CLD Research

Bilingual Educational Diagnosticians’ Perceptions of the Efficacy of Cognitive and Oral Language Tests for English Language Learners

Timeline: 2023-2024
Investigators: Elizabeth Hatala
Project Site: West Texas A&M University
Contact Information: Elizabeth Hatala
Funding Source: Traylor Research Grant in Learning Disabilities
Project Status: The researcher plans to conduct survey research on examining bilingual educational diagnosticians' perceptions of the efficacy of cognitive and oral language tests for English language learners.

Lived Experience of Parents of Children With Specific Learning Disabilities

Timeline: 2023-2024
Investigators: Malvika Behl, Kenneth Denton, Betty Coneway, Mikyung Shin
Project Site: West Texas A&M University
Contact Information: Malvika Behl, mbehl@wtamu.edu
Funding Source: Traylor Research Grant in Learning Disabilities
Project Status: The research has been approved by the Institutional Review Board. The team is recruiting p arents of individuals with l earning d isabilities.

Challenges in Special Education Identification for Multilingual Learners

Timeline: 2022-2023
Investigators: Sang Hwang, Janet Hindman
Project Site: Eastridge Elementary School, Amarillo
Contact Information: Sang Hwang, shwang@wtamu.edu, Janet Hindman, jhindman@wtamu.edu
Funding Source: Traylor Research Grant in Learning Disabilities
Project Status: This project was concluded, and findings were published in the Texas Educator Preparation (Consortium of State Organizations for Texas Teacher Education).
Findings:
- Project overview slides
- Navigating challenges in multilingual education: Ensuring equitable learning for diverse students Journal Article

PERFECT–Providing Environment and Resources for STEM 9th-12th Graders in Effective Cybersecurity Training

Timeline: 2021 - 2024
Investigators: ¹Gahangir Hossain, ²Mikyung Shin, and ³Guofei Gu
Project Site: ¹University of North Texas, ²West Texas A&M University, and ³Texas A&M University
Contact Information: Gahangir Hossain, gahangir.hossain@unt.edu and Mikyung Shin, mikyung.shin@wtamu.edu
Funding Source: Office of Naval Research, Department of Defense
Project Status: Developing cybersecurity module contents and assessments. The team is recruiting high school STEM teachers for training on May 30th and 31st, 2024. Sign up at https://bit.ly/3uyHGGt.

An Examination of Family Cohesion and Self-Esteem as mediator of Bilingualism and Reading Achievement among Second-Generation Immigrant Students

Timeline: 2000 - 2022
Investigators: Leslie Ramos-Salazar, Elsa Diego-Medrano, Nancy Garcia and Yvette Castillo
Contact Information: Leslie Ramos-Salazar, lsalazar@wtamu.edu and Elsa Diego-Medrano, elsam43@gmail.com
Project Status: Findings were published in the Journal of Latinos and Education
Findings: An examination of family cohesion and self-esteem as mediators of bilingualism and reading achievement among second-generation immigrant students Journal Article

Operation First Five: Potter County Parent Survey

Timeline: 2020 - present
Investigators: Betty Coneway and Traci Fredman
Contact Information: Betty Coneway, bconeway@wtamu.edu
Project Status: Collecting data

Evaluating Parent Perspectives of Students with Dyslexia

Timeline: 2019 - present
Investigators: Kenneth Denton, Betty Coneway, Michelle Simmons, Malvika Behl, and Mikyung Shin
Project Site: West Texas A&M University
Contact Information: Kenneth Denton, kdenton@wtamu.edu
Project Status:
- A total of 664 parents responded; 630 completed surveys. The team is in the process of preparing a manuscript with a qualitative data analysis.
Findings:
- Two posters ( Parent perspectives of the dyslexia diagnosis process and Dyslexia and the school counselor) were presented at the West Texas A&M University 2021 Faculty Research poster session
- A poster was presented at the International Dyslexia Association 2021 Annual Reading, Literacy & Learning Conference.
- A session was presented at the Council for Learning Disabilities Conference 2021.
- Parents' voices matter: A mixed-method study on the dyslexia diagnosis process Journal Article

Using Virtual Manipulatives to Teach Fractions to Students with Mathematics Difficulties

Timeline: 2019 - present
Investigators: Mikyung Shin, Michelle Simmons, Francis Goode, Audrey Meador, Alexa Deal, and Tammye Jackson
Project Site: West Texas A&M University
Contact Information: Mikyung Shin, mikyung.shin@wtamu.edu
Funding Source: Killgore Faculty Research Grant (West Texas A&M University)
Findings:
- A poster was presented in the 2020 International Virtual Conference on Learning Disabilities (Council for Learning Disabilities).
- Two posters ( Virtual manipulatives in mathematics interventions for students with mathematics difficulties and Multilevel models for single-case data: Using virtual manipulatives for students with disabilities) were presented at the West Texas A&M University Faculty Research poster sessions.
- Effects of using virtual manipulatives for students with disabilities: Three-level multilevel modeling for single-case data Journal Article
- Mathematics instruction for students with learning disabilities: Applied examples using virtual manipulatives Journal Article

Virtual Learning Assessment

Timeline: 2020
Investigators: Kenneth Denton and Michelle Simmons
Project Site: West Texas A&M University
Contact Information: Kenneth Denton, kdenton@wtamu.edu
Findings: Virtual Learning Assessment: Practical strategies for instructors in higher education Journal Article

Special Education Eligibility Identification Rates: A Comparative Analysis of Urban and Rural Communities

Timeline: 2020
Investigators: ¹Michelle Simmons, ¹Mikyung Shin, and ²Laurie Sharp
Project Site : ¹West Texas A&M University and ²Tarleton State University
Contact Information: Michelle Simmons, msimmons@wtamu.edu
Findings: Special education eligibility identification rates in Texas: A comparative analysis of rural and urban school districts Journal Article

A Mixed Methods Investigation of Cross-Age Reading Tutoring

Timeline: 2019 - 2021
Investigators: ¹Betty Coneway, ²Kathi Haynes, and ¹Audrey Meador
Project Site: ¹West Texas A&M University and ²Amarillo College
Contact Information: Betty Coneway, bconeway@wtamu.edu
Project Status: Accepted for publication in Education Journal
Findings: A mixed methods investigation of cross-age reading tutoring Journal Article

Influence of Sustained Scholarship Opportunities on School Culture Acceptance

Timeline: 2019 - 2021
Investigators: Betty Coneway and Sang Hwang
Project Site: West Texas A&M University
Contact Information: Betty Coneway, bconeway@wtamu.edu
Project Staus: This project was concluded, and findings were published in the Journal of Education & Social Policy
Findings:
- A poster was presented at the West Texas A&M University 2020 Faculty Research Poster Session.
- Evaluating Parent Perspectives of Students with Dyslexia.
- Influence of sustained scholarship opportunities on school culture and social acceptance Journal Article

University-Based Preparation Practices of Preservice Special Education Teachers

Timeline: 2019 - 2020
Investigators: ¹Laurie Sharp, ²Francis Goode, and ²Michelle Simmons
Project Site: ¹Tarleton State University and ²West Texas A&M University
Contact Information: Laurie Sharp, laurie.sharp2013@gmail.com
Project Status: Data collection was concluded in 2018. This project resulted in 7 publications (5 available and 2 in-press).
Findings:

Planting the Seeds of College and Career Readiness in Preschool

Timeline: 2018 - 2020
Investigators: Betty Coneway and Sang Hwang
Project Site: West Texas A&M University
Contact Information: Betty Coneway, bconeway@wtamu.edu
Project Status: This project was concluded, and findings were published in the Journal of Applied Research on Children.
Findings: Planting the seeds of college and career readiness in preschool Journal Article

An Investigation of the Effectiveness of Mindplay Virtual Reading Coach(MVRC) on Reading Comprehension in Elementary School Students

Timeline: 2016 - 2018
Investigators: Crystal Hughes, Teri Bingham, Adam Weiss, Conn Thomas, Angie Elkins, and Francis Goode
Project Site: West Texas A&M University
Contact Information: Crystal Hughes, chughes@wtamu.edu
Project Status: This project was concluded and presented to the Center for Learning Disabilities in April 2019.