Disability and Equity in Education Commons^™

Get Rich Or Die Tryin’: Media And Black Male Academic Identity Development, Kevin S. Mcclain

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Black males encounter many difficulties in their educational journeys. Often these disadvantages can be linked to socioeconomic and environmental factors, which have consistently plagued the Black community. However, a relatively unexplored area of interest in higher education is the influence media representation has on the academic identity of Black males. Routinely shown in media outlets as athletes, entertainers, and criminals, Black males rarely view positive representations of themselves across media, thus limiting their academic pursuits. From this study, the researcher hoped to develop a fuller understanding on the influence between multimedia and Black male identity and academic success in higher …

Legislating Social Inclusion: Social Interaction And Perceptions Of Middle Level Students Toward Those With Disabilities, Deidre Necol Whitehead

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recognition of the need for students with disabilities to receive free and appropriate education was brought to the forefront with the passage of Public Law 93 – 112, Rehabilitation Act in 1973. In 1975 Public Law 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act was enacted requiring all schools to develop and provide a free, appropriate public education for all children and youth with disabilities in the regular classroom to ensure an appropriate education. However, mandating inclusion in classrooms does not ensure social interaction, which is an integral part of learning, especially for early adolescents.

This dissertation uses the Chedoke-McMaster …

Baby Boomers In Technology-Rich Environments: Using Piaac To Study The Association Of Workplace Learning With Technology Competency, Julie M. Galliart

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A skill gap in Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments (PS-TRE) between U.S. Baby Boomers and younger generations has been documented in previous studies using the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) Survey of Adult Skills (Rampey et al., 2016). Bringing this generation of workers up to speed in this competency area is important because older workers are a growing segment of the U.S. workforce with 13 million employees expected to be age 65 or older by 2024 (Toossi & Torpey, 2017). Workplace learning may be a solution, but few studies in adult learning document outcomes of training …

Teacher Demoralization: Neoliberal Influence On The Complex Education System And Teacher Morale, Dionne Elvira

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Since the 1980s, neoliberal influence has slowly taken over our education system’s vision and purpose. Presently, marketization in schooling has drawn the attention and influence of those of monetary and political power (Bartlett et al., 2002). Accountability measures set in place by the strings attached to school funding and sanctions encompass blanket demands on classroom instruction not equitably designed to support our diverse student populations (Ravitch, 2013; Reigeluth, 2014; Tsang, 2019). The school system, as it presently stands, is managed and maintained under systematic models that do not align to the complex needs of each unique school within its unique …

I, Too, Sing Neurodiversity, Morénike Giwa Onaiwu

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

The neurodiversity community was envisioned as an inclusive and welcoming space for individuals with neurological conditions such as ADHD, autism, Tourette’s Syndrome, giftedness, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, intellectual disability, NVLD and related diagnoses. The underlying premise of neurodiversity is that people present with various neurological differences and there is value in acknowledging and accepting these differences. Despite efforts made over the past few decades, a growing number of individuals within the neurodiversity community, including people of color, have called for intersectional concepts to be more intentionally and more effectively interwoven into neurodiversity as a whole. Referencing “I, Too,” a decades-old poem …

Dyspraxia In Medical Education: A Collaborative Autoethnography, Eleanor R. Walker, Sebastian C. K. Shaw, John L. Anderson

The Qualitative Report

In this paper we adopt an autoethnographic approach to explore the lived experiences of a UK medical student with dyspraxia within the current culture of UK medical education. An initial review of the literature revealed that there is now growing evidence regarding the difficulties experienced by, and support needed for medical students and doctors with dyslexia. However, no research has been conducted concerning dyspraxia on its own in medical education. Here we seek to provide an in-depth account of a UK undergraduate medical student with dyspraxia. It is hoped that this will have three outcomes: to support both students and …

When Special Education And Disability Studies Intertwine: Addressing Educational Inequities Through Processes And Programming, Audri Sandoval Gomez, Aja Mckee

Education Faculty Articles and Research

The inception of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) in 1975 provided hope and the opportunity for equitable educational experiences for individuals with disabilities. Forty-five years later, the United States remains in a deficit-driven, medical model educational system with deeply rooted inequities continuing to segregate students because of their disability. A disability studies in education framework allows for complex components of teaching and programming for students with disabilities to be explored in a practical way that promotes inclusive education for all students. Examining special education practices through a social model of disability with a focus on ability and …

Abriendo Oportunidades Strengthens Government Education Programming For Indigenous Adolescent Girls In Guatemala, Population Council

Research Utilization and Impact Briefs

For over 15 years, Abriendo Oportunidades has partnered with national and local authorities to improve educational prospects for indigenous girls. In Guatemala, evidence and ongoing technical assistance have helped to strengthen and expand the Ministry of Education’s alternative education programs for adolescents, ensuring they are responsive to the needs of indigenous rural communities.

The Impacts Of Incarceration On The Wellbeing Of Family Members Of African American Males Who Experience The U.S Prison System: A Phenomenological Study, Tremaine N. Leslie

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

African Americans encounter a high rate of imprisonment, and the social, economic, mental and other effects of imprisonment are extended to their families and communities (Roberts, 2004). In addition to separating individuals from their families and communities, incarceration maximizes the probability for fractured relationships, fragmented communities, and encumbers the public service systems (DeHart, Shapiro & Clone, 2018).Therefore, the purpose of this phenomenological inquiry was to explore the mental health effects of incarceration on the family members of African American males who experience the U.S prison system.

The theoretical framework utilized for this study was the critical race theory (CRT) immersed …

Mothers Of Children With Dyslexia Share The Protection, “In-Betweenness,” And The Battle Of Living With A Reading Disability: A Feminist Autoethnography, Christine Woodcock

The Qualitative Report

In order to shed personalized light upon some of the confusions surrounding dyslexia, this study draws upon critical disability studies to share the stories of mothers of children with dyslexia. This feminist autoethnography shares the voice of the researcher alongside interviews with 5 participants, all mothers of children with dyslexia, who were in their 40s, and ethnically and socioeconomically diverse. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, results illustrated that the children inhabited an “in-betweenness” in their disability, in the ways dyslexia was less visual and therefore misunderstood. Likewise, the children presented a great deal of resistance in their learning, which was later …

Dinner Table Syndrome: A Phenomenological Study Of Deaf Individuals’ Experiences With Inaccessible Communication, David R. Meek

The Qualitative Report

Conversations at the dinner table typically involve reciprocal and contingent turn-taking. This context typically includes multiple exchanges between family members, providing opportunities for rich conversations and opportunities for incidental learning. Deaf individuals who live in hearing non-signing homes often miss out on these exchanges, as typically hearing individuals use turn-taking rules that differ from those commonly used by deaf individuals. Hearing individuals’ turn-taking rules include use of auditory cues to get a turn and to cue others when a new speaker is beginning a turn. Given these mechanisms, hearing individuals frequently interrupt each other—even if they are signing. When deaf …

For Every Gender: Being Who We Are, Katherine Lewis

Faculty Authored Books and Book Contributions

Teaching about Gender Diversity is an edited collection of teacher-tested interdisciplinary lesson plans that provides K–12 teachers with the tools to implement gender-inclusive practices into their curriculum and talk to their students about gender and sex.

~publisher's description~

Cracks In The Bathroom Stall: A Discourse Analysis On Transgender Bathroom Usage At Garden Spot High School, Kirsten D. Corneilson

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In recent years, high schools across the country have seen the concern around transgender students using gendered facilities, such as bathrooms and locker rooms, come to the forefront. Often, dissenters raise worries of privacy and of “catering to a minority,” no matter what decision is reached. At Garden Spot High School in New Holland, Pennsylvania, the site of this research, one such concern has led to a district-wide decision to eliminate gendered facilities and move to single-use facilities, in the name of preserving student privacy. Through the examination of historical precedent and discourse analysis, this paper examines how transgender surveillance …

“A Lot Of Stories In My Mind”: Perspectives Of Children And Elders Living With Dementia On Intergenerational Collaboration In A Participatory Music Project, Cameron Dusman

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Trends of music engagement include a shift towards presentational music culture, as well as inequitable access to participatory music-making for some populations. Meanwhile, trends of societal engagement include ageism and age-segregation. Especially for people living with dementia, stigma often prevents equitable access to creative participatory arts. This convergent, mixed-methods case study design explored participation in an intergenerational, participatory creative arts project. Participants included children from an elementary school and senior adults with dementia in a memory care neighborhood. The purpose was to explore the meaning of participation and interaction in the project from participants’ perspectives. Participants collaborated in eight sessions …

Supporting Biracial Students Through An Equity Lens: Multicultural Literature And Advocacy In School Libraries, Jacqueline Ahlborn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Biracial students make up a substantial allocation of the school population, and their demographics are only expected to increase within the coming years. With this emergence of a larger Biracial community, schools need to consider how they will implement equitable resources and practices to meet the needs for this unique population. School librarians, serving as instructional leaders, can provide the necessary materials and strategies to support their students who are Biracial in order to foster positive racial identity. The purpose of this study is to explore school librarians’ perspectives on the influence of multicultural literature on students’ acceptance and understanding …

Who Is Riding The Bus And How Does It Impact Student Sleep, Attendance, Discipline, Mental Health, And Achievement?, Curtis Neil Hicks

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to determine the relationship between morning transportation mode choice, sleep, and factors that impact achievement for students in grades 9-12 at Sleepy Valley High School. The study also examined the relationship between race and/or socioeconomic status and morning transportation mode choice to determine to what extent, if any, students from low socioeconomic backgrounds and minority populations are disproportionally affected by the district’s pupil transportation system.

Data related to morning transportation mode choice, factors that impact mode choice, student sleep, and mental health were collected through a 12 question Student Transportation Survey. Each survey …

How Does Disproportionality In Discipline Manifest In Rural Schools In Southeast Arkansas?, Julie Workman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

African American students are disciplined in schools at disproportionately higher rates than White students. This trend was first reported in 1975 in a report by the Children’s Defense Fund and since that time, has been highly studied. However, most research has been conducted in urban or suburban schools, with less known about disproportionate discipline in rural schools. This study utilized an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach to explore disproportionate discipline between African American and White students in five rural schools located in Southeast Arkansas. The research questions were as follows: (1) How is discipline disproportionality perceived in specific rural schools …

Ministerial Briefing Paper On Evidence Of The Likely Impact On Educational Outcomes Of Vulnerable Children Learning At Home During Covid-19, Geoff N. Masters, Pauline Taylor-Guy, Julian Fraillon, Anne-Marie Chase

Student learning processes

The purpose of this briefing paper is to provide evidence of the likely impact on educational outcomes for vulnerable children learning at home as a result of the COVID-19 response measures, and the merits of a range of delivery models. The paper is structured in four sections. Section 1 reports data from three international research programs and from the Australian National Assessment Program ICT Literacy. The purpose of this section is to use data collected in large-scale assessment programs that have representative national samples of participants to describe the profile of disadvantaged students in Australia. Section 2 discusses themes emerging …

Keeping Girls In Schools To Reduce Child Marriage In Rural Bangladesh—Research Brief And Baseline Highlights, Sigma Ainul, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Md. Irfan Hossain, Forhana Rahman Noor, Iqbal Ehsan, Sajeda Amin, Ubaidur Rob

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Bangladesh has made considerable progress in improving access to education at all levels for the last two decades. Despite these impressive gains, Bangladesh continues to face challenges of student dropout at the secondary level. Girls drop out of school earlier than boys because of child marriage. Targeted policies and interventions designed to improve mainstream educational attainment and decrease child marriage may be the effective and sustainable way to address both issues. The Population Council implemented the project “Keeping Girls in Schools to Reduce Child Marriage in Rural Bangladesh.” An intervention research study, the project tests a life-skills and tutoring support …

La Integración De Las Necesidades Especiales Educativas En Aulas Convencionales Chilenos: Investigación Y Experiencias Vividas, Julia Alfiere

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El movimiento hacia la integración de estudiantes con necesidades especiales educativas (NEE) en aulas convencionales ha ganado tracción en los últimos veinte años como un asunto no solamente del reforma educacional, pero de derechos para estudiantes con discapacidades y necesidades educativas especiales también. Este informe investiga los resultados del movimiento hacia la integración con relación a la experiencia de integración en sí, y el rendimiento académico y la experiencia en el aula de los estudiantes con NEE. En el proceso de investigación para este informe, se entrevistaron varios partes interesadas, como docentes de educación diferencial y padres de estudiantes con …

La Discapacidad En Valparaíso: La Existencia De Un (¿Nuevo?) Movimiento Social, Julia Conti

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study examines disability in Chile as a possible new social movement, seeking to answer the question of whether a movement for disability rights exists and if so, what form it takes. Disability has historically been seen as an imperfection, an impairment, and something to cure if at all possible, but beginning in the mid-twentieth century, groups of disabled people have advocated for a changing perception of their own abilities, their place in society, and how society itself contributes to the disabling of people. Alongside this burgeoning movement, scholarship emerged that reconceptualized disability and proposed new models for understanding the …

What Factors Influence Chinese Students To Choose Master Program In Jmc: A Phenomenological Study, Zhiwei Wang Dr., Zhenbiao He Prof., Zhengke Fu Dr.

The Qualitative Report

The number of Chinese postgraduates in JMC has steadily increased with the growing number of JCC master’s programs in in China. Little is known about key factors that influence Chinese students’ decisions in choosing which program attend. In order to fill a gap in the academic field, a qualitative phenomenological approach was applied to examine the experiences of seven Chinese master’s students in JMC from three different universities in Zhejiang province, China. Three important themes have been created including (1) geographical advantages; (2) recommendation of peers and professors; and (3) course design and curriculum. These findings have important implications for …

Black Asl (American Sign Language), Katrina Thulin

Sociology Student Work Collection

Presentation about Black ASL (American Sign Language) including it's origin, evolution, current study, and differences between mainstream ASL and Black ASL.

In Our Own Words: Institutional Betrayals, Reshmi Dutt-Ballerstadt

Faculty Publications

When Dr. Reshmi Dutt-Ballerstadt, professor of English at Linfield College, asked a large group of underrepresented faculty members why they left their higher education institutions, they told her the real reasons for their departures — those that climate surveys don't capture.

This essay originally appeared as part of Conditionally Accepted, a career advice blog for Inside Higher Ed providing news, information, personal stories, and resources for scholars who are, at best, conditionally accepted in academe. Conditionally Accepted is an anti-racist, pro-feminist, pro-queer, anti-transphobic, anti-fatphobic, anti-ableist, anti-ageist, anti-classist, and anti-xenophobic online community.

Strategies Exemplary Social Studies Teachers’ Implement When Facilitating Discussions About Race, Candice Nicole Jasmer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teachers experience difficulty in introducing some sensitive and controversial issues in the classroom environment. The purpose of this qualitative instrumental case study was to identify strategies that exemplary secondary social studies teachers implement when facilitating classroom discussions about sensitive and controversial issues, specifically, racial issues framed within Singleton and Linton’s 4 agreements of courageous conversations: stay engaged, speak your truth, experience discomfort, and accept and expect nonclosure. This study utilized qualitative data collection. Semi-structured, online one-to-one internet-based interviews were used to document the lived experiences of exemplary secondary social studies teachers and the strategies they use when facilitating discussions about …

Keeping Girls In Schools To Reduce Child Marriage In Rural Bangladesh—Program Brief, Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

For the last two decades, Bangladesh has made considerable progress in improving access to education at all levels. Despite these gains, the country continues to face challenges from student dropout at the secondary level. Girls drop out of school earlier than boys because of child marriage. Targeted policies and interventions designed to improve educational attainment and decrease child marriage may be an effective and sustainable way to address both issues. The Population Council implemented an intervention research study to test a life-skills and tutoring support model to reduce school dropout among secondary-school girls and enhance livelihood skills for unmarried girls …

Fostering Educational Inclusion: Reality Far Removed From Policy, Ashu Kapur

Teacher India

The ground realities of inclusive education narrate a sad story of discrimination. Ashu Kapur shares the findings of her recent study.

Disrupting Disparity: A Critical Race Transformative Mixed Methods Examination Of School Discipline, Ceema Samimi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Racial disparities in school discipline are well-established in the United States’ public-school system. These disparities contribute to a phenomenon known as the school-to-prison pipeline. This phenomenon is a metaphor for the mechanisms that push students, especially students of color, out of school and into the justice system. While research has examined the causes and impacts racial disproportionality in discipline, no studies have focused on schools with no disparities. This study used Critical Race Transformative Mixed Methods to examine school-level quantitative data while employing phenomenological methods to interviews with 12 teachers using critical race theory as a lens. Findings revealed that …

Her Voice: Engaging And Preparing Girls With Disabilities For Science, Technology, Engineering, And Math Careers, Amy Jane Griffiths, Angel Miles Nash, Zachary Maupin, Sneha Kohli Mathur

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) related fields comprise the top 30 occupations expected to grow the fastest by 2026. This increase in job opportunities, coupled with the evolution of technology, is creating higher demands for diversity in the labor market. Currently all students require innovative training and support from a young age to pursue STEM careers successfully. However, women and girls with disabilities face unique barriers along the STEM education pipeline. In this paper, we report the current and projected labor market trends in the United States. We then consider how this labor market information can be used by …

Covid-19'S Impact On Students With Disabilities In Under-Resourced School Districts, Crystal Grant

Faculty Scholarship

This Essay explores the plight of students with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly those enrolled in under-resourced school districts. To address these ongoing disparities, remediate student regression, and prevent further educational loss, we must act quickly to get resources to the students who need it most and to guide districts towards using these resources effectively. This Essay questions whether federal and state governments are truly committed to creatively examining the current special education framework and adopting solutions that will prioritize expanding access to resources for students with disabilities. These solutions include an immediate advancement of funds to aid states …