title: effective itinerant teaching: child x instruction...
TRANSCRIPT
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
Title: EFFECTIVE ITINERANT TEACHING: CHILD X INSTRUCTION FACTORS WITH
STUDENTS WHO ARE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING
RFA Topic: Professional Development for Teachers and Related Service Providers (84.324A)
Goal: Exploration
Purpose of the Project: The purpose of this project is to determine the extent to which identified
malleable factors that contribute to (or mediate) effective reading instruction are present for students
who are DHH placed in general education settings and taught by itinerant teachers. Through this
exploration, researchers will corroborate previous findings that specific instructional mediators have a
direct effect on student reading achievement and subsequently design appropriate interventions and
professional development opportunities to improve these outcomes.
Research Setting: Research will be conducted in large urban school districts throughout the state of
Arizona. School districts in the greater Phoenix and Tucson areas have served a diverse population of
students, both culturally and economically. To broaden the pool from which to choose students,
districts with 6 or more DHH students in grade 4 who receive one-to-one support for reading
instruction with an itinerant teacher will be considered for this study.
Sample Description: Student participants will be selected based on the following criteria: have a
moderate to severe hearing loss, are in grade 4, are 1-2 years below grade level in reading, and receive
at least two hours per week of pull-out/one-to-one reading instruction with an itinerant teacher.
Teacher participants with at least five years of experience as an itinerant teacher will be considered for
this study.
Primary Research Method: The research team will study typical literacy instructional practices of
itinerant teachers of students who are DHH based on the Individualizing Student Instruction (ISI)
Classroom Observation System. Mixed methods will be used to determine the extent to which
identified malleable factors mediate between reading instruction and student outcomes for itinerant
teachers of students who are DHH. First, itinerant teachers will be interviewed to investigate how they
determine their instructional effectiveness. Next, descriptive statistics will be used to report typical
instructional practices and Child X Instruction factors that have been found to improve literacy
outcomes for students with normal hearing. And finally, correlational analyses will be completed to
determine if the Child X Instruction factors found to be effective for normal hearing children in general
education settings are also effective with DHH students taught by itinerant teachers, or if any
additional factors are present.
Measures and Key Outcomes: The ISI Classroom Observation System has been used to determine
key Child X Instruction factors that affect literacy outcomes for students with normal hearing
(Connor, et al., 2009). By using and adapting the ISI codes to fit the instructional circumstances of
itinerant teaching, we can measure the presence or absence of effective instructional factors
(mediators) can be measured. The subsequent professional development that occurs in conjunction
with the observation system (use of the Assessment-to-Instruction software) has been shown to have a
positive effect on student reading achievement (Connor, et al., 2009). The long-term outcome of the
study will be a reduction in the amount of time that DHH students need to spend outside of their
general education classes for reading support with an itinerant teacher.
Data Analytic Strategy: The interview data will be compiled and analyzed to search for categories
and themes according to the research questions and theoretical framework. Constant comparative
analysis will be used to narrow data into patterns and themes. Descriptive statistics will be used to
report the amount and type of literacy instruction DHH students typically receive from their itinerant
teachers. Analysis of covariates will be conducted to determine the relationship between the Child X
Instruction factors and student reading achievement.
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
Logic Model for EFFECTIVE ITINERANT TEACHING: CHILD X INSTRUCTION FACTORS WITH STUDENTS WHO ARE DEAF
AND HARD OF HEARING
Input Short-term
Outcomes
Intermediate
Outcomes Long-term
Outcomes Activities
Itinerant teachers
of students who are Deaf and Hard
of Hearing
(DHH).
Students who are
DHH in grades 1-
3 and who receive
pull-out services
for literacy needs.
Local Education
Agency and school personnel.
Primary
investigator and
research
assistants.
Adapted
Individualizing
Student
Instruction (ISI) Classroom
Observation
System.
Interview itinerant
teachers about the
ways they track
their instructional
effectiveness.
Assess DHH
students’ literacy
skills at the
beginning of the
school year and
end of the school
year.
Video-record
typical literacy
instruction between itinerant
teachers and their
DHH students.
Use the ISI
Observation
System to code
instruction.
Analyze the
correlation
between typical itinerant
instruction and
student literacy
outcomes.
Better understand
the typical
instructional
practices of
itinerant teachers
of DHH students.
Determine the
instructional
practices of
itinerant teachers
that lead to greater
student outcomes
in literacy.
Provide
professional
development to
itinerant teachers in the most
effective
instructional
practices.
Increased itinerant teacher awareness
of the
effectiveness of
their instruction.
More effective
and precise
instructional
planning and
delivery for
itinerant teachers.
Increased student
time on task and
progress toward
IEP goals during
pull-out
instructional
services.
Decrease in amount of time
DHH students are
pulled from their
general education
classes for literacy
services.
Increased number
of DHH students
functioning on
grade level within the general
education
curriculum.
Increased
instructional
effectiveness for
itinerant teachers.
Increased literacy
skills for DHH
students.
Outputs
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
Special Education Research Grant for the Topic of Professional Development for Teachers and
Related Services Providers
EFFECTIVE ITINERANT TEACHING: CHILD X INSTRUCTION FACTORS WITH
STUDENTS WHO ARE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING
SIGNIFICANCE
Aims and Research Questions. The purpose of this grant project is to identify the malleable factors
that affect reading instruction for students who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH), placed in general
education settings, and served by itinerant teachers. Through this exploration, the research team will
find those instructional factors that have a direct effect on DHH student reading achievement and
subsequently design appropriate interventions and professional development opportunities to improve
these outcomes. The following questions will drive this study: (a) How do itinerant teachers of the
DHH perceive the effectiveness of their direct educational service time with student achievement in the
general education curriculum? (b) How do itinerant teachers of students who are DHH monitor the
effectiveness of their instruction? (c) What is the nature and variability in the amount and type of
reading instruction and non-instruction DHH students experience during one-to-one service time with
an itinerant teacher? (d) How do malleable factors of instruction and student management affect DHH
students’ reading development?
Description of Malleable Factors. The language and literacy needs of children who are DHH are
well documented (Marschark, 2007). Yet despite decades of efforts to determine the best literacy
interventions for this population, children who are DHH continue to lag behind their normal hearing
peers in this area (Traxler, 2000). Most studies about teaching students who are DHH focus on
students who are placed in special schools for the deaf; the students served in these schools are
primarily profoundly deaf and use a manual mode of communication. However, the National Center
for Education Statistics (2011) has reported that 86% of all DHH students were served in general
education settings with special classes or resource classroom support during the 2008-09 school year.
With so many students who are DHH receiving services in general education settings, the itinerant
teachers who support them must be well-equipped to provide effective instruction.
Itinerant teachers of the DHH have helped to support students in general education settings
with direct support services or consultation services with their classroom teachers (Foster & Cue,
2009). Researchers have found that itinerant teachers’ caseloads typically spanned several schools and
included a variety of students with unique needs. Itinerant teaching services for students who are DHH
allow for individualization of students’ instruction outside of the general education classroom, while
still allowing students to participate along with their general education peers. However, no studies
have been conducted to determine the efficacy of the itinerant model for students who are DHH, nor
have studies been conducted to determine the most effective instructional strategies for use during pull-
out/one-to-one service time with students who are DHH. Studies of itinerant teaching for students who
are DHH have been limited to examining the roles and responsibilities of these teachers, as well as
typical characteristics of an effective itinerant teacher (Yarger & Luckner, 1999; Luckner & Howell,
2002; Foster & Cue).
Malleable factors pertaining to effective teaching in general education settings are well
documented (Connor, Morrison, Fishman, et.al., 2011; Connor, Morrison & Katch, 2004).
Researchers have used a variety of classroom observation tools to investigate how students interact
with instruction and what type of instructional practices yield the most benefits to student achievement
(Connor, Morrison, & Petrella, 2004; Connor, Morrison, & Slominski, 2006; Foorman, Francis,
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Grant Proposal
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Fletcher, Schatschneider, & Mehta, 1998; Juel & Minden-Cupp, 2000). The Individualizing Student
Instruction (ISI) Observation System is an instrument developed to track such interactions. Through
the use of this instrument, researchers found that the following specific Child by Instruction factors
lead to the greatest gains in student reading achievement: management (who is managing the
instruction), context (whole class, small group, or individual instruction), and content (intended
purpose of the instruction) (Connor, et al., 2009). In previous studies researchers have achieved strong
reliability on the coding system used in the ISI; average Cohen’s kappa = .80 (Connor, et al.). Through
the use of the ISI Observation System researchers have found that when instruction is intentionally
planned to accommodate individual differences, students’ assessed skills, and students’ changing
cognitive, behavioral, and social-emotional status it is more effective than global or intuitive
instruction (Connor, et al.).
THEORETICAL AND EMPIRICAL RATIONALE
Theoretical Rationale. In his ecological systems model Bronfenbrenner (1986) theorized that there
are many distal/external factors, such as a child’s family, friends, and city in which he/she was born,
that influence a child’s development. Using this model, the researchers contend that the school
represents a proximal factor that will influence a child’s learning. The researchers posit that the many
ways in which a child interacts with his/her learning environment will affect his/her academic
development. Specifically, the researchers will explore the instructional management, context, and
content that an itinerant teacher uses in the learning environment that influence a DHH student’s
reading development. Using the ISI Observation System, researchers can better understand those
proximal instructional factors that have a direct effect on reading outcomes for students who are DHH.
Empirical Rationale. Researchers have conducted several studies about itinerant teachers of students
who are DHH. Researchers have primarily used qualitative designs to determine the roles and
responsibilities of itinerant teachers and develop a composite of an effective itinerant teacher of
students who are DHH (Antia, 1999; Kluwin et al., 2004; Yarger & Luckner, 1999). In these studies,
researchers identified facilitators and barriers to effectiveness, but none of them explored the
relationship between itinerant teacher services with students who are DHH and their progress in the
general education classroom. One of the primary purposes of special education is to support student
progress through the general education curriculum. To study the efficacy of the itinerant model, a
determination of ways itinerant teachers of students who are DHH collaborate with general education
teachers and determine the effectiveness of their services must be made.
Researchers have used a variety of classroom observation tools to investigate how students
interact with instruction and what type of instructional practices yield the most benefits to student
achievement (Connor, Morrison, & Petrella, 2004; Connor, Morrison, & Slominski, 2006; Foorman,
Francis, Fletcher, Schatschneider, & Mehta, 1998; Juel & Minden-Cupp, 2000). The Individualizing
Student Instruction (ISI) Observation System is an instrument developed to track such interactions.
Through the use of this instrument, researchers found that the following specific Child by Instruction
factors lead to the greatest gains in student reading achievement: management (who is managing the
instruction), context (whole class, small group, or individual instruction), and content (intended
purpose of the instruction) (Connor, et al., 2009). During several recent studies researchers found a
connection between these malleable factors and student literacy outcomes for students with normal
hearing (Connor, Morrison, & Katch, 2004; Connor, et al. 2007). However, no such studies exist for
itinerant teachers of students who are DHH. In addition, no studies have been conducted to determine
the similarities and differences between effective itinerant teacher instructional practices and general
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Grant Proposal
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education teacher instructional practices. To determine the efficacy of the itinerant model, these
similarities and differences must be parsed out.
By using the ISI Observation System with itinerant teachers of students who are DHH, those
factors that make pull-out/one-to-one instruction more efficient and effective can be explored. Based
on the Child X Instruction factors researchers found with the ISI Observation System, they developed
the Assessment to Instruction (A2i) software and intervention. The researchers developed the
software, and accompanying professional development, to provide instructional recommendations and
planning strategies for teachers to individualize instruction in a classroom setting with general
education students (Connor, et al., 2009). Researchers studied the A2i intervention to test the effects
of the recommendations on student reading achievement and to further determine the integrity of the
ISI Observation System. In a series of randomized control trial studies researchers found a significant
positive effect on reading comprehension with students in the treatment classrooms when compared
with control classrooms (Connor, Piasta, Fishman, et al., 2009). In addition, previous ISI/A2i studies
have shown that small group instruction is more effective than large group instruction (Connor,
Morrison, & Slominski, 2006). The one-to-one instruction that an itinerant teacher provides fits this
framework perfectly. After itinerant teachers evaluate their DHH students using a specified series of
assessments, the ISI/A2i intervention will provide recommendations for the management and content
of instruction that could maximize the benefit of literacy instruction for each student. Subsequent
professional development in the use of the ISI/A2i intervention after the exploratory study will provide
itinerant teachers with tools to use immediately to improve individual student instruction. Through an
exploratory study the researchers will determine if the Child X Instruction factors on which A2i is
based are also relevant to an itinerant teaching setting. The software and professional development for
teachers will be adjusted according to any differences found in the itinerant (one-to-one) instructional
setting compared to a general education (classroom) setting.
Rationale for Exploratory Study. Through an Exploration study, as opposed to an
Efficacy/Replication study, the efficacy of the ISI intervention for use by itinerant teachers with
students who are DHH can be determined. Researchers have studied the effects of the ISI intervention
in general education settings with typically developing students and their teachers in grades K – 3.
Because the ISI intervention has never been used with special education students or teachers, an
Exploration study is necessary to first determine if the malleable factors found to exist with normal
hearing students in general education classrooms also exist with DHH students during itinerant teacher
services. Mediators such as the specialized setting and unique language and literacy needs of students
who are DHH must be explored with moderators such as itinerant teacher management style and
instructional focus.
Effective instruction with normal hearing children is a well-studied topic. However, the ISI
Observation System is the first to provide a way for the researcher to be “in” the classroom along with
teachers and students to study the dynamic and specific factors that influence student achievement
(Connor, et al.). Through video/audiorecording classroom instruction (three times over the course of
the school year) and coding the data at a later date using a specialized software package, such as
Noldus Observer Pro, researchers were able to more precisely study the malleable factors that affected
literacy instruction and the effectiveness of the ISI intervention with normal hearing students. The ISI
intervention has allowed researchers to determine why students sitting in the same classroom,
receiving the same instruction from the same teacher, do not develop at the same rate. By exploring its
use with a variety of DHH students engaged in typical instruction from an itinerant teacher, the
efficacy of the ISI intervention as well as the itinerant model can be investigated.
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Practical Importance. The ISI/A2i intervention is not yet widely used among general education
teachers, and studies regarding its use are limited. However, the quality of the studies so far show
promise with the intervention and the software for teacher use. A study such as the one proposed in
this grant application will add to the existing research on the ISI Observation System and subsequently
the ISI/A2i intervention, as well as the larger body of studies on effective instruction. Finding a way
for itinerant teachers to create more purposeful instruction and make the most out of the limited time
they have with students would have a significant practical impact on the field. By having participants
from a low incidence disability population and in a specialized field of instruction, this study will add
to the evidence base for this intervention and for this population.
Summary. In cooperation with Local Education Agencies, itinerant teachers of the DHH, and
students who are DHH and their families, researchers will explore the use of the ISI Observation
System to determine if malleable factors previously found to be present with normal hearing students
in general education classrooms are also present with DHH student during instruction with an itinerant
teacher. The results of this study can lead to the full implementation of the ISI/A2i intervention that
will provide itinerant teachers with instructional recommendations to improve literacy support services
to DHH students. By first identifying the malleable factors that contribute to itinerant teacher
instructional effectiveness, the efficacy of the itinerant model can be explored. Providing teachers with
subsequent professional development will help them monitor their instructional effectiveness and will
increase student time on task during pull-out/one-to-one instruction. Through this professional
development opportunity, teachers can help DHH students regulate their own learning and experience
more success during literacy instruction both with the itinerant teacher and in their general education
classrooms. Ultimately, this exploratory study will lead to a decrease in the amount of time DHH
students are pulled from their general education classrooms and an increase in the number of DHH
students performing at grade level in the general education curriculum.
RESEARCH PLAN
Research Design Mixed methods will be used to explore the effectiveness of itinerant teachers
providing literacy support to students who are DHH. First, phenomenological interviews will be
conducted to explore how itinerant teachers perceive and monitor their effectiveness with DHH
students. Then, ANCOVA and descriptive statistics will be used to explore and compare the presence
of Child X Instruction factors with itinerant teachers supporting DHH students and those factors
previously found to be effective with normal hearing students in general education classes. Finally,
Pearson’s correlation coefficient will be calculated to determine if the Child X Instruction factors
found to be present with those students who make greater gains in literacy are related to the gains.
Research Question 1 and 2. The first and second research questions the research team will answer
are (a) How do itinerant teachers of the DHH perceive the effectiveness of their direct educational
service time with student achievement in the general education curriculum? and (b) How do itinerant
teachers of students who are DHH monitor the effectiveness of their instruction?. To answer these
questions an in-depth phenomenological interviewing process will be conducted with each itinerant
teacher. A phenomenological interview is used when the researcher seeks to understand a concept or
phenomenon shared among individuals (Marshall & Rossman, 2011). Researchers will interview
itinerant teachers to better understand the ways they determine and perceive the effectiveness of their
literacy instruction with their DHH students. The interviews will be scheduled 3-7 days apart with
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Grant Proposal
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each itinerant teacher. In this way the teachers will have some time between each interview to
consider their responses but not lose sight of the purpose of the interviews (Seidman, 2006). Each
interview will last about 45 minutes, but a 90-minute window will be scheduled to ensure ample time
is given to the interviewee. Interviews will take place at a public place of the itinerant teacher’s
choosing, within reason, and attempts will be made to minimize distractions (i.e. at the itinerant
teacher’s last school of the day).
Research Questions 3. The third research question the research team will answer is, What is the
nature and variability in the amount and type of reading instruction and non-instruction DHH students
experience during one-to-one service time with an itinerant teacher?). To answer this question an
ANCOVA and descriptive statistics will be used to report the degree to which teachers use previously
identified effective Child X Instructional factors during reading instruction with their DHH students.
Individual reading instruction between an itinerant teacher and a DHH student will be recorded and
coded for the malleable factors previously found to have an effect on student reading outcomes. In
addition, new Child X Instructional factors that may be unique to itinerant teaching and/or students
with moderate to severe hearing loss will be identified. The purpose will be to determine the amount
and types of instruction DHH students receive from itinerant teachers and characteristics of typical
itinerant reading instruction.
Research Question 4. The fourth research question the research team will answer is, How do
malleable factors of instruction and student management affect DHH students’ reading development?).
To answer this question a Pearson’s correlation coefficient will be calculated to determine the reading
gains DHH students experience as a function of Child X Instruction factors. Based on previous
research (Connor, et al.), the moderators may include management factors (teacher-student managed or
student-managed instruction) and content factors (meaning-focused and code-focused instruction). By
using Pearson’s correlation coefficient researchers will be able to find the extent to which improved
student reading outcomes are related to these mediators.
Sample and Setting
Research Setting: Research will be conducted in urban school districts throughout the state of
Arizona. To obtain a large enough sample size, school districts will be chosen according to the
number of DHH students in the district in grade 4 who receive pull-out/one-to-one support for reading
instruction with an itinerant teacher. By having school districts from varied geographic locations
within the state of Arizona the researchers will be able to identify area specific patterns.
Sample Description: The National Center for Education Statistics (2011) has reported that 86% of all
DHH students were served in general education settings with special classes or resource classroom
support during the 2008-09 school year. Regardless of placement and despite decades of efforts to
determine the best literacy interventions for this population, children who are DHH continue to lag
behind their normal hearing peers in this area; reading at an average 4th grade level by graduation from
high school (Traxler, 2000). For this grant project, teacher participants will be selected based on the
reading needs of the DHH students they serve (i.e. 1-2 years below grade level reading skills) and their
years of experience as an itinerant teacher. Teachers with a minimum of five years of itinerant
teaching experience will be considered for this study. Itinerant teachers with at least five years of
experience have had the opportunity to teach a variety of students, try several different instructional
strategies, and have extensive experience developing Individual Education Programs (IEPs) for their
students. After initial selection, final inclusion criteria will be based on the individual teacher’s current
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Grant Proposal
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caseload. For final inclusion the itinerant teacher must provide support services for the following type
of DHH student: has a mild-moderate hearing loss, uses spoken language as primary mode of
communication, is 1-2 years below grade level in reading, and receives at least two hours per week of
pull-out/one-to-one reading instruction with an itinerant teacher. The determination of the extent to
which students fit these criteria will be based on the teacher interview, standardized testing, and
examination of student educational records, including the most current Multidisciplinary Evaluation
Team report (MET) and IEP. Between 20 and 25 itinerant teachers will be recruited for this study.
Measures
Phenomenological Interviews. The first interview will serve to gather demographic and contextual
information about the participants, such as educational background, years of itinerant teaching
experience, knowledge and training in literacy instruction, and current job-related information such as
caseload size and weekly schedules. During the first interview researchers also will ask each teacher to
describe how he/she became an itinerant teacher and what life experiences led to their work in the field
of special education for students who are DHH. The purpose of the second interview will be to gather
more concrete details about the itinerant teachers’ experiences with their current students (Seidman,
2006). For the second interview researchers will ask a series of questions to answer the first two
research questions about effective literacy instruction. Questions will be related to relationships with
general education teachers, progress monitoring methods, literacy instruction methods, and
professional development experiences and needs (see Appendix A , for interview questions). During
the third interview researchers will ask the itinerant teachers to revisit and reflect on the responses they
provided in the first two interviews, particularly the second interview. Researchers will have time
between the second and third interviews to begin initial analysis of the responses, and will formulate
specific follow-up questions from this analysis. Clarifying questions related to collaboration with
general education staff, ways in which itinerant teachers monitor student progress, and perceived
effectiveness of instructional practices will be asked as needed.
The Individualizing Student Instruction Classroom Observation and Coding System (ISI) was
developed at the Florida Center for Reading Research. Using the ISI Observation System researchers
will code the notable dimensions of instruction. The system is founded in ecological and transactional
views of child development (Connor, Morrison, et al., 2009). The ISI system has been used to
investigate the interaction of multiple factors that affect student outcomes, with the three primary
dimensions being student characteristics, classroom environment characteristics, and instructional
characteristics. Using the Noldus Observer Pro to assist with coding and data collection, researchers in
previous studies have reached acceptable levels of reliability, averaging a Cohen’s kappa mean of .80
(Connor, Morrison, et al.; Connor, Piasta, et al., 2004). When the ISI is used along with the
Assessment-to-Instruction (A2i) software, the results of the ISI coding have shown to be valid
predictors of strong end-of-year literacy outcomes for hearing students if teachers adhere to the
instructional and time recommendations. Connor et al. (2009) found the correlational coefficient
highest for teacher/child managed meaning focused instruction, TCM-MF coefficient = 0.361 for
Spring letter-word scores and 0.314 for Spring passage comprehension scores.
The Woodcock-Johnson Test of Achievement III (WJ-III) is a psychometrically strong assessment
that is used commonly in schools and for research. Validity for the WJAT-III was obtained with 8,800
students in grades K-12 from 100 geographically different communities. Reliability was strong, with a
Cohen’s kappa mean of .80 or higher (Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather, 2007). The WJ-III was co-
normed along with the Woodcock-Johnson Cognitive battery with the same sample of students and
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Grant Proposal
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each assessment was found to be highly accurate and valid (Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather). Students
will be assessed using specific subtests of the WJ based on each student’s identified need in reading as
indicated on his/her IEP. Possible subtests include the following: the Letter-Word Identification Test
will be used to assess children’s ability to name and decode increasingly difficult letters and words out
of context, the Passage Comprehension Test will be used to assess students’ abilities to complete a
cloze procedure in which students must demonstrate passage comprehension by supplying a missing
word(s), and The Picture Vocabulary Test will assess students’ ability to name pictures on increasingly
unfamiliar vocabulary to demonstrate their expressive vocabulary abilities. Students will be tested at
the beginning of the school year prior to video/audiorecording instruction and at the end of the school
year after video/audiorecording instruction.
Recording Instruction: Pull-out/one-to-one instruction will be recorded via videotape three times
during the school year (fall, winter and spring). Recorded instruction will yield valid and reliable data
according to previous studies done with hearing children (Connor, et al., 2009).
Data Analysis
Interview data will be compiled and analyzed to search for categories and themes according to the
research questions and theoretical framework (Marshall & Rossman, 2011). Teacher interviews will
be transcribed verbatim and analyzed and coded using NVIVO 10. Interrater reliability will be
measured by randomly selecting 20% of the videos, which will be coded by two additional coders
outside of the research team. The goal for interrater agreement will be 90%. Constant comparative
analysis will be used to narrow data into patterns and themes. By using phenomenological interviews
to gather information about itinerant teacher perceptions of effectiveness, researchers will lay the
foundation for the data-driven study to follow. The interviews will provide the framework for
understanding the instructional choices that itinerant teachers make during their one-to-one instruction
with DHH students.
Video/audiorecording of instruction will be coded using a specialized software package, such as
Noldus Observer Pro. The ISI codes will be adapted to fit the one-to-one instructional situation
provided by itinerant teachers. For example, one component of the ISI system is tracking the grouping
context of instruction. This component will be eliminated because most, if not all, itinerant instruction
occurs in one-to-one settings and only one-to-one instruction will be included in this study. With this
adaptation, video/audiorecorded instruction will be coded for the amount of time itinerant teachers
spend in teacher-managed or child-managed instruction and meaning focused or code-focused
instruction. In addition, the amount of time itinerant teachers spend providing reading instruction
across content areas (i.e. phonological awareness, fluency, and oral language) will be measured.
ANCOVA and descriptive statistics will be used to report the degree to which teachers use previously
identified effective Child X Instructional factors during reading instruction with their DHH students.
By using ANCOVA the researchers will be able to determine the impact that itinerant teacher
instruction has on students’ overall reading achievement compared to the students’ general education
teacher(s). Once the Child X Instructional factors are identified, Pearson’s correlational coefficient
will be applied to determine which factors have the greatest impact on DHH students’ reading
achievement. While instruction with each student/teacher dyad will be analyzed, data will be
aggregated for final analyses. In this way excluded cases and missing data will have no impact on the
final reporting of results. In addition, a sensitivity test is unnecessary as the researchers are only
studying the current state of itinerant teaching with students who are DHH; the research itself should
have no influence on the results.
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Grant Proposal
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MANAGEMENT
At the beginning of the grant the research team will review the grant objectives and management plan
timeline (see Table 1) and revise as needed. Monthly progress toward objectives will be discussed at
bi-weekly meetings. Meetings will be held in person or via web conferencing as agreed upon by the
team. All members of the research team will have access to the grant file in Dropbox, a web-based file
hosting service, in which schedules, assessment materials, and updates will be stored. The PI will be
the primary manager of the Dropbox file. To maintain confidentiality of participants, identifying
information for interview transcripts, student assessment protocols, and video/audio recordings will be
removed and replaced with identification numbers.
PERSONNEL
M. Christina Rivera, M.A. (.75 FY FTE), Principal Investigator, is a Doctoral student at the
University of Arizona and has assisted in the federally funded research project The Center for Literacy
and Deafness. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Arizona State University
and a Master’s degree in Special Education/Deaf Education from the University of Arizona. She has
over 20 years of experience as a teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, in a variety of placement
options for DHH students. She is a 2011 recipient of the National Leadership Consortium in Sensory
Disabilities fellowship. She will be responsible for the overall management of this research project,
which includes coordinating with key personnel and stakeholders, research design, recruitment, data
collection, and data analysis.
Shirin Antia, Ph.D. (.25 FY FTE) Co-investigator, is a Professor at the University of Arizona, has
been PI on numerous large-scale funded projects, including two research grants funded by Office of
Special Education Programs, and is a co-investigator for The Center for Literacy and Deafness. She
recently completed a major longitudinal study on academic outcomes (including reading and writing
acheivement) of DHH students. She is a Senior Research Fellow for the federally-funded National
Leadership Consortium in Sensory Disabilities and an associate editor for the Journal of Deaf
Education and Deaf Studies. She directs the teacher preparation program in education of DHH
children. She has published extensively in the areas of social skill development and literacy needs of
children who are DHH in various refereed professional journals including the Journal of Deaf Studies
and Deaf Education and Exceptional Children (Antia, Jones, Luckner, Kreimeyer & Reed, 2011;
Antia, Jones, Reed & Kreimeyer, 2009). She will assist with research design and data analyses for this
project.
Kendra Benedict, M.A. (.25 FY FTE) Co-investigator, is a Doctoral Candidate at the University of
Arizona whose research includes language and literacy interventions and instruction for students who
are DHH. Kendra holds a Bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University in Speech/ Language
Pathology and a Master’s degree in Special Education/Deaf Education from the University of Arizona.
She has over 20 years of experience as a teacher of the DHH. She has completed studies in reading
comprehension of DHH students and the faculty needs in teacher preparation programs in the
education of DHH students. She has published in the peer reviewed journal American Annals of the
Deaf (Benedict, Johnson, & Antia, 2011). She will assist with research design, recruitment, data
collection, and analyses for this project.
Carol M. Connor, Ph.D. Faculty advisor, is a Professor of Psychology and Senior Research Scientist
with the Learning Sciences Institute at Arizona State University. Dr. Connor was awarded the 2007
M. Christina Rivera
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President’s Early Career Award in Science and Engineering (PECASE), the 2008 American
Psychological Association Richard Snow award for Early Contributions, and the 2009 Society for
Research in Child Development Award for Early Career Research Contributions. Dr. Connor was the
co-PI of Florida State University’s Center for Reading and Understanding, and assisted in the
development of the Individualizing Student Instruction/Assessment-to-instruction intervention. She
has extensive experience developing literacy interventions through iterative design studies, as well as
efficacy studies using group design. She will provide support with research design and coding of
instruction. She has published in professional refereed journals such as Scientific Studies of Reading,
Child Development, and Reading Research Quarterly (Connor, Morrison, Fishman, et.al., 2011;
Connor, Piasta, Fishman, et al., 2009; Connor, Morrison & Katch, 2004).
Other project personnel: Rivera and Antia will recruit other personnel for graduate assistant and
student worker positions to assist with transcribing interviews and videotaping of instruction.
Individuals with experience teaching special needs students and research will be considered for these
positions.
The tentative timeline and responsible person(s) for this grant are as follows:
Table 1: Grant timeline, activities, and responsible personnel
Year Month(s) to complete Activity Person
Responsible
One (FY 2013) August – October Interview Itinerant
Teachers
Assess students
Christina Rivera
Kendra Benedict
September Videotape Language
Arts instruction
Christina Rivera
Kendra Benedict
GA
October – February Transcribe and analyze
interview results.
Shirin Antia
Christina Rivera
Kendra Benedict
GA
January Videotape Language
Arts instruction
Christina Rivera
Kendra Benedict
GA
January – March Prepare interview
results for publication
and presentation
Christina Rivera
Kendra Benedict
April Videotape Language
Arts instruction
Christina Rivera
Kendra Benedict
GA
April – May Assess students Shirin Antia
Christina Rivera
Kendra Benedict
June – July Analyze videotaped
instruction
Shirin Antia
Carol Connor
Christina Rivera
Kendra Benedict
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Two (FY 2014) August – December Continue analyzing
videotaped instruction
Shirin Antia
Carol Connor
Christina Rivera
Kendra Benedict
January – March Run correlational
analysis of variables,
analyze and interpret
results
Shirin Antia
Carol Connor
Christina Rivera
Kendra Benedict
April – July Prepare videotaped and
correlational results for
publication and
presentation
Shirin Antia
Christina Rivera
Kendra Benedict
RESOURCES Institutional Resources: The University of Arizona is a major research university that can supply the
research team with library resources, computer resources, and facilities necessary to complete the
project. The university has allocated lab space where key personnel and research assistants will be
housed and transcription and coding will be done. The department of Disabilities and
Psychoeducational Studies (DPS) faculty are actively engaged in teaching, research, and service in
support of individuals with developmental disabilities, special abilities, and special needs. With 35
full-time and part-time faculty engaged in grant development and implementation, the DPS department
will provide the support needed to complete this grant as proposed. The program to prepare teachers
of the deaf and hard of hearing, headed by Dr. Shirin Antia in coordination with Dr. Kathryn
Kreimeyer and Dr. Julie Reichman, is well established, having been in existence for over 25 years.
Drs. Antia, Kreimeyer, and Reichman have worked together on numerous personnel preparation grants
to support students at the Master’s and Doctoral levels.
Access to Schools: Through their work as practicing teachers and research partnerships, each member
of the research team has close working relationships with local school districts and educational
agencies that serve children who are DHH. Participating school districts include Tucson Unified
School District, Mesa Public Schools, Peoria Unified School District, Chandler Unified School
District, and Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind Regional Cooperatives. The
administrators and teachers in these districts are eager to collaborate with the research project and
support achievement of its objectives. School district administrators will provide the researchers
access to their itinerant teachers while they provide instruction to DHH students. School district
administrators who have expressed a commitment have DHH students who represent the full range of
communication options that can exist in a general education setting, from spoken English to
Simultaneous Communication to American Sign Language programs. Letters of cooperation have
been obtained from each school district and agency (see Appendix C).
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
APPENDIX A
Interview Questions
1. Demographic information:
a. Describe your educational background.
b. How long have you been a teacher?
c. How long have you been an itinerant teacher of the DHH?
d. How many students are on your caseload right now?
e. How many schools and/or districts do you have on your caseload right now?
f. What is the most service time you are providing to a single student at this time? What
is the least?
g. What are the primary areas for which you provide support to your students?
2. Do you have a system for tracking student progress? Where did you find this system? How
effective do you think this system is?
3. What curricula and/or strategies do your use for literacy instruction? How do you make
decisions about the appropriateness of materials or curricula?
4. What was the last professional development (PD) opportunity in which you participated?
(Follow up question dependent upon teacher’s response. Possible follow up questions include:
What was the last PD opportunity you attended specific to DHH students? How often are PD
opportunities specific to DHH students presented to you?
5. Do you think PD opportunities designed for general education students are applicable to DHH
students? Please expand and/or provide an example.
6. What type of PD do you think would benefit you most? Why have you not participated in such
a PD yet?
When answering the following questions, I’d like you to think about a student for whom you provide
the primary language arts instruction. For example a student who you pull 2 or more hours per week
and work on reading, writing, and language.
7. Describe your relationship with this student’s general education teacher(s).
8. How often do you discuss this student with his/her general education teacher(s)? What is the
purpose of these discussions?
9. How often do you observe this student in his/her general education class(es)? What is the
purpose of your observation(s)?
10. Describe a time in which you’ve adjusted your strategy or plans for this student based on one of
these discussions or observations. On what specifically did you base this decision?
11. When/how do you know your instruction has “clicked” with this student? What behaviors does
the student demonstrate to indicate he/she has learned the intended content of your instruction?
Is there any pattern to this? Can you identify and describe the strategies that work best for this
student?
M. Christina Rivera
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APPENDIX C
Letters of support from school district administrators, school site principals and agencies that serve
DHH students follow:
1. Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind
a. Desert Valleys Regional Cooperative
b. Southeast Regional Cooperative
2. Mesa Public Schools
3. Peoria Unified School District
4. Tucson Unified School District
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November 1, 2012
Ms. Christina Rivera
University of Arizona, College of Education
Department of Disability and Psychoeducational Studies
Box 210069
Tucson, AZ 85721
Dear Ms. Rivera,
As the superintendent of the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (ASDB) I am pleased to
offer my support for your research project to investigate the effectiveness of itinerant teaching. In
addition to our two site-based programs, we have five regional cooperative programs that serve Deaf
and Hard of Hearing students placed in general education settings through itinerant services. Finding
ways to better support our students placed in these programs is a priority of our agency and we
welcome the opportunity to participate in this study.
I understand the goals of the project are to investigate how itinerant teachers perceive their
instructional effectiveness and to determine the instructional factors that have the greatest influence on
student achievement. I also understand that once the factors are identified, you will make professional
development opportunities available to our itinerant teachers to improve their instructional delivery
and subsequent student outcomes. As part of our commitment we will assist you in identifying
students and itinerant teachers to participate in your study. We will also assist you with the logistics of
data collection by being the liaison between our agency and the school districts in which our students
are placed.
We look forward to collaborating with you.
Sincerely,
Robert Hill
Superintendent – ASDB
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
November 1, 2012
Ms. Christina Rivera
University of Arizona, College of Education
Department of Disability and Psychoeducational Studies
Box 210069
Tucson, AZ 85721
Dear Ms. Rivera,
As the department chair for the Mesa Public Schools Hearing Impaired Program, I am pleased to offer
my support and cooperation for your research program. In addition to our self-contained program, we
have a well-established itinerant program that serves students who are able to participate in their
general education classrooms with itinerant support. The mission of our program is “to develop, in
partnership with the student and family, the communication skills, academic proficiency and self-
confidence necessary for each student to succeed in educational settings.” We feel your research
project is an important step in the accomplishment of our mission. By determining ways to improve
the instructional effectiveness of itinerant teachers we feel confident that your project will help our
students achieve their full academic potential.
I understand the goals of the project are to investigate how itinerant teachers perceive their
instructional effectiveness and to explore the instructional factors that have the greatest influence on
student achievement. I am particularly interested in the professional development opportunities that
will be developed as a result of your findings. As part of my commitment we will assist you in
identifying students and itinerant teachers to participate in your study.
I look forward to working with you.
Sincerely,
Pam Willis
Department Chair
Hearing Impaired Program
Mesa Public Schools
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Grant Proposal
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November 1, 2012
Ms. Christina Rivera
University of Arizona, College of Education
Department of Disability and Psychoeducational Studies
Box 210069
Tucson, AZ 85721
Dear Ms. Rivera,
As the director of Special Education with the Peoria Unified School District, I am pleased to offer my
support for your research project. We offer the full range of educational placement at the Peoria
Unified School District, including itinerant services for our Deaf and Hard of Hearing students who are
placed in general education settings. By determining ways to improve the instructional effectiveness
of itinerant teachers we feel confident that your project will help our students achieve their full
academic potential. I understand the goals of the project are to investigate how itinerant teachers
perceive their instructional effectiveness and to determine the instructional factors that have the
greatest influence on student achievement. I also look forward to the professional development
opportunities that will be developed as a result of this initial research. As part of our commitment we
will assist you in identifying students and itinerant teachers to participate in your study.
We look forward to working with you.
Sincerely,
Jillian Browne
Director of Special Education Services
Peoria Unified School District
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
November 1, 2012
Ms. Christina Rivera
University of Arizona, College of Education
Department of Disability and Psychoeducational Studies
Box 210069
Tucson, AZ 85721
Dear Ms. Rivera,
As the director of Exceptional Education with the Tucson Unified School District, I am pleased to
offer my support and cooperation for your research project. We offer our students who are Deaf and
Hard of Hearing the full range of educational placements, including itinerant services. I understand the
goals of your project are to investigate how itinerant teachers perceive their instructional effectiveness
and to determine the instructional factors that have the greatest influence on student achievement. I
also understand that after your initial study, you will make professional development opportunities
available to our teachers to improve their instructional effectiveness with our Deaf and Hard of
Hearing students. As part of our commitment we will assist you in identifying students and itinerant
teachers to participate in your study.
We look forward to working with you.
Sincerely,
Lorrane McPerson
Interim Director, Exceptional Education
Tucson Unified School District
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES CITED
Antia, S. (1999). The roles of special educators and classroom teachers in an inclusive school.
Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 4(3), 203-214.
Antia, S. D., Jones, P. H., Reed, S., & Kreimeyer, K. H. (2009). Academic status and progress
of deaf and hard-of-hearing students in general education classrooms. Journal of Deaf
Studies and Deaf Education, 14(3), 293-311. doi: 10.1093/deafed/enp009
Antia, S.D., Jones, P., Luckner, J., Kreimeyer, K.H., & Reed, S. (2011). Social outcomes of
students who are deaf and hard of hearing in general education classrooms. Exceptional
Children, 77(4), 489-504.
Benedict, K. M., Johnson, H., Antia, S. D. (2011). Faculty needs, doctoral preparation, and the
future of teacher preparation programs in the education of deaf and hard of hearing
students. American Annals of the Deaf, 156(1), 35-46.
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1986). Ecology of the family as a context for human development:
Research perspectives. Developmental Psychology, 22(6), 723-742.
Connor, C.M., Morrison, F. J., Fishman, B., Ponitz, C.C., Glasney, S., Underwood, P. S.,
……Schatschneider, C. (2009). The ISI classroom observation system: Examining the
literacy instruction provided to individual students. Educational Researcher, 38, 85-99.
doi: 10.3102/0013189X09332373
Connor, C.M., Piasta, S.B., Fishman, B., Glasney, S., Schatschneider, C., Crowe, E.,
……Morrison, F.J. (2009). Individualizing student instruction precisely: Effects of child
X instruction interactions on first graders’ literacy development. Child
Development, 80(1), 77-100
Connor, C.M., Morrison, F. J., Fishman, B., Giuliani, S., Luck, M., Underwood, P. S.,
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……Schatschneider, C. (2011). Testing the impact of child characteristics X instruction
interactions on third graders’ reading comprehension by differentiating literacy
instruction. Reading Research Quarterly, 46(30), 189-221. doi: 10.1598/RRQ.46.3.1
Connor, C.M., Morrison, F. J., & Katch, L. E. (2004). Beyond the reading wars: Exploring the
effect of child-instruction interactions on growth in early reading. Scientific Studies of
Reading, 8(4), 305-336.
Connor, C. M., Morrison, F. J., & Petrella, J. N. (2004). Effective reading comprehension
instruction: Examining child by instruction interactions. Journal of Educational
Psychology, 96(4), 682–698. doi: 10.1037/0022-0663.96.4.682
Connor, C.M., Morrison, F. J., & Slominski, L. (2006). Preschool instruction and children’s
literacy skill growth. Journal of Educational Psychology, 98(4), 665-689.
doi: 10.1037/0022-0663.98.4.665
Foorman, B.R., Francis, D.J., Fletcher, J.M., Schatschneider, C., & Mehta, P. (1998). The role
of instruction in learning to read: Preventing reading failure in at risk children. Journal
of Educational Psychology, 90(1),
Foster, S. & Cue, K. (2009). Roles and responsibilities of itinerant specialist teachers
of deaf and hard of hearing students. American Annals of the Deaf, 153(5), 435-449.
Juel, C., & Minden-Cupp, C. (2000). Learning to read words: Linguistic units and instructional
strategies. Reading Research Quarterly, 35(4), 458–492.
Kluwin, T. N., Morris, C. S., & Clifford, J. (2004). A rapid ethnography of itinerant
teachers of the deaf. American Annals of the Deaf, 149(1), 62-72.
Luckner, J. L. & Howell, J. (2002). Suggestions for preparing itinerant teachers: A qualitative
analysis. American Annals of the Deaf. 147(3), 54-61.
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Marschark, M. (2007). Raising and educating a deaf child: A comprehensive guide to the
choices, controversies, and decisions faced by parents and educators (2nd
ed.). New
York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Marshall, C. & Rossman, G. B. (2011). Designing qualitative research, 5th
eds. Thousand
Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc.
National Center for Education Statistics. (2011). Percentage distribution of students ages 6-21
served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B, by
educational environment and type of disability: Selected school years, 1990-91 through
2008-09. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved April 15, 2012, from
http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED520001.pdf.
Seidman, I. (2006). Interviewing as qualitative research, 3rd
eds. New York, NY: Teacher
College Press.
Traxler, C.B. (2000). Measuring up to performance standards in reading and mathematics:
Achievement of selected deaf and hard-of-hearing students in the national norming of the
9th
Edition Stanford Achievement Test. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education. 5,
337-348.
Yarger, C. C. & Luckner, J. L. (1999). Itinerant Teaching: The inside story. American Annals
of the Deaf, 144(4), 309-314.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF SENIOR/KEY PERSONNEL
Curriculum Vitae for the following key personnel:
1. M. Christina Rivera, M.A.
2. Shirin D. Antia, Ph.D.
3. Kendra Benedict, M.A.
4. Carol M. Connor, Ph.D.
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Maria Christina Rivera
EDUCATION
Present Doctoral Student
Disability and Psychoeducational Studies
College of Education
University of Arizona
Expected completion: May 2015
Major Area: Deaf Education
Minor Area: Applied Behavior Analysis
Advisor: Dr. Shirin Antia
Anticipated Dissertation Title: “The Effects of a Conversational Intervention on
the Vocabulary Development of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children”
1994 – 2010 Non-Degree Post Graduate Courses:
University of Phoenix: Educational Administration courses
Arizona State University: Middle School Curriculum Development and Guiding
Girls in Math and Science
Gallaudet University: Deaf Children and the Learning of Mathematics
1993 M.A.
Special Education and Rehabilitation with an emphasis in Deaf Education
College of Education
University of Arizona
1991 B.A.
Elementary Education
College of Education
Arizona State University
TEACHING
Fall 2013 Graduate Assistant
University of Arizona
SERP 538: Methods for Teaching Speech to the Hearing Impaired
Responsibilities:
set up online course materials
graded assignments
designed instructional unit on Vocabulary Development
Summer
2012 & 2013 Graduate Assistant
University of Arizona
SERP 430/530: Educational Issues: Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children
Responsibilities:
set up and updated online course materials
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
graded all undergraduate assignments
monitored discussion board
graded all discussion posts
revised assignments
Spring 2012 Graduate Assistant
University of Arizona
SERP 537/ Language and Literacy Assessment and Intervention of
Deaf/Hard of Hearing Students
Responsibilities:
designed and presented information on writing instructional objectives,
backward design, and administering and scoring formal assessments
provided online instructional sessions on using the Qualitative Reading
Inventory and designing appropriate interventions for students based on results
of assessments
graded assignments
SERP 594 Communication and Literacy Practicum
Responsibilities:
supervised two graduate students
provided weekly feedback on written lesson plans
provided feedback on video-recorded practicum sessions with DHH students
2009 - Associate Faculty
Present College of Education
University of Phoenix Online
MTE 506: Child and Adolescent Development
EDU 305: Child Development
Responsibilities:
facilitate discussion between students by designing relevant and reflective
discussion questions and further responses
facilitate collaboration among student learning teams
grade student assignments
participate in ongoing faculty development
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2012 -
Present Research Assistant, University of Arizona, Center for Literacy and Deafness
Responsibilities: Assist in all aspects of the research, including the following:
recruiting participants
conducting child assessments
participating in developing interventions and materials for strengthening English
syntax in DHH children
developing and collecting data on intervention fidelity and effectiveness.
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
2011 - Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, part-time
2012 Desert Valleys Regional Cooperative
Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind
Responsibilities:
provided instruction to students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing placed in
general education classroom programs
prepared daily lesson plans according to students’ Individual Education Plans
and Arizona State Standards
used a variety of evaluative instruments to assess student skills to determine the
best program of learning
wrote and implemented Individual Education Plans
2006 – 2011 Parent Advisor
Desert Valleys Regional Cooperative
Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind
Responsibilities:
provided professional home visits and consultation to families of children with
hearing loss between the ages of 0-5,
provided support based on the identified needs of the family
participated in the Individualized Family Service Plan
assisted with identified evaluations for child and family
2008 – 2011 Supervising Teacher – Hearing Impaired
Desert Valleys Regional Cooperative
Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind
Responsibilities:
provided leadership for instructional and programmatic development of the
itinerant program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students
assisted teachers in evaluating the effectiveness of student programs
promoted and maintained climate for effective working relationships among
staff and school districts
supervised and evaluated staff
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Structured English Immersion Trainer, Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind
Mentor/Protégé Program, Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind
PUBLICATIONS
Invited Articles
Rivera, M. C. (2013) Curriculum-Based Measures: Past, Present, and Future [Review of the book A
measure of success: The influence of curriculum-based measurement on education, by
C. A. Espin, K. L. McMaster, S. Rose, & M. M. Wayman, Eds.] Journal of Deaf Studies
and Deaf Education, doi: 10.1093/deafed/ent017
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PRESENTATIONS Invited
Rivera, M. C. (2014). Language and Literacy Development of Children Who are Deaf and Hard
of Hearing: Information for Educational Interpreters. Registry of Interpreters for the
Deaf Continuing Education Activity. Phoenix, Arizona.
Rivera, M. C. (2013). Special Education 101 for Interpreters: The MET and IEP. Registry of
Interpreters for the Deaf Continuing Education Activity. Phoenix, Arizona.
Rivera, M. C. (2013). Part of the IEP Team: Where Do We All Fit In? Registry of Interpreters
for the Deaf Continuing Education Activity. Phoenix, Arizona.
Refereed
Antia, S. & Rivera, M. C. (2013). Effectiveness of Itinerant Teaching. Association of College
Educators of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Annual Conference. Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Rivera, M. C., Antia, S., Armstrong, H., Kreimeyer, K., Hayes, C., & Henry, M. (2012). Teacher
preparation from a distance: Students’ points of view. Poster presentation, Association
of College Educators of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Annual Conference. Jacksonville,
Florida.
GRANTS
2012 University of Arizona Graduate and Professional Student Council Travel Grant Recipient
CERTIFICATES/ENDORSEMENTS
Arizona, Standard Hearing Impaired, K-12
Arizona, Standard Elementary Education, K-8
Arizona, Supervisor
Arizona, Structured English Immersion, K-12, endorsement
National Interpreter Certification, pending; knowledge exam completed 2010
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
2011- Present: Council for Exceptional Children
Division of Communication Disorders and Deafness
Division of Teacher Education
2013 – Present: American Education Researchers Association, since 2013
Division of Teaching and Teacher Education
Division of Learning and Instruction
SERVICE
2012 – Present: Graduate and Professional Student Council Travel Grant Application Judge,
University of Arizona
2006 – Present: Hearing Screening volunteer, various public and private school districts
2004-2009: Cartwright Family Resource Center: Dia de las Mujeres Health Fair volunteer
M. Christina Rivera
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HONORS AND AWARDS
2013 University of Arizona College of Education Marion Miller Strauss Memorial Scholarship
recipient
2012 University of Arizona College of Education Jay Howenstine scholarship recipient
2012 University of Arizona Department of Disability and Psychoeducational Studies Graduate
College Merit Fellowship
2011 National Leadership Consortium in Sensory Disabilities Fellow
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Reading comprehension and vocabulary development strategies for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
students
Support service delivery to Deaf and Hard of Hearing students in general education programs
Language development of Deaf and Hard of Hearing children from Spanish speaking homes
Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports with students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
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Kendra M. Benedict
EDUCATION
2012 PhD. Special Education
University of Arizona
College of Education
Department of Disability and Psychoeducational Studies
Major Area of Study – Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Minor Area of Study – Educational Leadership
2002 Certificate Program in Educational Leadership
Northern Arizona University
College of Education
1994 M.A. Special Education
University of Arizona
College of Education
Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation
Major Area of Study – Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Minor Area of Study – Language and Literacy
1992 B.S. Speech and Language Pathology and Audiology
Northern Arizona University
College of Health Sciences
EXPERIENCE
2012 Graduate Associate, University of Arizona
2008-2009 Responsibilities: Supervised graduate students enrolled in their final internship;
assisted Drs. Shirin Antia (University of Arizona) and Harold Johnson (Michigan
State University) on Excellence Through Collaboration: A Doctoral Preparation
Planning Grant Proposal for D/HH Education; collected, analyzed, and interpreted
qualitative data.
2009-2011 Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Tempe Union High
School District
Responsibilities: Collaborated with colleagues to coordinate the district’s D/HH
program; coordinated the provision of appropriate educational services to high
school students who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, or deaf with additional
disabilities; purchased and maintained equipment and materials; monitored out of
district placements; evaluated student performance and needs in the areas of
language, reading, writing, self-advocacy, and social/emotional development;
determined students’ transition needs and planned for their transition from high
school to post-secondary education/training, employment, and independent living;
provided assistance to staff, parents, and students in understanding the impact of
hearing loss and in developing strategies to ensure D/HH students equal access to
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
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school curriculum and activities.
2005-2006 Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Gilbert Public Schools
2002-2003 Responsibilities: Evaluated student performance and needs in the areas of
1994-2000 language, reading, writing, self-advocacy, and social/emotional development;
developed IEPs based on student performance, identified areas of strength and
need, and Arizona State Standards; provided assistance to staff, parents, and
students in understanding the impact of hearing loss and in developing strategies
to ensure D/HH students equal access to school curriculum and activities;
collaborated with colleagues to establish the district’s first D/HH program;
purchased and maintained equipment and materials; obtained and managed
audiological services.
2004-2005 Interpreter, Mesa Community College
Responsibilities: Provided interpreting services to deaf college students in a
variety of subject areas.
2000-2001 Supervising Teachers, Desert Valleys Regional Cooperative, Arizona State
Schools for the Deaf and the Blind Responsibilities: Provided instructional leadership to a team of itinerant teachers
and other staff responsible for the education of children who are deaf or hard of
hearing; assisted the regional director with region-wide planning activities,
personnel recruitment and hiring, supervised itinerant teachers and instructional
assistants
CERTIFICATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS
American Educational Research Association, 2011
Association of College Educators of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, 2008
Council on Education of the Deaf, Administrative Certification, 2008
Council of American Instructors of the Deaf, 2008
Council for Exceptional Children, 2008
Arizona Principal Certificate, 2003
Council on Education of the Deaf, Professional Certification, 1994
Arizona Hearing Impaired Teaching Certificate, K-12, 1994
Arizona Professionals for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, 1994-2002
SERVICE
President, Arizona Professionals for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, 1999-2001
Co-Incorporator, Arizona Professionals for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, 1999
HONORS AND AWARDS
Roberta and Jay Howenstein Endowed Scholarship, 2011-12 and 2009-2010
Herman and Lillian Capsuto Memorial Scholarship, 2010-2011
Mary and Maude Miller Scholarship, 2010-2011
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
Golden Key International Honour Society, 2009
RESEARCH INTERESTS
My primary area of research interest is deaf and hard of hearing students’ metacognitive awareness and
strategy use. I used a single-case design to examine the effect of instruction in metacognitive
strategies on deaf and hard of hearing students’ comprehension of content area text for my dissertation.
I will extend my dissertation research by investigating the impact of instruction in metacognition on
deaf and hard of hearing students’ performance across the curriculum.
SCHOLARLY ACTIVITIES Refereed Journal Articles
Benedict, K.M., Johnson, H., & Antia, S.D. (2011). Faculty needs, doctoral preparation, and the
future of teacher preparation programs in education of deaf and hard of hearing students.
American Annals of the Deaf, 156, 35-46.
Conference and Professional Presentations
Cannon, J., Guardino, C., Antia, S., & Benedict, K.M. (2012). Single-case design research:
Building the evidence-base within the field of education of deaf/hard of hearing students.
Association of College Educators of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Annual Conference.
Jacksonville, Florida.
Benedict, K. M. (2012). Instruction in Metacognitive Strategies to Increase Deaf and Hard of
Hearing Students’ Reading Comprehension. Poster presentation at the Association of
College Educators of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Annual Conference. Jacksonville,
Florida.
Antia, S.D., Kreimeyer, K., Reed, S., Benedict, K., Spolsky, S., & Metz, K. (2010). Supporting
deaf and hard-of-hearing students in public schools: A longitudinal investigation. 21st
International Congress on the Education of the Deaf. Vancouver, British Columbia.
Antia, S.D., Johson, H., Lenihan, D., & Benedict, K.M. (2009). Doctoral preparation in the
education of DHH students: Needs, concerns, and the way ahead. Association of
College Educators of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Annual Conference. New Orleans,
Louisiana.
Inservice Workshops
Metacognitive Literacy Instruction. Workshop for the Special Education Department at Desert
Vista High School. Phoenix, Arizona, February 2011.
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
Shirin Dara Antia
E-mail: [email protected]
EDUCATION
1979 Ph.D. Special Education
School of Education
University of Pittsburgh
Major area: Education of the Hearing Impaired
Minor areas: Learning Disabilities
Mental Retardation
Curriculum and Supervision
1973 M. Ed.
School of Education
University of Pittsburgh
Major area: Education of the Hearing Impaired
1972 Diploma: Teacher of the Deaf
Maharashtra State
Education, Audiology and Research Society,
Bombay, India
1971 B.A.
Calcutta University
Calcutta, India
Major area: Education (Foundations)
Minor area: English Literature
EMPLOYMENT Current Professor, Department of Special Education and
Position Rehabilitation, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
Responsibilities: Coordinate Graduate Program to prepare teachers of the Deaf/Hard of
Hearing students; teach master's and doctoral courses in the area of education of
Deaf/Hard of Hearing, language development, and research, advise master's and
doctoral students, obtain funding for research and teacher preparation.
1985- 1996 Associate Professor, Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation,
University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
Responsibilities: Coordinate Graduate Program to prepare teachers of Deaf/Hard of
Hearing children; teach master’s and doctoral courses in the area of education of
Deaf/Hard of hearing, language development, research; advise master’s and doctoral
students; obtain funding for research and teacher preparation.
1980-1985 Assistant Professor, Department of Special Education, University of Arizona,
Tucson, Arizona
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
Responsibilities: Coordinate and develop graduate program to prepare teachers of deaf
and hard of hearing students.
CERTIFICATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS
Council on Education of the Deaf, Professional Certification, Elementary and Multi-
handicapped, 1972-present
Council on Education of the Deaf, Supervisory Certificate, 1984
Pennsylvania Certification in teaching the hearing impaired K-12, 1978
Certification of competence in Verbotonal Training, Western Pennsylvania
School for the Deaf, 1974
Certificate for Teacher of the Deaf, Maharashtra State, India, 1972
Member, Council for Exceptional Children
Member, Convention of American Instructors of the Deaf
Member, Alexander Graham Bell Association
Member, Association of College Educators of the Hearing Impaired
Member, American Educational Research Association
OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Research grant proposal reviewer for the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK ,
June 2006.
Grant Reviewer for U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitation, Field Initiated Research grants, Early Childhood Personnel Preparation,
Leadership Preparation, Directed Research 1989-present
Grant Reviewer for National Institutes of Health, Biobehavioral and Behavioral Processes.
February 2000, July 2003, March, December 2004.
Member of Review Panel for The Volta Review, June 1993-present;
Associate Editor: Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education (Term 2004-present).
Member of Editorial Board (Consulting Editor) Communication Disorders Quarterly. (Term
2001-present)
Editorial Consultant: Language Speech and Hearing Services in the Schools, (1993-2000)
Site Reviewer, Council on Education of the Deaf, Lewis and Clark College, Spring 2000
Evaluator for Promotion and Tenure proposals: Georgia State University, 2002; University of
Melbourne 2004, 2005; University of Colorado, Boulder, 2007; Tel-Aviv University, 2007.
INSERVICE WORKSHOPS
Facilitating academic success for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in general education
classrooms. Presentation to the Arizona Chapter of Hands and Voices. Phoenix, September
2008.
Academic and social status and progress of DHH students in general education. Presentation to
leadership group of the Arizona State Schools for Deaf and Blind. Tucson, September 2008.
(with Dr. Kathryn Kreimeyer).
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children in the public schools: School, family and student influences
on success. Conference of Educators of Deaf and Hard of Hearing, British Columbia:
Vancouver, British Columbia, October 2006.
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
Longitudinal Study of Academic and Social Status of D/HH Students in Public Schools:
Factors influencing progress. Arizona State Schools for Deaf and Blind, Statewide Conference
Tucson, Arizona: October 2005 (with Drs. Reed and Stryker and graduate students Sarah
Goins, Caroline Guardino and Denise Tarpley).
Deaf and Hard of hearing students in public schools: Who are they and how are they doing?
Arizona State Schools Statewide Inservice, Phoenix, Arizona: October 2004 (with Drs. Reed,
Stryker, and doctoral student Sarah Goins).
CONFERENCE AND PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS
Antia, S. D. (2008). No child (with hearing loss) left behind. Keynote paper presented at the
29th Annual Conference on mainstreaming students with hearing loss. Northampton, MA.
Antia, S.D. (2008). Academic and social status and progress of DHH students in general
education. National Technical Institute for the Deaf. Rochester, NY.
Antia, S.D., (2008). Facilitators of academic success for DHH students in general education
classrooms. National Technical Institute for the Deaf. Rochester, NY.
Antia, S.D., & Kreimeyer, K.H. (2008). DHH students’ communication participation in
general education classrooms. Paper presented at the Association of College Educators:
Deaf/Hard of Hearing. Monterey CA.
Reed, S., Antia, S. D., & Kreimeyer, K., H. (2007). Longitudinal investigation of the academic
status of deaf and hard of hearing students in public schools: School, home and program
facilitators and detractors. Paper presented at the American Education Research Association.
Chicago IL.
Guardino, C., Goins, S., Antia, S.D., & Reed, S. (2006) Assessing Classroom Participation,
Social Behavior and Academic Competence. Poster presented at the Association of College
Educators-Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Denver, Colorado.
Goins, S., Guardino, C., Antia, S.D., & Reed, S. (2006): Preliminary Data on Social Outcomes.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing students in general education classrooms. Poster presented at the
Association of College Educators-Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Denver, Colorado.
Kreimeyer, K., Sedey, A., Stredler-Brown, A. & Antia, S.D. (2006) Western States Early
Intervention Project. Paper presented at the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI)
Conference, Washington DC.
CONSULTANCIES
Consultant to Mesa Public Schools to review Special Education Programs Serving the Hearing-
Impaired. Spring 1997.
Consultant to special education program in Paradise Valley, Arizona, Fall 1994.
Consultant to special education program in Santa Cruz School District, Arizona, Spring 1992.
GRANTS FUNDED
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. “Southwest Project to
Prepare Teachers of children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing”. January 2009- December
2012. Total funds $ 800,000.
U.S. Department of Education. “Excellence through collaboration: A doctoral preparation
planning grant proposal for DHH Education”. 2007-2008. Extended to Sept. 30 2009.
Subcontract with Michigan State University . Total funds $100,00; UA subcontract $24,443.
(Co-principal Investigator with Dr. H. Johnson, MSU).
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
Arizona Board of Regents Reach Out. “ Initiating a Distance Learning Program for Preparing
Teachers of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students”. 2007-2008. Total Funds $50,000.
U.S. Department of Education. “Preparing Special Education Faculty for Universities and
Colleges”. 2004-2007 Extended to 2008. Total funds $ 654,956. (Co-principal Investigator with
Drs. Umbreit and Ofiesh. Responsibility .20FTE)
U.S. Department of Education. “Southwestern Project to Prepare Teachers of Deaf/Hard of
Hearing”. 2002-2007. Extended to December 2008. Total funds $1,380,454.
U.S. Department of Education. “Longitudinal Study of Academic and Social Status of
Deaf/Hard of Hearing students attending general education classrooms in public schools”.
2001-2006. Extended to December 2007. Total funds $884,109.
PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS Refereed journal articles
Reed, S., Antia, S.D., & Kreimeyer, K.H. (2008) Academic status of deaf and hard-of-hearing
students in public schools: Student, home and service facilitators and detractors. Journal
of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 13, 458-502
Antia, S. D., Sabers, D., & Stinson, M. S. (2007). Validity and Reliability of the Classroom
Participation Questionnaire with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students in Public Schools.
Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 12, 158-171.
McCain, K., & Antia, S. D. (2005). Academic and social status of Hearing, Deaf, and Hard-of-
Hearing students participating in a co-enrolled classroom. Communication Disorders
Quarterly, 27, 20-32.
Antia, S.D., Reed, S. & Kreimeyer, K.H. (2005) Written language of Deaf and Hard of Hearing
students in public schools. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 10, 244-255.
Antia, S. D., Stinson, M. S., & Gaustad, M. G. (2002). Developing membership in the education
of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students in inclusive settings. Journal of Deaf Studies and
Deaf Education, 7, 214-229.
Book chapters
Antia, S. D., Kreimeyer, K., H., & Reed, S. (2011). Supporting students in general education
classrooms. In M. Marschark & P. Spencer (Eds.), Oxford Handbook of deaf studies,
language and education (Vol. 2).
Antia, S. D., & Kreimeyer, K., H. (2003). Peer Interactions of Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Children. In M. Marschark & P. Spencer (Eds.), Oxford Handbook of Deaf Studies,
Language , and Education.(pp 164-176) : Oxford University Press.
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
Carol McDonald Connor
EDUCATION
2002 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Ph.D. Language, Literacy & Culture, Special Education
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
1975 B.S. Speech-Language Pathology
1976 M.A. Speech-Language Pathology
RESEARCH, TEACHING, and CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
2012-present Professor, Arizona State University, Department of Psychology, and Senior Research
Scientist, Learning Sciences Institute.
2009 –2012 Associate Professor, Florida State University, Department of Psychology,
Developmental Psychology, and Research Faculty, the Florida Center for Reading
Research (FCRR), Florida Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
(FCR-STEM)
2008-2009 Associate Professor, Florida State University, College of Education and
Research Faculty, the Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR), Florida
Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (FCR-STEM)
2004-2008 Assistant Professor, Florida State University, College of Education
2003-2004 Assistant Research Scientist, University of Michigan, Department of Psychology,
Developmental Psychology.
2003-2004 Assistant Research Scientist, Center for Human Growth and Development, University
of Michigan. Project Director, Pathways to Literacy Project.
GRANTS
2012-2017 Co-Principal Investigator: Predicting and Preventing the Development of Learning
Disabilities (renewal). PI on Learning Disabilities in Context. National Institutes of
Health, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Center PI: Richard
Wagner. Learning Disabilities Multidisciplinary Research Center Grant #P50
HD062120, ($7,000,000).
2012-2017 Investigator, Center for Literacy and Deafness, PI: Amy Lederberg, Georgia State
University, funded by the US Department of Education, Institute for Education Science.
($10,000,000).
2012-2017 Investigator, Florida Center for Reading Research, Regional Education Lab. PI:
Barbara Foorman, funded by the US Department of Education. Anticipated funding
2012-2017 ($38,000,000).
2010-2015 Principal Investigator with Christopher Lonigan: Reading for Understanding
Research Initiative: Pre-kindergarten through 5th Grade. US Department of Education,
Institute for Education Sciences Grant #R305F100027. Funding 7/1/2010 through
6/30/2015 ($20,000,000).
2007-2011 Principal Investigator: Child-by-Instruction Interactions in Literacy: Examining
Causal Effects of Individualized Instruction in First through Third Grade. US
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
Department of Education, Institute for Education Sciences Grant # R305B070074.
Funding 7/1/07 through 5/31/2011 ($3,000,000). PECASE Fellowship.
2006-2010 Co-Principal Investigator: Improving Deaf Children’s Literacy. US Department of
Education, Institute for Education Sciences Grant # R324E06035. Funding 9/1/06
through 8/31/2020 ($1,468,000).
2004-2007 Principal Investigator, Child-Instruction Interactions in Early Reading: Examining
Causal Effects of Individualized Instruction, US Department of Education, Institute for
Education Sciences Grant # R305H04013. Funding 9/1/04 through 8/31/2007
($1,632,000).
FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS
2010 Developing Scholar, Florida State University
2009 Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) Early Career Contribution Award
for 2009
2007 Recipient of the 2006 President’s Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers
(PECASE).
2007 Richard C. Snow Early Career Award from the American Psychological Association.
Gave address at 2008 APA Conference.
2006 Dina Feitelson Research Award for Beyond the Reading Wars: The effect of classroom
instruction by child interactions on early reading.
PUBLICATIONS
Peer Reviewed Journals
Easterbrooks, S.R., Lederberg, A.R., & Connor, C.M. (in press). Contributions of the emergent literacy
environment to literacy outcomes in preschool, kindergarten, and first grade children who are
deaf. Accepted for Publication in American Annals of the Deaf.
Connor, C. M., Morrison, F. J., Fishman, B., Giuliani, S., Luck, M., Underwood, P., . . .
Schatschneider, C. (2011). Classroom instruction, child X instruction interactions and the
impact of differentiating student instruction on third graders' reading comprehension. Reading
Research Quarterly, 46(3), 189-221.
Connor, C. M., Morrison, F. J., Schatschneider, C., Toste, J., Lundblom, E. G., Crowe, E., & Fishman,
B. (2011). Effective classroom instruction: Implications of child characteristic by instruction
interactions on first graders' word reading achievement. Journal for Research on Educational
Effectiveness, 4(3), 173-207. PMC3251831
Connor, C. M., Kaya, S., Luck, M., Toste, J., Canto, A., Rice, D. C., et al. (2010). Content-Area
Literacy: Individualizing Student Instruction in Second Grade Science. Reading Teacher,
63(6), 474-485.
Connor, C. M., Piasta, S. B., Fishman, B., Glasney, S., Schatschneider, C., Crowe, E., Underwood, P.,
& Morrison, F. J. (2009). Individualizing student instruction precisely: Effects of child by
instruction interactions on first graders’ literacy development. Child Development, 80(1), 77-
100.
Connor, C. M., Morrison, F. J., Fishman, B., Ponitz, C. C., Glasney, S., Underwood, P., et al. (2009).
The ISI classroom observation system: Examining the literacy instruction provided to
individual students. Educational Researcher, 38(2), 85-99.
Connor, C. M. (2009). Individualized reading instruction in early elementary classrooms. Perspectives
on Language and Literacy, Special Edition, 33-38.
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
Bergeron, J. P., Lederberg, A. R., Easterbrooks, S. R., Miller, E. M., & Connor, C. M. (2009). Building
the alphabetic principle in young children who are deaf and hard of hearing. Volta Review,
109(2-3), 87-119.
Easterbrooks, S. R., Lederberg, A. R., Miller, E. M., Bergeron, J. P., & Connor, C. M. (2008).
Emergent Literacy Skills during Early Childhood in Children with Hearing Loss: Strengths and
Weaknesses. Volta Review, 108(2), 91-114.
Connor, C. M., Morrison, F. J., Fishman, B. J., Schatschneider, C., & Underwood, P. (2007). THE
EARLY YEARS: Algorithm-Guided Individualized Reading Instruction. Science, 315(5811),
464-465.
Connor, C. M., Morrison, F. J., & Underwood, P. (2007). A Second Chance in Second Grade? The
cumulative impact of first and second grade reading instruction on students’ letter-word reading
skills. Scientific Studies of Reading.11(3), 199-233.
Moeller, M. P., Tomblin, J. B., Yoshinaga-Itano, C., Connor, C. M., & Jerger, S. (2007). Current state
of knowledge: Language and literacy of children with hearing impairment. Ear and Hearing,
28(6), 740-753.
Connor, C. M., Morrison, F. J., & Katch, E. L. (2004). Beyond the Reading Wars: The effect of
classroom instruction by child interactions on early reading. Scientific Studies of Reading, 8(4),
305-336. Winner of the 2006 Dina Feitelson Research Award.
Connor, C. M., Morrison, F. J., & Petrella, J. N. (2004). Effective reading comprehension instruction:
Examining child by instruction interactions. Journal of Educational Psychology, 96(4), 682-
698.
SELECTED CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Connor, C. M. (2010, February) Individualizing instruction from first through third grade. Paper
presented at the Annual Pacific Coast Research Conference, San Diego, CA.
Connor, C. M., Morrison, F. J., & Crowe, E. C. (2010, July) Refining dynamic system forecasting
intervention models: New child X instruction interactions for third graders. Paper presented at
the Annual Meeting of the Society for Scientific Study of Reading, Berlin.
Amy Lederberg, Victoria Burke; Carol M. Connor; Susan Easterbrooks (2009, July). The development
of a curriculum to teach deaf children alphabetic knowledge, phonological awareness, and
vocabulary. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Scientific Study of
Reading, Boston
Lederberg, A. R., Carol McDonald Connor, Susan R. Easterbrooks, Jessica P. Bergeron, Elizabeth M.
Miller (2009, April). Improving Deaf Preschoolers' Emergent Literacy Skills. Paper presented
at the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Denver.
Connor, C. M., Morrison, F. J., Schatschneider, C., Fishman, B., & Underwood, P. (2007, March).
Child X instruction interactions: Examining effects of individualizing student instruction. Paper
presented at the Institute for Education Sciences Conference, Washington DC.
CURRENT PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Society for Research on Child Development
Society for the Scientific Study of Reading, voting member, board member, editorial review
board, & treasurer
Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, Associate Editor
American Speech, Language, and Hearing Association
AERA – American Educational Research Associational (Reading and Writing Program
Division Co-chair, 2010-2011)
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
AAAS – Association for the Advancement of Science
APA – American Psychological Association
APS – Association for Psychological Science
IRA – International Reading Association
SERVICE/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
2012-present Associate Editor of the Journal for Research on Educational Effectiveness
2011-present Permanent member of US Department of Education, Institute for Education Sciences,
Reading & Writing review panel
2011-present Editorial Review Board, Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education
2008-present Editorial Review Board, Reading Research Quarterly
2008-2014 International Reading Association: Commission on Response to Intervention member
2006-present Reviewer for Cognitive Development, Journal of School Psychology, and the American
Journal of Speech Language Pathology
2005-present Reviewer for Ear & Hearing
2004-present Reviewer for Scientific Studies of Reading
2004-present Reviewer for Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research
WEB-BASED TOOLS and SITES DEVELOPED
2010-Present Currently developing Comprehension Tools for Teachers, a web- and iPad-based digital
support system for teachers. Developed as part of the Reading for Understanding
project. Also led development of the project website (http://rfu.fcrr.org).
2005-Present Developed Assessment-to-Instruction (A2i) software, which uses research generated
algorithms to generate recommended amounts and types of language arts instruction
based on individual students’ vocabulary and letter-word recognition scores Also
developed, the ISI Online Resource Guide, which is integrated with A2i, to support
teachers’ efforts to individualize instruction in their classroom.
2007-Present Developed the Content-area Literacy Instruction (CALI) website, which allows teachers
to view and download CALI Science units on Earth Science and Chemistry.
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
CURRENT & PENDING SUPPORT OF SENIOR/KEY PERSONNEL
Grant Personnel Current or Pending Grants Time Project Period
Shirin Antia, PhD Center for Literacy and
Deafness
25% 2012-2017
Personnel Preparation 25% 2012-2015
Christina Rivera, M.A. Center for Literacy and
Deafness
50% 2012-2017
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
BUDGET JUSTIFICATION
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
CFDA 84.324A SPECIAL EDUCATION RESEARCH GRANT
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS AND
RELATED SERVICE PROVIDERS
YEARS 1-2
8/1/2013 – 7/31/2015
EFFECTIVE ITINERANT TEACHING: CHILD X INSTRUCTION FACTORS WITH
STUDENTS WHO ARE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING
PERSONNEL
Principal Investigator and Project Director: M. Christina Rivera, M.A.
University of Arizona total 3-year commitment (.25 FTE)
Institute of Education Sciences – US DOE total 3-year requested (.50 FTE)
Responsibilities: Ms. Rivera will devote 50% effort during the academic year and 25% effort during
one month during the summer to the project. She will oversee all aspects of the project including
overall grant management and administration, personnel and participant recruitment, project evaluation
and revision, and data collection and analysis. During year one she will be responsible for
coordinating with Local Education Agencies to obtain proper permissions and consent for data
collection. She will also conduct itinerant teacher interviews and initial analysis of the results. During
year two, she will continue to analyze teacher interviews, assess student participants in the Fall and
Spring, and videotape itinerant and classroom literacy instruction. She also will begin coding and
analysis of data. During year two, she will complete data coding and analysis and prepare results for
publication and presentation. Throughout years 1-3, she will manage the day-to-day organization of
the project and project personnel.
Co-Principal Investigator: Shirin Antia, Ph.D.
Institute of Education Sciences – US DOE total 3-year requested (.25 FTE)
Responsibilities: Dr. Antia will devote 25% effort during the academic year to the project. She will
assist with research design and data analyses for this project. During year one she will assist in the
development of the interview questions for itinerant teachers and initial coding of their responses.
During year two she will assist with assessment and videotaping of student instruction and init ial
coding of the results. During year three she will assist with all data coding and analysis and
preparation of results for publication and presentation.
Co-Investigator and Project Coordinator: Kendra Benedict, M.A.
Institute of Education Sciences – US DOE total 3-year requested (.50 FTE)
Responsibilities: Ms. Benedict will devote 30% effort during the academic year and 20% effort during
one summer month to the project. During year one she will assist with coordination with obtaining
proper permissions and consent for data collection with Local Education Agencies. She will assist in
the development of interview questions, conduct itinerant teacher interviews, and code and analyze
initial results. During year two, she will continue to assist with the analysis of teacher interviews,
assessment of student participants, and video/audiorecording of literacy instruction. During year two,
she will assist with completing data coding and analysis and preparing results for publication and
presentation.
M. Christina Rivera
Grant Proposal
12/4/12
Research Consultant: Carol M. Connor, Ph.D.
Institute of Education Sciences – US DOE total 3-year requested ($4,000 for fees and expenses)
Responsibilities: Dr. Connor will provide consultation services on the use and coding of student
literacy instruction with the Individualizing Student Instruction Observation System during years 2 and
3. She also will provide consultation about analysis of results. Dr. Connor is a professor at Arizona
State University, so overnight travel for her consultation services is not necessary; all travel expenses
are included in her fees. Her consultation services will be 5 – 10 days during year 1 and 30 – 60 days
for year 2.
Graduate Associate:
Institute of Education Sciences – US DOE total 3-year requested (.50 FTE)
Responsibilities: The graduate associate will assist the project director and coordinators in data
collection by video/audiorecording teacher interviews and student literacy instruction. The graduate
associate also will assist with transcribing interviews and coding interviews and student literacy
instruction. Beginning doctoral students at the University of Arizona are hired at the Associate 1 level
and then promoted to the Associate 2 level after having completed coursework and comprehensive
exams. We have therefore budgeted for an Associate 1 for years 1 and 2, and an Associate 2 for the
year 3.
A 3% cost of living adjustment has been built into years 2 and 3 for all personnel.
SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS
Technology: The following equipment and software will purchased for use during years 1-3:
3 Dell laptop computers w/Microsoft Office 2010 Home and School Edition
6 Canon Vixia video cameras with 32GB memory cards and tripods
1 Sony Digital Flash Voice Recorder
NVivo 10 software for coding teacher interviews
Noldus The Observer XT Behavioral Coding Suite software for coding student instruction
Supplies for Project Director, Project Coordinator, and Teachers
Funds are requested for general supplies such as printer cartridges, folders, paper, colored and dry-
erase markers, binders, and laminating products.
Travel
Travel includes conference travel for the primary investigators and project coordinator. The type of
conference will be specified at a later date, but may include the annual Office of Special Education
Programs Project Directors’ Conference or the Council on Exceptional Children Conference. Results
of the study will be presented at the conference. Travel expenses to conferences includes conference
registration fees, airfare, per diem, ground transportation, and hotel.
Funds are requested for local travel, including travel between widely separated schools in the
Phoenix area. Mileage will be paid to the project members at $0.45/mile.
OTHER
Background Checks
School districts in the state of Arizona require that those conducting research at their schools have a
background check and receive fingerprint clearance; $67 per person has been included in the budget.