Disability and Equity in Education Commons^™

A Decolonial Middle School Social Studies Curriculum: 19th Century U.S. Westward Colonization, Leah Chatterji

Master's Projects and Capstones

Social Studies education throughout the United States sustains settler futurity, white supremacy, and coloniality, as it rarely engages with Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) hxstories and structural violence. For middle schoolers, this is especially troublesome as social justice pedagogies are minimal for this demographic. To shift this, this field project offers an 8^th grade decolonial Social Studies curriculum on 19^th century U.S. Westward colonization; this topic was intentionally chosen as it is an opportunity to disrupt settler epistemologies. It centers: Land; relationality; and collective liberation. It complements the California unit 8.8 standards, yet different grades, subjects, …

The Role Of Aesthetics In Classroom Design: Implications For Engagement And Equity, Giuliana Barraza

Master's Theses

The desire for achieving greater equity in education has been a prevalent topic of research, with many studies indicating that the current education system in this country is designed in a way that exacerbates initial inequities and has a negative impact on student motivation and engagement (EOCD, 2012). While existing scholarship mostly discusses equity and engagement through the lens of curriculum and instruction, the power of physical classroom environments and aesthetic elements present in those environments is less explored. With student populations becoming more diverse, there is a greater need for new tools for teachers to utilize in pursuit of …

Covid-19 And Racial Justice In Urban Education: Nyc Parents Speak Out, Kelly Brady, Mieasia Edwards, Whitney Hollins, José Luis Jiménez, Wendy Luttrell, William Orellana, David Rosas, Nga Than

Publications and Research

The COVID-19 pandemic and global calls for racial justice surfaced tremendous inequities and revitalized the debate about schooling and its purpose. NYC Parents Speak Out is a public engagement project, based on an interactive survey and interviews that records and reflects NYC family educational experiences during the unprecedented school year of 2020-2021. Our research collective, comprised of researchers, parents, advocates, teachers, and school leaders from the Urban Education Ph.D. Program at The Graduate Center (CUNY) identified three key recommendations based on research findings: to improve communication through family and community engagement; give greater attention to social-emotional and mental health; and …

K-12 Economically Disadvantaged Students, Poverty, And Education: Ecological Narratives Of Successful Raised-In-Poverty, Texas Educators, Rebecca N. Morris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study aimed to understand how successful Texas educators who grew up in poverty understood and improved the educational experience of economically disadvantaged students. This study utilized a structural ecological theory and three theories of social relationships (Social Identity, Standpoint, and Cultural Capital). This phenomenological and qualitative study used a cross-sectional, descriptive, online case study design rooted in narrative nonfiction. Virtual interviews with six successful Texas educators that grew up in poverty were conducted. A narrative method of analysis was utilized to generate codes then organize them into themes, and to construct and compare the narrative findings. The results …

Systemic Functional Linguistics In The Community College Composition Class: A Multimodal Approach To Teaching Composition Using The Metalanguage Of Sfl, Jennifer James

Education (PhD) Dissertations

This qualitative research study sought to understand the affordances and limitations of a systemic functional linguistics (SFL) approach to teaching composition at the community college level. The study took place over the course of a semester in two developmental college composition classes using the language of SFL to teach writing through multimodal assignments. The study was developed in response to the increasing diversity in writing skills and educational goals of students in the community college composition class. The increase in diversity is a result of legislation in California that restructures developmental class offerings and affects placement in the transfer-level composition …

Review Of Schooling Of Learners With Disabilities And The Manifestation Of The Hidden Curriculum Of Time, Theodoto Ressa

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Postsecondary outcomes remain difficult to attain despite their significance to learners with disabilities. This qualitative study investigated the impact of a hidden curriculum of time on the education of five undergraduate students with disabilities at a Carnegie Research One institution in the midwestern U.S. Participants in their quest for an education experienced a hidden curriculum of time in the form of physical impairments, educational costs of ill-health, and disability discrimination. The academic barriers participants encountered in reaching their educational goals suggest that addressing the hidden curriculum of time is essential for authentic inclusion and achievement of postsecondary education outcomes.

Stakeholder Perspectives: How Participation In A Work-Based Learning Program Affects Perceptions, Samantha G. Piller

Education Doctorate Dissertations

The concept of disability and how it is perceived varies based on one’s own understanding, prior experiences, position, and interactions with others. By adding the variable of employment into the equation, perceptions surrounding disability can have a significant impact on the disabled community. The amount of significance corresponds directly with the level or degree of one’s disability and other identities. Currently, the separation between employment rates for disabled adults and their non-disabled counterparts is vast (Sametz, 2017). The purpose of this study is to examine some variables that affect employment outcomes for youth with low-incidence disabilities. Guided by theoretical frameworks …

2021 Women In Literature Read-In, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy

Cultural Read-Ins

This event was co-sponsored by BELLAS, GEN, Girls IN2 STEM, Peer Multicultural Educators (PME), the IRC, and the English team.

2021 Black History Read-In, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy

Cultural Read-Ins

This event was co-sponsored by the Black Student Union (BSU), Peer Multicultural Educators (PME), the IRC, English team, and History/Social Science team.

Special Guest: Christopher Whitehead

Letter From The Editor, Shannon Tovey

Georgia Journal of Literacy

Editorial by Shannon Tovey, Editor-in-Chief

Promoting Diversity In Teaching Cybersecurity Through Gicl, Yuming He, Wu He, Xiaohong Yuan, Li Yang, Theo Bastiaens (Ed.)

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

In summary, it is necessary to develop a diverse group of K-12 students’ interest and skills in cybersecurity as cyber threats continue to grow. Evidence shows that educating the next generation of cyber workers is a crucial job that should begin in elementary school. To ensure the effectiveness of cybersecurity education and equity at the K-12 level, teachers must create thoughtful plans for considering communities’ interests and needs, and to continually reconsider what’s working and how to adjust our strategies, approaches, design, and research plan to meet their specific needs, challenges, and strengths, particularly with students from under-served and underrepresented …

Creating A Culturally Competent Children’S Library, Rachel Burger, Donia Timby, Jacquelyn D. Wiersma-Mosley, Laura Herold, Shelley Mcnally

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

There is an ever-growing need for cultural competence and a well-rounded education, especially for children. In order to promote cultural competence, this creative project focused on enhancing a library space at the University of Arkansas Bumpers College Jean Tyson Child Development Study Center, Fayetteville, Arkansas with resources that address diversity and cultural competence. The goal was to transform the library into an enticing, relaxing, and judgment-free area where children feel comfortable to explore their culture and the cultures of others. New books added to the library were thoroughly reviewed and chosen for the purpose of promoting cultural competence and inclusion, …

Invited Dialogue: Mapping The Intersections Of Religion, Literacy, And Public Schooling For Displaced, Immigrant, And Refugee Children: A Conversation With Loukia K. Sarroub, Jennifer D. Turner, Loukia K. Sarroub

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

Drawing on her award-winning research, Dr. Loukia K. Sarroub explains how teachers can help displaced, immigrant, and refugee youth navigate literacy, religion, and success in public schools.

This column features Dr. Loukia K. Sarroub and her award-winning research on how Arab Muslim refugee and immigrant youth navigate religion, gender, and literacy in school. Dr. Sarroub is a professor of literacy studies, education, and linguistics, and she serves as the graduate programs chair in the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She was the recipient of the LRA Edward B. Fry Book Award for All …

"The Lady From North Carolina": The Perils And Limitations Of External Expertise, Aprille J. Phillips, Edmund T. Hamann

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

This paper examines a state department of education’s (SDE) decision to contract a consultant to “turnaround” schools, per a logic of outsourcing for external expertise. Our ethnographically informed case study explores whose knowledge had the most worth in diagnosing areas for improvement and identifies this case as part of a trend to rent competencies, under a neoliberal guise of efficiency, but at the expense of system capacity or learning.

Lessons From The Past And Challenges For The Future: Inclusive Education For Students With Unique Needs, William Evans, Robert A. Gable, Amany Habib

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

The school-age population of students is becoming increasingly more culturally and linguistically diverse. There is mounting recognition that English Learners (EL) represent a unique group of students who have special educational and linguistic needs. This article considered the needs of learners with diverse special needs such as (a) learning and behavior challenges and (b) English Learners identified as students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE). We highlighted some potential lessons to be learned from past-to-present efforts to serve students with behavior problems. Selected evidence-based practices were featured that are applicable to learners with special needs, thereby supporting the development …

Narratives Of Disability And Displacement: Oral Histories Of The Lived Experiences Of Disabled Refugees, Jennifer Lynn Ward

Doctoral Dissertations

Disabled refugees are considered as the most marginalized group of all displaced populations. Disabled displaced people are at particular risk of violence, exploitation, and abuse. Additional barriers to accessing humanitarian assistance, education, health care, and other services exist for disabled displaced people. The purpose of this study was to collaborate with disabled refugees who have resettled in the United States and to create a space for their stories to be told. This research project explores the narratives of the lived experiences of disabled displaced people through the lenses of three theoretical frameworks: human rights, disability justice, and Critical Refugee Studies. …

Equity, Diversity, And Inclusion Climate Assessment Activities: Development And Strategic Use In Diversity Action Plans, Dr. Kristen M. Radsliff Rebmann, Parinaz Zartoshty, Kim Green, Erin Kelly-Weber, Dr. Vidalino Raatior, Lori Vonderach

School of Information Student Research Journal

This project report describes climate assessment activities in support of the development of a college-level diversity, equity, and inclusion (EDI) action plan. Elements of the climate assessment activities are described along with their purpose and rationale for inclusion. Recommendations are made for libraries to design and deploy their own EDI assessment activities with the goal of developing robust action plans supportive of inclusive excellence.

Get Rich Or Die Tryin’: Media And Black Male Academic Identity Development, Kevin S. Mcclain

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Black males encounter many difficulties in their educational journeys. Often these disadvantages can be linked to socioeconomic and environmental factors, which have consistently plagued the Black community. However, a relatively unexplored area of interest in higher education is the influence media representation has on the academic identity of Black males. Routinely shown in media outlets as athletes, entertainers, and criminals, Black males rarely view positive representations of themselves across media, thus limiting their academic pursuits. From this study, the researcher hoped to develop a fuller understanding on the influence between multimedia and Black male identity and academic success in higher …

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (Crp) Bibliography, Jennifer M. Turner

All Resources

Bibliography of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy resources.

Immigration Picture Books By #Ownvoices Authors, Sanjuana C. Rodriguez, Karina Gonzalez, Carolina Rojas

Georgia Journal of Literacy

Reviews of Latinx immigration picture books

Seeking Calm Among The Chaos: A Letter From The Editor, Shannon Tovey

Georgia Journal of Literacy

A letter from the Editor of the Georgia Journal of Literacy

A Theory/Practice Divide: Exploring Perceptions Of Inclusion In Schools, Christine L. Cho

Intersections: Critical Issues in Education

This article explores the theory-practice divide with respect to actualizing how diversity and inclusion can be explicitly addressed in schools. This paper contributes important insights for teacher educators in terms of recognizing and challenging problematic assumptions teacher candidates (TCs) may hold. This research presses TCs to examine the structure of schools through a critical lens, as teachers, particularly those from the dominant group, tend to act in surface ways, avoiding conflict by using seemingly inclusive language and ideas, and either ignoring or not seeing the real challenges many historically marginalized students face. The assignment upon which this study was based …

Behavioral Health Issues Among War Veterans, Michelle Guzman

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Monterey County Military & Veterans Affairs Office is a government agency that helps Veterans and their dependents with Military services that are offered in the Monterey County area. Some of the main problems that returning veterans are facing from coming back from OEF and OIF are behavioral health issues as far as PTSD, substance abuse and many more different health issues. Behaviors required to outlive in a war zone, such as keeping up a consistent state of alertness, may at first decipher into troublesome behaviors in civilian life, such as feeling tense or unsteady and being easily startled. Some …

(Un)Affirming Assimilation: Depictions Of Dis/Ability In Health Textbooks, Sherry L. Deckman, Ellie Futts Fulmer, Keely Kirby, Katharine Hoover, Abena Subira Mackall

Publications and Research

Purpose – In light of the systemic and pervasive nature of ableism and how ableist ideology structures – or limits – educational opportunities, this paper aims to contribute to the ongoing conversation within the field of multicultural education regarding how to meaningfully include dis/ability in K-12 curricula.

Design/methodology/approach – This paper explores how elementary and middle school health textbooks from two prominent publishers in the USA portray dis/ability through quantitative and qualitative content analysismethods of 1,468 images across texts.

Findings – Findings indicate that the majority of the textbook portrayals of dis/ability tacitly forward assimilationist ideals. Specifically, the textbooks assume …

Exploring North Texas Elementary Principals’ Viewpoints Regarding The Influence Of Culturally Responsive Teaching On School Climate And School Culture, Monica Latrice Tatum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Public schools in the United States have become more diverse due to immigration and the mass exodus of the White population to the suburbs. Growing demographic changes and a consistently White educational labor force raise concern regarding how schools address the needs of their diverse student populations. Much research exists concerning teachers’ implementation of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) practices. However, a void remains in the literature regarding the role of school leadership in this process. An understanding of culturally competent principals’ perspectives on CRT needs more attention to address how school leaders create safe and equitable environments for diverse …

Family Engagement During Covid-19, Mark Nagasawa

Straus Institute for Thriving Children & Families

This is an infographic summarizing findings from a survey conducted in May 2020 (n=3355) about how the COVID-19 was affecting early childhood educators in New York. Unsurprisingly, the survey responses reflected respondents' multimodal creativity and professional commitment to connecting with children's families. Responses also suggested some underlying tensions, such as school-centric notions of family engagement (i.e., more academically focused) vs. family-centric perspectives (i.e., offering emotional and material support to families). Ultimately the survey's contribution lies in shedding some light on important, difficult-to-resolve issues that must be debated as the world moves towards "post" pandemic life (e.g., services, supports, and accessibility …

2020 Lgbtqa+ Read-In, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy

Cultural Read-Ins

This event was co-sponsored by Peer Multicultural Educators (PME), SPECTRUM, the IRC, and the English team.

Special Guest: Yolanda Williams

Model For Building Diversity And Fostering Research Collaboration Between Faculty And Students In An Online Environment, Kimberly Luthi

Publications

Best practices to engage a diverse group of learners

• Build awareness of existing research opportunities
• Connect students to hands-on research experiences Use mentoring to build student interest in research
• Create activities and services focused on strengthening academic skills and orienting students to STEM fields (e.g. student support, academic enrichment, and research skill development)
• Provide course-based undergraduate research experiences
• Require a peer review process

2020 Hispanic Heritage Month Read-In, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy

Cultural Read-Ins

This event was co-sponsored by Peer Multicultural Educators (PME), the IRC, and the English team.

Special Guest: Spoken Word Artist, Michael Reyes, sharing an original piece!!

Black Girls Matter: The Impact Of Historical Representation On Contemporary Education, Carolyn Strong

Dissertations

A long history of misogynoir and negative stereotypes about Black
girls and women can be found throughout the literature and popular
culture of the United States. These stereotypes inform the lived
experience of Black girls and women, and in particular interfere with
African American girls’ ability to thrive in a school environment. An
autoethnographic research approach shows that various strategies, in
particular, Black girl-centric spaces, have proven to be helpful in
supporting Black girls who have to negotiate varying degrees of
hostility in general environments. These could be applied more broadly
to improve Black girls’ mental, psychological, physical, and
educational …