TeenACE for Science (TAS) is a writing intervention that combines components of Multimedia Technology, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) to help students develop expository writing skills in science. This developmental study examined the effect of the TAS intervention with two groups of culturally and linguistically diverse middle school students. Forty-six students in two classrooms that included general and special education students participated in a 12-week intervention during which they wrote multiple science reports. Students used the multimodal features of a productivity software (PowerPoint) to organize pictures and headings, take notes on a cognitive map, type in text, and record their voices narrating what they had written. This mixed methods study utilized pre-post tests and curriculum-based measures to examine quantitative changes. Qualitative measures included surveys and focus groups. Pre-post test results showed that students scored significantly higher on two Woodcock Johnson III subtests (Writing Fluency and Writing Samples) though no significant change was noted on the Editing subtest. Teachers rated the intervention as relevant, useful, and high quality; they reported continued use of the same protocol at a 1-year follow-up.

This study examined outcomes of using a generative multimedia environment for writing. Students in grades 9 to 12 enrolled in a special education language arts class participated in an eight-week intervention during which they wrote five stories that included pictures, audio, and text. Stories were scored using a Hawaii standards-based rubric assessment. Statistically significant differences were found when scores on the first and last stories were compared. Teams with lower pretest scores appeared to benefit the most from the intervention. A teacher interview revealed several affective outcomes in student writing behaviors, student engagement, and motivation.

Literacy is a significant challenge in the U.S. and its territories, especially in low income communities where use of English language is non-standard. Wedeveloped the Actual Community Empowerment (ACE) Reading program for students at risk in such communities. ACE is a small-group tutoring program to support fluency, word recognition and decoding, and comprehension at the best pace of learning for individual, struggling readers. It has several variations (e.g., for different ages, different uses of technology), depending on local needs and resources. The program has been successfully implemented in 40 locations from Philadelphia to Pohnpei, with a 95% success rate for significant reading improvement. ACE tutors are community paraprofessionals or school students with backgrounds similar to the children who receive tutoring. In the first major section of this paper, the ACE Reading Program is described and empirical research demonstrating the benefits of the program for students' literacy is reviewed. The second major section presents preliminary qualitative research evidence that paraprofessional tutors progress through recognizable stages toward increased professionalism. Recommendations for future research are provided.

This article describes how researchers used a culturally responsive case study approach to understand how Native Hawaiian students made postsecondary decisions and the lessons they International Journal of Learning and Development ISSN 2164-4063 2017 http://ijld.macrothink.org 211 learned through this process. Unique to this study were the steps taken in gaining entry to the research site and building relationships with the gatekeepers and student participants through culturally appropriate communication styles and activities. Concerted efforts were employed prior to and during the interviews to promote culturally responsive interactions (e.g., sharing of food). Implications are discussed for individuals teaching, counseling, and researching Native Hawaiian students and their families and include strategies for building relationships to gain entry and to gain confidence of participants; investigating social context prior to entry, discussion of rituals and routines, values and priorities; and viewing participant responses with respect to their worldview.

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