Disability and Equity in Education Commons^™

The Forgotten Language Skill: Finding A Prominent Place For Listening In Meaningful Programming For Multilingual Learners With Learning Disabilities, Tracy Griffin Spies

Educational & Clinical Studies Faculty Research

Listening is the primary vehicle through which children learn, is fundamental to all other communication competencies, is a core component of multimodal instruction, and is key to learning language. At the same time, listening comprehension is the least understood language skill and is challenging for teachers in the provision of high quality instruction. For multilingual learners with learning disabilities it also presents certain challenges at the intersection of students’ disability and developing language proficiency. This article presents a conceptual analysis of listening comprehension across the perspectives of learning disability and second language acquisition in an effort to link disconnected understandings …

Detect Misconceptions, Construct Competence-Aligned Pedagogical Practices, And Use Instructional Strategies That Decenter Speech As A Means To Include Autistic Students, Chelsea P. Tracy-Bronson, Sara Scribner

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

In this practice-based article, we use data and research to establish the need to examine inclusive-oriented pedagogical strategies to support autistic individuals. We believe that educators who use critical reflection can detect many of the common misconceptions about autism, learn how to re-frame these understandings, and consider different ways to support these students within inclusive classrooms. This article provides innovative pedagogical approaches for competence-aligned instruction, cultivating a web of communication access, bolstering social interaction, and supporting changes in the environment and with sensory experiences. We also describe ways to de-center speech to create a classroom that values dynamic engagement, divergent …

Counseling Skills For Educators, Craig Hall

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas is touted as a diverse campus. Indeed, students represent a wide range of demographics concerning race, gender, identity, socioeconomics, physical and mental ability issues, as well as non traditional students and those the intersectional representation of multiple demographic groups. It is incumbent upon educators to provide safe spaces for all students. This is an equitable practice. How can educators be more equitable? By using counseling skills in their education such as: empathy, active listening, belief in the capabilities of students, and avoiding labeling students. It must be noted that the use of counseling skills …

Why Ask That? Low Stakes Questions Build Engagement, Van Whaley

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

A few low-stakes questions during the term build engagement, encourage persistence, and can improve learning outcomes.

During labs, students work together to learn Anatomy & Physiology… plus answer these Engagement Booster Questions.

The Need
Students need to meet classmates. After two years of online-only education, returning to in-person labs is a new experience many students find uncomfortable and challenging.

The Existing Resources
Students in the same lab have several similarities that include enrolling in the same lecture section, similar schedules, the same completed prerequisites, similar majors, and career aspirations.

The Goal
Building engagement between students should help more students complete …

Cutting As A Literacy Practice: Exploring The Fractured Body, Desire And Rage Through Queer And Trans*+ Youth Embodiments, Bess Van Asselt

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

By attending to the ways in which cutting manifests in the life histories of three queer and trans*+ youth of color, I argue that cutting is a literacy practice. I focus on the life histories of three youth, Jay, Harper and Sam, who have different experiences, reasons for, and reactions to their cutting. With each story, we learn something new about the act and how it pushes us to the brink of literacy pedagogy. Jay’s narrative forces us to reckon with youth who refuse to or cannot maintain their bodily integrity. Harper’s story brings to the fore the violence of …

Remote Learning, Van Whaley, Dustin Davis

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

• One instructor presents live, virtual, synchronous lectures while another instructor builds engagement and support using the live chat feature.

• An engaging way to highlight concepts and explain key figures, pictures, and drawings using shared screens.

I share my screen and move through the e-textbook to discuss the most important topics from each week’s chapter. During each discussion, I intersperse my drawings of body structures on Google Jamboard. While I present, Dustin works in the chat to ask recall and application questions, answer students’ questions, and link resources such as educational YouTube videos and practice quizzes. Our DVDs address two key …

Developing The Key Constructs Of Career Literacy: A Delphi Study, Kesha S. Valentine, Michael F. Kosloski

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Career literacy is a concept that is often misunderstood, yet it is something that can be developed to enhance youth’s potential for career readiness and career growth. This study sought to determine the knowledge and skills required for career literacy and to identify the optimal time to acquire these skills. A four-round Delphi study was designed and implemented to determine such skills and the ideal corresponding time of acquisition for each. The research indicated a final list of 50 skills and knowledge, all of which fall under the categories of functional, interactive, and critical skills a student needs to be …

Girls In Stem Day: From Space To Dna, An Analysis Of Middle School Girls' Interests In Stem Fields, Emily Carter

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

Research specifically targeted at youth participation in STEM highlights the importance of community engagements outside of school to bolster interest in STEM. We ask the research questions: (1) How do girls who engage with a day-long STEM event at UNLV perceive hands-on science activities? (2) How did girls’ enjoyment of science activities shift their interest in science topics? The purpose of this study is to identify factors that influence middle school girls’ interests in STEM fields through a day-long STEM event. This research was conducted at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in 2020 called Girls in STEM Day …

A Call For Data-Driven Networks To Address Equity In The Context Of Undergraduate Biology, Seth K. Thompson, Sadie Hebert, Sara Berk, Rebecca Brunelli, Catherin Creech, Abby Grace Drake, Sheritta Fagbodun, Marcos E. Garcia-Ojeda, Carrie Unviersity Of New Hampshire, Jordan Harshman, Todd Lamb, Rachael Robnett, Michèle Shuster, Sehoya Cotner, Cissy J. Ballen

Psychology Faculty Research

National efforts to improve equitable teaching practices in biology education have led to an increase in research on the barriers to student participation and performance, as well as solutions for overcoming these barriers. Fewer studies have examined the extent to which the resulting data trends and effective strategies are generalizable across multiple contexts or are specific to individual classrooms, institutions, or geographic regions. To address gaps in our understanding, as well as to establish baseline information about students across contexts, a working group associated with a research coordination network (Equity and Diversity in Undergraduate STEM, EDU-STEM) convened in Las Vegas, …

Win Or Lose: Residential Sorting After A School Choice Lottery, Andrew Bibler, Stephen B. Billings

Economics Faculty Publications

We examine residential relocation and opting out of the public school system in response to school choice lottery outcomes. We show that rising kindergartners and sixth graders who lose a school choice lottery are 6 percentage points more likely to exit the district or change neighborhood schools (20% to 30% increase) and make up 0.14 to 0.35 standard deviations in average school test scores between lottery assignment and attendance the following year. Using hedonic-based estimates of land prices, we estimate that lottery losers pay a 9% to 11% housing price premium for access to a school with a 1 standard …

Teaching Students With Special Needs In School-Based, Agricultural Education: A Historical Inquiry, Kathryn L. Teixeira, M. Craig Edwards

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

The purpose of this historical study was to investigate the inclusion of students with special needs in school-based, agricultural education as reported by The Agricultural Education Magazine and the Journal of Agricultural Education over a time period of six decades. The impact of landmark legislation, such as the Vocational Education Act of 1963, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, and the Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1990, were examined. This legislation motivated and supported agricultural education’s efforts to meet the learning needs of special education students by providing modified …

Women's Research Institute Of Nevada Newsletter, Women's Research Institute Of Nevada

Newsletters

No abstract provided.

The Importance Of Universal Design In Teaching, Maria Pena

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational framework based on research in the learning sciences, including cognitive neuroscience, that guides the development of flexible learning environments that can accommodate individual learning differences.

Embedding Accessibility In Course Development, Gabriel Judkins, Rex Suba

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Accessibility as practice allows all to independently: acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, enjoy the same services within the same time frame with equivalent ease of use.

Forecasting Unlv Gpa Based On Needcd Group, Richie Abenoja, Jean-Paul Castro, Andreana Chua, Jennifer Lee

Math 365 Class Projects

The Center for Academic Enrichment & Outreach at UNLV is a service that provides university students with the resources they need in their college career. The Center has established federally-funded programs that helps low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities to progress throughout their academic career. These programs include tutoring, personal counseling, mentoring, financial literacy & guidance, and scholarships. With all this, the Center hopes to create a community in which every individual can fulfill their post-secondary educational objectives.

Exploring Cognitively Accessible Academic Lessons For Students With Intellectual Disabilities Using The Ipad, Jamie Linn Gunderson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Students with intellectual disabilities often lack access to general education curricula. This is because many teachers struggle with adapting these curricula to meet the unique learning needs of these students. Technology, having the potential to facilitate access to general education curricula, has been successfully used as a tool to adapt curriculum for this population. The use of the iPad (Apple, 2010), which is easily programmed to support the unique needs of students with disabilities, is beginning to be explored as a tool for the learning and instruction of students with intellectual disabilities and results have been favorable. Further research is …

A Social Justice Perspective In Anti-Bullying Program Implementation, Monica Vanderheiden

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Oppression is in our everyday lives. Children get to experience it first hand in school by simply being different than others. Bullying has become a serious problem in American schools and many programs have been implemented to address it. This thesis grew out of a large evaluation study of anti-bullying program implemented in a large school district located in the Pacific Southwest. The main goal of this thesis is to continue the research process of the large evaluation study by focusing on the theme of implementation. Another goal is understand social justice as it relates to anti-bulling program evaluation. In …

An Examination Of The Preparation, Experiences, And Attitudes Of Effective School Leaders Of Students With Disabilities: Voices From The Field, Patricia Ann Schultz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Research reflecting the preparation, experiences, and attitudes of effective school leaders of students with disabilities is scarce despite the fervent federal requirements changing special education over the past four decades. Although there is extensive literature on perspectives and contexts of disability, the legislative journey toward special education, inclusion and educational leadership, the expanding role of the principalship, principal attitudes on inclusion, and preparing educational leaders for inclusive education, a review of the related literature revealed an absence of the skill-set and disposition needed by school leaders who are improving academic achievement for students with disabilities.

This qualitative dissertation study documents …

Effects Of Environment On Children's Motor Scores, Eligibility Status, And Administration Times, Derrick Mittelstadt, Abigail Parker, Kirsten Pickett, Heather Temkin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Best practices for assessing developmental skills in young children focus on naturalistic observation in everyday settings, but the effects of environment on test scores, eligibility status and administration time have not been explored. The Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-Second Edition (PDMS-2) was administered to 34 children aged 18 to 59 months in natural and pull-out settings. PDMS-2 total, gross, and fine motor quotient (TMQ, GMQ, and FMQ) scores were significantly lower in the natural environment (p’s≤.014). Based on our results, more children would qualify for services when tested in natural environments using TMQ and GMQ scores. It also took significantly longer …

An Investigation Of Exemplary Teaching Practices Of Teachers Of Native American Students, William M. Young

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation traces the historical roots of indigenous education from the violation of treaty rights of the late 1800's to the staggering rates of non-persistency facing Native American students today. While many factors are outside of the classroom teacher's scope of influence, teacher candidates should be trained in culturally responsive methods to address factors that are within their control and which can be addressed in the classroom.

The study was conducted using a mixed-methods design employing Creswell's (2008a) sequential transformative strategy. STS is a multi-phase study with an implicit theoretical lens. In this study the researcher is situated at an …

Unlv Magazine, Matthew K. Jacobsen, Holly Ivy De Vore, Lisa Arth, Cate Weeks, Greg Lacour, Tony Allen, Afsha Bawany, Barbara Cloud, Gian Galassi, Phil Hagen, Karyn S. Hollingsworth, Michelle Mouton, Erin O'Donnell

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.

Teacher And Student Perceptions Of Self-Determination, Jennifer L. Black

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

For almost two decades, research efforts specific to self-determination have resulted in the development of curricula, assessments, instructional strategies, interventions, model programs, and proposed quality indicators (Field et al., 1998). Despite the combined efforts and perceptions of researchers, teachers, parents, employers, and college disability service providers related to these important aspects of self-determination research, limited attention has been devoted to understanding the perceptions of self-determination from secondary students with and without disabilities and their general and special education teachers.

The purpose of this study was to investigate teacher and student perceptions related to self-determination. Teacher perceptions were measured with the …

Inside Unlv, Erin O'Donnell, Diane Russell, Carol C. Harter

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Unlv College Of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter, Porter Troutman, Jian Wang, Steven Grubaugh, Randall L. Astramovich, Jennifer L. Fabbi, Kyle Higgins, Lori Navarrete, Jean Henry, Carli Kyles, R. R. Apache, Cecilia Maldonado-Daniels, Chizu Jaret, Karla V. Kingsley, Nancy Sileo

College of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter

A newsletter discussing a variety of topics dealing with multicultural topics and diversity in education.

Unlv College Of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter, Porter Troutman, Steven Grubaugh, Jian Wang, Randall L. Astramovich, Jennifer L. Fabbi, Kyle Higgins, Lori Navarrete, Jean Henry, Lisa Bendixen, Carli Kyles, Cecilia Maldonado-Daniels, R. R. Apache, Chizu Jaret, Karla V. Kingsley, Nancy Sileo

College of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter

A newsletter discussing a variety of topics dealing with multicultural topics and diversity in education.

Unlv College Of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter, Porter Troutman, R. R. Apache, Randall L. Astramovich, Cecilia Maldonado-Daniels, John Filler, Steven Grubaugh, Jennifer L. Fabbi, Kyle Higgins, Lisa Bendixen, Jian Wang, Lori Navarrete, Nancy Sileo, Yvonne Randall, Carli Kyles, Darla Kingsley

College of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter

A newsletter discussing a variety of topics dealing with multicultural topics and diversity in education.

Unlv College Of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter, Porter Troutman, Nancy P. Gallavan, John Filler, Steven Grubaugh, Jennifer L. Fabbi, Kyle Higgins, Aimee Govett, Jean Henry, Lisa Bendixen, Cecilia Maldonado-Daniels, Deborah Romero, Nancy Sileo

College of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter

A newsletter discussing a variety of topics dealing with multicultural topics and diversity in education.

Unlv College Of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter, Porter Troutman, Nancy P. Gallavan, John Filler, Steven Grubaugh, Jennifer L. Fabbi, Kyle Higgins, Aimee Govett, Jean Henry, Lisa Bendixen, Cecilia Maldonado-Daniels, Deborah Romero, Nancy Sileo

College of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter

A newsletter discussing a variety of topics dealing with multicultural topics and diversity in education.

Unlv College Of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter, Porter Troutman, Nancy P. Gallavan, John Filler, Steven Grubaugh, Jennifer L. Fabbi, Kyle Higgins, Aimee Govett, Jean Henry, Lisa Bendixen, Cecilia Maldonado-Daniels, Nancy Sileo

College of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter

A newsletter discussing a variety of topics dealing with multicultural topics and diversity in education.

Unlv College Of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter, Porter Troutman, Nancy P. Gallavan, John Filler, Steven Grubaugh, Jennifer L. Fabbi, Kyle Higgins, Aimee Govett, Jean Henry, Lisa Bendixen, Cecilia Maldonado-Daniels, Nancy Sileo

College of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter

A newsletter discussing a variety of topics dealing with multicultural topics and diversity in education.