Education Commons^™

Accessible Autonomy: Exploring Inclusive Autonomous Vehicle Design And Interaction For People Who Are Blind And Visually Impaired, Paul D. S. Fink

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Autonomous vehicles are poised to revolutionize independent travel for millions of people experiencing transportation-limiting visual impairments worldwide. However, the current trajectory of automotive technology is rife with roadblocks to accessible interaction and inclusion for this demographic. Inaccessible (visually dependent) interfaces and lack of information access throughout the trip are surmountable, yet nevertheless critical barriers to this potentially lifechanging technology. To address these challenges, the programmatic dissertation research presented here includes ten studies, three published papers, and three submitted papers in high impact outlets that together address accessibility across the complete trip of transportation. The first paper began with a thorough …

The Effects Of Peers For Young Adults On Anxiety And Quality Of Life For Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Alysha Cecile Dagg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social skills deficits as well as comorbid anxiety are two characteristics commonly experienced by people with Autism Spectrum Disorder - Level 1 (ASD-1; American Psychiatric Association, 2013). These characteristics are also both contributors to a lower quality of life for young adults (Smith et al., 2019). The current study aimed to identify how the quality of life and anxiety are affected by social skills intervention, specifically the PEERS® for Young Adults program (Laugeson, 2017). PEERS® for Young Adults is an evidence-based social skills intervention intended to support individuals with ASD-1 (Laugeson, 2017). Prior research has demonstrated its success in both …

Investigating The Teaching And Assessment Experiences Of Maine Secondary Science Teachers During The Covid-19 Lockdown, Anupam Raj

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In March 2020, an unexpected event changed the educational systems throughout the world. In the United States, the COVID-19 pandemic caused public places to close down, including schools. To continue education, schools in Maine went online. This study describes how Maine secondary science teachers taught and assessed their students while teaching remotely for the first time during the lockdown. It does so by investigating teachers’ perspectives about the impact on their students, how they handled the issue of equity, their new priorities and expectations, their teaching and assessment challenges, and their successful strategies during the initial phase of the lockdown. …

Collaboration To Empower Every Learner, Shilo Goodhue

Poster Presentations

The vision of Empower the Learner is that “Each child is unique and needs to be understood, valued and empowered to…..achieve agency, self-advocate for their learning and realize their hopes and dreams.” To support this, ETL has created a tool to help students recognize their strengths and learning challenges and express those to the educational team. The Maine Parent Federation and the Autism Society, with funding through the Maine Developmental Disabilities Council, joined with ETL to modify the program to make it accessible to children who are impacted more significantly by their disability. The goal is to not only empower …

Black Bear Outdoor Leadership Diversified (B Bold) Program, Maine Bound, University Of Maine, Office For Diversity And Inclusion, University Of Maine

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Promotional flyer for the Black Bear Outdoor Leadership Diversified (B BOLD) program, a full-scholarship retreat for students of color.

Umaine Crime Alert, University Of Maine Police Department

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Examples of how safety alerts are communicated to members of the University of Maine community including email notification, individual campus portal pages for community members, and a notification posted across all pages of the university website. This safety alert describes the assault of an unnamed female by an unknown male who "briefly choked her, yelled a slur at her for wearing a pride shirt..." before running away.

Meeting Students (And Subjects) Where They Are: Perspectives In Teaching, Learning, And Doing Archaeology And Anthropology Online, David Pacifico, Rebecca Robertson

Journal of Archaeology and Education

This article introduces a special issue of Archaeology and Education that explores teaching and learning anthropology online. We argue that effective online teaching requires course design that supports participant interactivity, instructor presence, and student-centered opportunities for 'doing, not viewing.' Online modes of teaching, learning, and doing anthropology and archaeology address issues of educational equity and access in addition to providing opportunities for authentic learning that are not available through face-to-face instruction.

Giudice Helps Creation Of Data Science Teaching Tools For High School Students With Disabilities, Marcus Wolf

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

As the data science field continues to generate more jobs and create new research and economic development opportunities, educators have decided to teach it in high schools. Many of the materials and tools they use, however, are inaccessible and fail to meet the needs of students with disabilities, impeding their access to data science careers.

Evaluating Services For New Mainers Community, Hibo Omer

Student and Trainee Scholarship

Mission: Sandcastle Clinical & Education Services: we decided that children with special needs would no longer be separated and that our classrooms would be composed of a mixture of children. Sandcastle’s goal was and still is to this day that children graduating from our program at age five, who had special needs, would transition directly into a regular classroom and not be segregated from their peers. We are proud to have been on the cutting edge of inclusion, and proud to be educating children to be open minded, with open hearts.

Vision: Sandcastle was the first early childhood education program …

Resource Guide For Maine Families, Schools, And Communities: Integrated Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support, Courtney Angelosante, Trish Niedorowski, Stephanie Leblanc, Carrie Woodcock

Special Education Faculty Scholarship

Maine’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) for behavioral health and wellness is a promising way for schools and communities to work together so that every student can achieve health, wellness, and social success in schools, at home, and in their communities. School and community practices that encompass social and emotional learning and regulation, bully prevention, substance misuse prevention and intervention, etc. are integrated into a continuum of supports for children and families, so that the level of response matches the intensity of need. The goal of MTSS is for children and families to have access to a streamlined system of …

Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion At Umaine Action Plan, Robert Dana

General University of Maine Publications

The University’s Diversity Action Plan guides our efforts to achieve seven key goals: communicate clearly and affirmatively the University’s commitment to diversity; make substantial progress on our Affirmative Action goals; retain employees of difference; value diversity as an essential component of the curriculum; increase the percentage of undergraduate and graduate students of color; retain those students through degree completion; and offer programming to sustain a community of respect for differences.

• Appoint a President’s Council on Diversity and Inclusion.
• Make diversity and inclusion central to the Strategic Visioning Process.
• Update Diversity Action Plan for UMaine.
• Upgrade the …

Learning Ideas - Understanding Accessible Educational Materials (Aem) And Their Use: Tips For K-12 Educators, University Of Maine Center For Community Inclusion And Disability Studies

Professional Development

Students arrive in classrooms with a variety of skills, interests and needs. For many learners, the typical curriculum—including instructional methods, classroom materials, and assessments of knowledge—may contain barriers to educational participation and achievement. Students who are unable to access print materials face particular challenges. Accessible educational materials reduce barriers and provide rich supports for learning. By using accessible educational materials, educators enable all learners to gain knowledge, skills and enthusiasm for learning.

Educational Videos About Restraint And Seclusion, Jodie Hall

Poster Presentations

The Coalition Against Restraint and Seclusion (C.A.R.S.) is a group of stakeholders whose mission is to prevent the overuse of restraint and seclusion within the educational setting. As part of Jodie Hall’s training with the New Hampshire-Maine LEND Program, she worked with C.A.R.S. to update their resources and parent education materials. This poster presentation reports on the outcome of her work and the development of a series of short informational videos which may be accessed via the internet.

Developing The State Interagency Coordinating Council For Maine Child Developmental Services, Olivia Shaw

Poster Presentations

Each state is required by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. 1441 to have a State Interagency Coordination Council to act as an advising council for their state Early Intervention Program. My leadership project mentor, Roy Fowler, the state director for Maine’s Early Intervention Program, Child Developmental Services (CDS), tasked me with helping him to develop a new and effective SICC for CDS. Doing this required extensive research into the federal requirements for an SICC including, participant requirements, responsibilities of the SICC, and the overall process for applying to be a member. Once the research was completed …

Educational Videos About Restraint And Seclusion, Jodie Hall

Poster Presentations

The Coalition for Restraint and Seclusion (C.A.R.S.) is a group of stakeholders whose mission is to prevent the overuse of restraints and seclusion within the educational setting. As part of my training with the New Hampshire-Maine Leadership in Education in Neurodevelopmental Related Disabilities Program (LEND), I have been working with C.A.R.S. to update their resources and parent education materials. We created a series of short informational videos which will be accessed via the internet, in order to provide materials which are easily digestible and accessible for parents. My poster will provide descriptions of the content included in each of the …

Got A Story To Share?, Lgbtq Services, Jennifer Iwerks

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Flyer announcing that LGBTQ Services collection of stories about student experiences at the University of Maine.

Wearing Makeup Is Not An Indicator Of Being Anti-Feminist, Kim Crowley

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Modern feminist discourse has struggled with a certain dilemma: the paradoxes of makeup and fashion. These two topics pose questions from both viewpoints. One may ask: are we meant to support makeup as an industry and hobby, to take pride in our skillfully groomed brows and pretty dresses that make us feel more beautiful? Or are our cultural notions of beauty something to fight against--another means of control, forcing us to force more on appearances than we should?

The Falsified Face Of Feminism Pushes Us Away From Progress, Kim Crowley

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

If the internet has taught me one thing, it's that feminism is bad.

Sustainable Living Teen Volunteers, Catherine Elliot, Kristy Ouellette

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

Maine 4-H Youth Development programs have produced nationally-recognized environmental education and healthy lifestyle curricula that are research-based and have reached thousands of participants. Our new statewide initiative in Sustainable Living Education for youth and adults provides an excellent context for the CYFAR Maine Sustainable Communities Project (MSCP), Sustainable Living Teen Volunteers (SLTV). The SLTV program will be conducted at two of our current 4-H Camp and Learning Centers in collaboration with local schools. After completing their training, teens will teach sustainable living concepts and practices to youth in middle schools and 4-H clubs. The SLTVs will learn valuable life skills …

Policy Brief: Keeping All Students Safe Act Of 2014, Nancy Bergerson

Policy Analysis

Senator Harkin (D-IA), Senator Murphy (D-CT), Senator Baldwin (D-WI), and Senator Hirono (D-HI) introduced the Keeping All Students Safe Act (S.2036) in the Senate on Feb. 24, 2014. Rep. Miller (D-CA) introduced H.R. 1893 on May 9, 2013. The Act would produce limitations for the use of restraints in public and private schools. Currently, 19 states have no policies in place to address this issue. The law would require better training, monitoring and enforcement of these standards, as well as the collection of related data which would be available to the public. We are asking you to co-sponsor the Keeping …

Combating Autism Reauthorization Act Of 2014, Kassandra Mores

Policy Analysis

On May 9, 2014, Representative Smith (R-NJ) and Representative Doyle (D-PA) introduced a bill to reauthorize the Combating Autism Act (H.R. 4631) for five years. Senator Menendez (D-NJ) and Senator Enzi (R-WY) are planning to introduce a Senate bill of the Combating Autism Reauthorization Act. The Combating Autism Act of 2011, due to sunset September 30, 2014, provides federal funding for autism research, public education, and early detection and intervention in Maine. We are hoping that you will consider voting in support of the Combating Autism Reauthorization Act.

Growing Ideas - Caring For Young Children - Business Matters, University Of Maine Center For Community Inclusion And Disability Studies

Early Childhood Resources

Caregivers or business owners? Family child care providers are both. Paying attention to the business aspects of running a family child care home is an important component to having the income and working environment needed for program success.

Growing Ideas - Building Belonging: Providing Guidance For Social Skill Development, University Of Maine Center For Community Inclusion And Disability Studies

Early Childhood Resources

As young children with and without disabilities grow, they are learning how to develop relationships with others and to be members of a community. All children need support to learn and achieve these important life skills. The process adults use to teach and support this learning is known as guidance. Effective guidance assumes the following conditions: Respect, understanding, and appreciation for every child’s unique qualities; Knowledge that children’s mistaken behaviors provide learning opportunities; An encouraging community where every child belongs and feels safe; and a developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive setting.

Growing Ideas - Daily Transitions - Time For A Change, University Of Maine Center For Community Inclusion And Disability Studies

Early Childhood Resources

Young children with and without disabilities experience many changes during their day. Daily transitions in early care and education programs take place during an activity, or when children move from one activity to another or one location to another. Transitions include the following: Arriving at or departing from a program; Exchanging toys; Entering or leaving a play area during free choice time; Cleaning up after morning activities and starting a group circle time; Getting dressed to go outside to play; and Shifting from playing with friends to working with a teacher/therapist on a particular skill. Thoughtful planning is needed so …

Growing Ideas - Whack! Slam! Bang! - Aggression, University Of Maine Center For Community Inclusion And Disability Studies

Early Childhood Resources

Aggressive behavior - hitting, pinching, biting, and other acts through which children may hurt themselves or others - is a way children communicate by using their bodies. Children behave aggressively for a variety of reasons.

Growing Ideas - Partnering With An Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant, University Of Maine Center For Community Inclusion And Disability Studies

Early Childhood Resources

Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) is a collaborative relationship between a mental health consultant and families, care and education professionals, and/or early care and education teachers. ECMHC strives to improve the ability of families, teachers, and care and education professionals to promote, sustain and restore healthy social and emotional development for all children. Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation approaches challenging situations with children from a problem solving perspective. ECMHC is not a therapeutic intervention: it occurs in the children's natural settings - child care, home, and school.

Growing Ideas - Admissions Policies And Practices That Build Inclusive Child Care Communities (For Providers), University Of Maine Center For Community Inclusion And Disability Studies

Early Childhood Resources

Quality inclusive child care settings include children with disabilities and health, behavioral or mental health concerns. Admissions policies that clearly state eligibility criteria, practices, program and parent and/or guardian responsibilities, can help families evaluate if the program will be a good match for their child. Providers may want to obtain legal advice to be sure their policy and procedures align with relevant federal and state laws and regulations.

Growing Ideas - Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation, University Of Maine Center For Community Inclusion And Disability Studies

Early Childhood Resources

Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) is a collaborative relationship between a mental health consultant and family members, child care providers, early care and education teachers, and/ or child development professionals. ECMHC strives to improve the ability of families, teachers, and caregivers to promote, sustain and restore healthy social and emotional development for all children. It supports building and maintaining healthy working relationships between care and education professionals and families.

Growing Ideas - Admissions Policies And Practices That Build Inclusive Child Care Communities (For Parents And Guardians), University Of Maine Center For Community Inclusion And Disability Studies

Early Childhood Resources

All children, including children with disabilities, benefit when quality inclusive child care settings provide an equal opportunity to participate. Admissions policies and practices that reflect this inclusive philosophy can help parents and guardians evaluate whether the program will be a good match for their child.

Growing Ideas - Laws That Support Early Childhood Education For All, University Of Maine Center For Community Inclusion And Disability Studies

Early Childhood Resources

State and federal laws protect the rights of children with disabilities. These laws support the inclusion of children with disabilities in care and education settings. Care and education professionals should be familiar with these laws.