Digital Commons Network^™

Supporting Students In Inclusive Settings, Jordan B. Tucker

Culminating Experience Projects

Inclusion provides students in special education the opportunity to learn alongside their same-aged peers to the greatest extent that is appropriate. Although many special education students are included in general education classrooms, it is common that teachers do not practice asset-based approaches during instruction. Understanding and recognizing student strengths will help educators organize teaching strategies to equip students with the skills to identify what they learn well and what areas they have challenges in. It is crucial for teachers to provide meaningful learning opportunities that allow students to use their assets throughout the learning process. It is important for teachers …

Mentoring For The Retention And Promotion Of Diverse Talent, Holly M. Hetherington

Culminating Experience Projects

Many companies employ mentoring as a tool for investing in employee development and for retention and promotion. However, women and marginalized groups often experience barriers to accessing mentors and to experiencing the benefits of mentoring. Companies can take measures to mitigate these barriers and help women or people from marginalized groups benefit from mentoring. Mentoring can become a tool for investing in diverse talent if companies are willing to consider alternatives to traditional mentoring approaches, provide the necessary training, and develop a supportive culture. This project draws on best practices from feminist perspective and critical race theory scholarship to evaluate …

Diversity, Equity, And Inclusions' Role In The Moral Development Of A College Student, Travis Eugene Smith Jr

Culminating Experience Projects

This paper explores the moral development of the college student and how Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs affect those students' development. A university has an obligation to provide an education to the students and help build the character development of the individual as well. Part of that education journey is focused on the moral development of the students. This project takes Kohlberg's moral development theory and explores how a university should address that development. Kohlberg clearly states that college students should be focused on building up their social welfare awareness. Using DEI Principles and programs can bring an abundance of …

Equity + Catalyst Framework Guide, Naomi M. Silas

Culminating Experience Projects

There has been a shift in society, in light of Covid-19 and the global pandemic, more people have begun to recognize the structural and institutional injustices that exist in this country. Social innovation allows collaboration between people from different sectors, disciplines, industries, and backgrounds; in order to create sustainable change to complex social issues. Design thinking is an iterative process used in business to create innovation and products; it’s also used for social impact.

The goal of the Equity + Catalyst Framework is to bridge concepts that include design thinking, and embodiment, as well as lived experiences and community care …

Peer Mentoring Programs For Students With Disabilities Attending Center-Based Schools, Andrea L. Vargo

Culminating Experience Projects

Due to the level of support needed to become successful, students with moderate to severe disabilities may be placed in a center-based program separate from their typically developed peers. In this placement, students with disabilities, who often have deficits in the areas of communication and social interaction, have little to no access to their peers without disabilities. Therefore, developing and implementing a program that encourages both access to same-age peers and opportunities to improve social interaction skills would be ideal. One of the best ways to provide strategies for these opportunities is through peer-mediated instruction, specifically peer mentorship. The goals …

Benefits Of Inclusion: Supports And Strategies For Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Molly M. Mccain

Culminating Experience Projects

Special Education has evolved over the years. One shift has been the placement of students with special needs, specifically those with Intellectual Disabilities (ID). These students are getting out of their special education classrooms and are being mainstreamed in the general education setting with their same aged peers. Studies have revealed there are positive social and academic benefits to inclusion, including increases in peer-to-peer interactions, shared learning opportunities, and access to general education curriculums. Unfortunately, students do not always acquire these benefits because people working with students with ID: students, teachers, and paraprofessionals, are unaware of what inclusion is and …