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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 …

Examining Factors That Shape The Perspectives Of Afro-Caribbean Parents On The American Special Education System, Eldine Beaubrun Montauban

Educational Studies Dissertations

Cultural beliefs of disabilities and education can impact parents’ perspectives of special education. There are pertinent concerns over the cultural factors shaping the perspectives of Afro-Caribbean parents on the American special education system. This qualitative case study explored the perceptions of six parents of children with special needs who identify as Afro-Caribbean living in Massachusetts. Applying a theoretical/conceptual framework that includes acculturation, assimilation, social identity, and school family partnership, this study reveals challenges Afro-Caribbean parents and their children encounter in the U.S. special education system. The analysis of the data yielded seven findings. The findings detail parents’ negotiations of their …

Who Cares For The Caregivers? How Dance And Movement Can Benefit Caregiving Parents Of Children With Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities: A Literature Review, Haley E. Gilbert

Expressive Therapies Theses

Caregiver parents of people with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD) are not able to care for themselves as often as they should be able to for their own mental and physical wellness due to their caregiving responsibilities that often carry into adulthood. These can lead to anxiety, depression, grief, and dysregulation for the parent. Dance and movement practices have been found to relieve the symptoms of these experiences while helping the child with IDD and the parent connect more, building stronger relationships. This thesis will include a comprehensive literature review of body-based theories such as the Polyvagal Theory (Polyvagal Institute, 2025), Bowlby’s …

Learners' Perceptions Of Elementary Math Class: A Mixed Methods Exploration, Erica Moy

Educational Studies Dissertations

For social justice and change to occur in classrooms, it is necessary to consider the perspective of learners. Voices from learners around math education is limited in research, especially for younger students. This study examined math class from the perspective of elementary students, with math identity and equitable mathematics instruction as the core. A quantitative coded approach from student survey drawings (n=348) was used for comparative statistical analysis, and a qualitative observation method of categorizing attributes of interest related to emotions in the classroom was used to pull a case study of drawings for deeper analysis. Summary results from teacher …

Unveiling The Voices: Lived Experiences Of Adolescent Girls With Emotional Disturbance In Special Education, Jasmin Hagen

Counseling and Psychology Dissertations

This dissertation addresses a significant gap in existing research by exploring lived experiences of cisgender female adolescents (Grades 7–12) diagnosed with emotional disturbance (ED) in the U.S. Current statistics indicate that 28% of students in special education with an ED diagnosis are girls; yet, their perspectives remain largely absent from scholarly discourse. Rooted in critical constructivism, critical feminist theory, and dis/ability studies and critical race theory (DisCrit), this qualitative study aims to elucidate insights that can enhance academic success and elevate high school graduation rates for this demographic. This research investigates the experiences of seven participants from New England, representing …

Active Imagination, Wellbeing And Ways Of Seeing: A Phenomenological Inquiry Into Experiences Of Adult Learners With Visual Impairments, Steinberg Henry

Educational Studies Dissertations

Six female and two male adult learners who became blind between the ages of 20 and 75 years participated in this study conducted by a blind researcher. The purposely sampled eight were interviewed virtually by way of Zoom. In combination with Johnny Saldana’s work on codes, this study used the NVivo framework for determining structuring categories, selecting node themes, code frameworks and final codes from the first interview. 291 codes were clustered under 26 node themes. NVivo’s word frequency search and Word Tree were applied to clarify and lend a number value to participants’ codes. The second interview, administered after …

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 …

Emotional Regulation & Therapeutic Rapport With Adolescents: Exploring The Effectiveness Of The Expressive Therapies Continuum, Kasey Larsen

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Art therapy is a beneficial service for adolescents who face obstacles connecting emotionally, behaviorally, and academically. Creative techniques and therapeutic rapport can facilitate connection with the self, focus, and emotional regulation. Teens, especially struggling with mental health, often have difficulty functioning in the average public-school setting. Research supports a positive correlation to art therapy services and effectiveness in a school setting. The intention of this capstone was to test the effectiveness of the expressive therapies continuum (ETC) in supporting emotional regulation with two high school girls in a therapeutic day school. The method of research includes a pre-, post-, and …

Creative Arts-Based Parents Training Program For Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jung Eun Park

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This study evaluated the impact of the Creative Arts-based Parents’ Training (CAPT) program. The 6-week long, creative arts therapy-based program and its impact on parental stress and sense of competence for parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) was examined. Korean Parenting Stress Index Short-Form (K-PSI-SF) and Korean-Parenting Efficacy Test (K-PET) were used as quantitative measurements. Qualitative data were also collected for the experimental group (n = 17) using questionnaires, art journaling, and a 30 min focus group interview. The control group (n = 15) only participated in quantitative measurements. There was no difference in age between …

The Perceptions Of Post 9/11 Veteran Students Who Are Parents Regarding The Role Of Institutional Services In Bachelor Degree Completion, Alicia Marie Reddin

Educational Studies Dissertations

Currently there is a dearth in the literature surrounding the experiences of Veterans and individuals with children within higher education. The goal of this dissertation was to understand Veteran student parents’ perceptions of the ways in which their undergraduate institutions supported their completion of a bachelor’s degree. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 individuals; this dissertation analyzes the findings of the 6 participants who were both Veteran students and parents concurrently. Narratives were constructed for each participant and resulted in the identification of four intersecting themes: relationships, institutional barriers, motivators, as well as barriers and threats. Special attention was paid …

Integrating Expressive Therapies And Visual Literacy Skills In An Exceptional Children Classroom, Natalia Torres Del Valle

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The method conducted in this thesis integrated museum education, exceptional children education, and expressive arts therapy practices. Objectives for implementing the method were to learn how to effectively address the unique needs within the exceptional children classroom, as well as to collaborate with the teacher to address those needs through expressive arts therapy and visual literacy approaches. In so doing, I wanted to examine the differences and similarities between museum education and expressive arts therapy and how they can work together to meet therapeutic goals. The method took place over four sessions; each session focused on a work of art …

Teacher-Scholars As Classroom Leaders: The Power Of Inquiry, Gail Cahill, Beverley Evans, Barbara Govendo, Linda Lengyel

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

The graduate special education programs affirm the competence of every individual, equal access to quality education, and social justice as the critical tenets of the program’s inclusive philosophy (Beliefs, Special Education Division, 2015). How do we prepare teachers to be leaders of their classrooms, providing a quality education for all? There are many “strategies” available to special education teachers; inquiry provides educators a means to enrich their teaching by collecting practice-based evidence of the efficacy of their instruction.

The design and implementation of an inquiry project based on classroom practices is a requirement in educator licensure graduate programs. The purpose …

Leading With Compassion: Support For Ld Students' Identity, Academic Success, And Social Integration, Kristin E. Capezio, Katy A. Angelone

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

This workshop is intended for K-12 Teachers and Leaders. The topic is on Compassionate Leadership and Integrating the LD Student. The workshop's content is predicated on the research and study of Richard Lavoie's work with linguistically & phonologically challenged students, and their difficulty developing social identities among the general population within public schools. In particular, this workshop will present Lavoie's findings in his two authored works "FAT CITY: Frustration, Anxiety, and Tension in the LD Student" and "Last One Picked, First One Picked On" with support from the work of Lavoie's colleague, Charlie Applestein, MSW, and his recently published book, …

Leading From The In-Between: Disability, Leadership, And Identity, Xochitl Mendez

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

The daily lives of individuals challenged with physical disabilities shed light on the intersections, as well as the friction, between the identities we forge as individuals, and the social identities of the public space. In this interdisciplinary presentation, I will explore the fault lines between the social concepts of disability and the personal realities and specifics of biology and adaptation.

Exploring my own experiences with disability, pedagogy, and art, I will further delve on how the social realm (Arendt, 1958) evaluates and judges identity from expected modes of interaction that are often not available to the disabled person. Further, using …

Bringing Dis/Ability Identity Into The Curriculum & Pedagogical Practices For Social Change, Janet Sauer, Simone Dupont, Molly Wolber, Lizzy Bellin, Cassidy Donahue

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

This panel is comprised of a faculty member, students, and alumni from CLAS whose work focuses on bringing about equity that includes dis/ability identity markers. Each of the students were or currently are enrolled in an interdisciplinary Disability Studies course involving a social action project. For their project, two Special Education majors responded to the need for ual education curriculum for youth with disabilities. A counseling major produced a photo essay “to get able bodied people to see things from a different perspective, specifically the perspective of people with disabilities” by creating “normal body” access signage around the Lesley community. …

Journal Of Pedagogy, Pluralism And Practice, Volume 1, Issue 1, Spring 1997 (Full Issue), Journal Staff

Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism, and Practice

No abstract provided.