Educational Assistants Supporting Inclusive Education In Secondary Schools, Amy C. Kipfer

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

As school boards in Ontario move towards more inclusive models of learning, more students with disabilities are taught in regular classes instead of self-contained placements. This move results in a role change for the educational assistant (EA). Research is needed to determine the overall framework that will make the use of EAs a more effective practice for student and school. Fifteen EAs working in secondary schools within a school board in southwestern Ontario which was moving to a more inclusive model of education were individually interviewed. EAs chosen for the study had a background of supporting students with developmental disabilities …

Individual Education Plan (Iep) Development For Children With Developmental Disabilities In Ontario's Public Schools: A Narrative Case Study Inquiry, Karen P. Gregory

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Abstract

This qualitative study employs case study and narrative inquiry approaches to examine the beliefs, practices and experiences of elementary classroom teachers in Ontario, Canada, as they engage in the development of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for children with Intellectual Developmental Disability (IDD). The study focuses on IEP development for students in both regular education and special education classroom settings. Attention is given to the ways of thinking about disability, IDD, and special educational needs that impact on current practices related to IEP development. In that there is limited research that offers a theoretical explanation of the IEP process, this …

Examining The Socio-Spatial Knowledge(S) Of Disabled And Mad Students In Higher Education, Mark A. Castrodale

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In this study I draw on the perspectives and insights of self-identified disabled (n=14) and mad university students (n=3) at two Ontario universities. The perspectives of disability office workers (n=1) and instructors (n=3) are also included to offer triangulated accounts. I address the following research questions: (i) How are disabled and mad students constituted and represented in Ontario university settings? How do they understand and constitute themselves? (ii) What are mad and disabled students socio-spatial university experiences in relation to issues of access and academic accommodations? I draw theoretically on Foucault and other socio-spatial theorists such as Lefebvre and Soja …

Caregivers' Experiences Raising A Child With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Aamena Kapasi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this study was to identify challenges and strengths of caregivers to a child with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Thirty-two caregivers raising a child with FASD participated in phone interviews that included the questions: "What challenges do you face in making your household function well?" and "What strengths do you have to make your household function well?" Responses to the questions were sorted by participants and the data was analyzed using multi-dimensional scaling and cluster analysis. In response to the question about challenges, seven concepts emerged: 1) Extra Responsibility on Caregivers, 2) Difficulty Keeping Daily Routine, 3) …

Creating A Comprehensive Search Strategy For Research On Learning Disabilities Using The Pearl Harvesting Information Retrieval Framework, Salsabel Almanssori

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The migration of libraries to the digital realm has created new opportunities for information sharing; however, the abundance of available literature has made locating relevant research studies on specific learning disabilities a difficult task, one that existing search strategies have not adequately addressed. Moreover, definitions of specific learning disabilities have evolved and the nature of this field is interdisciplinary, creating a confusion of possible search terms for the topic. The present investigation used the Pearl Harvesting Information Retrieval Framework to create a comprehensive search strategy for locating research on learning disabilities. The analysis produced four groups of harvested search terms …