Disability and Equity in Education Commons^™

Global Educational Ramifications Of Covid-19 On Minorities And Students Living In Poverty Or Extreme Poverty: A Literature Review, Jessie S. Thacker-King

Journal of Global Education and Research

Public education requires all stakeholders to collaborate as a community and focus on the essential factors that create a path for student progress, growth, and maturity. The result nurtures students from kindergarten to graduation and beyond and affords them opportunities to become efficacious members of their communities. Schools are a business operating on the premise of the service industry, working collectively with and for the communities they serve. Their operational parameters are to work with all stakeholders to successfully facilitate excellence in education for all students regardless of gender, race, or socioeconomic status. Recent COVID-19 school closures have opened dialogues …

Perceptions Regarding Service/Volunteerism In Postsecondary Education With Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Coraliz Martinez

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to analyze the perceptions postsecondary education programs for students with intellectual disabilities have on the topic of service learning and volunteerism. The goal is to analyze college programs in the Southeast portion of the United States to determine if this topic is incorporated into their curriculum and analyze their perception of the topic. Twenty-six staff members from different postsecondary education programs completed a questionnaire that analyzed their program as a whole. The data indicates that the programs that incorporate service/volunteerism within their program prioritize service/volunteerism and state it has made a positive impact on …

Equipped For Change: A Grounded Theory Study Of White Antiracist School Leaders’ Attitudes And Perceptions Of Racial Consciousness In Educational Leadership, Thomas Joseph Peterson

Education (PhD) Dissertations

There is substantial evidence that issues of race and racism and are common in U.S. public schools, especially those greatly impacted by poverty and racial segregation. Unfortunately, it is highly likely many of these occurrences either go unrecognized, unacknowledged, or are perpetrated unknowingly by White educators and administrators—many of whom are well-intentioned, but lack the critical lens necessary in challenging and dismantling them. For White people, the enculturating normativity of White racial dominance, maintained by the social conditioning of Whiteness, facilitates an environment of racial ignorance and insignificance, leaving most painfully oblivious to the damaging complexities of racism in contemporary …

Exploring The Experiences Of Underrepresented Students Pursuing Health-Related Graduate Or Professional Programs, Alison Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For many years graduate and professional education programs for the health professions have sought to increase the diversity of their student body to include students from a wider variety of backgrounds. Increasing the diversity of healthcare providers is an essential component of addressing inequities in healthcare. However, despite initiatives to increase racial and ethnic diversity in the health professions, these professions remain largely White and female. Previous researchers have sought to identify the reasons that racial and ethnic minorities are underrepresented in healthcare, and the barriers to persistence and success. Little research exists explaining why men are underrepresented in the …

A Scoping Review Of Health Research With Racially/Ethnically Minoritized Adults With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Heather J. Williamson, Tara Chico-Jarillo, Samantha Sasse, Leticia Rennie, Jennifer R. Etcitty, Carol L. Howe, Michele Sky Lee, Julie S. Armin

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Living with intersectional identities, having a disability, and being a member of a racial or ethnic minoritized group in the U.S., contributes to marginalization that may result in health disparities and health inequities. The purpose of this scoping review is to describe health research regarding adult racial/ethnic minoritized individuals in the U.S with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Eight electronic databases were searched to identify literature on the topic published since 2000. Of the 5,229 records, 35 articles were included in the review. Eligible studies included research conducted in the U.S., published in English, and research focused on adults with …

Differences Among Family And Professional Guardians: A Statewide Survey Of Characteristics, Training, And Practices Related To Decision-Making, Kristin Hamre, Derek Nord

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

This cross-sectional study sought to examine the differences between family and professional guardians across personal and role characteristics, training received, and their inclusion of people they serve in decision making. A total of 237 subjects serving as guardian to adults in the state of Indiana completed an online survey. Results showed group differences across race, education, as well as diagnosis and age of those served. Overall, training was limited across both groups, and family guardians received significantly less training across several topics. Finally, family and professional guardians were found to significantly differ in their willingness to allow people they serve …

Reimagining Disability: A Call To Action, Paritosh Joshi, Julia Pappageorge

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

This article focuses on how the medical profession, organizations, and universities should incorporate the social model of disability into their regulations and policies to advance justice for individuals with disabilities. Traditionally, disability has been viewed through the medical model, which postulates that one’s individual body or mind is medically impaired and diminishes the person’s quality of life. The model overemphasizes individual difference or disability diagnosis as something that should be treated at an individual level through medical intervention, and ignores social factors that impact the development of physical and mental conditions. Moreover, this pervasive attitude towards disability permeates institutions and …

Reaching Consensus On The Future Direction Of A Resource Center Within A Ucedd: A Quality Improvement Delphi Project, Emily J. Hickey Phd, Amy D. Whitehead Mpa, Rachel Weingarten Bs, Leann Smith Dawalt Phd

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families need access to timely, quality information and assistance about relevant services and supports. Despite statewide systems of information and assistance for this population, there is a need for “in-the-moment” assistance for individuals and family members who participate in on-site research, training and or service delivery at the Waisman Center. The aim of this quality improvement project was to clarify the role of an internal Resource Center so as to align with the staff resources available and not duplicate statewide systems of support.

The Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison the …

The Effects Of Joint Training On Career And Technical Education And Special Education Professionals, Crystal K. Emery, Robert L. Morgan

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Abstract

Young adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities who leave high school have limited options in adulthood. Their rates of competitive employment in inclusive community settings is very low compared to their counterparts without disabilities. Involvement in postsecondary education and independent, community living is likewise limited. They need teams of trained professionals representing relevant disciplines who work together to support the student along college, career, and community pathways. Not only should special educators (SPED) be trained, but career technical education (CTE) professionals should be jointly trained in how to collaborate effectively and provide well-coordinated services. The purpose of this research …

Acknowledgments, Matt Wappett

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

No abstract provided.

Detect Misconceptions, Construct Competence-Aligned Pedagogical Practices, And Use Instructional Strategies That Decenter Speech As A Means To Include Autistic Students, Chelsea P. Tracy-Bronson, Sara Scribner

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

In this practice-based article, we use data and research to establish the need to examine inclusive-oriented pedagogical strategies to support autistic individuals. We believe that educators who use critical reflection can detect many of the common misconceptions about autism, learn how to re-frame these understandings, and consider different ways to support these students within inclusive classrooms. This article provides innovative pedagogical approaches for competence-aligned instruction, cultivating a web of communication access, bolstering social interaction, and supporting changes in the environment and with sensory experiences. We also describe ways to de-center speech to create a classroom that values dynamic engagement, divergent …

An Overview On The Validation Of The Critical Race Theory Measurement, Erica Campbell

Journal of Research Initiatives

The Critical Race Theory Measurement (CRTM) was developed to evaluate the understanding of the six major principles of CRT and the significance of race relating to the preparation of practitioners providing services to people of color. The objective of this study was to evaluate the scale's psychometric properties. The CRTM self-assessment instrument measures the six Critical Race Theory principles. It consists of 19 items assessing endemic racism, the social construction of race, differential racialization, convergence/determinism, racial narratives, and intersectionality. The validation of the CRTM was based on its administration to 175 social work and counseling practitioners. This paper discusses the …

Practical Strategies For School Leaders To Improve African American Males’ Reading Achievement, Faye C. Bradley

Journal of Research Initiatives

The study identified parental involvement activities that significantly influenced the reading achievement of the African American male learner. Teachers and administrators were surveyed using an instrument adapted from Epstein's School, Family, and Community Partnership Survey, The Virginia Standards of Learning reading and language arts assessments provided data for reading achievement of fourth-grade African American males. Significant differences were found between principals and teachers in their ratings of Teacher Reports of Total School Program to Involve Families. A correlation was found between teacher estimates of parents' involvement and the mean SOL English score for African American male fourth-grade students.

The Association Of Neighborhood Schools Assignment Plan With Economic, Racial And Academic Outcomes In One North Carolina District, Theodore Kaniuka

Journal of Research Initiatives

When unified status was granted to numerous school districts, school boards developed redistricting plans to implement neighborhood schools. Social justice advocates decried these plans as they reversed over 40 years of progress, as many of these efforts resulted in resegregating schools homogenously grouped by race and wealth. Using piecewise and Difference in Difference regression with publicly facing data, this study assessed the association between neighborhood school attendance plans, school racial and economic balance, and student reading achievement. The results indicate that in one North Carolina school district over 15 years, (a) schools became more racially segregated, and (b) the achievement …

Case Study: The Impact Of Emerging Technologies On Cybersecurity Education And Workforces, Austin Cusak

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

A qualitative case study focused on understanding what steps are needed to prepare the cybersecurity workforces of 2026-2028 to work with and against emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Conducted through a workshop held in two parts at a cybersecurity education conference, findings came both from a semi-structured interview with a panel of experts as well as small workgroups of professionals answering seven scenario-based questions. Data was thematically analyzed, with major findings emerging about the need to refocus cybersecurity STEM at the middle school level with problem-based learning, the disconnects between workforce operations and cybersecurity operators, the …

Sociocultural Barriers For Female Participation In Stem: A Case Of Saudi Women In Cybersecurity, Alanoud Aljuaid, Xiang Michelle Liu

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

The participation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) workforces is overwhelmingly low as compared to their male counterparts. The low uptake of cybersecurity careers has been documented in the previous studies conducted in the contexts of the West and Eastern worlds. However, most of the past studies mainly covered the Western world leaving more knowledge gaps in the context of Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia. Thus, to fill the existing knowledge gaps, the current study focused on women in Saudi Arabia. The aim of the study was to investigate the factors behind the underrepresentation of …

Accessibility Of Blended Learning For Special Needs Students In Higher Education, Reem Yaseen Al-Sulaimani

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigated the experiences of visually impaired students and their faculty members with blended learning at University X. Qualitative research methods were employed to gather data through interviews with six visually impaired students and six professors. The study analyzed the data using two frameworks, Universal Design of Learning (UDL) and Community of Inquiry (CoI). The findings indicate that the course design, personalization of accessibility, social inclusion and classroom dynamics, university support and resources, and technology accessibility and digital literacy have an impact on the experiences of visually impaired students and their professors. The study provides recommendations for improving the …

Family Member Experiences With Augmentative And Alternative Communication Systems Used By Nonspeaking Autistic Individuals, Christina M. Wotton

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

Nonspeaking autistic individuals who have no way to communicate cannot share their thoughts, dreams, or desires. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to explore the experiences of family members of nonspeaking autistic individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems. This study documented family members’ experiences of identifying, learning, and implementing two types of AAC: Rapid Prompting Method and Spelling to Communicate. Through one-on-one interviews, five participants shared their lived experiences. Three themes emerged from the data. The first theme was an increase in well-being for the entire family. All five participants described transformations and improvements in …

Parents Of Students On The Autism Spectrum Call For Social And Academic Inclusive Practices, Stephanie C. Holmes

Tapestry: Journal of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in Education

Inclusive education practices must incorporate both social and academic inclusion. Before 1975, students with various disabilities did not have the same access to public education as their nondisabled or neuro-typically developing peers. With the passing of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, it was mandated that all schools that receive federal funds must provide equal access to education as a right to students with any physical, behavioral, or mental handicaps. While the mandates have broadened throughout the years, merely having a diagnosis of Autism does not guarantee resources or supports to the student unless there are also academic concerns. …

Educator Cultural Proficiency Insight Tool: As We Know Better, We Can Do Better!, Queinnise Miller

Tapestry: Journal of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in Education

All across the U.S. student populations are evolving to reflect the increase in diversity. These students are culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse in nature (CLED). Apart from the health field, cultural competence has not been widely assessed in the education field. A purposeful sample of 362 K-12 teachers, who served 50% or more of CLED students, were administered the Educator Cultural Proficiency Insight Tool (ECPIT). The purpose of this research was two-fold: (a) develop and validate the ECPIT and (b) examine the demographic differences regarding levels of cultural proficiency of current educators. Findings indicated that the ECPIT was a valid …