Disability and Equity in Education Commons^™

Growing Capacity In Gifted And Talented Education Through Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, And Mathematics (Steam), Sheron Mark, Chin-Wen Jean Lee, Peter A. Azmani

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

A graduate-level gifted and talented education (GTE) course for in-service teachers was revised aiming to prepare teachers to integrate science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) education into existing curricula to create challenging learning experiences for students identified as gifted and talented. Two university-based teacher educators in science education and GTE, respectively, engaged in action research in order to develop and refine a semester-long STEAM project in the GTE course to accomplish this goal. In all, two elementary, one Music, and one World History teacher participated. Case study analysis explored the teachers’ approaches to developing STEAM-based lessons to expand their …

Inclusion, Engagement, And Nearpod: Providing A Digital Alternative To Traditional Instruction, Kristina Buttrey

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

Unfortunately, the onset of Covid-19 and the ensuing pandemic led to a shift in the structure of classrooms across all levels of the educational spectrum. The resulting move to more social distancing methods, including a combination of face-to-face and online formats, led to a need for innovative uses of technology. In this article, Nearpod is explored as an alternative way to present information while increasing engagement and inclusivity in the classroom. Research studies and reviews are scrutinized on the use of Nearpod as tool for teachers and pre-service teachers in K-12.

A Systematic Review Of The Quality Of Reporting In Mathematics Meta-Analyses For Students With Or At Risk Of Disabilities Coding Protocol, Gena Nelson

Early and Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this document is to provide readers with the coding protocol that authors used to code 22 meta-analyses focused on mathematics interventions for students with or at-risk of disabilities. The purpose of the systematic review was to evaluate reporting quality in meta-analyses focused on mathematics interventions for students with or at risk of disabilities. To identify meta-analyses for inclusion, we considered peer-reviewed literature published between 2000 and 2020; we searched five education-focused electronic databases, scanned the table of contents of six special education journals, reviewed the curriculum vitae of researchers who frequently publish meta-analyses in mathematics and special …

Discrit At The Margins Of Teacher Education: Informing Curriculum, Visibilization, And Disciplinary Integration, Saili Kulkarni, Emily Nusbaum, Phillip Boda

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Forty Years After The Larry P. Decision: School Psychologists’ Perceptions Of The Assessment Of African American Students With Specific Learning Disabilities, Shara Cabreros

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and describe the assessment models school psychologists use to identify African American students with SLDs in three of the K-12 school districts in Riverside County. A second purpose of this study was to determine how school psychologists within three districts of Riverside County perceive the assessment model used in their school district affects the identification of SLDs in African American students. A third purpose of this study was to determine the assessment model school psychologists in three districts in Riverside County believe most accurately identifies SLDs in African American students. …

Handwriting Correction System Using Wearable Sleeve With Optimal Tactor Configuration, Dhanya Nair, Grant Stankaitis, Sean Duback, Robert Geoffrion, Justin B. Jackson

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Handwriting remains an elusive skill with practice worksheets being the common method of learning. Since these worksheets provide only visual feedback and no quantitative feedback, it can often be a challenge to improve. For children with learning disabilities, learning handwriting skills is one of the most difficult tasks. We propose a handwriting training system that uses off-the-shelf webcam, a pen tracking software and a haptic sleeve which provides active feedback to the user based on their deviation from the original pattern. The sleeve has 4 individual motors that vibrate at different intensities based on the direction (right, left, up or …

Using Transcendental Phenomenology To Explore Elementary Teachers’ Experiences With Struggling Readers During The Social Restrictions Precipitated By The Covid-19 Pandemic, Wyann C. Stanton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study provides a window into the experiences of elementary teachers with their struggling readers during the largest world-wide interruption to education that has ever been seen. This study gives insight to educational leaders and educators as they assist their struggling readers in rebounding from the disruption to school caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and as they work to improve the quality of schooling for struggling readers. Since the beginning of the pandemic, there had been a growing body of educational literature in pandemic-related information, practice, and research. Yet, there was a need to bring to light the phenomenon of …

Discipline Disproportionality Of Black Students With Disabilities: Principals' Perspectives, Wanda L. Van Dyke

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the problem of practice found in discipline disproportionality of Black students with disabilities in an urban school district with a majority Black student and teacher population. Through personal interviews with building level administrators, data was gained to determine common themes that impact discipline disproportionality of Black students with disabilities. A qualitative inquiry approach, in the form of a case study was used to determine principals’ perspectives about factors that may impact discipline disproportionality. Student disciplinary records were examined to verify disproportionality and investigate patterns and categories related to students with and without …

Collaborative Inquiry To Support Critically Reading Children’S Literature, Laurie Rabinowitz, Amy Tondreau

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

This article provides an overview of a qualitative study investigating how K-5 classroom teachers describe their beliefs, concerns, and planning process for enacting read alouds featuring characters with disabilities. The study explored educators' close reading of picture books to elicit the unpacking of beliefs about individuals with disabilities conveyed by children’s literature. Through dialogue about social issues in picture books with colleagues, teachers sharpened their own critical literacy skills to bring into the classroom. Based on our findings, we offer a collaborative inquiry cycle that teacher groups can replicate to critically read children’s literature for different social justice issues.

End-Line Evaluation Zambian Girls 2030 Program (2016-2018). Final Evaluation Report, Sanjay Tripathi, Oscar Mutinda, Linda Banji Siamuzyulu, Jagbeer Kaur

Program monitoring and evaluation

The Realising My Potential Programme (2016–2018) programme was implemented in Northern and Southern Provinces targeting four districts in each province: Mungwi, Luwingu, Mbala and Mpulungu in the Northern Province and Pemba, Sinazongwe, Namwala and Monze in the Southern province. The focus of the programme was to empower girls through career and skills mentoring, guidance, entrepreneurship skills development, financial literacy education and an internship opportunity, and to provide girls with the professional training and networks to succeed. Restless Development was the implementing partner, and financial and technical assistance and guidance were provided by Ministry of General Education and UNICEF. The Australian …

A Secondary Transition Planning Tool To Enhance The Needs Of Students With Disabilities Beyond High School: Case Study, Kamyka Glenn

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Youth with disabilities such autism, emotional disorder, intellectual disabilities, and learning disabilities are less likely to exit high school with a diploma, more likely to drop out of school and be unemployed, and less likely to enroll in postsecondary education and to live independently (Department of Education, 2011; Labor of Statistics, 2016). “The percentage of students with disabilities who spend at least 80% of each school day in general education has increased from 34% in 1990 to 63.5% in 2017, their levels of academic achievement, rates of school exit, and post school outcomes still fall well below those of their …

Examining Teacher Advocacy For Full Inclusion, Jill Bradley-Levine

Journal of Catholic Education

This critical ethnography examined the motivations of, and processes used by teachers to advocate for the inclusion of students with exceptionalities in their Catholic school. Because students with exceptionalities have been marginalized in K-12 Catholic schools, learning more about teachers who have been successful advocates on their behalf is essential to building more inclusive schools, as well as inclusive local and global communities. The findings of this study help to identify some key elements for teacher-led advocacy including practices that align with ethical leadership and that encourage teachers to take risks and pursue passions when there is potential for positive …

How Can Early Childhood Educators Promote Equitable Outcomes Through Trauma-Informed Practice?, Elizabeth Terry

Graduate Teacher Education

An abundance of research acknowledges the effects of trauma on children from an early age. Prolonged and severe trauma in early childhood can lead to adverse outcomes in important areas of development, such as one’s physical, mental, and social-emotional well-being (Morsy and Rothstein, 2019). Children present school systems and educators with the task of addressing this important, but infrequently considered issue. Trauma has lasting effects regardless of age, but the impacts of trauma during childhood are especially profound during such formative years. Children require safe spaces to learn and flourish as individuals, therefore it is important that early childhood educators …

Will They Be Welcomed In? The Impact Of K-12 Teachers’ And Principals’ Perceptions Of Inclusion Of Students With Disabilities, Emily Smith Edd, Karen H. Larwin Phd

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

The purpose of this study is to investigate the perceptions K-12 principals and teachers have of inclusive education in a school district in western Pennsylvania school district. The dependent variables are the teachers’ and principals’ perceptions of inclusion and the independent variables are years of educational experience, extent of special education background, and level of support by district administrators. Instrumentation for this study is the Multidimensional Attitudes toward Inclusive Education Scale (MATIES) survey. Data were analyzed for correlational relationships using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Findings suggest an average to high level of support by administration in …

Using Esser Funds To Support Teacher Residencies, Prepared To Teach, Bank Street College

Prepared to Teach

This document details the opportunity that Local Education Agencies (LEAs) have to leverage Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief Funds (ESSER) to develop teacher residency programs at their school sites. It is not only allowable, but also advisable under Federal guidance that these funds can support teacher candidates working for a full year, co-teaching within classrooms with accomplished mentor teachers, helping lead to a more diverse teacher workforce, reducing teacher turnover, and improving instructional outcomes.

Internship In Developmental Disabilities, Patricia H. Sutherland-Cohen

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Addressing The Complexities Of Creating An Inclusive Campus For Transgender People (Presentation), Jason D. Phillips, John Blue, Kerrie Taber

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Making transgender people feel accepted into the campus community goes beyond educational programs to encourage inclusion. The process should also include many institutional facets from IT to housing. This paper examines the changes made or in the process of being addressed at a regional public university in Arkansas.

Creating An Online Concrete Masonry Course For Accessibility, Dolores Herrera

Architectural Engineering: Graduate Reports

An online undergraduate course in masonry design was created for an asynchronous delivery format and to fulfill web accessibility requirements. This report outlines the process of the course creation with Canvas as the host platform. Emphasis is placed on how content including lecture presentations, assignments, and course modules were developed with strong graphic software and communication skills. For accessibility, the content creation was guided by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA Standards. Lastly, the significance of learning masonry design in undergraduate structural engineering curriculum is discussed in addition to the structural engineering industry practices used to complete …

Lessons Learned: What The Covid-19 Global Pandemic Has Taught Us About Teaching, Technology And Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jane Roitsch, Robert L. Moore, Annemarie Horn

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Purpose. This paper examines the impact of the abrupt transition from attending school face-to-face to participating in online learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as reported by a parent of a student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Design/methodology/approach. A phone interview was conducted with the parent of a child with ASD. The semi-structured interview focused on how the child’s family was impacted when classes shifted to virtual from face-to-face learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Findings. Four themes emerged from the interview. Three of these included adjustments to changes in 1) routines and roles, 2) …

Partnerships To Promote Inclusive Education For Students With Disabilities In Thailand, Somkate Uttayotha, Andrew R. Scheef

Journal of Global Education and Research

Inclusive education provides opportunities for students with disabilities to learn alongside peers without disabilities. In some countries, such as Thailand, a dearth of opportunities for inclusive education means that students with disabilities are only offered enrollment in residential schools designed for students with disabilities. As a result, students are forced to leave their home communities to receive a public education. Inclusive education allows students to follow the same path as peers in their community, which benefits all parties. This qualitative pilot study featured interviews with stakeholders to better understand how schools can partner with regional entities to increase opportunities for …

House Bill 3: An Iou Texas Public Schools And Communities Of Color Cannot Afford, Candace L. Castillo

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

A history of school finance litigation and legislation shows there are inherent and structural problems in Texas’s education finance system. Like many government and social structures, the Texas school finance system is built to benefit school districts that have greater access to wealth to begin with and creates inequalities between rich and poor populations as well as between people of color and Caucasians. House Bill 3 went into effect in 2019 and promises improvements to “recapture” calculations, increases in certain allotments, as well as salary increases for some Texas teachers. Some changes to education finance were sorely needed such as …

Real-Life Conundrums In The Struggle For Institutional Transformation, Julia Mcquillan, Nestor Hernandez

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Intersecting systems of inequality (i.e., gender and race/ethnicity) are remarkably resistant to change. Many universities, however, seek National Science Foundation Institutional Transformation awards to change processes, procedures, and cultures to make science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) departments more inclusive. In this article we describe a case study with observations for eight years of before (2000–2007), five during (2008–2013), and seven after (2014–2020) intensive efforts to increase women through reducing barriers and increasing access to women. Finally, we reflect on flawed assumptions built into the proposal, the slow and uneven change in the proportion of women over time, the strengths …

Coalition And Creativity On The Bridges And Fringes With Immigrant Student-Contributors In Nonprofit Adult Education, Katherine E. Entigar

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The nonprofit education of adult immigrants is an under-researched aspect of U.S. education. Adult immigrants, often perceived as passive and quiescent, bring voices and contributions to learning in powerful yet unheard ways. This research agenda invokes a new critical lens in education scholarship to uplift and center these contributions as a coalitional, dialogical project. Drawing upon critical sociocultural, women of color feminist, and poststructual theories, critical intersectional epistemology, and Bakhtinian dialogical thinking, this research project pursues inductive, recursive meaning making as an innovative exploration. A multiphase, sequential study including surveys and two focus groups foregrounds the complex, fluid ways adult …

5. Stem Education Equity Analysis Tool Summary Of Findings, Adrienne Coleman, Traci Ellis, Hannah Anderson

Equity and Excellence Scorecard

The STEM Education Equity Analysis Tool is used by schools to self-evaluate their equity in STEM teaching and learning, with an emphasis on graduating students who are prepared for and excited about engaging in STEM careers. The STEM Education Equity Analysis Tool, created by the Great Lakes Equity Center (i.e., MAP Center), was administered as part of the development of IMSA’s Equity and Excellence scorecard via Qualtrics.

Measuring The Impact Of A Girls Education Program In Zambia

International Developments

The Zambian Girls 2030: Realizing My Potential program was initiated in 2016 through a partnership between the Ministry of General Education (MoGE) and UNICEF. The program aims to ensure better educational and employment outcomes for Zambian girls through various educational interventions at the secondary school level. The ACER evaluation will shed light on the results achieved against the targeted objectives and the potential for expansion of the program.

A Review Of Integrated Embodied Therapies And Racial Healing In Public Schools, Grace Fosler

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Anti-Black racism lies in the social, political, and economic foundations of the United States of America. Race and racism are manifestations of unhealed generational trauma that negatively impact the minds and bodies of all Americans. Black children are exposed to institutional and interpersonal racism upon entering the public school system, leading many Black students to experience discrimination and segregation, exclusionary discipline, and juvenile entry into the Prison-Industrial Complex. Educators have a unique opportunity to engage in individual and collective racial healing while fostering social change and collective healing in students. An integrated approach of individualized coaching and group embodiment, dance/movement …

Exploring The Usefulness Of Mindfulness Practices Through Zoom Meetings In Reducing Anxiety And/Or Stress Of Adults With Learning And Developmental Disabilities During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Thatiane Abra

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This thesis explored which mindfulness meditations or mindfulness practices could be beneficial in the online sessions, the extent to which adults with learning and developmental disabilities could learn the practices remotely, and how stress and anxiety disorders could be reduced through online mindfulness interventions. Furthermore, it was also necessary to address the online sessions as the only mental health treatment possibility during the Coronavirus pandemic for the clients observed and the benefits and limitations of these interventions. Additionally, the importance of structure and routine for this population, the multi-modal structure of the interventions, and how attunement plays an important role …

Exploring Tactile Art-Making With Deafblind Students And Their Families: An Opportunity For Creative Play, Alice Rodgers

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The impact of a deafblind diagnosis on an individual’s mental health and the well-being of the family involved can be profound. However, current research and available literature for the mental health treatment and therapy practices of deafblind persons and their families is limited (Kyzar et al., 2016; “WFDB Global Report 2018,” n.d.). This thesis used the Leeds Family Psychology and Therapy Service principles (Leeds FPTS) and the Expressive Therapies Continuum with established deafblind teaching strategies to facilitate an original arts-based community project entitled: “Things We Like.” This project provided an opportunity for deafblind students (ages three to 22) and their …

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 …