a student
from class, academic suspension, or academic expulsion from
the University. An instructor may not prevent a student from
attending or completing a course, as this would be a University-
level decision. One of the most significant examples of
academic dishonesty is plagiarism.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is claiming credit for someone else's work or ideas.
Examples of plagiarism include:
· Creating documents or producing materials without
crediting the source.
· Presenting as new or original any idea or product from
an existing source.
· Paraphrasing or condensing ideas from another's source
without proper citation and referencing or primarily using other
sources for the content of a paper.
· Intentionally or unintentionally using the words,
works, or ideas of others and representing them as one's own in
any academic exercise.
· Wrongful use of electronically stored or transmitted
work.
As a GCU student, you are responsible for authenticating any
assignment submitted to an instructor. Proving that the
assignment submitted is actually your own work. This includes:
· Producing copies of sources that are cited or
referenced.
· Using Internet searches or Turnitin, if necessary.
· Being able to explain your work or process orally.
· Pass a quiz based on your submitted work.
· Knowing how to properly cite and reference
information sources.
· Knowing GCU's Code of Conduct, as stated in the

8. Academic Catalog and Student Handbook.
Penalties
As stated previously, the instructor determines the in-class
penalty for academic dishonesty. Depending on the amount,
severity, and frequency of the plagiarism that is committed,
students may receive in-class penalties that range from coaching
(for a very minor omission) to
zero credit for a specific assignment
, or even receiving a
failing grade in the class
. In addition, University-level penalties may occur up to and
including
suspension or expulsion from the University
.
Conclusion
This topic focused on the importance of research to your
transition from student to scholar and, ultimately, a master of
the knowledge base within your field. Up to this point, topics
covered have been general in nature and focused on knowledge
and skills you will need to be a successful graduate student at
GCU. In the final topic, you will learn about important
information regarding your specific college and program of
study.
References
Research. (n.d.). In The Free Dictionary online dictionary.
Retrieved from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/research
© 2014. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
Electronic Resource
1. Critically Analyzing Information Sources: Ten Things to
Look for When You Evaluate an Information Source
Read "Critically Analyzing Information Sources: Ten Things to
Look for When You Evaluate an Information Source," from the

9. Cornell University Library website.
http://guides.library.cornell.edu/criticallyanalyzing
2. Overview and Contradictions
Read "Overview and Contradictions," from the Purdue Online
Writing Lab website.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/
3. APA Style Guide
Review the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide,
which is located in the Student Success Center, to help you
prepare for the Educational Reform Essay.
4. Purdue Online Writing Lab
Review the Purdue Online Writing Lab to help you prepare for
the Educational Reform Essay.
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/
5. Library Walk Through
Watch the “Library Walk Through” tutorial, located in the GCU
Library.
http://tutorials.gcumedia.com/libraryWalkThrough/vp02.swf
6. Evaluating Websites
Watch the “Evaluating Websites” tutorial, located in the GCU
library.
http://tutorials.gcumedia.com/evaluatingWebTutorial/vp02.swf
7. Education LibGuide
Check the resources posted by the GCU Library for COE
programs.
http://libguides.gcu.edu/Education

10. 8. Education Database
Use the Education Database to assist you with your research.
http://library.gcu.edu/Database/Subject/Education
9. Ask a Librarian
Explore the “Ask A Librarian” page, located in the GCU
Library.
http://library.gcu.edu/AskALibrarian
Here the rubric on the assignment
1
No Evidence
0.00%
2
Nominal Evidence
69.00%
3
Unacceptable Evidence
74.00%
4
Acceptable Evidence
87.00%
5
Target Evidence
100.00%
100.0 %Criteria
35.0 %Compare and Contrast Positive and Negative Changes in
Education
No submission.
Essay has little or nothing to do with the positive and negative
changes in education.

11. Essay inadequately compares and contrasts positive and
negative changes in education and is overly simplistic. Few
details and/or examples are given.
Essay clearly compares and contrasts positive and negative
changes in education. It provides basic, appropriate supporting
details and/or examples.
Essay skillfully and convincingly compares and contrasts
positive and negative changes in education. It includes several
distinctive supporting details and/or examples.
35.0 %Discuss Changes and/or Reforms to Education
No submission.
Essay has little or nothing to do with changes/reforms to
education.
Inadequately discusses changes/reforms to education. Essay is
overly simplistic, and few details and/or examples are given.
Clearly discusses changes/reforms to education. Essay provides
basic, appropriate supporting details and/or examples.
Skillfully and convincingly discusses changes/reforms to
education. Essay includes several distinctive supporting details
and/or examples.
15.0 %Organization
No submission.
Statement of purpose is not justified by the conclusion.
Argument is illogical. Conclusion does not support the claims
made.
Purpose statement is vague, and claims do not thoroughly
support it. Argument and conclusion are orderly but present
unconvincing justification of claims.
Purpose statement and conclusion are clear. Argument shows
logical progression. There is a smooth progression of claims
from introduction to conclusion.
Purpose statement and related conclusion are clear and
convincing. Information is well organized and logical.
Argument presents a persuasive claim in a distinctive and

12. compelling manner.
10.0 %Research Citations
No submission.
Reference page includes errors and/or inconsistently used
citations. Sources are not credible.
Reference page lists sources used in the paper. Sources are
appropriate and documented, although errors are present.
In-text citations have few errors. References used are reliable,
and reference page lists all cited sources with few errors.
In-text citations and a reference page are complete and correct.
Sources are credible. The documentation of cited sources is free
of error.
5.0 %Mechanics
No submission.
Surface errors are pervasive enough that they impede
communication of meaning. Inappropriate word choice and/or
sentence construction are used.
Frequent and repetitive mechanical errors distract the reader.
Inconsistent language and/or word choice are present. Sentence
structure is lacking.
Prose is largely free of mechanical errors, although a few may
be present. The writer uses a variety of effective sentence
structures and figures of speech, as well as some practice and
content-related language.
Submission is nearly/completely free of mechanical errors and
has a clear, logical conceptual framework. Word choice reflects
well-developed use of practice and content-related language.
Sentence structures are varied and engaging.
100 %Total Weightage

13. Her is a sample how she wants it do
Special Education Reform
Student Name Here
Grand Canyon University
EDU 535
Kimber O. Underdown (Instructor)
July 20, 2015

14. Special Education Reform
Over the last 100 years there have been many different reforms
to the educational system. With these changes the country has
seen many positive changes and many negative changes due to
these reforms. Some of the most influential changes have
occurred because of No Child Left Behind, the Montessori
Movement, IDEA, The Technology Movement, and Inclusion.
This paper will address each of these and clarify the positive
changes, those that may not be positive, and what changes still
need to be made to bring America back to the forefront in the
world of education.
Positive Changes
The positive changes seen in the United States educational
system since these reforms have been put into place have made
a tremendous impact. With No Child Left Behind, the teachers
and the schools are being held at a higher quality of standards
to where educators and schools have to make sure that the
children are reaching the state’s goals (Aske, Connolly, &
Corman, 2013). This is a good thing because teachers are
required to ensure that they are being the best educators that
they can be; but also that they are trying to find different ways
to teach student, some that may be considered “outside the box”
in order to ensure that the students are grasping the concepts
being taught. Some of the biggest things NCLB did to impact
education include the assessment of student achievement; the
public being able to access information regarding student/school
performance (which increases public accountability); and laws
that provides parents with personal choice in the schools their
children attend (Aske, et al., 2013).
Another positive that has occurred in the education system is
with the Technology Movement and that with the technology the
students are learning new skills that they would not have

15. without the technology. “
Correspondingly, opportunities to learn and teach are expanded
far beyond what would have been possible without the current
revolution in technology” (
Flair, 2014, page 12).
The final positive thing that has come out of educational
reforms is with the Montessori Movement. The Montessori
Movement has made a major impact on how teachers are
trained. When teachers first started out teaching they did not
have any training, but once the Montessori Movement came
about the teachers were given training on how to create teacher
materials, and how to make things better for the students to
where they understood what they were learning (Kayili & Ari,
2011). “
The basis of the Montessori education is to make child
independent and prepare the most suitable environment to
support child's development”
(
Kayili, et al., 2011, pg. 2105
).
Negative Changes
With every change that happens in this world there are
always some drawbacks or negative repercussions. Within the
educational system there have been several in recent years.
With No Child Left Behind, the teachers are being held to a
higher standard and when they do not meet that standard they
are at risk of losing their jobs or at least losing some pay.
“According to NCLB, schools are expected to increase their
performance for all students on an annual basis” (Tavakolian &
Howell, 2012, pg. 72). This may seem entirely positive, but it
does not take into account the educators who are given high
case loads of students with special needs, English Language
Learning needs, behavior problems, or students with high
socioeconomic needs. These groups of students have historically
been lower performers and while they definitely need to be
taught and make progress, sometimes the progress made by

16. these students is seen in different ways that standardized testing
does not fully demonstrate (Tavakolian, et al., 2012).
Another negative aspect that has come to light with the
educational reforms is within the technology movement. The
technology movement, as it implies, uses technology, but some
may say is it too much and too often (Flair, 2014). Since
Americans rely on technology to function, teachers, as well as
students, may not know how to preform basic skills on their
own without it. “Another criticism of technology in education is
that technology may be hindering skill development among
school-aged children” (Chmiel, 2014, page 112).
The last negative thing that has come out of the above
mentioned educational reforms is within the Montessori
Movement itself. The Montessori Movement has made a major
impact on how teachers are trained, which is great. Teachers
were then trained on child development, teacher-created
materials, and standards that were more child-led. “
In keeping with this belief, the Montessori method emphasizes
sensory training and the use of didactic materials, learning
episodes, and physical exercises in a structured environment
” (Webb, Metha, & Jordan, 2013, pg.196). This may not seem
like a negative, but it can be construed as one since it requires a
high level of student motivation and does not take into account
the current standards all educators and students are being held
to; a sense of balance therefore needs to exist. Additionally, the
training is expensive and most schools require the teachers to
pay for their own training to be current in their practice (Webb
et al., 2013).
Reform
As mentioned above, many reforms have been made throughout
the years; not all have been positive and not all have been
negative and each tends to have both positive and negative
aspects. Future reforms are likely to incorporate more parent
choice, less reliance on strict standardized testing as a
reflection of a teacher’s or a school’s proficiency, and more

17. inclusion for students with various differences and diverse
abilities.
It is also likely that future reforms will allow more use of
technology in the classroom, focus on science, engineering,
technology, and math, and transition planning for children at a
younger age (Colvin, 2012).
In conclusion within the United States there have been many
positive changes as well as negative changes with regards to
educational reform. There will always be changes in the
education system, and teachers will need to follow the laws and
adapt to the changes, even if they do not always agree with
them. These changes that the top branches of government have
put into place are to benefit the students and provide them with
a quality education. While at times cumbersome, and sometimes
feeling overwhelming, these reforms are implemented for a
reason. One thing that does not change is the need for education
to continue to change; in doing so, students and educators are
able to keep up with the ever-changing global demands of the
world and its ever-changing economy. Only through reform will
today’s children become tomorrow’s world leaders.
References
Aske, D. R., Connolly, L.S., & Corman, R. R. (2013).

18. Accessibility or accountability? The rhetoric and reality of no
child left behind.
Journal of Economics & Economic Education Research, 14
(3), 107-118.
Chmiel, M. P. (2014). Education technology.
Salem Press Encyclopedia, 92
(3), 123-130.
Colvin, R. (2012). A rocky future for school reform.
Phi Delta Kappan, 94
(4), 66-67.
Kayili, G., & Ari, R. (2011). Examination of the effects of the
montessori method on preschool children's readiness to primary
education.
Educational Sciences: Theory And Practice
,
11
(4), 2104-2109.
Tavakolian, H., & Howell, N. (2012). The Impact of No Child
Left Behind Act.
Franklin Business & Law Journal,
(1), 70-77.
Webb, L. D., Metha, A., & Jordan, K. F. (2013).
Foundations of American education
(7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill