Disability and Equity in Education Commons^™

Defining Twice Exceptional Learners: A Study Of Self-Concept, Alyssa D. Landau

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In 2014, the first operational definition of twice exceptional (2e) learners was published in Gifted Child Quarterly to provide a clear and identifiable profile of the population (Reis, Baum, & Burke, 2014). The article defines 2e learners as, “students who demonstrate the potential for high achievement or creative productivity in one or more domains such as math, science, technology, the social arts, the visual, spatial, or performing arts or other areas of human productivity AND who manifest one or more disabilities as defined by federal or state eligibility criteria” (Reis et al., 2014, p. 222-223). Publishing an operational definition of …

Acknowledgments And A Note From The Editor, Matt Wappett

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

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A Process Evaluation Of Post-Secondary Programs For High Functioning Students On The Autism Spectrum, Richard A. Spirito Jr.

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to evaluate how the post-secondary programs in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States are supporting the needs of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and preparing them for future independence.

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder is on the rise. In 2000, one in 150 children were identified with autism spectrum disorder. That number rose to one in every 44 children in the United States that have been identified with autism spectrum disorder in 2010.

As these students reach …

A Survey Of Universal Design At Museums: Current Industry Practice And Perceptions, Jennifer K. Fortuna, Kayleigh Thomas, Jenna Asper, Laura Matney, Kyra Chase, Stephanie Ogren, Julia Vandermolen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Museums are key educational and cultural resources in the community, yet many are not accessible to visitors with disabilities. Universal design promotes products and environments usable to the greatest extent possible by all people, regardless of ability. This study explores current industry practice and perceptions of accessibility and universal design in a small sample of American museums. Suggestions for how occupational therapists can help museums go above and beyond ADA guidelines are provided.

Method: An 17-item cross-sectional survey was used to collect data. Twenty-five museum associations assisted with recruitment. A descriptive numerical summary and qualitative analysis were …

Marrying A Good Story And A Well-Formed Argument: The Metanarrative Of Zyx, Megan X. Schutte

The Qualitative Report

This article uses a metanarrative of a fictional, gender identity minority community college student (named Zyx) to elucidate and humanize the experiences that students in this population undergo throughout the course of their college career. Using a journal entry format, Zyx (they/them) is followed from the day before their first day at school through to their graduation. Their experience includes being first-generation and mixed race, living through COVID-19, coping with academic failure, and ultimately triumphing over adversity. The story is meant to cover some of the myriad obstacles to success faced by gender identity minorities attending community college while also …

Interaction Between Students With And Without Disabilities In An Inclusive Schools From Their Teachers Perspective., Dr. Basmah Alshahrani

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

The success of the inclusion of students with disabilities substantially depends on the collaboration of various social agents, including non-disabled peers, who play a substantial role in the lives of students with disabilities. Peers, as social agent, are responsible for the creation of a favourable social environment, in which one of the key factors is a positive acceptance. This research examined the reality of interactions between non-disabled students and their acceptance to peers with disabilities. A qualitative research approach was employed using interviews with Nine special education teachers. An overall positive attitudes were reported with non-disabled peers being reported as …

Adjusting/Modifying Assignments To Support Students With Learning Disabilities While Engaging In Ngss Science And Engineering Practices And Inquiry-Based Learning, Shannon Morago Dr.

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Effective science instruction involves opportunities for all students to do science, including engaging in the NGSS Science and Engineering Practices through inquiry-based learning. Many students with learning disabilities have the accommodation of shortened or reduced assignments in their Individualized Educational Programs to allow them equal access to science learning. Science teachers struggle to provide this accommodation. This practice brief provides examples of supports and strategies for implementing this accommodation during an inquiry-based investigation. A vignette is used to follow a science teacher and her students through an investigation; it details how she provides equal access to the learning objectives as …

Emotionally Unavailable: A Comparison On The Ability Of Children With Developmental Language Disorders To Interpret Emotions In Humans And Inanimate Objects, Savanna B. Gullett, Jade Robinson

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is a neuro-developmental condition that emerges in early childhood and can persist into adulthood, manifesting as a variety of symptoms that can be significantly different in each individual. It has an estimated prevalence of 7.58% and is nearly 7 times more common in children than autism spectrum disorder (McGregor, 2020). As a population, individuals with DLD are at risk of facing significant issues in associating areas of language, including reading comprehension, problem-solving abilities, and social skills. Professionals have noticed emotional disconnect amongst individuals with DLD, leading to the proposition that those with DLD may have a …

An Intersectional Queer Case Study Of Two Youth Organizations In A Rural Kentucky High School, Eric Michael Moser

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

Secondary schools in the United States are hostile environments for students in the queer community. Schools in rural communities often pose greater challenges for queer students with less access to affirming and accepting educators. Rural schools often offer school-based agricultural education (SBAE) and the National FFA Organization as opportunities for students. Both programs have been found as unwelcoming environments for underrepresented groups, with little known about the experiences of queer students. To address hostility toward queer youth, schools have implemented Genders and Sexualities Alliances (GSAs) as an opportunity to discuss queer topics and create safe spaces. This qualitative case study …

Knowledge-Gap Survey Instrument, Tim Mceldowney, Jessica Deshler, Lynnette Michaluk

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This is the main research instrument for the NSF funded BCSER-IID: Undergraduate Knowledge of the Mathematics Graduate School Application Process (Knowledge-GAP) project. Award Abstract # 2126018

https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2126018&HistoricalAwards=false

Building A Mathematics Intervention Program: One District’S Journey, Karise Mace, Karen Austin, Jodi Kirstein

Education Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

Review Of The Book All Girls: Single Sex Education And Why It Matters By Karen Stabiner, Gordon Alley-Young

Publications and Research

Abstract - This is a book review of the book All girls: Single sex education and why it matters by Karen Stabiner that appeared in Feminist Teacher in 2003. Citation - Alley-Young, G. (2003). [Review of the book All girls: Single sex education and why it matters by Karen Stabiner]. Feminist Teacher, 14(3), 263-265.

The Effect Of Exceptionality Label On School Psychologists During The Evaluation Process, Rachel Jacob

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

School psychologists often lead the evaluation process that is responsible for identifying students with an education-based disability. They are also responsible for providing recommendations for the student following the evaluation. The current study is focusing on the variable of exceptionality label as it is a universally present variable that has the potential to affect all evaluations. Two recent studies have examined and found labeling bias on preservice educators (Allday et al., 2011; Fisher et al., 2022). This study sought to expand this research by looking at labeling bias in school psychologists. The study measured the effect of exceptionality label on …

A Literature Review On Inclusive Pedagogy And How Instructors Can Create Inclusive And Effective Classroom Groups, Johnathan K. Hurley

Lewis Honors College Thesis Collection

The presented document sought to analyze the ongoing issue of inclusive policy-making in the context of group work at institutions of higher education, while providing tailored advice for students in a particular field of study on how to behave inclusively. The researcher composed an extensive literature review to answer the first query, addressing the questions of: how to define inclusivity; how to form inclusive groups; and how to maintain inclusivity in classrooms. After this step, the researcher then took undertook efforts to craft a memo advising future students in CLD 490, a senior-level course for Community and Leadership Development students, …

Inclusion For Students With Intellectual Disabilities: A Philosophical Reconstruction Of The Student To Expand Access And Its Benefits, Derek Thomas Myles Daskalakes

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

This dissertation attempts a philosophical rethinking of the concept of the student in educationally relevant disability law for the sake of expanding access to general education settings for students with intellectual disabilities (ID), without committing to the approach known as full inclusion. I show that students with ID receive significantly less access to general education settings in comparison to other student populations, and that empirical studies show this to be harmful to their learning and developmental outcomes. Discussion of this problem in the inclusion literature assumes one of two positions that separately support either maintaining the status quo regarding the …

Flipping The Script As A Black Mother Living In My Community: A Self-Advocate's Perspective From Baltimore, Jessica Salmond

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

No abstract provided.

Recognizing Ableism And Practicing Disability Humility: Conceptualizing Disability Across The Lifespan, Katherine M. Atkins, Tamekia Bell, Tilottama Roy-White, Maria Page

Adultspan Journal

Disability culture is often misunderstood by counselors who lack extensive training in working with individuals with disabilities (IWDs) (Stuntzner & Hartley, 2014). This quantitative study used the Counseling Clients with Disability Survey (CCDS) to explore the beliefs and perceived knowledge of counselors-in-training (CITs), counselors, and counselor educators regarding preparation to counsel IWDs, which is particularly important as disability status can change across the lifespan, and given that the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) Standards Review Committee provided a guide to the draft standards incorporating the infusion of disability concepts. Results indicate that counselors were competent …

Exploring The Use Of Witness Testimony In Special Education Due Process Hearings, Mary E. Sheppard, Samantha Riggleman, William Blackwell

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 (IDEA) protects the rights of parents and/or guardians of children with disabilities to utilize the due process system to settle disagreements with school districts regarding their children’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). In the event that these disputes move before a due process hearing officer, it is common for each side to enlist experts to provide testimony to support one of the parties involved. In the current study, we examined the use of expert witness testimony in due process hearings in five large states throughout the United States. Findings indicated several concerning trends, such …

Enhancing Support Staff Self-Efficacy In Supporting Neurodiverse Students’ Classroom Engagement, Jennifer Molina

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Executive Summary

Background: Neurodiverse students often face many challenges within their classroom environment due to a mismatch of the environmental demands and the student’s unique processing. This mismatch is often not understood by school support staff which can lead to adverse student outcomes in academic achievement and graduation rates. Support staff are often undertrained and unsupported in meeting the complex needs of neurodiverse students and OTs are often underutilized in this deficit.

Purpose: The purpose of this capstone project was to measure the knowledge and self-efficacy gained by an evidence-based training module for school support staff that promoted increased classroom …

Barriers And Challenges For Visually Impaired Students In Pe - An Interview Study With Students In Austria, Germany, And The Usa, Sebastian Ruin, Justin A. Haegele, Martin Giese, Jana Baumgärtner

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Physical education (PE) is an important part of school education worldwide, and at the same time, almost the only subject that explicitly deals with body and movement. PE is therefore of elementary importance in the upbringing of young people. This also applies to children with visual impairments. However, existing findings on participation and belonging in PE as well as on physical and motor development reveal that this group of children and adolescents is noticeably disadvantaged in this respect. Against this background, this paper aims to explore fundamental barriers and challenges across different types of schools, types of schooling, and countries …