Disability and Equity in Education Commons^™

Active Learning: Eight Models That Shape Instructional Practice, A.E. Dreyfuss, Ana Fraiman, Karmen T. Yu

Publications and Research

Developed since the mid-20^th century, several instructional models have provided practical means to shift the emphasis in learning from lecture to engagement by students. The snapshots of models presented in this paper include Cooperative Learning, Problem-Based Learning (PBL), Supplemental Instruction (SI) (also PALS, PASS), Team-Based Learning (TBL), Emerging Scholars Program (Mathematics Workshop, MathExcel), Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL), Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL), and Learning Assistants (LA). These models have been well-disseminated, widely adopted, and incorporated in disciplines beyond their origins. For purposes of exploration and consideration of implementation, these “snapshots” provide an overview. Features of each model are …

Shaping Inclusive Futures: Gender-Responsive Practices In Pre-Primary Teacher Training Colleges In Tanzania And Uganda, Jane Rarieya, Nyagwegwe Wango, Tage Biswalo

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

This paper examines the role of gender-responsive pedagogy in advancing inclusive pre-primary education through a qualitative case study of teacher training colleges in Uganda and Tanzania. Conducted under the Foundation for Learning (F4L) initiative, the study engaged tutors, student teachers, and administrators to explore how gender equity is integrated into teaching practices, institutional policies, and community engagement. Findings demonstrate that gender-responsive approaches were systematically embedded in lesson plans, classroom practices, and teaching resources, moving beyond rhetoric to tangible change. Student teachers demonstrated effective application of inclusive strategies during practicum, reflecting both conceptual understanding and practical competence. Colleges also adopted visual …

Bridging Sensory Processing And Community Integration For Adults With Idd: A Bilingual Approach, Stephanie J. Newman, Cynthia Haynes

Fall 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

The capstone project included creation, implementation, and evaluation of an educational program. The program provided education for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their respective caregivers. The educational materials included development and implementation of educational workshops of sensory processing strategies in the community, work, and social settings for adults with IDD and bilingual home programs created for caregiver education. The program was evaluated through pre- and post-surveys administered to caregivers to demonstrate changes in knowledge of sensory processing strategies, as well as client assessments administered to assess changes in client understanding of sensory strategies.

Increasing Play Opportunities To Improve Development And Health For Children, Kallie S. Ellis, Wendy Tremaine, Emily Bush

Fall 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Children with disabilities often experience reduced opportunities for meaningful peer play, which can negatively influence their physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development. Early childhood environments play a critical role in supporting inclusive participation, yet many barriers—physical, social, and environmental—limit access to developmentally rich play throughout the school day. The purpose of this capstone project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a Tier-1, school-based program designed to increase meaningful play opportunities for preschool children ages 3–6, with and without disabilities.

A needs assessment was conducted with teachers and parents to identify developmental concerns and participation barriers related to fine motor, gross motor, …

Easing The Limits Of The Statute Of Limitations: A Path To A More Equitable Idea, Sarah Shepley

William & Mary Law Review

Part I of this Note discusses the special education framework, outlining the rights and obligations of parents and school systems created by the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA). Part II evaluates the IDEA’s statute of limitations as the gatekeeping instrument of the due process complaint system and discusses the Third Circuit’s reconciliation of the seemingly conflicting statutory provisions of the IDEA in G.L. v. Ligonier Valley School District Authority. Part III situates the implications of the Ligonier decision within the broader special education landscape, discussing other courts’ adoption of or deviations from the Third Circuit’s interpretation, interpretations …

Professor Perspectives: Inclusion Of Students With An Intellectual Disability In Transition Programming On A College Campus, Melissa Jane Massey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with intellectual disabilities (ID) are often unemployed or underemployed compared to students who do not have ID. Transition or postsecondary programming for students with ID has increased in recent years in response to the U.S. federal requirement for special education professionals to complete transition plans before students turn 16. The requirement for transition planning in Texas is age 14, and the ARD committee including the student and parent come together to develop goals for future planning. Transition plans include information on future employment, future independent living skills, and agency connections that students with ID may need to access to …

Hispanic Heritage Month 2025, Illinois Math And Science Academy

Cultural Read-Ins

See, I believe there are windows of hope in the present darkness of our current reality. As members of the IMSA community, we have a responsibility to find and open these windows of hope or build them if we must." -Convocation, 2021

Read-In Order

Opening Video    Dr. Torres's Retirement Video

Land Acknowledgement   Rodrigo Sanchez

Intro to Hispanic Heritage Month   Student Hosts

Remembrance Bio  Student Hosts

Tribute Performance     Poetic Justice

Introduction to Keynote  Student Hosts

Keynote Remarks  Ana Lizza Arroyo

Honor Dr. Torres's Memory   IMSA Community Members Past and Present

Community Readings    IMSA Community

The Relationship Between Language And Musical Skill Development In Individuals With Complex Communication Needs: Implications For Interprofessional Pedagogical And Research Practice, Lisa Pierce-Goldstein

Educational Studies Dissertations

The relationship between music and language has long fascinated scholars and educators. Observational and experimental research has yielded evidence of music’s positive impact on language development. However, research has largely focused on individuals who primarily use speech to communicate. Individuals with complex communication needs (CCNs), who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to communicate, are underrepresented in the literature.

Purpose: The primary purpose of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between language development and musical skill development in individuals with complex communication needs using alternative assessment tools: the Communication Matrix (CM; i.e., language) and the …

درجة استخدام معلمي اللغة الإنجليزية مهارات التدريس داخل غرف مصادر التعلم لدى الطلبة ذوي صعوبات التعلم, Batool Abdel Kareem Ahmad Jaradat

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية للبحوث في التعليم العالي

هدفت هذه الدراسة إلى التعرف على درجة استخدام معلمي اللغة الإنجليزية مهارات التدريس داخل غرف مصادر التعلم لدى طلبة ذوي صعوبات التعلم حيث بلغت عينة الدراسة (49) معلماً ومعلمة من معلمي اللغة الإنجليزية للطلبة ذوي صعوبات التعلم، تم اختيارهم بالطريقة العشوائية في مدارس محافظة إربد، ولتحقيق أهداف الدراسة، تم استخدم المنهج الوصفي المسحي، ولغايات تحقيق أهداف الدراسة تم تطوير أداة لقياس مهارات التدريس داخل غرف مصادر التعلم، وأظهرت النتائج أن المتوسطات الحسابية لاستجابات عينة الدراسة على مقياس درجة استخدام معلمي اللغة الإنجليزية مهارات التدريس داخل غرف مصادر التعلملدى طلبة ذوي صعوبات التعلم في محافظة إربد جاءت متوسطة، كما أظهرت النتائج …

Can Play Support Language Development In The Education Of Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder?: An Hlm Meta-Analytic Investigation, Gregory V. Boerio Edd, Karen H. Larwin

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

The purpose of the current investigation is to analyze existing research examining the impact of play therapy on the development of language skills in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As rates of ASD diagnoses continue to increase, families and educators are faced with making critical decisions regarding the selection and implementation of evidence-based practices or therapies, including play-based interventions, to support the developing child as early as 18 months of age. The following study investigates whether play-based interventions should be considered as effective means of increasing language development in young children with ASD. The study examines specific moderators …

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.

P.L.A.Y. For All Pilot: Effects Of A Community-Based, Inclusive After-School Program On Physical Activity And Motor-Skill Outcomes, Allison R. Tsuchida, Karl-Richard Hennebach, Erin E. Centeio

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

After-school programs for physical activity (PA) can contribute to helping children and youth achieve the suggested 60 minutes a day of PA. Previous research also suggests that developing motor competency can positively impact long-term PA participation. Additionally, parent and peer support can help children and youth overcome barriers to PA participation. The primary purpose of this pilot research study was to determine the effects of an inclusive after-school program on PA levels and motor-skill outcomes for children with and without disabilities. A secondary purpose was to examine parental support for physical activity and children’s physical activity and motor skills. 38 …

Descriptive Inquiry To Advance Democracy In Early Childhood Special Education Teacher Preparation, Soyoung Park, Rae Leeper

All Faculty and Staff Papers and Presentations

The field of early childhood special education continues to be dominated by deficit-based perspectives of young disabled children. In contrast, Descriptive Inquiry supports educators to see children as multifaceted and full of strengths, promoting the democratic aim of schooling to nurture individual human flourishing for the good of society. Through a qualitative discourse analysis, we explore how 36 graduate students applied Descriptive Inquiry to their work with young disabled children. We highlight four cases of graduate students and their focus children in this article. Our findings indicate that Descriptive Inquiry can serve an important means of advancing democracy for young …

Khaled Hosseini’S Judgment In The Kite Runner Towards Pashtun And Hazara Identities, Bilal Waziri, Dawod Mangal, Kamaldeen Kamal

Journal of Research Initiatives

This book review offers a compelling examination of Khaled Hosseini's portrayal of Pashtun and Hazara identities in his acclaimed novel, *The Kite Runner*. Through a literary-ethnographic lens, the research delves into how narrative techniques can construct, amplify, or distort ethnic representations, particularly within the tumultuous backdrop of Afghanistan. The novel is scrutinized for its stark depiction of Pashtuns as oppressors and Hazaras as perennial victims, which risks perpetuating a simplistic and problematic singular narrative. Employing a library-based qualitative approach, this paper thoughtfully interprets textual evidence within the rich sociocultural and historical landscape of Afghanistan. The findings reveal that while the …

Challenges In Providing Equitable Education For Primary School Students With Learning Disabilities In Zimbabwe: Teachers’ Experiences., Joyce Madzinga

Dissertations

This study examines the challenges primary school teachers in Zimbabwe face when supporting students with learning disabilities (LDs). Many learners with LDs are excluded from adequate classroom support due to systemic, cultural, and resource limitations. Learning disabilities are often under-recognized as compared to other disabilities because they are invisible. Raising awareness and empowering educators are crucial steps toward addressing these hidden needs and ensuring they are recognized and met. Six teachers were interviewed using a qualitative ethnographic approach. Findings reveal obstacles, including insufficient training in special education, limited teaching resources, high pupil-teacher ratios, negative societal attitudes, and poverty-related constraints. Additional …

Trauma-Informed Teaching Guidebook A Resource For Supporting Students, Autumn Shipley-Mellon

Masters Projects

Many students in the K–12 education system have experienced trauma, yet schools often lack the tools and structures to adequately support them. This project addresses that gap by creating a trauma-informed teaching guidebook for educators. Grounded in current research on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma’s effects on child development, the guidebook provides practical, easy-to-implement strategies. It focuses on building supportive relationships, creating safe and predictable environments, managing behavior with empathy, and designing classrooms that foster emotional regulation and connection. The goal is to support both student well-being and teacher effectiveness. The guidebook is intended to be shared with educators …

Recruiting, Retaining, And Culturally Sustaining Latine Teachers In A School District With A High Population Of Latine Students, Lisa Garcia Simms

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Latine students make up 52% of the Denver Public Schools (DPS) population, yet only 23% of its teaching force is Latine. This imbalance has real implications for student experience and opportunity. In 2024, DPS commissioned the La Raza Report, which detailed challenges faced by Latine students and educators and called for systemic improvements. The findings highlighted a clear need to strengthen recruitment, retention, and culturally sustaining support for Latine educators.

This improvement science project investigated how DPS might improve the experiences of Latine teachers—engaging educators across career stages, with a particular focus on supporting early-career Latine teachers —through identity-affirming mentorship …

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 …

Belonging: Stories From Multilingual Learners In The Linguistic Minority, Riley Stouffer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examines how multilingual learners in the linguistic minority (MLLMs) experience connection and belonging in a Rocky Mountain middle school. Although multilingual learners (MLs) have received increased attention, MLLMs, whose home languages are not widely spoken in the school context, remain overlooked. Grounded in Krashen’s (1982) Affective Filter Hypothesis and Wills and Shinar’s (2000) Supportive Functions of Belonging, this study explores how MLLMs navigate school, what fosters or hinders belonging, and how these experiences shape engagement.

Data from semistructured interviews, classroom observations, and field notes with eight MLLM students in grades 6–8 revealed that belonging was fostered …

A Guidance Practice Model: Reframing Prevention, Identification, And Treatment Of Trauma-Impacted Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Mark H. Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The experience and exposure of trauma among youth, especially continuous traumatic experiences, poses considerable risks of long-term effects. Moreover, untreated trauma and subsequently negative mental health outcomes, like anxiety and depressive disorders, can negatively impact the psychosocial and academic functioning of students. One population that is generally overlooked regarding mental health in schools are students with intellectual disabilities (ID). This is problematic as this population is at an increased risk of traumatic experiences, such as maltreatment and social exclusion.

Moreover, the comorbidity of trauma and internalizing disorders among students with ID can exacerbate already existing challenges and deficits with social …

Aligning Novice Special Educators Classroom Practices, Mentoring Support, And Needs With Discrit Classroom Ecology, Kaitlyn Stillwagon

Theses and Dissertations

This multiple case study investigates the alignment of novice special educators’ classroom practices, mentoring supports, and expressed needs with DisCrit Classroom Ecology. Situated in a large, urban city in the Northeast United States, this study centers the experiences of novice special educators and their mentors to examine this alignment to uncover gaps and best practices for improved mentoring support for novice special educators. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom artifacts, and teacher reflection journals. Thematic analysis using both deductive and inductive coding revealed that novice special educators demonstrated emerging entry points toward DisCrit aligned practices, particularly in the use …

Sensemaking Opportunities For Students Experiencing Difficulty: A Mixed Methods Study, Rachel Juergensen, Delinda Van Garderen

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

All students deserve to be engaged in high-quality science instruction that moves beyond memorization and recall of facts and offers opportunities for sensemaking. Science achievement is alarmingly low signifying there is a large percentage of students experiencing difficulty in science. The low science achievement may be symptomatic of gaps in opportunities for sensemaking within the science classroom. Using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, the current study explored the relationship between middle school science teacher beliefs and opportunities students experiencing difficulty in science had to participate in sensemaking discussions. Integrated findings from the study suggest that teachers’ beliefs influenced the …

Anti-Ableist Teaching: Centering Disabled Perspectives In Collaborative Content-Creation, Suzanne Stolz, Toni Saia

Feminist Pedagogy

Although many service professionals (teachers, paraprofessionals, therapists, counselors) learn that disability inclusion is important, much of what they learn is still rooted in deficit terms. This paper describes why and how a collaboration of disabled scholars uses centering as a strategy in content development for an anti-ableist teaching resource website.

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.

Increasing Implementation Of The Comfortable Cafeteria Program To Promote School-Age Children’S Mental Health And Well-Being, Reinecka Mondesir, Angela Labrie Blackwell Phd, Otr

Summer 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Every Moment Counts (EMC) is a positive mental health promotion initiative that offers several initiatives to create inclusive environments that support student participation and emotional well-being throughout the school day. Comfortable Cafeteria, part of EMC, fosters positive mealtime experiences supporting peer interaction, emotional regulation, and inclusion. Many SBOT practitioners lack the resources to implement Comfortable Cafeteria, despite its benefits. This capstone project addresses the need for practical tools to help school-based occupational therapy (SBOT) practitioners integrate the Comfortable Cafeteria program into daily practice. Using the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework, the project developed and disseminated an interactive, evidence-based video …

A Specialized Training Toolkit To Increase Inclusion Of Children With Disabilities In After School Programs, Merilyn N. Powdrill, Abby Vander Laan, Angela Blackwell

Spring 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

The Inclusive Pathways Toolkit was developed and implemented in after-school programs to enhance staff competencies in supporting children with disabilities. This initiative aimed to create a more inclusive environment by providing staff with practical strategies and resources, thereby improving the overall experience and participation of children with disabilities in after-school activities.

Navigating Early Intervention: The Experiences And Impact Of A Parent Coaching Model On Immigrant And Refugee Families In Rural Massachusetts, Emily Pleasant

Capstone Collection

Early Intervention (EI) programs play a critical role in supporting the developmental needs of children from birth to age three. This study explores the experiences of immigrant and refugee families engaging with EI services in rural Massachusetts, focusing particularly on the implementation and effectiveness of parent coaching models. Utilizing a mixed methods design that incorporates both narrative and phenomenological approaches, the research examines how families from culturally diverse backgrounds perceive and engage with EI services. This study discusses what barriers or facilitators they encounter throughout their journeys with Early Intervention. Preliminary findings suggest challenges related to language, cultural differences in …

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 …

Reimagining Learning Outdoors: How Active Outdoor Play-Based Learning (Aopl) Supports Student Growth And Academic Success - A White Paper For School Leaders And Classroom Teachers, Steph Dean

Publications

Active Outdoor Play-Based Learning (AOPL) is an evidence-based approach that integrates active play, outdoor environments, and academic goals. It supports not only curricular learning but also students’ physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development. This white paper shares practical insights from a systematic review of 21 empirical studies (2008-2024) on AOPL implementation in formal school settings.

AOPL is a pedagogical strategy that uses play and the outdoors as meaningful contexts for learning. Teachers who implement AOPL build connections between curriculum and students’ natural curiosity while leveraging the benefits of being outside¹.

This paper highlights practical strategies and compelling outcomes …

The Impact School Leaders Have On Special Education Teacher Retention: A Cross-Case Analysis Of Two Elementary School Leaders, Nancy S. Bowers

All Dissertations

School leaders shape school culture and job satisfaction, impacting teachers’ decisions to remain or exit schools. The demand for special education teachers has continued to increase. I studied the impact school leaders have on increasing special education teacher retention by answering the following research question: How can school leaders increase the retention rates of special education teachers? This qualitative case study was guided by two theoretical frameworks, transformational leadership theory and critical disability theory, which informed the research design. I conducted the research at two public elementary schools in a suburban community in South Carolina. The findings revealed school leaders …