Disability and Equity in Education Commons^™

Comparing Massed And Distributed Course Formats: Effects On Outcomes In A Graduate Augmentative And Alternative Communication Course, Brandon Scott Eddy, Alli Sauerwein, Leah Meloy, Eric Sanders

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

The effects of massed versus distributed learning have been well studied in the verbal and motor learning literature, with findings suggesting enhanced outcomes from distributing learning over time. However, some studies have found limited evidence to support enhanced outcomes from distributed learning when applied to an entire academic course. The effects of course scheduling on student learning in speech-language pathology graduate coursework have received limited attention. This study compared learning outcomes between a one-week massed format and an eight-week distributed format in an online two-credit augmentative and alternative communication graduate-level course. Learning outcomes were assessed before students enrolled, immediately after …

Becoming Again: Dialogues On Identity Formation Among Second-Career Educators In Initial Certification Programs, Michelle White, Tracy Driehaus, Mark Wolfmeyer

Education Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

Supporting Digital Accessibility In Community College Libraries, Jessica Tipton

Sabbatical Projects

Original Sabbatical Proposal: As part of my dissertation on removing accessibility barriers to library services and resources, I will evaluate materials our library creates, purchases, and shares, focusing on WCAG 2.1 AA compliance.  I will earn a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) certification and create a guide for academic librarians on developing accessible learning materials and evaluating purchased content to ensure equitable access for all students.

Copyright Information

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Publication rights to works is granted to Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities, however, full copyright for works published in this journal is retained by the author(s). The author(s) may post their works online in an institutional repository, on their University departmental website, or on their own personal websites.

Beyond The Benefit: A Multi-Modal Narrative Study Of Black Women's Experiences With Employer-Sponsored Tuition Assistance, Britany Patricia Hamilton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the lived experiences of Black women engaging with employer-sponsored tuition assistance programs, focusing on how social, structural, and identity-based factors shape their educational and professional trajectories. While these benefits are often framed as neutral tools for career advancement, this study examines them through the intersecting lenses of race, gender, and labor, revealing deeper dynamics of access, value, and belonging. Guided by a qualitative narrative inquiry approach, this study employed a multi-modal data collection design involving video diaries, semi-structured interviews, and a focus group. Three participants, all Black women between the ages of 30 and 40, shared their …

Building An Inclusive Classroom: Digital Humanities (Dh) And Critical Disability Studies (Cds) In The Francophone World, Vidya H. Surti, Kaliane Ung

Feminist Pedagogy

The purpose of this co-authored article by a teacher and student is to contemplate the feminist implications of infusing Critical Disability Studies and Digital Humanities into the traditional humanities classroom. Furthermore, this article implements strategies for inclusive and flexible pedagogy. This article will contribute a case study for an interdisciplinary project of academic rigor, while mitigating student wellbeing through mechanisms of classroom autonomy.

Asset And Deficit Thinking: Ed.D. Students’ Perceptions And Preferences Around Their Instructors’ Feedback, Rebecca R. Simataa, Jordan O'Connell, Kateri Johnson, Christopher Dufault

Essays in Education

This study investigated cohort-based Ed.D. students’ perceptions and preferences related to deficit and asset-based instructor feedback. The researchers collected data from 28 current Ed.D. students through a survey based on Henderson et al.'s (2016) Feedback for Learning questions. While students generally perceived feedback as asset-focused, they expressed a need for more growth-oriented, individualized responses. Additionally, male participants significantly perceived more asset-based feedback than females, suggesting that demographic alignment between instructors and students may influence perceptions around feedback. Implications suggest that Ed. D. faculty can enhance feedback practices by choosing transactional or transformative approaches based on students' needs and preferences, offering …

Deaf Faculty Members’ Experiences In Higher Education Institutions, Stephanie Proctor Horvath

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Deaf faculty members bring diverse perspectives to higher education, yet their experiences remain underexplored in academic research. The critical first year of teaching can shape their career experiences, revealing both opportunities for growth and systemic barriers. The purpose of this study was to understand deaf faculty members’ experiences, focusing on their transition into academic roles, the accommodations provided in their workplaces, and the challenges they faced. This study employed a qualitative phenomenological design, utilizing semi-structured interviews with 15 Deaf faculty members, whose teaching experience ranges from 1 to 30 years. In the reflexive thematic analysis and AI-coding of this data, …

Developing A Curriculum Audit Tool For Justice, Equity, Diversity, And Inclusion In Occupational Therapy Education, Whitney M. Cranna, Sarah Mckinnon

Translational Science in Occupation

Background: The OT profession is calling for intentional pedagogy that builds future practitioners’ capacity for embodying justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion (JEDI) values; however, the interpretation and application of this mission remain subjective and nebulous. Developing a theory-driven audit tool may help standardize and clarify JEDI pedagogy needs to enhance OT preparation and practice.

Objective: Using a culturally responsive, justice-based theoretical lens, this paper describes the development of a JEDI Curriculum Audit Tool for a Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (PP-OTD) program.

Design: Quantitative systematic evaluation of curricular alignment with JEDI principles, including a 3-prong retroactive self-evaluation approach.

Setting: Curriculum …

The Phoenix Takes Flight: The Importance Of Trauma-Informed Positive Education, Kathleen Turner Ledgerwood

Feminist Pedagogy

Since the pandemic, trauma has touched almost everyone. Pervasive illness, death, and isolation affected us in ways we have not paused to process. Many students were young and particularly affected by the pandemic. The rise in mental health concerns has made it more imperative to address mental health within our pedagogy. This article will outline strategies for helping to manage mental health within our pedagogy in order to better help everyone using an approach that aligns with trauma-informed and positive psychology pedagogical practices. Our future is one of compassionate, caring, trauma-informed work that bolsters the well-being of our students.

Lecture Capture Transcripts: Use And Perceptions On Utility, Steven Garwood, Dawn Shell, Jackie Giacobbe

Rowan-Virtua SOM Faculty Teaching & Learning Seminar

This project focuses on student use and perceived utility of the transcripts created for all recorded lectures in the Synergistic Guided Learning (SGL) curriculum track. This poster will present our findings from a survey conducted with first year Osteopathic Medical Students (OMS-1) in Spring 2025.

Iep Process As An Avenue Or Barrier To Inclusion For Autism Spectrum Students: The Importance Of Collaboration, Stephanie C. Holmes

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

Decades of research concerning the implementation of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) have shown that building and implementing an IEP for a student with additional needs can be adversarial between the child’s parents and the school system. In 1975, when Public Law 94-142 was passed, the idea behind the law was not only to provide a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) for children with needs and disabilities but also to give parents of these children a voice in the process of creating the child’s IEP. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) was not added to the list of needs to be served …

Fostering Inclusion And Belonging In Virtual Learning Environments: Strategies From Faculty Members For Enhancing Online Student Engagement, Tara Franklin, Tina Patterson

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

Despite the convenience and accessibility offered by online education, disparities persist in access, engagement, and success rates, disproportionately affecting all students, especially students with disabilities and neurodivergent learners. This difference highlights the barriers and challenges students with disabilities face on virtual learning platforms. Encouraging an inclusive and supportive environment where students feel comfortable disclosing their disabilities is essential for improving completion rates and fostering a sense of belonging in virtual learning environments. The study aimed to identify strategies faculty members use to foster inclusion and belonging for students enrolled in online courses. A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect information …

Letter From The Editors, Jennifer Butcher, James Wiser, Cicely Ward

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

No abstract provided.

Becoming A Beloved Community: A Restorative Reckoning For A Radical Conversion To Transform Discourse In Higher Education, Latasha Tomay Varlack-Butler

Dissertations

This dissertation critically examines the misappropriation of Restorative Justice Discourse (RJD) within three predominantly white institutions (PWIs), analyzing 59 institutional documents through Critical Discourse Analysis, Relational Critical Discourse Analysis, and Rhetorical Criticism (Fairclough, 1995; Vaandering, 2021; van Dijk, 2008). Tribal Colleges and Universities and South African institutions have emerged as exemplars of authentic RJD, countering co-optation within PWIs. The findings demonstrate that RJD as applied in PWIs is framed in ways that attenuate its transformative potential, perpetuating color-evasiveness (Bonilla-Silva, 2017) and obscuring the intersectional experiences of Black, Indigenous, and disabled communities (Crenshaw, 1991; Million, 2009).

Grounded in decolonial praxis (Smith, …

Optimizing Accessibility Training By Prioritizing Cognitive Needs Of Students With Disabilities, Lio Jones, Kari Goin, Megan Mcfarland

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Despite the significant enrollment of students with disabilities in higher education, research and practice rarely center the voices and leadership of these students, particularly in accessibility training efforts. This paper addresses this gap by presenting an autoethnographic study of a digital accessibility training initiative co-led by a student with multiple disabilities. Using a process that combines participatory research and first-person narrative, this study outlines the development and implementation of faculty training on accessibility that centers the experiences of a student with cognitive disabilities. We propose a new framework for understanding "dynamic disability," a concept that recognizes the complex and evolving …

Integrating Positive Psychology And Spirituality To Foster Meaning And Well-Being In Older Adults, Crystal Morris

Adultspan Journal

This perspective article explores the integration of positive psychology interventions (PPIs) and spirituality in therapy to foster meaning and well-being in older adults. It highlights exercises such as the positive introduction, positive legacy, character strengths, mindfulness, mindful-based yoga, and a manifestation prayer journaling. The interventions presented are tools to support older adults that may experience depression, difficult life transitions, and the search for renewed meaning. Therapists who integrate PPIs and spirituality into therapy can promote a holistic, non-pathological approach to treatment.

Benefits And Applications Of Learning With Virtual Reality, Michael W. Timm

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Education is a fundamental pillar of society. It equips students for employment and interpersonal relations. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a transformative technology in the field of education. The aim of this paper is to synthesize existing research in order to determine the benefits of utilizing virtual reality in a variety of education settings, such as K-12 classrooms, universities, and workplace training. This paper observes significant benefits of virtual reality in constructivist and experiential learning, gamified learning, and tailored practice. This analysis also finds that virtual reality is advantageous for educational accessibility, particularly for absentee students and impoverished students. …

Call For Manuscripts, Michele J. Koomen, Thomastine Sarchet-Maher, Jessica Williams

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

Call For Manuscripts, Michele J. Koomen, Thomastine Sarchet-Maher, Jessica Williams

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

From The Editors, Michele J. Koomen, Thomastine Sarchet-Maher, Jessica Williams

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

JSESD remains a venue for the dissemination of research and practice related to the education of students with disabilities in the science classroom and laboratory since 1998. Volumes #1 through 11 were published in a print format. Starting with Volume #12, the journal has been published online and Open Access. Having JSESD in the Open Access format maximizes access for readers and authors and allows the journal to remain economically sustainable.

Copyright, Michele J. Koomen, Thomastine Sarchet-Maher, Jessica Williams

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

Barriers And Supports For Latinx Students Pursuing Higher Education, Ashanti Salazar

Curriculum and Instruction Undergraduate Honors Theses

Latinx students make up a growing portion of the student body in Northwest Arkansas, yet they continue to face unique barriers in their pursuit of higher education. This study explored senior Latinx students’ perceptions of barriers and supports they encounter as they begin the college enrollment and admissions process. This research takes place at Valley High School, a majority-Latinx public school in Northwest Arkansas. My intention was to better understand how financial concerns, access to college knowledge, staff support, and school-based resources shape their school experiences, future aspirations, and decision to pursue college after high school. A quantitative approach was …

Creating A Multi-Sensory Room At The University Of Arkansas, Alexandra R. Smith

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorder, or autism, is a genetic neurological condition that can affect all aspects of an individual’s life, depending on their symptoms. Autistic people tend to struggle most significantly with social and emotional issues, which often results in declining academic success. With such a multifaceted disability, autistic students can struggle to perform at the same standards as their non-autistic peers, mostly due to the complications from their disability paired with limited accommodations. The consequences of these issues can manifest as lower admission rates, higher dropout rates, and higher stress levels for autistic students. This creative and service-learning honors thesis …

Differentiated Instruction For Students With Special Needs: “How Can We Better Equip Students, School Systems, And Society For Differentiated Instruction For Students With Special Needs In Career And Technical Educational Environments?”, Mikala A. Highsmith

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Career and Technical Education (CTE) plays a vital role in preparing students for the demands of the modern workforce by providing essential knowledge, technical skills, and industry-recognized certifications. As the number of students with disabilities, including neurodivergent learners, continues to rise, CTE programs face increasing pressure to adopt innovative, inclusive educational practices. Integrating creative teaching strategies and leveraging technology are now critical tools in addressing diverse learning needs that promote effective classroom management and enhance student engagement. Moreover, CTE programs emphasize the development of professional competencies, workforce protocols, and transferable skills that strengthen students’ employability across industries. This paper examines …

Beyond Borders And Binaries: A Queer Look At Study Abroad Advising For Lgbtq+ Students, Austin Smith

Capstone Collection

This study examines the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ students studying abroad, the practices of study abroad advisors in their support of LGBTQ+ students, and their alignment with one another. Findings from qualitative analysis of survey responses from LGBTQ+ students that have studied abroad in the past five years and interviews with current study abroad advisors suggest that study abroad advising practices can unintentionally reflect a deficit-oriented perspective, emphasizing risks and challenges LGBTQ+ students may face while abroad over strengths and resilience. However, advisors embrace equity-based practices that seek to address barriers and affirm LGBTQ+ identities within study abroad, even when …

Navigating Leadership: The Impact Of Intersectional Identities On Female Leaders In Postsecondary Education, Sara A. Shaw

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of female leaders in postsecondary education, focusing on how intersecting identities influence their leadership and decision-making processes. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach and the theoretical framework of intersectionality, the research explored the relationships between gender, leadership, career decision-making, and other social identities. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and demographic surveys with 11 female leaders. The findings revealed seven key themes: Identity Influenced Experiences, Unintentional Navigation, Institutional Bias, Playing the Game, Institutional Champion, Supportive Mechanisms for Career Advancement, and Value Alignment. These themes illustrate how gender and intersecting identities shape career decisions …

Theorizing The Body In The Asl Interpreting Field: Promising Dimensions For Further Research, Taylor L. Woodall-Greene, Lucy E. Bailey

Journal of Interpretation

This paper theorizes body politics in the American Sign Language Interpreting profession. The field is facing problems with burnout and attrition. We focus on the interpreting body and present four themes, including the embodied demands, the limited available scholarship over “the body” in ASL, the fluctuating meaning of the interpreter’s bodily labor, and the educational implications of our analysis. We argue that attention to body politics matters, and more research is needed on the intersections between the body and the ASL interpreting profession. Continuing the research into these theoretical dimensions and interpreters’ self-care given the embodied demands of the profession, …

Creating A Highly Effective College Transition Guide: For Secondary School Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Trevor J. Sparacio

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

This dissertation examines the secondary-to-postsecondary transition experiences of autistic youth and develops The Sparacio Transition Guide, a comprehensive, research-informed tool designed to improve college and career outcomes for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Framed by ecological systems theory, the social model of disability, Universal Design for Learning, and person-centered planning, the study investigates strategies, supports, and program components that promote successful movement from high school to higher education and employment. Using a qualitative phenomenological design, the researcher conducted in-depth, semi-structured Zoom interviews with eight accomplished autistic adults who completed postsecondary education and achieved career success, then employed thematic analysis, …

Addressing Significant Disproportionality In Special Education, Lori L. Ginn-O'Keefe

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State University by Lori L. Ginn-O’Keefe on April 2, 2025.