Disability and Equity in Education Commons^™

To My Fellow White Women, With Love..., Hailey N. Otis

Feminist Pedagogy

No abstract provided.

Examining Aba Classroom Paraprofessional Training Methods In New Jersey, Melina Campos

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

In recent years, paraprofessionals have become an integral part of educational teams, particularly in classrooms supporting students with disabilities (Giangreco et al., 2010). Their role has been crucial in ensuring that students received necessary academic and social support. This study evaluated the training provided to paraprofessionals in New Jersey, specifically those working in applied behavior analysis (ABA) classrooms. By surveying paraprofessionals on training that they receive and assessing how training influenced their self-perceived knowledge and skills, the study offered insight into how well-prepared these educators felt to support students with disabilities. A total of 57 participants completed the survey. When …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Adolescents With Emotional Behavioral Disorders In High School, Melissa Lawson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) face significant challenges in forming and maintaining peer relationships, yet their voices and lived experiences remain largely absent from the research literature. This phenomenological study explored how high school students with EBD perceive the impact of peer relationships on their academic, social, and emotional experiences at school. Using Moustakas's (1994) modification of the StevickColaizzi-Keen method, the researcher conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with seven high school students (ages 15-18) who had received special education services under the EBD eligibility category for 5 to 10 years in a large, urban southwestern school district.

Five universal …

Libraries Accessibility Plan 2025-2027

Accessibility Committee

Two-year plan providing a roadmap for committee projects and goals. Authored in 2025 by the University Libraries Accessibility Committee as an internal document.

Belonging Is A Verb, Becca Lory Hector

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

This essay explores belonging as an active process rather than a fixed state, particularly through the lived experiences of Autistic adults. Drawing from community practices of care, mutuality, and interdependence, it reframes belonging as a collective verb, something created through shared action rather than conformity. By centering Neurodivergent ways of connecting, this piece argues that Autistic models of community offer transformative insights into authenticity, inclusion, and the repair of social harm.

Abcs Of Behavior: Strategies To Effectively Reduce Challenging Behaviors, Sarah Matthews

Spark! Innovations in Early Childhood Education: A Research-to-Practice Journal for Educators

This paper explores the application of the ABC (Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence) model and functional behavior assessments (FBAs) to understand and manage challenging behaviors in early childhood education settings. Grounded in developmental theory and informed by professional experience as an early interventionist, the paper emphasizes the importance of identifying behavioral triggers and using individualized, developmentally appropriate strategies. The role of collaboration among teachers, families, and specialists is highlighted as essential for consistent and effective intervention. Key strategies discussed include coaching caregivers, embedding interventions within natural classroom environments, and using positive, non-punitive approaches to time-out. The paper advocates for proactive, respectful behavioral guidance practices …

Expanding Epilepsy Representation: On Education And Awareness, Aliyah Wise

Honors Projects

The present-day American public education system has evolved to try to teach young students about more cultures and people of different lifestyles. However, despite these reforms to push for an inclusive education system, there is still minimal effort to teach students about disabilities and the people who live with them. As a student living with epilepsy, I have observed a lack of education or conversation about this disability. The purpose of this research project is to ask: How does miseducation on epilepsy contribute to harmful stereotypes and lead to real issues for people living with this disability? How should neurotypical …

Anti-Racist Practices Are Always The Answer: Fixing The Gap In Literacy Instruction For Black And Brown Students, Natalie Sticht

Soaring: A Journal of Undergraduate Research

Disparities among Black and White students in reading proficiency are stark. Specifically, these disparities can be seen by comparing the average test scores of RCSD, a racially segregated public school district, and that of all of New York State. This disparity is hugely important because literacy skills are the cornerstone of education. Along with literacy being necessary in the field of education, it is essential in the fields of communication and neuroscience. A potential solution to this problem is by integrating multiple dialects of English into English classrooms, namely African American Vernacular English [AAVE] and other dialects that students speak …

Developing Accessible Narrative-Based Stem Learning Software For K-6 Braille Display Users, Dylan Ravel, Daniel Tsivkovski, Brandon Foley, Maryam Etezad, Franceli Cibrian, Ariel Han, Rajeev Joshi

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

This research develops a free, accessible web application that enables K-6 students who are blind or visually impaired (BVI) to learn STEM concepts using refreshable braille displays. Currently, most online learning tools are not designed for BVI students, creating a significant educational barrier.

The application interfaces with commercial braille displays and uses narrative-based learning to make STEM content approachable and engaging. By presenting material as interactive stories, students can connect with concepts while developing braille reading skills. The curriculum design prioritizes accessibility through the Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) standards and screen reader support.

The goal is to provide BVI …

Teacher Candidates’ Attempts To Implement Anti-Ableist Pedagogy And The Constraints Therein, Benjamin Barnett-Perry

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

In this qualitative study, I interviewed four special education teacher candidates with a stated interest in enacting anti-ableist pedagogy in their student teaching placements. I drew on Holland et al.’s (1998) figured worlds to examine their attempts to enact anti-ableist pedagogy in their classrooms and their navigation of the hierarchy within their placements. Participants entered their student teaching eager to implement anti-ableist pedagogy. However, their attempts at implementation were often met with pushback from a variety of sources and a new understanding of how much they could actually accomplish from their place at the bottom of the school hierarchy. Findings …

“She’S A Good Different. She’S Revolutionary”: How Fifth-Grade Readers Interpret Aspects Of Diversity In Literature, Margaret Barr

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Although diversity, equity, and inclusion have been a significant focus of research in children’s literature, many studies fail to consider the reader’s perspective and instead rely on text analyses. In the present study, the author employed focus groups to examine fifth-grade readers’ insights as they interpreted, related to, and engaged with the presence of diversity in texts. Findings indicate that readers interpreted diversity by envisioning the larger picture, recognizing the importance of others’ differences, and connecting through emotions. Thus, this study suggests that it is necessary for teachers to understand that students recognize and appreciate individual differences, to select texts …

Universal Classroom Design, Michelle Dodson Landry

Women’s Leadership

This research seeks to bridge the gap between K–12 inclusion practices and the realities of higher education by exploring how universal design, institutional support, and educators’ belief systems can create more inclusive environments and support students to have higher grades and more intrinsic mastery of the subject matter. It is not enough to mandate inclusion; we must actively build systems that support all learners, regardless of whether their disability is visible, diagnosed, or self-identified. This study looked at the efficacy of universal classroom design in raising the median grade in a course. The median grade in this course has historically …

First-Hand Perspectives Of Autistic And Neurodiverse Individuals In Social And Extracurricular Settings, Stephen M. Hinkle

Education (PhD) Dissertations

This dissertation explores the firsthand experiences of autistic and neurodiverse individuals in social and extracurricular settings. Grounded in symbolic interactionism and disability studies, this study leveraged qualitative interviews to provide greater insight into the extracurricular lives of autistic persons and the quality of preparation and education provided to said participants to successfully navigate those experiences. Due to the limited number of studies on this topic, and the tendency of programs to focus on general skill development for this population, significant attention was also given to investigating the activity-specific skills needed for various social and extracurricular activities.

Understanding the intricacies in …

Pathways To Progress: Understanding Gender Gaps Across Life Stages In The Asean Region, Debbie Wong, Jacqueline Cheng, Elizabeth Cassity, Jeaniene Spink, Payal Goundar, Jeffery H. Marshall

International Education Research

The ASEAN region continues to grapple with some of the world’s most pronounced disparities in educational outcomes. Addressing foundational learning gaps and promoting equity and inclusion for girls, women and marginalised groups remains a central priority in both educational improvement and labour market reform agendas regionally and internationally. This report presents new insights into the factors shaping human development outcomes for girls, women and marginalised groups in the ASEAN region. It supports the priorities under the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI), which aims to reduce development disparities among ASEAN member states. Grounded in case studies from the newer ASEAN member …

Exploring Faculty Perspectives Of Roadblocks To Accommodating Students With Disabilities In Community Colleges, Shalither S. Cushenberry

Dissertations

This qualitative study explores faculty perspectives on student accommodation in the community college setting. The one-on-one, semi-structured, in-depth interviews with faculty and perspectives of accommodation experts will result in outcomes that better prepare faculty, as a workforce, to support students with accommodations. The study utilized the social cognitive career theory (SCCT) to understand how increasing faculty awareness and engagement through professional development can enhance their ability to provide services to students with accommodation requests. The study underscores the critical importance of understanding the rationale for students with granted accommodations and faculty members supporting their academic success. The findings revealed gaps …

Teacher Leadership And Specially Designed Instruction: A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Teacher Leaders And Special Education Teachers In Elementary Settings, Tangie M. Rahming

Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of teacher leaders and special education teachers as they implemented Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) in elementary school settings. Despite SDI being a federally mandated component of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), research consistently shows wide variation in how teachers interpret, deliver, and sustain SDI in real classrooms. Limited professional development, inconsistent coaching structures, and varying understandings of SDI across schools contribute to persistent gaps in implementation fidelity. To address these challenges, this study explored how teacher leaders support SDI implementation and how special education teachers make meaning of their instructional …

Culturally Relevant Pedagogy In Teaching And Learning In High School Social Studies Curricula In Georgia: A Case Study, Sharon Ann Mcmeans-Lukiri

Dissertations

Despite increasing diversity within Georgia’s high school student population, it remains unclear to what extent social studies teachers incorporate Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) in the planning and implementation of their instruction. Recent research indicates that many educators continue to struggle with developing effective instructional practices that meet the learning needs of students from vulnerable communities (Liasidou & Symeou, 2018). Students from these communities often experience lower academic achievement (Ladson-Billings, 2009), and when the curriculum fails to reflect or respond to their cultural backgrounds, they are more likely to disengage from school (Ladson-Billings, 2009). This gap between students’ cultural needs and …

Practices To Possibility: A Narrative Inquiry Examining Practices Supporting Post-School Outcomes For Students With Disabilities, Joshua Reese

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to examine how educators in high-performing districts that met or exceeded state targets for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) post-school outcomes implemented and sustained evidence-based practices to support successful transitions for students with disabilities. Despite decades of legislative mandates and educational reforms, students with disabilities continue to experience disproportionately lower rates of employment, postsecondary education, and independent living compared to their peers. This study sought to identify not only which practices are effective but also how they are operationalized and maintained within school systems.

Two Tennessee districts identified by exemplary performance …

Table Of Contents - Jaepl - Volume 30, Wendy Ryden

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

No abstract provided.

Front Matter - Jaepl - Volume 30, Wendy Ryden

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

No abstract provided.