Disability and Equity in Education Commons^™

Students With Learning Disabilities And Their Lived Experiences Transitioning From High School To Post-Secondary Education, Barbara Ann Wucherpfennig

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This qualitative study explores the transition of students with learning disabilities (LDs) from high school to junior college, focusing on self-advocacy, self-determination, and the impact of transition services. Conducted with students aged 18 to 23 in Riverside, California, through semi-structured interviews, it employs hermeneutic interpretative phenomenological analysis to merge participants' experiences with social justice theories. The research underscores the need for educational strategies that are inclusive and adaptive, catering to the unique challenges of students with LDs. Key themes found are Awareness and Application of Self-Advocacy and Self-Determination, the Role of High School Transition Services in College Preparedness, Guidance and …

Controlled Digital Lending Is Dead; Long Live Cdl / Progress Report From Project Lend: Uc's Initiative To Expand Digital Access For Copyrighted Material, Sagan Wallace, Rice Majors

Digital Initiatives Symposium

From Sagan Wallace:

Much has been said about the future of controlled digital lending (CDL) after the 2023 Hachette vs Internet Archive ruling. Some say CDL is on legally shaky ground, and others say CDL will continue to revolutionize how libraries provide materials. I believe these questions are a distraction from a significant issue in many CDL collections - inadequate accessibility.

My institution is a heavy user of CDL, with over 700 scanned textbooks. We formed a task force to identify the best methods to make our CDL collection more accessible. We found that creating screen reader accessible materials takes …

Students’ Experiences When Using Real-Time Automated Captions And Subtitles In Live Online Presentations: A Phenomenological Study, Anymir Orellana Ed.D., Elda Kanzki-Veloso Ph.D., Georgina Arguello Ed.D., Katarzyna Wojnas

The Qualitative Report

According to the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, as a text-based alternative to auditory information in videos or presentations, captions can make the content equally accessible, and multilingual subtitles can promote a cross-linguistic understanding of the content. We conducted a phenomenological study to understand the common meaning of the participants’ experiences when using real-time automated captions/subtitles during live online class presentations. Twenty-four remote student participants were placed in three study groups. All participants were fluent in spoken and written English, eight could read in one or more additional languages, and none had a hearing disability. We used Microsoft PowerPoint …

Parent Experiences Navigating The Hartford Youth Scholars Program Application, Maria Vicuña

Senior Theses and Projects

In the United States, large disparities in education and educational attainment across racial and ethnic groups continue to exist. To combat this disparity, families may look for opportunities that will help their child succeed such as academic programming/enrichment. Hartford Youth Scholars (HYS) is one such program, located in Hartford, CT. While programs such as HYS exist, these programs are usually in demand and unfortunately, due to lack of resources and funding, there are only a limited number of students programs have the capacity to admit. While this is the case, it’s important that all families have a fair shot at …

What Is Good For One Is Good For All: Using Co-Teaching As A Model To Service Students With Disabilities Within Inclusive General Education Classrooms, Michelle Robinson

Dissertations

Co-teaching is one of the most used service delivery models for students with disabilities within general education classrooms. In co-taught classrooms, a general education teacher and a special education teacher work together to provide instruction to both general education students and special education students. This allows students with disabilities to learn alongside their same-age peers, as they can access the general education curriculum while also receiving the supports and services of a special education teacher. The purpose of this study was to examine how co-teachers at Washington Junior High (WJH; a pseudonym) felt about co-teaching and the co-teaching program. Twelve …

From The Editors, Michele H. Koomen, Thomastine A. Sarchet-Maher, Jessica Williams

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

JSESD remains a venue for the dissemination of research and practice related to the education of students with disabilities in the science classroom and laboratory since 1998. Volumes #1 through 11 were published in a print format. Starting with Volume #12, the journal has been published online and Open Access. Having JSESD in the Open Access format maximizes access for readers and authors and allows the journal to remain economically sustainable. JSESD is proud to now be publishing articles in both PDF and HTML formats (the HTML versions can be accessed through a link from the main articles’ web-page).

Examining Social Capital And Its Role In Special Education Leadership, April K. Rist

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to analyze the relationships that existed between the special education leaders and other members of a district leadership team in order to measure their access to social capital. Quantitative data were collected using surveys of one school district’s leadership team and social network analysis (SNA) was used to visually analyze the connections between members of the team. Qualitative data were subsequently collected via semi-structured interviews of each of the 19 members of the leadership team. What types of ties do the special education administrators have to fellow administrators within district leadership teams? What …

Impact Of Reasonable Accommodations On Disabled Student–Veteran Higher Educational Achievement, Michael A. Buoniconti

Doctoral Dissertations

Objectives: The purpose of this study was (a) to investigate the degree to which reasonable accommodations affected the educational achievement (graduation and GPA) of U.S. Student–Veterans with military service–connected disabilities and (b) to categorize the accommodations according to impact (positive, mixed, none, and negative). Research Design: Archival and survey data were used to investigate whether there was a relationship between U.S. Student-Veteran level of military service–connected disability, Student-Veteran utilization of reasonable accommodations support, and Student-Veteran higher educational achievement. Two variables (a) U.S. Student-Veteran military service–connected disability severity rating (both continuous and categorical) and (b) U.S. Student-Veteran utilization of reasonable accommodations …

Work Readiness And Job Satisfaction Of Youth With Intellectual Disabilities Participating In A Supported Employment Program, Hannah Branch

Undergraduate Research Journal for the Human Sciences

A summer supported employment program was provided by a vocational rehabilitation agency to prepare transition-aged youth with intellectual disabilities for the workforce. This study examined the views of youth with intellectual disabilities on their pre-post-program work readiness and job satisfaction using survey methodology. Although youth seemed satisfied with their jobs, they reported no significant change in their perceived job readiness, and their job coaches also reported similar perceptions.

As a summer program, the duration may not have been adequate to increase youth’s views of their work readiness. For summer supported employment programs, obtaining youth participant insight and feedback, although sometimes …

The Real Experts: Understanding Autism And Adhd Through The Lens Of The Individual, Mary Little

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

This presentation aims to spark intentional conversation and change geared towards shattering stigmas around the autistic and ADHD experience. Attendees will enhance their understanding of neuro-divergent populations in order to modify environments and provide interventions aligning with trauma informed care and inclusion. Attendees will also be given the opportunity to embrace the power of self disclosure and mentorship.

Brave Schools: Exploring Student Rights & Inclusive Anti-Bullying School Spaces Through Transgender & Queer Liberation Practices, Miruna Ouatu-Lascar

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

In today’s climate student rights and the rights of transgender students particularly are constantly under attack creating school community climates that are hostile & dangerous for kids. This workshop will present participants with an overview of transgender and queer theory liberatory practices & outline strategies for creating inclusive school communities that are not only welcoming but actively engage in combating hate and bully culture.

“Not A Stereotype”: A Teacher Framework For Evaluating Disability Representation In Children’S Picture Books, H. Emily Hayden, Angela M.T. Prince

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Researchers and educators have explored representations of people with marginalized identities in children’s picturebooks for over 30 years. Disability has not been widely acknowledged as a marginalized identity nor explored as an aspect of diversity prevalent in classrooms. In the United States, over seven million students are identified with a disability, and most will spend the majority of their school day in general education classrooms. Like other diverse students, they may not see their identities mirrored in classroom literature. Picturebooks featuring main characters with a disability are rare, and some still foreground medical models, limiting individuals with narrow, ableist notions …

A Phenomenological Study Of School Psychologists: The Influence Of Implicit Bias On The Disproportionate Identification Rates Of African American Students Evaluated For Emotional Disturbance, Sonya Coe-Milo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As advocates, school psychologists remain ethically responsible and uniquely positioned to identify social injustices and promote nondiscriminatory practices in prekindergarten through grade 12 public education institutions. Implicit bias and its influence on African American students is one such practice. In public education, implicit bias contributes to discipline disproportionality, differentiated teacher support, pedagogical practices, and adult perceptions and expectations of appropriate and inappropriate behaviors. These factors directly correlate to the disproportionate identification rates of African American students for special education and related services. Therefore, this phenomenological qualitative study examined the personal, lived experiences and perceptions of school psychologists regarding implicit bias …

Misappropriating Self-Care: A Mixed-Methods Analysis Of The Burnout Experiences Of Teachers Who Identify As Women, Kimberly A. Kneller

Education Doctorate Dissertations

“Self-care” is a very marketable term, especially in the COVID era. Coupled with a renewed focus on student achievement, the demands of the workplace on teachers are implicated in a troubling rate of teacher attrition and declining enrollment in preparatory programs. This research utilized a mixed-methods approach in gaining a deeper understanding of the predicament that teachers (who predominantly identify as women) are facing. The survey and focus group data obtained in this study support the framework that teachers are at risk of burnout and feel powerless to avoid it. The lack of power perceived by these individuals is a …

Challenges To Inclusive Education For Students With Disabilities In Japanese Higher Education Institutions, Karina Dyliaeva, Steven B. Rothman, Nader Ghotbi

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: The purpose of the study was to elucidate the current challenges to inclusive education (IE) at the university level in Japan, thereby addressing the gap between policy and the provision of inclusion.

Method: This qualitative case study of a private university supporting inclusive policies in Japan included content analysis of data collected through semi-structured interviews to ascertain themes.

Results: The four identified themes were: inclusion practices as a conceptual challenge, conflicting practice of reasonable accommodations, inclusion management gaps, and barriers to and opportunities for inclusive education.

Conclusions: There is a significant disconnect between legal obligation and actual implementation of …

Identifying Critical Employability Skills For Employment Success Of Autistic Individuals: A Content Analysis Of Job Postings, Amy Jane Griffiths, Amy E. Hurley-Hanson, Cristina M. Giannantonio, Angel Miles Nash, Wallace Walrod, Petersen Walrod, Rachel Torres, Raquel Delgado

Education Faculty Articles and Research

This study aimed to examine the literature on the skill sets of autistic individuals and determine how these skills align with current and projected future labour market needs. Based on a literature review, researchers identified the following skill categories common to autistic individuals: visual skills, attention to detail and systemizing composite skills. Researchers then gathered aggregated data on occupations and industries from over 90 state and federal sources in the United States. Next, they collected data on the most in-demand jobs, their industries and relevant skills by analysing hundreds of millions of online job postings. The results indicate the most …

Self- Determination And Student- Led Ieps, Elizabeth R. Clarke

Empowering Educators Conference

In this session, Dr. Clarke and her student, a high school senior, will analyze and instruct educational professionals about self-determination. She will explain how to give students a voice in their IEP and their educational plans, as well as the subsequent effects: boosting motivation, independence and academic success.

A Problem Solving Assessment Model For Remediating Academic Deficits, Tyler-Curtis C. Elliott, Kevin M. Ayres

Empowering Educators Conference

Even the best academic interventions may need to be adapted to meet the idiosyncratic needs of the student. We will present 6 common “causes” of an academic failure (based on operant conditioning), assessment methods used to identify the cause, and how teachers can use this information to make instructional adaptations.

Equity Requires Action: Principals’ Use And Value Of Culturally Proficient Educational Practice, Jaime E. Welborn Ph.D., Peter Flores Iii, Ed.D.

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

This quantitative, descriptive study investigated K-12 public school principals' perceptions regarding the degree to which they use and value practices related to cultural competence in their roles as school leaders. While an abundance of literature regarding leadership in education, disparities in educational outcomes, and school change exists, inequities in policy and practice perpetuate academic and social setbacks for some of our nation's youth Using the lens of the Cultural Proficiency Framework, specifically the Essential Elements, this study aimed to address the research questions and add to the literature by examining (1) the school principals' value in using culturally competent practices; …

Out-Of- School Time Use In Pakistan: A Qualitative Study Featuring Youth's Voices, Salima Kerai, Marium Ibrahim, Tonje M. Molyneux, Uzma Hussain, Anne Gadermann, Rosemin Kassam, Almina Pardhan Dr., Eva Oberle

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

The current study addresses the lack of out-of-school time (OST) research in low- and middle-income countries by exploring OST use in the context of Pakistan and incorporating youth's voices. Using a qualitative descriptive design with focus-group discussions, we conducted a study in three middle schools set in low- to middle-income neighborhoods in urban and rural areas of Karachi, Pakistan. We engaged 86 youth (50% girls; aged 10–15 years) that were purposefully selected from grade six (31.4%), seven (44.2%) and eight (24.4%) classrooms, balancing gender and locality. In each focus group, we asked participants to describe their afterschool activity routine on …