Disability Studies Commons^™

How Do Couples Of Autistic Children Perceive Their Quality Of Life? A Case Study Featuring Sequential Mixed Methodology, Amanda Duncan Dr.

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Families who have autistic children report significantly lower quality of life indicators than neurotypical families and those with other developmental disabilities (Bitsika & Sharpley, 2004; Brown et al., 2006; Charnsil & Bathia, 2010; De Sousa, 2010; Merkaj et al., 2013). However, the reports fluctuate between family members as mothers report more mental health challenges than fathers, including stress, anxiety, and depression (Dabrowska & Pstiula, 2010; Hodapp et al., 2003; Merkaj et al., 2013). Yet, these findings are based on the limited research that has been done on fathers and couples (Cheuk & Lashewicz, 2015; Osborne & Reed, 2008; Papageorgiou & …

Enhancing Adhd Diagnosis In College Students Using Multimodal Integration Of Nicats And Iva-2 Tools, Rushmila Shabneen

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study explores enhanced methods for accurately identifying Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) indicators in college students. ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disorder, impacts attention, impulse control, and emotional regulation, often leading to academic and social difficulties. Many students remain undiagnosed due to symptom overlap with stress and other factors. Traditional tools like the IVA-2 assess behavioral responses but may not fully capture ADHD complexity. This research integrates IVA-2 data with multimodal metrics from the Non-Intrusive Classroom Attention Tracking System (NiCATS), which monitors facial expressions, eye movements, and computer interactions. Preliminary results show that combining these tools improves ADHD detection, reduces false …

The Caseload Chronicles: Investigating The Case Manager Role Through The Perspectives Of Current Special Education Teachers, Khalil Milad Abouhamad

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Teacher attrition and resulting shortages have become severely problematic across the United States. This is especially true within special education. This study employs role theory (Kahn et al., 1964) to isolate the case manager role carried by special education teachers, investigate it through the stories of current practitioners, and establish it within academia. Burnout theory (Maslach, 1993) provides a lens through which to evaluate the strain of working conditions surrounding the case manager role. Elements of narrative inquiry (Clandinin, 2006; Creswell & Guetterman, 2019) in the form of 1-1 interviews with current IEP case managers from across California provided the …

Intersections Of Inattention: A Qualitative Inquiry Into The Experiences Of Multiply Marginalized Students In Community College Settings, Jana N. Knibb

Open Access Dissertations

Educational research has examined the impact of expanded access to higher education for historically marginalized groups. However, research on the experiences of students who are both racially minoritized and dis/abled is limited. Findings suggest that, due to their intersectional identities, multiply marginalized dis/abled students (MMDS) navigate policies and practices related to racist ableism, which further marginalize them and create additional barriers in their higher education experiences. Expanding this research requires theoretical frameworks that account for students' identities, experiences, and barriers in higher educational spaces and contexts. This qualitative study, grounded in Dis/ability Studies and Critical Race Theory in Education (DisCrit), …

Factors That Contribute To Employment Success For Young Adults With Disabilities Completing A Postsecondary Education Program, Leatha Pfanmiller

Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in this research was low employment rates for young adults with disabilities. Young adults with disabilities are employed at a much lower rate than their neurotypical peers. The factors identified in this study could be beneficial to other college and postsecondary education (PSE) programs with employment components, to promote higher rates of employment for students with disabilities who attend those institutions.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify factors that contribute to employment success for young adults with disabilities completing a PSE program. The study was conducted at a medium-sized, 4-year, public university in the …

Our Reflections And Concluding Thoughts, Justin A. Haegele, Wesley J. Wilson

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

In this chapter, the editors provide concluding thoughts and reflections about the process of constructing this case-based learning book, and encouragement for readers to further consider ways to reflect about the stories of the authors. We reiterate the five broad reflective prompts from Chapter 2 to guide this reflection. We also share concepts related to ableism, and examples of how ableism may look and how it may inform practice. We conclude with, again, encouraging authors to think about and reflect on the stories included throughout the book, and to be mindful of ways ableism may (or may not) influence this …

Conceptualizing And Problematizing Inclusion Porn In Education Scholarship And Practice, Justin A. Haegele, Anthony J. Maher

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Discourses of inclusion are currently used without clear and consistent meaning and multiple and varied interpretations exist, therefore stunting our ability to enhance or utilize the concept in social justice and education scholarship and practice. In this article, we argue that the ambiguous, conflicting, and contested features of inclusion have opened a door for nondisabled policy makers, academics, practitioners, and other stakeholders to exploit the concept of inclusion by crafting the logics and taken-for-granted assumptions that become associated with it. Accordingly, these nondisabled stakeholders gain social, cultural, and symbolic capital in the fields that they operate, while (some) disabled students …

Becoming The Donkey Derby’S ‘Karen’: A Humane Educator’S Autoethnographic Journey Toward Anti-Speciesist Communication, Jesika Keener

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Language not only carries oppression as an educative force, but research indicates that language is inherently speciesist and highly pervasive (Ethical Globe, 2021; Guevara Labaca, 2017; Hamlett, 2024; Leach et al., 2023). However, the ontological commitment to speciesism is historically foundational, which makes the total eradication of speciesist communication only viable through an unemerged hypothetical future society (Kahn, 2011). For the possibilities of such a world to come into being, pivotal steps must first be taken to critically engage with the communicated forms of speciesism in order to better understand it and actively resist its reproduction—with the aspiration for this …

Volume 7 (2024) Artificial Intelligence And Responsibility, Arwa Alnajashi, Danielle Derise, Philip L. Frana, David Mcgraw, Amanda Sawyer, Tatjana Titareva, Raafat Zaini, Allie Zombron

International Journal on Responsibility

The seventh volume of the International Journal on Responsibility (IJR) arrives at a crucial moment in the evolution of artificial intelligence and its integration into our academic and social fabric. As we witness the rapid advancement and deployment of AI systems across various domains, this special issue examines the multifaceted dimensions of responsibility surrounding AI technology, with a particular focus on its role in higher education and broader societal implications.

The articles in this volume contribute to our understanding of responsibility through diverse lenses, from classroom implementation to ethical design considerations. Together, they fulfill IJR’s central mission of exploring “Who …

Neuroqueering As Culturally Sustaining Practice, Nathan Hughes, Meaghan Krazinski

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

This article explores how neuroqueering can be a complementary component to culturally-sustaining practices (Paris & Alim, 2014), and explores how culturally sustaining frameworks can affirm neurodiversity. Issues such as criminalization of Autistic people of color, and implications of diagnosis disparities and barriers to receiving services are well known (Kearl, 2021). As Gordon (2021) notes, Centering Autistic culture (#BlackAutisticJoy) and ways of being is an important part of affirming Autistic students' identities. Culturally sustaining practices (Paris & Alim, 2014) that seek to provide supportive classroom spaces that affirm students’ culture and identity must also include attention to …

Academic Librarians With Invisible Disabilities Carry An Invisible Workload That Limits Their Career Potential, Katrina Heiderich Williams

School of Information Student Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of An Instructional Sequence To Promote The Emergence Of Convergent Intraverbals In Children With Autism, Jesika Woodard

Theses

Skinner (1957) defined intraverbal as a type of verbal behavior in which the

response form has no point-to-point correspondence with its verbal stimulus and is

followed by generalized conditioned reinforcement. Verbal behavior can be influenced

by multiple controlling variables, with convergent and divergent control being two

distinct types of this influence. In convergent intraverbals, multiple components of

antecedent verbal stimuli control a specific verbal response of the speaker. An example of

an intraverbal response under convergent control may be "banana" when asked, "What is

a fruit that is yellow?" De Souza et al. (2019) evaluated the effects of teaching …

Interview With Melissa Bishop, Disability Worker, Laila Halloul

Oral Histories HIST 300, Fall 2024

Interview with Melissa Bishop about her past and current experiences in the disability field. These discussions include special education (experience and education), music education, and current job responsibilities as a disability resource provider.

Scholar Perspectives On The Impact Of A Scientific Community Program For Neurodivergent Undergraduate Stem Scholars, Dylan Sullivan, Fernando Zavala, Derek Hidalgo, Jacob Stolle, Rebecca Matte, Christin B. Monroe

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Despite the adaptive strengths and unique problem-solving skills demonstrated by neurodivergent (ND) individuals, they remain underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. High unemployment rates among individuals with disabilities emphasize the need for addressing barriers to entry and persistence in the workforce. This study introduces a program designed to enhance opportunities for neurodivergent STEM scholars with financial needs, supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The program involves: 1) a weekly cohort course to engage in professional development, 2) use of the Birkman Method® survey to help scholars identify and communicate strengths, fostering self-awareness and growth, and 3) …

The Art Of Inclusion: Theatre’S Contribution To Popular Culture Literacy For Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Catherine R. P. King

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

This essay explores the transformative role of theatre in special education, focusing on its capacity to foster social skills and life navigation abilities in students with disabilities. In light of the fundamental importance of these skills for social inclusion and quality of life, the article highlights the innovative and effective approach to integrating theatre into special education classrooms. It discusses how theatre can empower students with disabilities by enhancing their social interaction, communication, and life navigation skills. In addition, the article delves into the intersection of theatre and popular culture, showcasing how theatre can serve as a valuable tool for …

The Tin Woodman, Captain Fyter, And Chopfyt: L. Frank Baum’S Portrayal Of Body Image And Prostheses In The Wake Of World War I, Marie Gethins

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

Nineteenth and early twentieth-century children’s literature frequently depicts characters with disabilities as flat stereotypes — villains or saintly invalids. L. Frank Baum’s The Tin Woodman of Oz (1918) provides a sharp contrast to these typical portrayals, as well as contemporary “socio-cultural” beliefs on physical normalcy and sense of self. Written as the U.S. entered World War I and details of trench warfare reached the home-front, it presents an interesting exploration of society’s response to physical disability and prostheses. In addition, it highlights the psychological devastation associated with body changes.

During Baum’s formative years, disabled Civil War veterans returned to New …

A Global Comparison Of Communication Intervention Strategies For Justice-Involved Youth, Sophia Janeiro Martinez

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

Purpose: This paper explores the intricate relationship between communication disorders and delinquent youth behavior. It will explore the detrimental impact of zero-tolerance policies and their contribution to the school-to-prison pipeline. It will introduce issues, such as complex Miranda warning diction, and the benefits of including speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to aid in youth comprehension. Additionally, it will propose the integration of SLPs within the juvenile justice system to assist in communication between justice-involved youth (JIY) and justice professionals during conversations, questioning, and trials or hearings. Furthermore, this paper examines the roles of SLPs within juvenile justice systems abroad, including Canada, …

Navigating Identity And Belonging: Itinerant Teachers Of The Deaf/Hard Of Hearing And The Blind/Visually Impaired As Structural Hole Spanners In Educational Ecosystems, Rj Horstmyer

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Itinerant Teachers of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing and Itinerant Teachers of the Blind/Visually Impaired are highly specialized teachers and service providers who provide services to students who make up less than two percent of all students eligible for special education services and subsequently experience high levels of mobility between many schools. This study unearths the lived experiences of IToDs and ITVIs and examines how their itinerancy and ecological factors shape their identity and organizational belonging within and between multiple social networks. Participants were those currently employed as either Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing or Itinerant Teachers of the …

Community-Based Disability Accessibility Assessment, Elspeth Slayter, Rose C. B. Singh

Feminist Pedagogy

No abstract provided.

Collective Access, Collective Liberation: Disability Justice And Abolitionist Pedagogical Worldmaking Toward Post(?)-Pandemic Futures, Hailey N. Otis

Feminist Pedagogy

This critical commentary poses the question: what if we didn’t return to the “normal” of strict, ableist classrooms policies rooted in the bureaucratic, legalistic framework of “accommodations” and, instead, embraced the Disability Justice principle of collective access? After critiquing the accommodations process used in most higher education settings, I advocate for an approach we might call collective access pedagogy, which works from the fundamental assumptions that (1) all bodies exist on a spectrum of dis/ability and, thus, we all have individual needs based on our unique bodyminds, and (2) that we don’t need the constant threat of a pandemic to …

Providing End-Of-Life Counseling: A Narrative Inquiry, Carol Hecht, Sibyl West

Adultspan Journal

This qualitative study aimed to address the gap in the research related to end-of-life counseling by exploring the experiences of counselors working with clients at end of life. While counseling literature and education are lacking regarding end of life, many counselors will work alongside clients approaching death. The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to better understand the nuanced experiences of counselors providing end-of-life counseling and (b) to explore the supports and preparations helpful for counselors to provide end-of-life counseling. A narrative approach, using the Listening Guide (Gilligan, 2015), was employed to analyze and present the stories of three …

Considerations Of Medicare Telehealth Services With Older Adults, Sonah Kho, Amanda Dediego

Adultspan Journal

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic set in motion a rapid expansion of mental health services offered via telehealth. With this rapid expansion came the need to examine how policy and practice should be shaped in a future where telehealth is considered common in counseling practice. For counselors to understand how to support older adult clients in using telehealth services, they must understand telehealth policy. Following the eligibility of licensed counselors to participate in Medicare, counselors need to stay abreast of regulatory changes regarding restrictions and regulations on use of telehealth for mental and behavioral health services, including video and …

Impact Of County-Level Urbanicity On Quality Of Life For People With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities In A Rural State., Alyssa M. Smith, Allison Caudill

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face challenges, such as decreased access to physical, environmental, and social health-related services that can negatively impact their overall quality of life (QoL). Additionally, people living in rural communities may experience geographic distancing and other factors, like decreased transportation and available housing, that contribute to increased isolation and decreased health outcomes, overall. It is important to consider the QoL of people with IDD living in these communities given the additional intersectional constraints of rurality and having an intellectual disability or other co-occurring conditions. A secondary data analysis reviewed closed and open-ended survey data …

An Examination Of Transition Professional Profiles Based On Value-Based Principles: A Latent Profile Analysis, Anthony Plotner, Angie Starrett, Charles Walters, Rebecca Smith Hill

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

This paper presents findings from a study utilizing Latent Profile Analysis to examine the value-based principles of transition professionals from two distinct disciplines: special education and Centers for Independent Living (CIL). Specifically, this paper aimed to identify profiles emerging from the value orientations of special education and CIL professionals, and to explore how individual factors such as professional role, disability status, education, and years’ experience differ across these profiles. Findings revealed a taxonomy comprising four distinct profiles within the transition professionals sampled. These profiles delineate varying dominant values that encapsulate the convergence of special education and independent living philosophies. Implications …

Technology Skill Building For Adults With Intellectual And/Or Developmental Disabilities, Heather J. Williamson, Hailee E. Riddle, Cynthia Sloan, Cameron Dogan, Byran Dai, Jon Meyers

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Compared to their peers without disabilities, adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities are less likely to be employed. Adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities also face a digital divide, with less access to and use of technology in their daily lives. This lack of technology use also limits the types of employment available to adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. The purpose of this paper is to describe the implementation of an individualized technology skill-building program for adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in Arizona. The community-engaged project was overseen by a Community Advisory Board who provided insights on program …

Conducting A Pilot Evaluation Of A Civic-Engagement Program For Youth With Disabilities, Megan Best, Amanda Johnston, Sarah Demissie, Julianna Kim, Ruchi Mendiratta Khanna, Kelly Fulton, Abby Hardy, Catherine Cheung, Timothy Kunzier, Oscar Hughes, Meghan M. Burke, Zachary Rossetti

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the federal law that ensures all students with disabilities have access to a free and appropriate public education. In the last IDEA reauthorization in 2004, only 1% of public comments were from individuals with disabilities—the population that IDEA serves. To ensure that the feedback of individuals with disabilities is reflected in the next IDEA reauthorization, it is important to support them to learn about IDEA and advocate. To this end, for this pilot study, 16 transition-aged youth with disabilities participated in a 6-hour civic-engagement program across four states to learn about IDEA …

Acknowledgments, Matthew T. Wappett Ph.D.

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

No abstract provided.

Raising Their Voices: Lived Experiences Of Gifted Women With Adhd, Jessica Leigh Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Given the imbalance in the ratio of male to female ADHD diagnosis, there is a dearth of information on the profile for women with ADHD, especially in adulthood and with those of higher intelligence levels (Rommelse et al., 2016). Each, if not all, diagnoses of ADHD or giftedness come from a parent, teacher, or outside observer’s scale of symptoms and behaviors (Hay et al., 2007; Klesfjo et al., 2020; Polderman et al., 2007). In this study, ten gifted women with ADHD aged 29-77 completed semi structured interviews to examine their lived experiences of education, career, and relationships. Using a dual …

Impact Of Dialogic Reading Intervention On Language And Literacy Development Of Young Dual Language Learners, Ekta Ghosh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a pressing need for research on early language intervention for dual language learners (DLLs) at risk of developmental delays, especially young children who are non-Spanish speakers. Despite the projection that 62% of the nation's children will be children of color by 2050, there is a significant research gap in this area (Lin et al., 2023). This study aims to fill this gap and recommend effective early language interventions for DLLs. The present study uses a single-case design to determine the impact of Dialogic Reading on vocabulary and alphabetical knowledge of preschoolers aged 36 to 60 months in English …

Beyond #Blacklivesmatter Through An Understanding Of Intersectionality And Ethical Leadership: A Critical Autoethnography Of A Black Female Graduate Student Living With Multiple Hidden Dis/Abilities, Shariese Katrell

Theses and Dissertations

There can be numerous questions to be asked concerning the perspective of a Black female graduate student at a predominately White institution who lives with multiple hidden dis/Abilities (Gillborn, 2015). This critical autoethnography can help discover and uncover new issues and establish transformational changes that could expand knowledge and research surrounding the critical analysis of intersectionality and Disability Studies and Critical Race Theory from an/abled feminist approach. Transformative politics can be identified in this study, which examines socialism and the systematic structures and power within academia at the graduate level (Trevino et al., 2008). The issues of Black disability feminism, …