Student Experiences With Self-Determination And Agency: Centering Disabled Voices Through Photovoice, Rebecca Boineau Smith Hill

Theses and Dissertations

Young adults with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) are less likely than young adults without disability to be employed, enrolled in postsecondary education, or live independently after high school (Lauer & Houtenville, 2017; Newman, et al., 2011). Self-determination, or the freedom to act as the primary causal agent in one’s life (Palmer & Wehmeyer, 1998), is a well-documented component of enhanced quality of life (Shogren et al., 2017) and a predictor of postschool success (Mazzotti et al., 2021; Test et al. 2009) for students with disabilities. People with IDD are less self-determined than their nondisabled peers, and often less self-determined …

The Effectiveness Of Equivalence-Based Instruction On Time-Telling Skills In Children With Moderate Developmental Disabilities Including Autism Spectrum Disorder And Intellectual Disability, Rongzhi Li

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of equivalence-based instruction (EBI) on teaching time-telling skills to children with moderate developmental disabilities including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability. Three children with ASD or intellectual disability participated in the study. The experiment was conducted using a concurrent multiple baseline design across subjects. During the acquisition training, each participant was taught 24 discrimination relations including matching 12 picture analog clock faces and 12 printed digital clocks to their dictated times. After the training, the participants were assessed to see whether their visual-visual responses (transitivity relations) and oral naming …

The Educational Experiences Of Children And Adolescents With An Ryr1-Related Disease, Jeremy Armann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper investigates the educational experiences of children and adolescents diagnosed with RYR1-related diseases, a spectrum of congenital myopathies affecting muscle function. Despite these conditions typically sparing cognitive abilities, they profoundly impact physical capabilities, presenting challenges in school environments such as participation in physical activities and social interactions. The study utilizes data collected through the RYR1-Related Disease Educational Impact and Satisfaction Survey (RDEISS) and the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BESS) from 49 parents of 51 children aged 3-18 years. Findings reveal prevalent classroom difficulties including handwriting issues and written expression difficulties, with 78% of children receiving special education services, …

Applying Implementation Supports To Professional Development To Improve Implementation Of The Caught Being Good Game, Dylan Zimmerman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Disruptive behavior in the classroom can cause challenges for both teachers and students, creating high levels of teacher stress and preventing students from accessing academic instruction. Training on evidence-based classroom management is often resource-intensive and has inconsistent impact on teacher behavior in the classroom. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of professional development on paraprofessionals' treatment fidelity of the Caught Being Good Game. We used a multiple baseline design to provide a tiered model of professional development to provide the least intensive level necessary to support implementation. Results indicate that all four teachers successfully implemented most …

Accelerating Primary Education Tutors’ Acquisition Of Gender-Responsive Pedagogies, Jane Rarieya, Nyagwegwe Wango, Mary Oluga, Omari Abunga

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

The paper emphasises the value of gender-sensitive teaching strategies that address the often portrayal of gendered stereotypes in primary schools, including those used in textbooks. Professional development programmes are acknowledged for their crucial role in equipping tutors with the essential knowledge and abilities for successful gender-responsive education. This study explores the crucial role of tutor preparation in enhancing student teachers’ conceptions of gender roles. It employed a qualitative approach through focus group discussions, observations, group reflections, and analysis of reflective entries to provide an in-depth understanding of how gender-responsive training affects instructional strategies. The study unveils the need for college …

Expanding "Standards" Through Embracing Diversity: The Clarinet Quintets Of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Joyce Solomon Moorman, And James Lee Iii, Lauren Miller

Dissertations

Diversity in music education has been a long-standing discussion amongst educators. This document advocates for the recognition and acceptance of the intrinsic and extrinsic values of diverse peoples and their musical contributions while creating tolerance and respect. The focus lies with three composers, two African American and one African English, in service of promoting inclusion for composers of minority groups within the clarinet repertoire.

The goal is to expand standard clarinet repertoire, with “standard” defined as compositions considered important in building a well-rounded clarinetist in America, to include works such as Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Quintet for Clarinet and Strings in F-sharp …

Ot's Role In Community Accessibility At Public Parks And Playgrounds For Parents With Disabilities, Janae Paulo, Amy Lyons-Brown, Stacy Frauwith, Lena Gipson Showalter

Summer 2024 OTD Capstone Symposium

Public parks and playgrounds play a crucial role in fostering parent-child interaction, social inclusion, and community engagement. However, these essential recreational spaces often remain inaccessible to individuals with disabilities (Lynch et al., 2020). Research underscores the benefits of inclusive playgrounds, yet many are not designed to accommodate adults with disabilities, thus creating barriers for parents with disabilities who wish to engage with their children (Dalpra, 2022; Jacob et al., 2017). Although occupational therapy (OT) practitioners are instrumental in ensuring environmental accessibility within home settings, their involvement in the design of public spaces is limited. Young et al. (2019) advocate for …

Predicting Individual Hiking Trail Intensity Using Statistical Learning, Kelci Hannan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Hiking is an increasingly popular choice for people wanting to engage in recreation and physical activity. It not only offers the many benefits of exercise but also the opportunity to explore nature and to socialize. To ensure that new hikers are prepared to hike and remain safe while on the trail, knowledge of a hiking trail's difficulty is important. Trail difficulty information is sometimes available at the trailhead if the trail is well-trafficked and maintained but is nearly always available online or through a hiking-specific mobile application, such as AllTrails. Both trailhead and online sources provide only one difficulty rating …

Consultation Versus Direct Special Education Services And Postschool Outcomes For Individuals With Disabilities As Assessed By Indicator 14 Data, Callie Welch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is abundant research relating to transition supports and services for students with disabilities as they move out of high school into adulthood; however, relatively little is known about the relationship between the type of special education services they received and their postschool outcomes. Guided by the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and Tennessee’s Indicator 14 survey, I sought to better understand the relationship between the type of special education services received in high school and student further schooling or employability after graduation. Data were drawn from Indicator 14 surveys from 2021 and 2024 conducted by a rural school district …

The Link Between Classroom Diversity And Academic Advancements, Mary Kuik

Masters Projects

Racially diverse classrooms are not being taught in racially diverse ways, adding to an ever-growing academic gap for students of color. Various studies have pointed to several root causes to this issue, including a lack of representation, bias, inequitable discipline, poor curriculum, and socioeconomic disparity. Due to these causes, students of color are projected to be less successful in state testing and school overall, less likely to obtain a higher education, more likely to be disciplined, more likely to feel a detachment to historical content in the classroom, and more likely to feel a social disconnect from their peers. All …

Don't Waste Our Time: Key Transformative Structures For Fast Track Learning, Carlita S. King

All Dissertations

Following a massive wave of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic, educators found the need to be hyper-critical of how they spend their instructional time with students. Almost all students are expected to return nearly a full grade-level behind and would likely have to learn to navigate a completely new school environment. As a result, many educators were overwhelmed to cover unprecedented amounts of instructional content in less time. High-intensity tutoring programs have been known to have the potential to help struggling students advance their skills and gain up to three additional months of learning within a few sessions. The …

Exploring Equity In Introductory Biology Genetics Education, Sandy G. Phillips-Long

All Dissertations

The dissertation “Exploring Equity in Introductory Biology Genetics Education” delved into the critical examination of equity within undergraduate genetics education. Chapter One outlined the background, significance, research framework, and manuscripts included in this study. Chapter Two was a scoping review that provided an overview of the current pedagogical approaches in undergraduate genetics education. It identified six active learning pedagogies: Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE); group work; case-based learning; inquiry-based learning; Virtual Reality (VR); and Consider, Read, Elucidate the hypothesis, Analyze and interpret the data, and Think of the next Experiment (CREATE). Chapter Three was a systematic literature review investigating pedagogical …

Creating A Culture Of College And Career Readiness- Strategies And Interventions For African American Students, James R. Ford

All Dissertations

The persistent underrepresentation of African American students in college and career ready graduates presents a significant challenge within U.S. educational systems. This study investigates targeted strategies to increase the percentage of African American students graduating from high school college or career ready per South Carolina standards. The research was conducted in a rural school district known for its diverse student body and significant disparities in educational outcomes. The study's primary objective was to identify and implement educational interventions that enhance college and career readiness (CCR) specifically for African American students, thereby aiming to bridge the gap in readiness and contribute …

Using Improvement Science To Reduce Student Retention In High School Through School-Based Mentoring, Ellen B. Borland

All Dissertations

The disproportionate demographics among retained students must be addressed. School-based mentoring has been recognized as an effective tool for motivating and supporting students at-risk of not graduating on time. This research aimed to explore the impact of a school-based mentoring program on positive student outcomes, specifically academic achievement, among high school students at-risk of not graduating on time. This study followed twenty-three students and mentors throughout the school year, and examined the association between school-based mentoring and grade level retention or promotion. The results were compared to the same group of students and their performance during the previous school year, …

An Exploratory Multiple Case Study Of Special Education Transition Program Structures In Virtual Public Charter Schools, Krystle Merry

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation research is an exploratory multiple-case study of special education transition program structures in three virtual public charter schools in a southern state in the United States. Virtual public charter schools are extensions of public school systems or districts that are required to comply with state and federal-mandated special education transition services to ensure students with disabilities receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004). This study aims to explore transition Program Structures within the Taxonomy for Transition Programming 2.0 (Kohler et al., 2016) at the systemic level based on the …

Building Communities Of Care For Equity, Justice, And Culturally Responsive Practice In Mathematics Education, Nicole Fletcher, B Waid

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Teaching is widely considered one of the “caring professions,” but conceptualizations of care and how care is put into practice in education are not universal. In this article, we draw from a range of perspectives on care that integrate supportive interpersonal relationships, high expectations, and culturally relevant theories of critical care, as well as Queer Theory and Disability Justice, to explore the application of these ideas in mathematics education. We identify key elements for building communities of care in mathematics education contexts: co-constructing community agreements, redefining participation, shifting traditional power structures, collaborative problem solving, and building networks of care beyond …

“Oh, That’S Engineering?”: Complicating Black Women Educators’ Understanding Of Engineering Practices In Urban Elementary Schools, Brittany N. Anderson, Ginaya S. Littlejohn

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

In most teacher preparation programs, a focus on standards and curricula with STEM concepts, specifically engineering, are largely missing from the teacher licensure requirements. There have been few opportunities for teacher educators to teach, learn, and reflect on the nuanced complexities of STEM, specifically engineering concepts and practices in urban elementary schools. This university-school- community partnership, led by Black women, focused on the early exploration of STEM with high-ability/ gifted Black girls, caregivers, and their Black women educators. In this qualitative study, Black women teachers were able to disrupt assumptions and stereotypes of STEM, particularly in engineering, and identify challenges …

Special Education Preschool Teachers’ Perspectives, Attitudes, And Self-Efficacy Towards Inclusive Education, Mieke Kramer Tavares

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the perspectives of special education preschool teachers in California regarding the inclusion of children with disabilities in general education preschool classrooms. Furthermore, the study examined the self-evaluation of these teachers regarding their abilities to support children with disabilities in general education classrooms. Last, the study aimed to identify additional factors that impact the attitudes of teachers towards including children with disabilities in general education preschool classrooms.

Methodology: A mixed methods nonexperimental descriptive, sequential, convergent research design was employed. Data collection tools included surveys (quantitative) and interviews (qualitative). In Phase 1, dependent …

Self-Harm In Female Youth With Undiagnosed Adhd: Implementing American Academy Of Pediatrics Screening Guidelines, Roselie M. Woodard

Dissertations

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. If undiagnosed or untreated, ADHD can lead to severe psychosocial issues such as academic failure, substance abuse, unplanned pregnancy, and incarceration. The financial burden in the U.S. from diagnostic errors creates an immense, rising fiscal impact. Early diagnosis and management are crucial to prevent these complications.

Females with ADHD, particularly those with the inattentive subtype, often face diagnostic challenges due to symptom masking and over-compensation. This results in poorer cognitive functioning and self-esteem compared to males with ADHD. ADHD is linked to autonomic nervous …

The Perceptions Of Tennessee Public School Case Managers On Individualized Education Program Transition Planning And Their Role In Preparing 12th Grade Students For Postsecondary Education Disability Services, Robert A. Bartles

Ed.D. Dissertations

Few students with disabilities applied for postsecondary education disability services and, as a result, had lower graduation rates from four-year colleges than their non-disabled peers. The purpose of this qualitative, interpretive study was to discover the perceptions of Tennessee public high school case managers regarding IEP transition planning and to discover their role in preparing 12th grade students with disabilities for postsecondary education disability services as minimal literature existed on the topic. I discovered four themes from coding questionnaire responses of 13 study participants. Most case managers (85%) relied on direct student input to create transition goals and perceived IEP …