Accessibility Commons^™

Comprehensive Individualized Curriculum And Instructional Design, Samuel Sennott, Sheldon Loman, Kristy Lee Park, Luis F. Pérez, Michael J. Kennedy, John Romig, Wendy J. Rodgers

PDXOpen: Open Educational Resources

This online textbook addresses the population of individuals with disabilities that experience complex lifelong needs across multiple areas in their lives. Drs. Sennott and Loman drafted this book (along with the help from some friends) with the hope of providing pertinent, practical, and current resources to future special educators who plan to serve individuals with complex disabilities.

Chapter 1: Guiding Principles for Developing Comprehensive and Meaningful Instruction for Individuals with Complex Needs by Sheldon L. Loman, provides readers with practical resources to develop their repertoire of tools for designing supports for individuals with significant needs.

Chapter 2: Naturalistic …

Campus Climates Experienced By United States Military Veterans, Michael Jessee Adkins

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to learn how military veterans experienced higher education campus climates. A recent West Virginia law requires state-operated colleges to become veteran friendly and this study examined the perceptions of veterans who attended college before and after the passage of the law. Six veterans participated in a series of in-depth interviews regarding their personal experiences with attention given to factors that enabled and/or constrained their academic progress. The interviews were electronically recorded using audio media and standard conventions of informed consent were followed. Interview transcripts were produced, coded, analyzed to identify common themes, and interpreted …

Science For Visually Impaired Students And Accessible Technology, Lydia M. Moreland

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Blind and visually impaired students need appropriate methods and accessible technology in order to compete and advance in learning the science concepts. The study investigated the attitudes, perceptions, and knowledge of assistive technology used by science teachers of the visually impaired from a Mid-Atlantic state and how they are incorporated in the classroom. The participant response gives notice to what forms of assistive technology are used in frequency, and the training and comfort level to use the assistive technology. The open responses stated themes of teachers needing more training in visual impairment college programs to use assistive technology to increase …

A Phenomenological Study Of Participation In Specialized And Inclusive Recreation Programs, Charles Keith Mullins

Online Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand whether participation in specialized recreation programs, which are designed for individuals with disabilities, increases opportunities for participation in inclusive programs, which are designed for both individuals with and without disabilities. Regardless of the popularity and growth of inclusive services, specialized programs persevere in numerous recreational service settings and continue to be used by individuals with disabilities and their families. This study helps to clarify why individuals with disabilities and their families choose to participate or not participate in these programs. The research questions focused on the connection between participation in specialized …

A Factor Analytic Validation Study Of The Scale Of Teachers' Attitudes Towards Inclusive Classrooms (Static)), Trisha Sugita Nishimura, Randy T. Busse

Education Faculty Articles and Research

General and special education teachers (N = 125) completed the Scale of Teachers’ Attitudes towards Inclusive Classrooms (STATIC). The internal consistency of the instrument was strong with an alpha of .89. The measure demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability (r = .99) and a dependent t-test was non-significant, indicating mean group temporal stability. An exploratory factor analysis resulted in a five-factor scale accounting for 61.6% of the variance versus the original four factors identified by the author of the instrument. Future research and potential use of the instrument are discussed.

A Study Of Assistive Technology Competencies Of Specialists In Public Schools, Betsy B. Burgos

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Despite the rapid proliferation of assistive technology implementation, studies have revealed that a number of professionals that provide assistive technology services do not have adequate competencies to recommend and deliver assistive technologies in school settings. The purpose of the study was to examine the competencies of assistive technology specialists in Florida K-12 public schools, and identify training opportunities that may have helped them achieve professional competence in the evaluation and provision of assistive technology devices and services across AT service providers from different preparations.

The study applied quantitative and qualitative methods to determine answers to the following six research questions: …

Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Accessibility Awareness Among Faculty In Online Learning Environments, Rachael Sessler Trinkowsky

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Although all organizations and institutions should consider accessibility when developing online content, inaccessibility is a recurring issue in recent literature pertaining to online learning environments (OLEs) and faculty accessibility awareness. The goal was to describe how online faculty gain knowledge regarding accessibility, to explore the lived experiences of online faculty who have worked with students who have disabilities, and to gain a better understanding of how faculty experience the process of accessibility implementation. The following research questions guided this study: How do faculty in OLEs experience encounters regarding accessibility for students who have print related disabilities? How do faculty in …

Math In The Dark: Tools For Expressing Mathematical Content By Visually Impaired Students, Patricia M. Mcdermott-Wells

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Blind and visually impaired students are under-represented in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines of higher education and the workforce. This is due primarily to the difficulties they encounter in trying to succeed in mathematics courses. While there are sufficient tools available to create Braille content, including the special Nemeth Braille used in the U.S. for mathematics constructs, there are very few tools to allow a blind or visually impaired student to create his/her own mathematical content in a manner that sighted individuals can use. The software tools that are available are isolated, do not interface well with other …

Introduction To Community Life Engagement (Engage: A Brief Look At Community Engagement, Issue No. 1, 2015), Jennifer Sullivan Sulewski, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

As national disability policy prioritizes greater support for community-based integrated employment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), the level of participation in services for other daytime activities continues to grow (Winsor & Butterworth, 2012). The role of services related to engagement and participation in community life has to date been largely undefined. The purpose of this brief is to offer a definition of Community Life Engagement, share reasons for its relevance and timeliness, and present results from a Community of Practice with administrators and personnel from seven state IDD agencies hosted by the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) …

The Truth Comes From Us: Supporting Workers With Developmental Disabilities, Max Barrows, Jason Billehus, John Britton, Allison Cohen Hall, Juliana Huereña, Nicole Leblanc, Eric Mcvay, Karen Topper, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

Employment professionals play a powerful role in the pursuit of true inclusion. This paper by self-advocates outlines key steps on how allies can move people with developmental disabilities out of poverty and into the heart of our communities.

Community Life Engagement: Data Sources, Definitions, And Measurement (Engage: A Brief Look At Community Engagement, Issue No. 2, 2015), Oliver Lyons, Allison Hall, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

As state and federal policy makers and Community Service Providers work to refine the concept of Community Life Engagement, they are able to draw upon multiple, public, national data sources. These include: Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI)’s National Survey on Day and Employment Outcomes, National Core Indicators (NCI), ICI’s National Survey of Community Rehabilitation Providers.

This brief provides an introduction to these data sources. It examines emerging Community Life Engagement trends shown in each source, as well as the implications for developing a better understanding of Community Life Engagement based on how it is currently being classified and measured.

Crp Organizational Change (Bringing Employment First To Scale, Issue No. 2), Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

Federal and state policy shifts have opened the doors to meaningful community employment for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD). Progress is apparent across the country: creative outcomes for individuals with significant support needs through customized jobs and self-employment, innovative practices at the provider level, and state investment in an Employment First philosophy. Despite these achievements, the number of individuals supported in integrated employment by state agencies that serve individuals with IDD has remained the same since 2000. While some community rehabilitation providers (CRPs) across the country have transformed their services to focus on integrated employment, including closing facility-based programs, most …

Delphi Panel Findings, Brief #1: Introduction, Values, And Major Themes, Cindy Thomas, Jennifer Sulewski, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

The Employment Learning Community has been developed to assist states in improving employment systems and services that will increase inclusive, competitive employment for individuals with IDD. To gain insights on the most cogent policies and priorities to promote such systems change, the project convened a panel of national subject matter experts to participate in a Delphi process. Nineteen Delphi panel members, including employment researchers, service providers, state vocational rehabilitation directors, developmental disability agency directors, educators, self-advocates, family members and representatives from related programs and initiatives, participated in four rounds of data collection. The values, policies, and practices that emerged from …

Integrating Research, Training, And Knowledge Translation (Bringing Employment First To Scale, Issue No. 1), Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

What our new center is about: People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can work and want to work--yet the majority don’t have jobs. State and national policies exist to increase employment, but systems have not aligned to make integrated employment a priority. To meet this need, the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at UMass Boston is hosting a new rehabilitation research and training center, or RRTC. It’s called the RRTC on Advancing Employment for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Because change is critical at multiple levels, the RRTC integrates four focus areas:

1. individual and family knowledge and engagement, …

Delphi Panel Findings, Brief #4: Education And Training For Job Seekers, Cindy Thomas, Jennifer Sulewski, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

This is the fourth in a series of briefs on the findings from a Delphi process conducted by the Employment Learning Community in 2013–2014. More information on the Employment Learning Community and the Delphi process can be found in Brief #1 (Introduction, Values, and Overall Themes). This brief focuses on the role of education and training for job seekers with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), which was the third-ranked overarching priority among the Delphi panel members.

Delphi Panel Findings, Brief #6: Generation And Use Of Data And Evidence, Cindy Thomas, Jennifer Sulewski, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

This is the sixth in a series of briefs on the findings from a Delphi process conducted by the Employment Learning Community in 2013–2014. More information on the Employment Learning Community and the Delphi process can be found in Brief #1 (Introduction, Values, and Overall Themes). This brief focuses on how data and evidence can support integrated employment outcomes for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This was the fifth overarching theme among the Delphi panel’s recommendations.

Delphi Panel Findings, Brief #3: Collaboration Across Agencies, Cindy Thomas, Jennifer Sulewski, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

This is the third in a series of briefs on the findings from a Delphi process conducted by the Employment Learning Community in 2013–2014. More information on the Employment Learning Community and the Delphi process can be found in Brief #1 (Introduction, Values, and Overall Themes). This brief focuses on the panel’s recommendations related to collaboration across state systems, which was the second-highest overarching priority identified by the Delphi panel for improving employment outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Delphi Panel Findings, Brief #7: Paths Toward Fair Wages, Cindy Thomas, Jennifer Sulewski, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

This is the seventh and final brief in our series on the findings from a Delphi process conducted by the Employment Learning Community in 2013–2014. More information on the Employment Learning Community and the Delphi process can be found in Brief #1 (Introduction, Values, and Overall Themes). This brief focuses on the final priority area for policy and practice change: creating paths toward fairer wages for individuals with IDD.

Delphi Panel Findings, Brief #2: Transition From School To Work, Cindy Thomas, Jennifer Sulewski, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

This is the second in a series of briefs on the findings from a Delphi process conducted by the Employment Learning Community (ELC) in 2013–2014. More information on the ELC and the Delphi process can be found in Brief #1 (Introduction, Values, and Overall Themes). This brief focuses on the panel’s recommendations related to effective approaches to the transition from school to work for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), which was the highest-ranked overarching priority among the Delphi panel.

Delphi Panel Findings, Brief #5: Processes Within State Agencies, Cindy Thomas, Jennifer Sulewski, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

This is the fifth in a series of briefs on the findings from a Delphi process conducted by the Employment Learning Community in 2013–2014. More information on the Employment Learning Community and the Delphi process can be found in Brief #1 (Introduction, Values, and Overall Themes). This brief focuses on the fourth priority area identified by the Delphi panel: improving policies and processes within state agencies related to employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This is distinct from increased collaboration across agencies, which was a separate area.

Underlying Dimensions Of The "Physical Educators' Judgments About Inclusion" Instrument: Brazilian-Version, Samuel R. Hodge, Paulo José Barbosa Gutierres Filho, Justin A. Haegele, Francis M. Kozub

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Background/Objective: The available information pertaining to the attitudes of Brazilian physical education teachers about teaching students with disabilities is limited in the extant literature base. Rationally, however, scholars argue that determining, analyzing, and theorizing about the attitudes of physical education teachers is important in the preparation and professional development of these teachers. It is therefore important to extend the research base using valid and reliable measures regarding teachers’ attitudes about inclusion and teaching students with various disabilities. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the underlying dimensions of the Physical Educators’ Judgments about Inclusion (PEJI) scale following translation …

Vocabulary Word Instruction For Students Who Read Braille, Mackenzie E. Savaiano, Donald L. Compton, Deborah D. Hatton, Blair P. Lloyd

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

The association made between the meaning, spelling, and pronunciation of a word has been shown to help children remember the meanings of words. The present study addressed whether the presence of a target word in braille during instruction facilitated vocabulary learning more efficiently than an auditory-only instructional condition. The authors used an adapted alternating treatments single-case experimental design with three students with visual impairments who read braille, collecting data on definition recall and spelling during each session. Data on definition recall were used to determine mastery. The results of this study are not consistent with previous findings with students who …

What's In A Name? Effects Of The "Mentally Ill" Label On Autonomy, Miriam E. Cruz

CMC Senior Theses

Over the past years, mental health has attracted increased attention throughout the world, in the form of initiatives, programs, support groups, etc. all with goals to increase awareness and support of mental health. The stark discrepancy between the vision driving this mental health movement and our reality comes from a basic misunderstanding. While there are both legislative and cultural efforts in place to reform our mental health system, the two must work hand in hand in order to affect substantial change. Rather than producing a collaborative effort, our legislators and society tend to ignore each other, resulting in isolated attempts …

The Learningweb Revolution And The Transformation Of The School By Leonard J. Waks, Helen Crompton

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

On examination of the book’s cover, I believed the images and title would be leading me into reading surface level facts about how technology can be used to support education. I was very wrong. This book was designed to deliver a strong message to all stakeholders in education. Leonard Waks has written this book to present a new type of educational organization as an alternative to the high school system that is in place in the North America today. He clearly states that his ideas do not attempt to fix the broken model, but he strongly advocates for a completely …

Complete Issue, Christopher W. Tremblay, Ed.D, Patrick J. O'Connor Phd

Journal of College Access

No abstract provided.

Chile’S Educational Reform: The Struggle Between Nationalization And Privatization, Vannia J. Zelaya

Pepperdine Policy Review

This paper looks into Chile's educational system and the recent policy reforms that President Michelle Bachelet seeks to establish. More specifically, this paper explores the "Proyecto de Ley de Fin al Lucro, la Selección y el Copago," which aims to eliminate private for-profit institutions within the public system, admission selectivity, and mandatory copay fees. With this, Bachelet's administration along with Chile's Ministry of Education intend to end the inequality of access to education, which is part of Chile's broader problem of great socioeconomic inequality. This particular policy is part of Bachelet's comprehensive educational system reform, and it brings Chile's voucher …

Accessibility Of Thai University Websites: Awareness, Barriers And Drivers For Accessible Practice, Rattanavalee Maisak

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Governments and organizations have to respond to a range of legislative and policy initiatives intended to promote equal opportunity for all. The Thai government has passed a number of laws which aim to protect its citizens from discrimination and from breaches of their human rights by government departments and agencies. The Persons with Disabilities Education Act B.E. 2551 (2008) and the Thailand Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Policy Framework (2011-2020) required government agencies to delivery equal education and access to online information for all Thais. Most Thai universities receive government subsidies, and therefore have an obligation to contribute to national …