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Full Issue: Journal On Empowering Teaching Excellence, Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 2021

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

The full Spring 2021 issue (Volume 5, Issue 1) of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

The Utah Statesman, March 29, 2021, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Faculty Senate Agenda, March 29, 2021, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• EPC Monthly Report – March 4, 2021
• Budget and Faculty Welfare Committee Annual Report
• New Faculty Startup Policies
• USU Faculty Promotion and Tenure Survey: Report and Recommendations
• Faculty Senate Calendar AY 2021-2022
• Faculty Senate Elections

Family Caregiving During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sharon Milberger, Christina Marsack-Topelewski, Elizabeth Janks, Preethy S. Samuel

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Background: The Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has taken a disproportionate toll on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) as well as their family caregivers. This is especially true for older family caregivers, many of whom assume dual or compound caregiving roles, and provide care as they undergo their own aging experiences. This research brief presents findings from family caregivers of adults with I/DD to better understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their lives. Method: Thirty family caregivers from across the state participated in a one-hour special COVID-19 virtual discussion group. All participant identifiers were deleted from a …

Using Telehealth To Adapt Service Delivery For Children During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Maureen Russell, Cathron Donaldson, Jill Pleasant, Kelly Roberts

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Staff from the Institute for Human Development (IHD) at Northern Arizona University have provided evaluations for children with developmental disabilities (DD) in Arizona communities for over 20 years. These evaluations include Developmental Evaluations, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) evaluations, and evaluations for eligibility for Part C of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act) early intervention services. Following the evaluations, IHD staff may provide interventions that consist of training, coaching, and direct services.

Evaluations and follow-up interventions have historically been provided in homes, the community, or a clinic setting by interdisciplinary teams that consist of two or more of the …

Person-Centered Practice As Anchor And Beacon: Pandemic Wisdom From The Ncapps Community, Connor Bailey, Martha Barbone, Lydia X.Z. Brown, Alixe Bonardi, Bevin Croft, Marian Frattarola-Saulino, Karyn Harvey, Miso Kwak, Kelly Lang, Nicole Leblanc, Michelle C. Reynolds, Carole Starr

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Objective: This article summarizes the individual, systemic, and collective challenges and opportunities presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, based on 16 videos solicited by the National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) and submitted by NCAPPS collaborators during the first six months of the pandemic.

Method: Informed by participatory action approaches and content analysis, we describe common themes in a series of 16 videos solicited by NCAPPS from subject matter experts with professional and lived experience of disability and human services systems.

Results: The team organized the findings to identify both specific factors within each of the levels and …

Acknowledgments, Matthew T. Wappett Ph.D.

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

No abstract provided.

A Self-Advocate’S Perspective On The Covid-19 Pandemic, D.R. Reff

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

This article summarizes the experience of a self-advocate from Idaho during the COVID pandemic. This article addresses issues of social isolation, mental health, and social supports.

Virtual Advocacy: Lived Experience Takes Center Stage During And After Pandemic, Gyasi Burks-Abbott, Amanda V. Gannaway, Amy Szarkowski, Jason M. Fogler, David T. Helm

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

COVID-19 forced a significant change for participants of the Disability Policy Seminar (DPS) typically held annually in Washington, D.C. The DPS is a policy event that both informs its participants about current policy and supports attendees visiting Capitol Hill to meet with legislators. In 2020, the DPS event, which took place during the early phase of the pandemic, was shifted from “on the Hill” to “across the screen”. Through the various lenses of an autistic self-advocate, a mother of a child with a developmental disability, and faculty of a LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities) program, this paper …

Adapting Participatory Action Research To Include Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities During The Covid-19 Global Pandemic, Kaitlyn P. Ahlers, Kara B. Ayers, Suzannah Iadarola, Rosemary B. Hughes, Hyon Soo Lee, Heather J. Williamson

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Participatory action research (PAR), or the inclusion of those affected by the issues being studied, is a growing area of emphasis in disability research. The principles of PAR align with those of the disability rights movement, such that full inclusion and “nothing about us without us” extends as much to research as it does to any other area of life. Moreover, PAR allows for meaningful input from people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), which enhances the likelihood that research results are relevant and important to the disability community. As research activity resumes and is adapted to the context of …

Changing Needs Of Individuals With Disabilities In The Time Of Covid-19 As Observed By A Family Navigation Program In Miami, Fl, Gabriella Llano, Allison Kumnick, Jean-Paul Bryant Ms, Nancy Torres Ms, Jeffrey Brosco Md, Phd, Maite Schenker Phd

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

The Family Navigator Program (FNP) is designed to help families navigate the complex system of services available to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), chronic health conditions, mental health issues, and other special health care needs. Based at the Mailman Center for Child Development at the University of Miami, the FNP is free and available to all families in South Florida. Most families enrolled in the FNP are receiving medical services from a university clinic; however, the program also accepts referrals from outside agencies and self-referrals. The aim of this study was to investigate the needs of families enrolled …

Using Quality Improvement (Qi)-Focused Evaluation To Redesign Direct Home- And Community-Based Services During The Covid-19 Public Health Emergency:, Marcia Moriarta, Anthony Cahill, Heidi Fredine

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Like many UCEDDs in the Developmental Disabilities (DD) network, the Center for Development and Disability at the University of New Mexico offers direct service programs in home and community settings. Before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, services were delivered in-person to about 1,000 families across the state including clients with intellectual or developmental disabilities and/or from at-risk communities. In March 2020, due to the spread of COVID-19, a public health emergency was declared in New Mexico and home and community services were stopped throughout the state. This meant direct service programs at the Center had to turn to telehealth …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Disability Services And Systems: Perspectives From The Field, Ronda Jenson, John Tschida

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

No abstract provided.

“It’S An Opportunity To Get Opportunities”: A Brief Report On The Working Lives Of Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities During The Covid-19 Pandemic, James Sinclair, Carly B. Gilson, Mary Whirley, Yi-Fan Li

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted countless individuals, including those who experience intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Even amid a pandemic, for many individuals, working continues to be a critically important aspect of their life, providing opportunities to accomplish their desired quality of life. Currently, limitations exist to understanding both the working lives of individuals with IDD, but also how individuals with IDD make meaning from their work during a pandemic. Using a psychology of working theory (PWT; Blustein, 2006), this research brief summarizes a qualitative study on the working experiences of individuals with IDD. This study included interviews with six …

Parents Of Children With Disabilities In The Early Months Of Covid-19: Knowledge, Beliefs And Needs, Mary Beth Bruder Phd, Tara M. Lutz Phd, Kelly E. Ferreira Phd

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

COVID-19 has impacted families across the world. Besides the huge task of keeping their children and themselves healthy, families had more responsibilities such as supporting their children’s learning at home when they could not go to school. We asked 457 parents of children with disabilities about their knowledge, beliefs, and needs during the first few months of the pandemic. The parents reported a decrease in formal supports available to them. They also reported a decrease in being able to access informal supports. The parents stated concerns about the health and well-being of their families, the loss of jobs and income, …

Perspectives Of Immigrant Families And Persons With Disabilities During Covid-19, Diana Rodriguez Lmsw, Kathleen Mcgrath Msw

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Background: The health, economic, social, political, and psychological consequences of COVID-19 have been deeply felt on a global level. Persons with disabilities, including those from Hispanic/Latino immigrant communities, have faced unique challenges during both the peak and fallout of the pandemic. Throughout both the United States and New York City, COVID-19 has disproportionately affected communities of color. However, the impact of COVID-19 on persons with disabilities among immigrant and communities of color is still unfolding.

Aims: In this paper, we aim to better understand the compounded stress of the COVID-19 pandemic experienced by immigrant families who have a child with …

Autistic College Students And Covid-19: Anxiety, Support Needs And Responses By Specialized Programs, Jessica Monahan, Laurie Ackles, Amy D. Edwards, Brian Freedman, Pamela Withers Lubbers, Sara Sanders Gardner, Cherie A. Fishbaugh, Jane Thierfeld Brown

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Providing resources and support to college students during the COVID-19 global pandemic has produced unique challenges for all students, particularly those with autism. In March 2020, halfway through the spring term, the COVID-19 global pandemic forced most institutions of higher education across the country to move all instruction and support to an online, remote format, including those for students with autism. Colleges and autism support programs are now grappling with how to effectively support students amid a global pandemic. Yet there is little information available about how students’ needs have changed with this new environment. In this exploratory study, 76 …

Coming Together During Covid-19: A Mixed Methods Exploratory Study On Collective Efficacy In A State Developmental Disabilities Network, Arden D. Day, Michele Sky Lee, Ronda Jenson, Erica Mcfadden, Maureen Russell, Kelly Roberts, John Mcdermott, Nicholas Blum

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Background: Collective efficacy (CE) is a group’s shared belief that through their united efforts they can overcome challenges to achieve common goals (Bandura, 1993; 1997). CE has been shown to be related to professional growth, stress reduction, and overall collaborative impact in studies of groups responding to ongoing challenges as well as unforeseen circumstances (i.e. teachers, first-responders, and community responses to natural disasters) (Benight, 2004; Donohoo, 2016; Prati et al., 2011). COVID-19 has forced organizations serving individuals with disabilities to come together to adapt and change the ways in which they serve the disability community.

Objective: This study examines …

Mental Health Supportive Services During Covid-19: Proposing An Online, Self-Guided Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Program For Parents In The Disability Community, Ty B. Aller, Elizabeth B. Fauth, Sarah Hodgskiss, Jeff Sheen, Michael E. Levin

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Parents of Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) often experience stress, and the COVID-19 pandemic has likely increased their stress. In the current paper, we describe four things. First, we describe how mental telehealth treatments can effectively decrease parent stress, including programs that target behavior training and those that provide therapy. Teleheath programs are delivered by phone, computer, or fully online. Second, we describe challenges of these programs and explain how online, self-guided programs may help address these challenges. Third, we explain our online, self-guided program based in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT is a specific type of …

Assessing And Mitigating Risk For Applied Behavior Analysis Providers During A Pandemic, Joshua B. Plavnick Phd, Krista Clancy, Sharon Milberger

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the extent to which human service providers can safely deliver close-contact therapies in which social distancing cannot occur. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one such example, with the pandemic creating several barriers to safely delivering this essential service. The present paper describes the development and administration of a risk assessment and mitigation toolkit that was designed for ABA providers to make decisions about how to identify and mitigate risk in delivering therapeutic services to children with ASD. The toolkit includes considerations for clients, other household members, …

Increasing Access To Augmentative And Alternative Communication Services For People With Complex Communication Needs During Covid-19 And Beyond, Cristina L. Pujol, Anamaria Nevares, Michelle Schladant

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

The COVID-19 global pandemic has affected the disability network across the world. In the United States, there are millions of people who cannot use their natural speech to communicate. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), a form of assistive technology (AT), helps people with complex communication needs (CCNs) to communicate with others. Examples of AAC include printed pictures and speech-generating devices. A team of professionals work together with the person with CCNs and their caregivers to choose the right type of AAC. Often, people with CCNs need face-to-face and ongoing AAC support. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, this population already faced …

Rapid: Sodium (Na) Lidar Validation Of Mighti Daytime Temperature Observations Onboard Nasa Icon Satellite, Tao Yuan

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Little Big Stories: Case Studies In Diversifying The Archival Record Through Community Oral Histories, Beth Mcdonald, Heather Lanctot, Natalia M. Fernandez

Journal of Western Archives

The use and development of oral history programs has become a popular way for archives to document events and communities, either as a supplement to traditional records or as discrete collections. In particular, projects that focus on involving groups traditionally underrepresented within the archival record are becoming increasingly common in both large institutions and small community archives. This article presents three case studies of oral history projects dedicated to forging ties in the community and increasing diversity in their collections. In these case studies, the authors discuss the inceptions of their projects and the ups and downs of developing community …

Archivist To Archivist: Employing An Ethics Of Care Model With Interns And Student Workers, Alexandra M. Bisio, Steve Duckworth, Helena Egbert, Emily Haskins, Gayle O'Hara

Journal of Western Archives

In their 2016 article, “From Human Rights to Feminist Ethics: Radical Empathy in the Archives,” Michelle Caswell and Marika Cifor posit four “affective responsibilities” for archives and archivists: “the relationship[s] between archivist and record creator, between archivist and record subject, between archivist and user, and between archivist and larger communities.” This paper posits an additional responsibility, between archivist and archivist. There is, as Caswell and Cifor put it, a “web of mutual responsibility” within the professional archives community that has become a central focal point in many discussions and, at the same time, continues to be ignored in maintenance of …

Community Of Practice At The California State University Special Collections And University Archives, Berlin Loa, Pamela Nett Kruger

Journal of Western Archives

The California State University Archives and Archivists’ Roundtable is a Community of Practice consisting of archivists that meet regularly online, and annually in person. Communities grow from shared interests, resources, concerns, or endeavors. Communities of practice can grow out of a need for connecting with other people who share the same issues, learning environment, or passions. In this article we describe how the CSUAAR group was founded, how it has evolved, and offers a potential model for other archivists to identify, create, and maintain a community of practice through common needs or interest.

Treating Suicidal Ideation On College Campuses: An Evidence-Based Practice Guide For Counselors On Campus, Lexi Sherwood

Evidence-Based Social Work Practice Guide Series

The suicide rate on college campuses is rising. These 5 evidence-based practices can help therapists and counselors address suicidal ideation and treat the causes.

Working With Substance Use Disorder: An Evidence-Based Practice Guide For Practitioners Working With Sud Clients, Joe Kotynek

Evidence-Based Social Work Practice Guide Series

Counseling individuals with substance use disorder using mindfulness based practice.

The Utah Statesman, March 22, 2021, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University.

Herbivory Changes Soil Microbial Communities And Greenhouse Gas Fluxes In A High-Latitude Wetland, Karen M. Foley, Karen H. Beard, Trisha B. Atwood, Bonnie G. Waring

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Herbivory can have strong impacts on greenhouse gas fluxes in high-latitude ecosystems. For example, in the Yukon-Kuskokwim (Y-K) Delta in western Alaska, migratory goose grazing affects the magnitude of soil carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄₎ fluxes. However, the underlying drivers of this relationship are unclear, as few studies systematically tease apart the processes by which herbivores influences soil biogeochemistry. To examine these mechanisms in detail, we conducted a laboratory incubation experiment to quantify changes in greenhouse gas fluxes in response to three parameters altered by herbivores in situ: temperature, soil moisture content, and nutrient inputs. These …

Suicide In College: An Evidence-Based Practice Guide For Social Work Practitioners, Hailey Bowler

Evidence-Based Social Work Practice Guide Series

After steadily increasing rates of suicide in colleges each year, this article was produced in order to gain a deeper understanding of prevention and intervention practices as clinicians. Through evidence-based research, this article allows for possible solutions to such as devastating issue.