Education Commons^™

Accessibility And Technology: Remote Access To Art Through Telepresence Robotics, Jenna M. Hebert

Master's Projects and Capstones

This capstone project details a proposal for a remote tour pilot program and community partnership written for the Art Institute of Chicago, Snow City Arts and the John H Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County. The proposal seeks to provide a model for remote accessibility to art museums for visitors with mobility disabilities. The pilot program utilizes telepresence technology as a tool for providing remote tours and for emulating the social benefits of a museum visit. Within the program, telepresence technology becomes a mechanism for communication and collaboration between the museum and members of the community, allowing individuals previously unable …

Parents' Perceptions Regarding The Special Education Classification Of Other Health Impairment (Ohi), Michael C. Norman

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Students identified by the special education classification Other Health Impairment (OHI) represent the third largest group of students receiving special education services in the United States. The special education services offered these students include both academic and health related supports. The delivery of these services is enhanced when a partnership exits between the primary stakeholders; the student, parents, the school personnel, and the medical personnel. The use of Family Centered Care principles in the delivery of these services supports and maintains the partnership.

Following the qualitative analysis of a series of interviews of parents whose children were classified as OHI, …

Relationship Between Preponderance Of Adhd In The African American Community And How Teachers Are Trained To Type Students As Adhd, E Madison

Capstone Collection

The following capstone paper “Relationship between preponderance of ADHD in African American community and how teachers are trained to type students as ADHD” explores the epidemic of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis in students and the prevalence of ADHD in the African American community. In recent years the number of African American children with ADHD have skyrocketed concerning parents about the over diagnoses and misdiagnoses of the disorder (Ahmann, 2016). A recent study by Getahun and colleagues found a "70 percent increase in the number of ADHD diagnoses among African American children, with a 90 percent increase among African …

A Comparative Study Of Three Approaches For Enhancing Teaching Knowledge Of Dyslexia, Kayla Steltenkamp

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Teachers are the foundational component of the education system. Annually, they are required to engage in professional development opportunities to expand their knowledge. Since 1985 there has been a profusion of legislative attention to the reading disability dyslexia. Included in legislation is the mandate for teacher training, but there is a lack of research on effective professional development to increase teacher knowledge of dyslexia. This study compared three models of professional development to assess their efficacy in increasing declarative knowledge of dyslexia for elementary general education teachers. The results indicated that the use of simulation training alone was less effective …

Post-Concussion Experiences Of Collegiate Student-Athletes, Kaitlin Iris Singer

Doctoral Dissertations

Sports-related concussions are a major public health concern affecting a significant number of collegiate student-athletes. Medical and public health research has addressed every aspect of concussion management processes including concussion education, medical diagnosis, recovery, and returning to sport and classroom. This research has led to several best-practices for concussion management. Since 2010, the NCAA has mandated that its member institutions maintain concussion management policies and procedures. However, the current recommendations, based primarily on medical research, have been found in quantitative studies of the behaviors and practices of athletic trainers, coaches, and student-athletes to be ineffective. To date, no studies have …

I Am Here For A Reason. I Need To Focus. I Need To Learn So I Can Reach My Goal: Self-Advocacy And Motivation As Contributors To The Experiences Of College Students With Physical Disabilities, Latrecha Kasha Scott

Dissertations

Although researchers have studied “the role of self-determination in facilitating transition planning and services, very little is known about the impact of those supports and services from the students’ perspective once they are in postsecondary settings” (Getzel & Thoma, 2008). In addition, literature was limited regarding the impact of self-determination from the student perspective after enrollment into higher education (Denhart, 2008; Fuller, Bradley & Healey, 2004; Getzel & Thoma, 2008). Using a qualitative design, this study explores the contributions of self-advocacy and motivation to the experiences of higher education students with physical disabilities. The purpose of this study was to …

Importance Of Accommodating Elementary School Students With Learning Disabilities, Angelica R. Rivera

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This senior capstone examines the rationale why it is important to accommodate the students with learning disabilities at the elementary schools. Mainstreaming students with disabilities with those in regular general education classrooms remains a very important issue for principals and teachers. Through the use of literature review and interviews with a principal and a teacher from their respective schools in the Monterey County area, the results show that there is a gap between the services provided to students with learning disabilities.

A Mother's Spiritual Journey With Her Disabled Son: An Autoethnography, Margaret C. Higgins Edd

Dissertations

Abstract

This autoethnographic research delves into a mother’s experiences with her disabled son over thirty-five years. Beginning with a thick description of the crib accident that resulted in physical and cognitive disabilities that profoundly change the course of both mother and son’s life, this research chronicles the search for meaning, community, and healing as they negotiate the realms of medicine, education, career, family, and spirituality. Models of disability that seek to explain various ways in which society often views disability are examined, but none resonate with the researcher’s intimate experiences nor satisfies her deepest needs for insight and healing. Making …

School Libraries, Disabilities, And A Phenomenological Progression To Policy Change, Patrice Narret Foerster

Dissertations

Research has shown that school librarians are not well equipped to work with students who have disabilities. Applying a conceptual framework culled from the public policy process literature, this phenomenological study used interviews with Washington, DC, policy workers--some of whom advocate for students with disabilities--to explore the possible connection between library experiences and the placement of libraries within the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The findings indicate that these workers are not framing libraries in the same way that library professionals do and are not viewing school libraries as a direct source of student instruction. This dichotomy suggests that …

Teacher Perceived Barriers To Inclusive Instructional Delivery Approaches, Casey M. Wright

Honors Theses

The aim of this undergraduate thesis is to identify the perceived barriers to Inclusive Instructional Delivery Approaches (IIDA) through the perspective of general education teachers. For decades, students identified as having special educational needs have not been adequately served in the classroom. This study reveals the best practices used to include students with disabilities in the general education classroom and why they are not being employed as often as they should be. Through use of survey, the researcher allowed for the opportunity to answer (a) Which IIDAs are used most often? (b) How much time per week do teachers spend …

Learning Disabled Special Education Students And General Education Opportunities, Candace Pelt

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This study examined the relationship between the amount of time a student receives in general education and achievement scores for reading and math. Students selected were previously identified with a learning disability in the Newberg School District, and they were enrolled in classes during the 2014-2015 school year. Using a Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA), this study observed the correlation between students’ federal placement code and student achievement scores for both reading and math. For students with disabilities who also have an Individual Education Plan (IEP), the federal placement code identifies the amount of time a student spends in general …

Explaining Special Education Communication Disorder Classification By Race, Native Language Spoken, Ses, And El Status: A Logistic Regression Study, Jonathan Fost

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This study examined whether a special education communication disorder for kindergarten students was dependent on race/ethnicity, native language spoken, socioeconomic status, and EL status using a dataset of 3,642 students across 2010, 2012, and 2014 in a large district in Oregon. Using a logistic regression methodology, this study explored (a) the relationship between identification with a special education communication disorder by race/ethnicity, (b) the relationship between identification with a special education communication disorder by native language, (c) the relationship between identification with a special education communication disorder by socioeconomic status (based on free and reduced lunch status), and (d) the …

The Disability-Diversity Disconnect: Redefining The Role Of Student Disability Within The Postsecondary Environment, Katherine C. Aquino

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The current understanding of student disability continues to be misperceived as a form of impairment, rather than as a part of student diversity within the higher education environment. Although nearly one in ten college students have a documented disability affecting cognitive, physical, or psychological functioning, stigmatization of students with disabilities continues to occur in the postsecondary environment. The purpose of this study is to examine if there is a perceived difference in academic and social inclusion within the postsecondary environment for students with and without disabilities. Guided by the theory of intersectionality, minority group model, and social model of disability, …

The Disconnect Between General Classroom Teaching Techniques And English Language Learner Needs, Marliese Belt

Honors College Theses

This project will seek to identify gaps in pre-service teacher education as it relates to appropriate instructional strategies for English Language Learners (ELLs). First, public and private liberal arts schools of higher education in Kentucky will be analyzed for relevant programs and courses addressing the needs of ELLs and research-driven instructional techniques used to educate them. It will be determined that many of the schools offer undergraduate or graduate level endorsements and certificate programs, but only one, Murray State University, offers an undergraduate degree-bearing program. Next, ELLs, their characteristics, and unique needs will be defined to ensure that all stakeholders …

Accessing Academe, Disabling The Curriculum: Institutional Locations Of Dis/Ability In Public Higher Education, Andrew J. Lucchesi

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The field of Disability Studies has long committed itself to the project of making American colleges and universities more accessible places for disabled faculty, staff, and students. Indeed, many of the field of early ideological roots of the discipline of Disability Studies (DS) emerged from campus-based activist movements. This influence has impacted the ways DS scholars continue to frame their intellectual labor as a progressive public good. In recent years, composition/rhetoric scholars have begun applying DS approaches to questions of pedagogical and professional access as well. These critiques have drawn attention the ways teaching practice, administrative policy, and other aspects …

The Amandla Project, Alexander Stone

Capstone Collection

The Amandla Project is designed to increase the number of disabled American college students pursuing educational opportunities abroad. Incorporated as a nonprofit organization, the Amandla Project will cover all costs for accepted participants through fundraising activities, removing the financial barrier for participants. Participants will complete internships with organizations serving South Africans with disabilities, in roles that match their professional and academic goals. With educational excursions and learning activities to supplement internship experiences, the Amandla Project meets its mission while benefiting the host country and fostering leadership and advocacy skills within participants.

An Introductory Online Interactive Training To Disability Etiquette And Protocol To Promote Inclusion, David Murcko

Capstone Collection

Study abroad is a privilege and an opportunity of a lifetime that not many individuals take full advantage of. Many factors can contribute towards a student’s decision to not study abroad, including but not limited to: finances, academic coursework, family concerns, and not being able to graduate on time. A topic rarely discussed is disclosing medical information. While the amount of students studying abroad is increasing every year, a significant amount of underrepresented minorities desire to embark on that journey of study abroad as well. Unfortunately, advisers are not always well equipped with adequate knowledge of resources. Outdated terminology and …

Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Special Education: Teacher And Outcome Proficiency Self-Rating Form Ensuring Assessment Competency, Tyler Edward Herman

Graduate Education Student Scholarship

This Master’s project investigated current research literature for prevailing prereferral and referral processes of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students to special education evaluation. To that end, this Master’s project sought to strengthen the validity of the referral process for CLD students by creating a self-rating form to guide teachers in accurately differentiating CLD students who are in need of receiving special education services from those who do not need such services. The self-rating form is founded on three competencies of multicultural teacher efficacy and requires teachers to reflect on classroom-level, team collaboration, prereferral, and referral practices. Limitations and suggestions …

Bridges To Employment For College: Graduates With Disabilities, Elizabeth E. Brake

Graduate Education Student Scholarship

This evidence-based, qualitative study explored the experiences of college graduates with disabilities who are employed. The study used criterion-based analysis and examined the ways these graduates participated in internships, communicated, and the navigations in general that led directly to employment success. Data was collected from programs that resulted in successfully employed college graduates with disabilities, empirical studies, and case studies. The study ends with a consideration of the findings in light of theory and implications to practice. Suggestions for future research are also made pointing to the immense gaps in the literature pertaining to the process of becoming a successfully …

Technology-Based Family Education In Asl/English Bilingual Schools For The Deaf, Myriah L. Dixon

All Theses And Dissertations

More research on how ASL/English bilingual schools for the deaf educate hearing families to apply bilingual education methodology at home is warranted. Given the rising use of technology in schools, its role within these family education programs was the primary focus. Thirty-two participants from 22 different schools completed an online, researcher-developed survey. Follow-up, online interviews were conducted with 7 participants, and artifacts were collected from 10 schools. Qualitative and quantitative descriptions express the study’s results based on technology used as an informational and influential tool, counseling and coping tool, diversity tool, and program evaluation tool. Schools are using multiple forms …

Let's Keep In Touch : Conversations About Access And Tactility., Whitney E. B. Mashburn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Let’s Keep in Touch: Conversations about Tactility, a project collaboratively organized by social practice artist Carmen Papalia and curator Whitney Mashburn, presents conversations between Papalia and artists selected by Mashburn, in regard to tactile access of the chosen artists’ works. The project aims to challenge visual biases in museum engagement, through dialogue with living artists.

Carmen Papalia takes social practice in a new direction as he applies it to the topic of accessibility. Using the tool of conversation, he creates strategic infrastructural activism and prompts exploration of non-visual perception.

In this thesis, Papalia’s work will be examined and discussed …

Discretion And The Implementation Of Federal Disability Policy In Postsecondary Education, Katy Annette Washington

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Disability Services Providers (DSPs) have historically been the personnel tasked with implementing federal disability policy at postsecondary institutions primarily since the passage of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. The model adopted by the majority of DSP offices is student-driven and requires students seeking academic accommodations must go through a formal process to determine eligibility for services, and then play an active role in their provision. Disability-related policies at the campus level are usually authored by DSPs who are seen as experts by the institution and its stakeholders. However, sometimes …

University Of Hawaii At Hilo: International Female Student Diversity And Inclusion Workshop, Leslie Lehuanani Mcclung

Capstone Collection

The purpose of the University of Hawaii at Hilo’ Women’s Center is to provide advocacy, access, education, equity and equality to women and minority students on campus. On March 8, 2016, The Women’s Center at the University of Hawaii at Hilo held an International Women’s Day event. During the event, the topic about their experiences here at UH Hilo was brought up. Five of the seven panelists felt like they lacked the knowledge and support of on-campus resources including the Women’s Center. The response to the women’s day event led the Women’s Center staff to investigate further why this was. …

Responding To Their Voice: The Needs Of Postsecondary Students With Intellectual And/Or Developmental Disability, Lucretia A. Berg

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

Young adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) enter postsecondary education (PSE) at increasing rates. Many continue to demonstrate persisting adaptive behavior needs that impede academic and employment outcomes. This qualitative case study explored one Northwest PSE program educating students with IDD regarding persisting adaptive behavior needs and whether the needs fell under the purview of occupational therapy (OT). It was the researcher’s assumption that gaining an understanding of student needs would provide cognizance of potential OT services. Thirty-two participants were recruited through both purposive and snowball sampling including: administrators; instructors; related services providers; parents or guardians; and students. In …

Uncovering Inequalities: Addressing The (Re)Production Of Power Relations Within Financial Aid Processes Utilizing Institutional Ethnography, Victoria A. Hill

MAIS Projects and Theses

The purpose of this research project is to critically map the University of Washington’s institutional practices concerning financial aid and related administrative policies and procedures related to the FAFSA application. This research was conducted by using institutional ethnography as a method to analyze the difficulty of carrying out organizational duties under complex federal, state and institutional policies. It also considers how the process of carrying out these duties creates tensions for staff, and how the unintended consequences of power relations are produced and reproduced between the process of staff carrying out their duties and students receiving aid. Information obtained from …

Connection Between Effort And Academic Success In Learning Disabled Students Identified With Learned Helplessness, Nancy D. Braunwell

Theses and Dissertations

This research was conducted with high school students eligible for special education services that have also been identified with learned helplessness. Students were given the intervention of study activity and exposure to success via assessments to determine if they would make a connection between their effort and their academic success. This connection is typically absent in learned helpless students. The data indicated that these students did make that connection and would continue the study activity on their own time after the intervention period to continue to experience success.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder And The Impact On Adults Exiting School, Dana Lynn Kilroy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis study was to see if there was a connection between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and going on to attend college. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder commonly diagnosed in children during the developmental years that impedes on their abilities to pay attention and stay still, which could be detrimental in a school setting. Previous research shows that students with ADHD are not going on to attend college and to receive a higher level of education. Adults with ADHD tend to present their symptoms differently than they did when they were children. This thesis …

Socioeconomic Status And Its Relationship To Educational Resources, Christene M. Sledge

Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between socioeconomic status and access to educational resources was examined. According to a national report on school funding, New Jersey rates third in the nation for equality in school funding (Baker, Sciarra and Farrie 2015). Although disparities in school funding are lower than average, students of low socioeconomic status are still at a disadvantage when entering school. The ways in which school districts spend their money was believed to be affected by the socioeconomic status of the students who attend their schools. Literature was reviewed on the ways in which socioeconomic status has been associated with various health …

Science, Symptoms, And Support Groups:Adhd In The American Cultural Context, Kealy D. Fallon

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a cultural analysis of the behaviorally- and psychiatrically-defined disorder ADHD, socio-historically contextualizing it in the United States and exploring ethnographically how people affected by it talk about and organize their experience of its symptoms.

Addressing The Impact Of Deportation On Citizen Children And Their Undocumented Parents, Ismael Mondragon

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

A vast number of parents/children are been affected with high levels of anxiety, depression, and stress when their families are been separated due to deportation. Therefore, I conducted two sets of interviews, a parent component that consisted of eight questions and a child component that consisted of eleven questions. The interviews took approximately 10 minutes each. I interview a small group of six participants, three adults and three children who have gone through the devastated experience of having a family member deported. Hearing the participants experiences I learned that there are not enough programs in the community to help families …