Disability and Equity in Education Commons^™

Stronger Together Newsletter, September 2023, Office For Inclusive Excellence

News, Magazines and Reports

Welcome to the 2023-2024 academic year / Maurice D. Nelson -- New SHU chosen name policy -- Multicultural Affairs kickbacks and cookouts -- New MACC Pioneers program -- Gender Sexuality Alliance(GSA) held its Second Annual Queerientation -- New Bias Education Support Team (BEST) -- Juneteenth -- Pride Month -- SHU Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Maurice Nelson opinion on the Supreme Court ruling on race-based admissions -- Faculty grants -- Dr. Sue Goncalves receives certification from the AACN-sponsored Diversity Leadership Institute -- Anne Burmeister presents at a second convening of DEI leadership.

The Association Of Neighborhood Schools Assignment Plan With Economic, Racial And Academic Outcomes In One North Carolina District, Theodore Kaniuka

Journal of Research Initiatives

When unified status was granted to numerous school districts, school boards developed redistricting plans to implement neighborhood schools. Social justice advocates decried these plans as they reversed over 40 years of progress, as many of these efforts resulted in resegregating schools homogenously grouped by race and wealth. Using piecewise and Difference in Difference regression with publicly facing data, this study assessed the association between neighborhood school attendance plans, school racial and economic balance, and student reading achievement. The results indicate that in one North Carolina school district over 15 years, (a) schools became more racially segregated, and (b) the achievement …

Student-Centered Professional Learning: Opportunities For Action, Danica Allen

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Neurodivergent (ND) and Emotionally and Behaviorally Disabled (EBD) learners struggle mightily to succeed in traditional school environments. These students are prime examples of the immediate systemic need to continue improving schools to make them more student-centered, i.e., equitable, culturally responsive, inclusive, and differentiated. The researcher is an educator with the Department of Defense Education Activity. The project places the challenges of ND/EBD learners squarely within DODEA’s “Focus Area 1: Strategic Initiative 1.1: Equitable Learning Experiences for All Students” (DODEA 2022b, p. 6). Developing adult capacities to meet the needs of ND/EBD learners will inform more student-centered learning for all. To …

Minoritized Graduate Students’ Recommendations To Communication Sciences And Disorders Programs To Improve Inclusion Of Minoritized Students, Teresa M. Roberts

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Minoritized students in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) programs have unique insights into inclusion and diversity initiatives based on their lived experiences. In this study, the researcher examined and analyzed recommendations that minorized CSD graduate students provided to programs to increase inclusion. The researcher identified themes within the recommendations using discourse analysis to analyze how students positioned themselves and faculty in relationship to diversity and inclusion. A total of 104 minoritized CSD graduate students across 28 states completed a survey that included demographic information and a writing prompt for recommendations to programs. The study found that students valued broad and …

The Vigor Of Creative Materialism: Making The Hidden Stories Of Underrepresented Engineering Students Visible, Katherine A. Robert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite decades of initiatives, engineering education continues to lack diversity. The proportion of women, BIPOC, LGBTQA+, low-income, first-generation, and disabled students in engineering education remains below national population levels. The culture of engineering is a barrier to increasing participation in engineering for students from these communities. The purpose of this dissertation study was to explore the experiences of underrepresented engineering students as they are socialized into the culture of engineering. I theorized a novel conceptual framework called creative materialism that combines culturally responsive methodologies, new materialist theory, and arts-based research methods. Two research questions were used to guide the study. …

Accessibility Of Medical School To Students With Physical Disabilities, Shelby A. Cowan

Senior Theses

This thesis is an exploration of perceived and institutional barriers to matriculation into medical school for students with physical disabilities. Factors such as the lived admissions experience, available accommodations and supportive resources, and legal considerations surrounding a student's disclosure of their disability are examined; however, future work is needed to better access this population of students and empower them to become physicians and use their unique perspective to benefit patients.

Finding Equity In Education, Isara Krieger, Carlos Hoyt, Change Cadet, Innopsych Organization

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

In our program, Isara seeks to use The Highest Standard documentary film as a conversation starter with educators, educational activists, mental health professionals and students that are part of the film to discuss what tools are available and what tools that should to be created to support students of greater need in the classroom and beyond.

How Do They See Me? Examining The Experiences Of Faculty In The Context Of Classroom Whiteness Factors, Papia Bawa, Diantha Watts Dr.

Journal of Research Initiatives

Today polarized attitudes and aptitudes have created a subtle but steady paradigm shift in the way equity, diversity, and inclusivity (EDI) issues are seen by stakeholders. As a result, focusing on critical aspects of equity relationships and the fallout from discriminatory attitudes towards marginalized groups has become ever more needed. While diversity issues exist in all societal, professional, and personal realms, its impact within educational institutions is perhaps the most deeply profound. This Hermeneutic Phenomenology study examines the experiences of six higher education faculty who teach predominantly white student classrooms to identify issues and recommendations with respect to their relationship …

First Generation Preservice Teachers’ Self-Efficacy Regarding The Teaching Of Diverse Students And The Incorporation Of Diverse Topics Into Classroom Content, Roberto Ch. Nava, Peter M. Vigil, Jan P. Evenstad

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

The purpose for this study was to examine whether there is a difference in self-efficacy between first generation and non-first generation preservice teachers to address the teaching of diverse PK-12 students. Bandura’s (1997) concept of self-efficacy was employed as a framework to understand the results of the study. A cross-sectional design was used to analyze a self-efficacy survey that was administered to first generation and non-first generation preservice teachers. A total of 55 preservice teachers nearing completion of their teacher preparation at one university participated. The data demonstrates statistically significant differences of unequal self-efficacy development between first generation and non-first …

Acknowledgments And A Note From The Editor, Matt Wappett

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

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A Literature Review On Inclusive Pedagogy And How Instructors Can Create Inclusive And Effective Classroom Groups, Johnathan K. Hurley

Lewis Honors College Thesis Collection

The presented document sought to analyze the ongoing issue of inclusive policy-making in the context of group work at institutions of higher education, while providing tailored advice for students in a particular field of study on how to behave inclusively. The researcher composed an extensive literature review to answer the first query, addressing the questions of: how to define inclusivity; how to form inclusive groups; and how to maintain inclusivity in classrooms. After this step, the researcher then took undertook efforts to craft a memo advising future students in CLD 490, a senior-level course for Community and Leadership Development students, …

Hook, Line, And Sinker: How To Build Dei In Stem Focused Institutional Repositories By Putting Student Research First, Anne Marie Casey, Debra Rodensky

Publications

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) Scholarly Commons is an institutional repository on the bepress Digital Commons platform that highlights the intellectual output of the university’s faculty, staff, and students. Established in May 2013, Scholarly Commons has grown to include faculty, student, and staff research, instructional materials, journals, magazines, conferences, and research data. By August 2022, the collections consisted of more than 34,600 works downloaded nearly 4.9 million times. An important part of this collection is the research submitted by undergraduate students, which offers a variety of diverse voices.

Loving My Skin: A Self-Advocate’S Perspective From Dayton, Ohio, Shari Cooper

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

No abstract provided.

Are Library And Information Science Educators Teaching Accessibility? Content Analysis Of Syllabi, Kevin J. Mallary, Rea N. Simons, Clayton A. Copeland, Jackie Nikiema, Evan J. Dorman

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Library and information science (LIS) graduates are expected to serve patrons from diverse backgrounds, including disabled patrons. While serving patrons with disabilities is a core value of librarianship, graduates often feel unprepared to serve disabled patrons, suggesting that programs inadequately train students to design accessible services. This study’s authors analyzed hundreds of course descriptions and 73 syllabi from 20 North American LIS programs to determine how often accessibility and disability topics are covered and how educators teach accessibility. Findings indicate that accessibility and disability topics are mostly covered in electives, meaning students may never develop accessibility competencies during their programs. …

Where Are Disability And Accessibility In Library And Information Science Curricula?, Clayton Copeland, Rea Simmons, Kevin J. Mallary, Jackie Nikiema, Evan J. Doorman

STEMPS Faculty Publications

While serving all library patrons is a core value of librarianship, patrons with disabilities are often overlooked. A contributing factor to this reality is that many graduates of Library and Information Science (LIS) programs feel ill-equipped to serve disabled patrons. This works-in-progress poster presents preliminary results from an analysis of 241 syllabi from 76 North American LIS programs to determine how often accessibility and disability topics are covered in curricula. The analysis also considers how courses prepare students to effectively advocate for and implement accessibility within their professional practice. Preliminary results indicate that accessibility and disability topics are infrequently covered …

Accessibility And Ability In Lis Curricula And Pedagogy, Rea N. Simons, Kevin J. Mallary, Clayton A. Copeland, Mirah J. Dow, Evan J. Dorman

STEMPS Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

“I’M Listening, Auntie” A Study On The Experiences Of Black Women Earning A Doctorate Degree In Education At A California State University, Parker Rugeley-Valle

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Black women face barriers to higher education that include systemic racism and sexism that lead to self–doubt, discrimination, and familial and community support. They battle barriers to and within academia through the intersectionality of their sex and racial identity groups. As a response to the barriers they face in higher education, the purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of Black women navigating a doctoral program in education at a California State University. To explore the experiences of the participants, I used a qualitative study with a Heideggerian phenomenological approach and a Black feminist lens. A three­–question interview, …

Implementing Faculty Development Modules To Increase Readiness For Addressing Social Determinants Of Health, Implicit Bias And Equity In Course Content, Claudia Ngafeeson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Implicit bias is viewed as an unconscious and involuntary attitude that lies below the surface of consciousness but can influence behavior, and cognitive processes (Maina et al., 2018). Social determinants of health are considered to be the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age; these circumstances are usually shaped by the distribution of money, power, and resources at global, national, and local levels, which in turns determines the distribution of the value of medical care. Existing literature on implicit bias has been fragmented in different fields such as; cognitive psychology, business ethics, and higher education, but …

Promoting The Healthy Development Of All Adolescents Through An Equity Lens: Continuing Education For Secondary-Level Educators, Isabella Simone

Senior Honors Projects

American schools, as an institution, have a mission to educate society’s youth in a way that is characterized by, and promotes, equity regarding educational access, opportunities, and outcomes. Doing so promises to support the individual growth and development of all students. Unfortunately, high school students face challenges regarding healthy development — academic, social, and identity-based — during the transition from childhood to adulthood. These challenges include navigating their identity development, achieving academic success, managing school and family demands, and planning for their futures. Barriers to the successful achievement of these challenges include risk factors associated with family relationships, financial standing, …

English Is Not Dead! Long Live English: Teaching The Evolution Of English And Inclusive Communication Via Online, Face To Face Or Hybrid Instruction, Teresa Marie Kelly, Stephanie Thompson, Sheryl Bone

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

When popular media and many individuals discuss changes in English, some erroneously contend that the language has always been the same and changes amount to little more than “politically correct woke liberalism” desired by only certain people. The English language continually evolves as a natural process that nothing can force nor prevent. Field-specific language also changes with increased understanding and knowledge. The variety of English taught to most students also shifts as Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC)/Writing Across Disciplines (WAD) initiatives increasingly focus on Global English rather than the standard of any one country or group. Even informal interactions with …

Gender Equality In Higher Education And Research, Rodrigo Rosa, Sara Clavero

Articles

No abstract provided.

“You’Ll Never Really Be One Of Us”: Women’S Underrepresentation In The Aviation Workforce, Rebecca K. Lutte, Shannon M. Morrison

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Women are underrepresented in many aviation occupations despite outreach and recruitment efforts from multiple organizations. Attracting women into aviation is a necessity not only to address workforce demand but also to achieve the benefits of a more diverse workforce to include enhanced profitability, safety, and innovation. To address the gender gap, the research presented here attempts to inform recruitment/retention strategies by identifying both the positive and negative factors that influence a woman’s decision to pursue a career in aviation and the decision to persist. Additionally, factors such as participation in youth outreach programs, role of mentors, influencers who support or …

Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion At Faith-Based Institutions: A Quantitative Study At Two Seventh-Day Adventist Institutions Of Higher Learning In North America, Erin Doggette

Dissertations

Problem

The need to address Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at university campuses is critical. The campus climate impacts college students' overall collegial relationships and academic abilities. Since 1976, there has been an increase of 19.1% marginalized students enrolled in college. For these students, a sense of belonging is believed to aid in improved collegial relationships and better academic performance. According to the research, students who have positive perceptions of the campus climate tend to be more satisfied with their overall college experience and become more academically successful. Private, faith-based institutions must consider conducting campus climate surveys to assess potential diversity, …

Disappearing Acts: The Declining Numbers Of African American Teachers In Public School Settings, Catherine F. Lewis-Brownfield

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

African American teachers are slowly leaving the classroom, causing an imbalance in the student/teacher ratio (NCES, 2019). According to the National Center for Education Statistics, African American teachers make up 3% in California and 7% nationally. This study sought to understand the reasons for the decline in the number of African American teachers in public school settings. Due to the decline in their numbers, African American students have suffered high dropout rates, low standardized test scores, and low college attendance (Gershenson, Hart, Hyman, Lindsey, & Papageorge, 2017). This qualitative study examined the obstacles current African American teachers face and the …

Diversity, Equity And Inclusion In Human-Animal Interaction, Nira N. Grynheim, Clare E. Jensen, Marguerite L. O'Haire

Discovery Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Internship

Human-Animal Interaction (HAI) is a growing field investigating the complex relationships humans have with animals. Human diversity in HAI, or lack thereof, may have a direct influence on the way HAI data is interpreted and presented. Previous research has studied how apparent disability, racial, sexual or other diversifying identities might affect how humans interact with the world and their pets. However, thus far, there has been little research published on how inequitable barriers towards underrepresented minorities (URM) might play a role in how HAI is studied, interpreted and presented. The present study investigated human diversity among leaders in the HAI …

"Agents Of Change" – Lessons Learned From The Nation’S First Undergraduate Civil Rights Advocacy Clinic, Kath E. Rogers, Olu K. Orange

Experiential Learning & Teaching in Higher Education

How can universities support their students in pursuing civil rights activism? In doing so, how can universities prioritize students from marginalized communities who are most affected by justice issues? This paper will explore lessons learned from the nation’s first civil rights clinic at the undergraduate level. Responding to the urgency of our time, the University of Southern California, Dornsife College, launched "Agents of Change: Civil Rights Advocacy Initiative” in January 2021 to support students in addressing civil rights challenges in the Los Angeles community. This paper will discuss the importance of the civil rights activism clinical model at the college …

Dei Curriculur Initiatives: Transformational Change Or Mere Performance?, Karen Lybeck, Jessica Schomberg, Kristin Scott

Library Services Publications

The purpose of this study was to investigate the understanding and experiences that MSU-Mankato faculty have had with developing the recently mandated diversity, equity, and inclusion outcomes for new and revised program proposals. These outcomes are part of the Equity 2030 initiative. The research is broken up into two sections, which will be published as separate papers. Project 1: Using critical discourse analysis, we problematize and critique both the stated goals and the implementation of this initiative. Using the lens of critical race theory (CRT), we work to unmask language that maintains Whiteness as a neutral default by asking these …

Kick Back And Relax: Creating A Radical Sense Of Belonging In Our Libraries, Ione T. Damasco

Roesch Library Faculty Presentations

Libraries are places that hold the ability to connect people from different backgrounds and life experiences. However, despite that being the goal, sometimes stories are left out, experiences aren’t told, and identities are not represented. In this keynote address, Ione Damasco shares how her library has been able to make connections across campus with partners to develop and implement programming that fosters a more inclusive campus environment and how other libraries might do the same.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Program Learning Outcomes Considerations, Karen Lybeck, Jessica Schomberg, Kristin Scott

Library Services Publications

Based on an analysis of 2020-2021 submissions of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program learning outcome (PLOs) and feedback from curriculum developers, we developed this handout in order to facilitate the development of future impactful outcomes (K. Lybeck, J. Schomberg, K. Scott, May 2021). We hope that our advice for conceptualizing, writing, and reviewing DEI PLOs is useful to faculty. This advice will not resolve DEI problems in the curriculum, but it may help us work toward change.

The Lived Experience Of College Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Mary Lindell, Jessica Daniels, Mary Schulze Michener

Graduate School Faculty Publications

Within a private university in the United States, BUILD is a two-year program for individuals with intellectual disabilities. BUILD provides inclusive opportunities in coursework, employment, residential, and social activities with traditional students, as well as life skills and career training in courses specific to BUILD students.

This empirical phenomenological research study explored the lived experience of students with intellectual disabilities enrolled in the BUILD program. From interviews with six participants, the themes of social experience, independence, safety, and belonging emerged. The findings of this research indicate that the opportunity-rich environment, a network of support, and a community of belonging contributed …