Disability Studies Commons^™

Disability Measures Used In U.S. Federal Surveys Significantly Underreport Disability Status, Nastassia Vaitsiakhovich, Scott D. Landes, Jean P. Hall, Bonnielin K. Swenor

Population Health Research Brief Series

U.S. federal surveys commonly use two question sets to measure disability: the American Community Survey (ACS-6) and the Washington Group Short Set (WG-SS). This data slice uses data from the 2011-2012 National Health Interview Survey to examine the percentage of disabled people captured by these two different survey sets. The authors find that both sets of questions significantly underreport disability statuses that are not directly addressed in their question prompts, including intellectual disability, developmental disability, birth defects, mental health disability, diabetes, and cancer.

“It’S A Constant Wear And Tear”: Trans Visibility As Educational Labour In The Neoliberal School, Bishop Owis, Harper Keenan, Lee Iskander, Mario I. Suárez, Mollie Mcquillan, Christina Cook, Daniel Gallardo

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

Although transgender people are increasingly visible in mainstream North America, trans teachers are without adequate resources or protections to support their employment in schools. Legislation in both Canada and the United States that invokes concern about parental rights and “LGBT indoctrination” in schools illustrate the dangerous political landscape facing teachers. In 2023, over 500 anti-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) bills were introduced in state legislatures across the United States (Choi, 2024). Given this context, this paper explores trans education workers’ descriptions of trans visibility in the workplace. Drawing from interviews from the Trans Workers in Schools Project (TWISP), we …

The Influence Of Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/Dd) Curriculum Content On Career Interests For Social Work Students, Sabretta G. Alford

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study examines how curriculum content on Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) impacts the career interests of social work students. With the growing demand for social workers proficient in I/DD services, it is crucial to understand how educational experiences shape career choices. Using a QUANT→Qual mixed-method approach, this quasi-experimental pre/post-test survey combined quantitative data (N 66 [experimental group]; N =103 [control group] and open-ended survey questions (N = 66 [experimental group]; N =103 [control group] from social work students.

The author-constructed survey assessed student attitudes, perceptions, preparedness, ability to identify I/DD, knowledge of I/DD, and willingness to practice with individuals …

Life After, John C. Lyden

Journal of Religion & Film

This is a film review of Life After (2025), directed by Reid Davenport.

Letter To The Editor In Response To Performance Of The Washington Group Questions In Measuring Blindness And Deafness By Landes Et Al., Nanette Goodman, Daniel Mont, Jennifer Madans

The Lender Center for Social Justice

This letter critiques the application of Washington Group survey questions for assessing blindness and deafness. The authors highlight limitations and suggest methodological refinements.

Hear Me [Book Review], Mc Brickell

Disability in LIS (DisLIS)

Hear Me by Kerry O'Malley Cerra is a middle grade novel about a twelve year old girl coming to terms with a hearing loss and fighting for her right to deny a cochlear implant surgery.

The Architecture Of Disability: Buildings, Cities, And Landscapes Beyond Access [Book Review], Shannon Marie Robinson

Disability in LIS (DisLIS)

This isn’t another critique of accessibility standards in design. Rather, Gissen revolutionizes approaches to architecture, public landscape, and urban planning by centering impairment, allowing for a radical interpretation of the historical built environment, and thereby provides a more inclusive approach to its future.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard [Video Game Review], Jj Pionke

Disability in LIS (DisLIS)

This review of Dragon Age: The Veilguard discusses the gender and disability and accessibility options for character development and gameplay rather than focusing on the plot of the game.

Brittle Joints [Book Review], Jj Pionke

Disability in LIS (DisLIS)

Brittle Joints is a graphic novel that chronicles author Maria Sweeney's experience with brittle joints and extreme chronic pain.

Evaluation Of A Guide To Accessing Accommodations During Medical School Created By And For Students With Disabilities, Nora Newcomb, Emily Coughlin, Zainub Dhanani, Kie Fujii, Lily Upp, Harika Kottakota, Rahul Mhaskar, Andrew Galligan

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Medical students with disabilities constitute 7.6% of allopathic (MD) and 4.3% of osteopathic (DO) programs, and they are entitled to reasonable accommodation, per the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, research has demonstrated that disabled medical students often encounter barriers when accessing accommodations. In response to these barriers, Medical Students with Chronic Illness and Disability (MSDCI) National created the MSDCI Guide to Accessing Disability Accommodations During Undergraduate Medical Education (the Guide). We conducted a program evaluation to evaluate the efficacy of the Guide as a resource to the members of MSDCI, a program evaluation was conducted. A Qualtrics survey was distributed …

Music Therapy In The Scope Of Psychology: From Asylums To Contemporary Practice, Rachel A. Mirsen

Psychology from the Margins

This paper explores the historical ties between music therapy and psychology, tracing its evolution from its origins in asylums to contemporary practice. By examining historical records and recent case studies, the dynamic interplay between music therapy, psychological practices, and sociocultural factors is highlighted. The paper compares the use of music therapy in the 20th century, particularly in psychiatric asylums, to its modern-day applications, focusing on two healthcare facilities in New Jersey: Overbrook Hospital and Bancroft NeuroRehab. Through this comparison, it becomes evident that music therapy has gained legitimacy and specialization over time, transitioning from recreational activities to evidence-based, individualized interventions …

A Multilayer, Multimethod Web And Language Accessibility Analysis Of U.S. Nonprofit Organization Websites: Considerations For The Marketing And Promotion Of Online Giving, Alicia Mason, Lauren Baldwin, Tatum Ahring

Faculty Submissions

In lieu of recent declines in individual giving to US nonprofits focused on social causes, education, environment, and animal welfare, this study examines the web and language accessibility of US nonprofit websites. By examining potential accessibility design barriers, we seek to understand whether US nonprofit organizations are limiting their outreach to online donors, specifically persons with disabilities (PwDs). Nonprofit websites were systematically and randomly sampled from Charity Navigator's Alphabetical Listing of the Top 1000 Most Visited Charities database. Using a multimethodological approach consisting of manual verification and computer-automated analysis techniques, we assess the web and language accessibility of leading US …

The Dim Prospects Of A Child Find: Journal Entries Of An Academic, Engineer, And Mother Navigating Special Education Services, Idalis Villanueva Alarcon

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

This provocation is a journaling exercise to uncover the author’s experiences of navigating child find, a process to identify specific learning disability needs for my oldest child. While the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act provides provisions to protect and support children with special needs, private schools do not operate equally. When considering how these inequities in the educational system overlap with precollege engineering education, there is a large gap the literature, positioning a dire need to move disability studies into the precollege engineering education space. The critical authoethnographic journal sheds light on the inequities and educational gaps that are present …

Perceptions And Preferences Of Virtual Health To Promote Exercise Among People With Physical Disabilities: An Exploratory Mixed Methods Study, Madison Mintz

All ETDs from UAB

People with physical disabilities and mobility limitations can greatly benefit from participating in a physically active lifestyle and adopting health-promoting strategies and behaviors. Benefits of physical activity include better sleep quality and quantity; decreased anxiety; weight loss or healthy weight maintenance; and maintained or increased balance, coordination, strength, and endurance, to name a few. However, rates of physical activity and exercise participation are disproportionate among people with disabilities (PWD). Current literature suggests a myriad of barriers and environmental inaccessibility as a leading cause of PWD not engaging or meeting physical activity guidelines. However, community-based, virtually-delivered programs have become dramatically available …

The Development Of A Valid And Reliable Survey To Assess Sexual And Reproductive Health Knowledge, Practices, Beliefs, And Risk For Abuse In Adults With Spina Bifida, Betsy Hopson

All ETDs from UAB

Adults with spina bifida (SB) face significant sexual and reproductive health (SRH) challenges, including knowledge gaps, limited access to services, and increased vulnerability to abuse. Sexual health is critical for this population, as most now live into adulthood. By age 20, many individuals with SB are sexually active, and over 90% express a desire for sexual activity. However, only 5% have discussed SRH with a healthcare provider, leading to sexual dysfunction, low contraception use, and inadequate SRH knowledge. Despite guidelines from the Spina Bifida Association (SBA) advocating for patient-centered SRH communication, healthcare providers’ lack of training and discomfort in having …

Disability As Identity, Jessica Schomberg

Library Services Publications

This chapter will focus on disability as an identity category: who gets to claim it, who gets to refuse it, and who has it thrust on them against their will. It will also talk about the power that comes from claiming disability identities and being in community with disabled people. This chapter will not discuss nondisabled as an identity category, nor will it discuss caregiver identities. With that basic understanding, we can work to move conversations about disability in libraries beyond the minimal expectations of inclusion and to a more joyous celebration of disabled people as full participants in library …

Isapa 2025: Program Guide, Catherine Carty, Gerard Masdeu Yelamos

Publications

ISAPA 2025 is a landmark international event that brings together global leaders, researchers, practitioners, and advocates in Adapted Physical Activity to ignite systemic change under the unifying theme “Shifting the Dial: From Awareness to Transformation.” Hosted in Kerry, Ireland, under the patronage of UNESCO, the symposium integrates five major events into one dynamic platform.

The program reflects IFAPA’s mission to advance inclusion, research, professional excellence, and international cooperation, while also contributing meaningfully to the implementation of global frameworks such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris 2024 Call …

The Application Of 4e Cognition To Counseling And The Intersectional Experiences Of Black Individuals With Disabilities, A. Albright, Clarence K. Bumpas, Jeff Moe

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Black Americans with disabilities experience a range of inequities including barriers to access, social stigmatization, and health outcomes that are greater than both their White and their nondisabled peers. This conceptual article explains in detail these inequities. The authors provide an overview of the existing models of disability used in counseling, healthcare, research, and educational settings, as well as a rationale for why they are limited. The authors then suggest a 4E cognitive framework rooted in cognitive sciences, philosophy of mind, and neuroscience. The authors explain why a 4E cognitive framework may be better suited than existing models to conceptualize …

The Invisible Struggle: Unveiling The Realities Of Living With Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Maura A. Stewart

Social Work Theses - Archive

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a group of rare connective tissue disorders that impact multiple systems of the body and are frequently misunderstood or misdiagnosed. This thesis explores the lived experiences of adults with EDS, focusing on the physical, emotional, and systemic challenges they face in daily life and healthcare. Using a mixed-methods survey, data were collected from 83 participants across the United States and beyond. The results revealed common themes of delayed diagnosis, medical dismissal, mental health struggles, and lack of access to knowledgeable providers. While chronic pain and fatigue were the most frequently reported symptoms, participants also described emotional …

Developing Staff Training Modules To Enhance Neurodiversity-Affirming Care In An Inpatient Psychiatric Setting, Haley Morris

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Introduction: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are admitted to psychiatric hospitals at higher rates and for longer durations compared to neurotypical individuals (Kuriakose et al., 2018). Externalizing behaviors, such as aggression and self-injury, significantly increase hospitalization risk, yet standard psychiatric interventions (e.g., traditional process groups) are often ineffective for this population. A key barrier is the lack of ASD-specific training among hospital staff (Siegel & Gabriels, 2012). This capstone project aimed to address this gap by developing and implementing an educational training program to improve patient-centered, neurodiversity-affirming care across all inpatient psychiatric units. The primary aims were to: …

Social Exclusion Of Refugees With A Disability In Australian Society Within The Context Of Healthcare Quality Theory And E-Health, Hossein Adibi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The phrase social exclusion came to Australia via Britain. Discussion on 'inclusion and exclusion' mainly focus on those individuals and groups living in poverty. Socially excluded occurs as a result of many factors, based on sex, race, ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, and disability. Until 2012 people with a disability were excluded from Australian' resettlement programs representing a significant discrimination concern. As a result of strong opposition to this issue, the policy changed in 2012 and the number of refugees with disabilities increased. This in turn led to more ethnic diversity of people with disabilities within NDIS. However, since NDIS …

Our Methodology For Case-Based Learning And Strategies For Reader Engagement, Wesley J. Wilson, Paul H. Warner, Justin A. Haegele

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

In this chapter, we discuss in detail our application of case-based learning to this edited book. We take time to highlight some important differences in our approach in contrast to traditional case-based learning principles and resources and lay out our procedures for considering the content, format, and editing of this collection of stories. We also delve into our own reflexivity and positions of power as we consider our roles as editors in this project. Finally, we discuss tips for engaging with this book, while providing some general reflective questions for readers to consider while reviewing the authors’ stories about physical …

Case-Based Learning And The Physical Education Of Disabled Students, Wesley J. Wilson, Paul H. Warner, Justin A. Haegele

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

In this chapter, the editors provide background information about the case-based learning approach as it relates to preparing preservice physical educators, adapted physical educators, and special educators to work with disabled students. We also begin to frame the importance of elevating the voices and lived experiences of disabled students as they make meaning of and decide what is important in physical education. We conclude with an overview of the remaining chapters to better orient the reader to this edited text.

Assessing How Patients With Spinal Cord Injury Are Affected By Climate Change And Extreme Weather: A Scoping Review, Lien-Chieh Lin, Hung-Chou Chen, Tsan-Hon Liou

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Climate change and the rising frequency of extreme weather events (EWEs) pose significant challenges to vulnerable populations, particularly individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). These patients are at greater risk due to impaired thermoregulation, limited mobility, poor sensation, and dependence on caregivers or adaptive equipment, increasing their exposure to climate-related hazards and disrupting healthcare access during disasters. Although climate change impacts on the general population are well-documented, research on specific disability groups like SCI patients remains limited. This scoping review investigates how SCI patients perceive and experience health risks from climate change and EWEs, as well as factors influencing their …

Impacts Of Autistic Traits On Student Evaluations Of Professors, Matias Solorzano

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Instructor evaluations are critical to the tenure process in academia, but are biased against autistic individuals in academic settings. This study addresses how instructor evaluations are impacted by the gender of the professor, whether the instructor discloses their autism identity, and the gender of the student evaluator in a 2 Professor Gender (Male or Female) x 2 Autism Identity (Disclosed v. Not Disclosed) x 2 Student Gender (Male or Female) between-subjects design. It was hypothesized that male professors will be rated higher than female professors, that disclosing one’s autism identity leads to higher evaluations than non disclosure, and that female …

Assessing Accessibility: An Investigation Into Variations In Ada Compliance Across The Us, Stephanie A. Bird

Araneum: Richmond Journal of American & Global Affairs

Departing from prior research focused on employment and legal interpretations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), this research examines the impact of demographic, economic, disability prevalence, and political factors on state-level variations in physical accessibility (PA) and mental healthcare accessibility (MHA) across the United States. PA is operationalized using the National Center for Access to Justice's Disability Access Index, which evaluates state adoption of 29 essential policies. MHA is measured by the ratio of residents to mental healthcare providers from the 2020 County Health Rankings. Using multivariate regression analysis on data from sources such as the US Census Bureau …

Optimizing Decision-Making In A Cerebral Palsy Model Using Reinforcement Learning, Richard Ampah

Pitzer Senior Theses

This study presents an original interdisciplinary investigation into how reinforcement learning (RL) can model motor and cognitive defects and potentially improve motor and cognitive functions in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP), a non-progressive neurological disorder that impairs movement and adaptability. Integrating computational neuroscience and machine learning, the research applies policy gradient methods and Markov Decision Processes (MDPs) to simulate adaptive learning in agents with and without CP-related constraints.

The central aim is to compare the cumulative rewards of optimal policies, derived from value iteration, and human-like learning policies using the REINFORCE algorithm, both with and without the Bellman baseline. The …

The Effects Of Singing In Music Therapy Sessions On Vocabulary Acquisition With Children With Asd, Yeim Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often struggle with language acquisition and maintaining engagement during learning activities. While music therapy has shown promise in supporting communication and behavior in children with ASD, few studies have focused on its effect on vocabulary acquisition, particularly in comparing different types of music interventions like singing and non-singing approaches.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore how singing, as a method used in music therapy, affects vocabulary acquisition in a child with ASD. Three research questions guided this study: (1) How do singing and non-singing programs influence receptive vocabulary acquisition in a child with …

Sensory Need Or Treatable Behavior? Self-Stimulatory Behavior In Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematized Review, Anne Grace, Kathryne Brewer

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study examined the current dialogue about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and

self-stimulatory behavior (stimming), based on a systematized literature review. Stimming is

often framed as a maladaptive or disruptive behavior that negatively impacts autistic individuals.

It is important to investigate whether these claims are supported by current research. The

following research question was used to guide this paper: How does current research on ASD

conceptualize stimming, as a form of sensory self-regulation or a treatable behavior?

The Impact Of Social Participation Through Adaptive Sports On Quality Of Life In Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury, Mikayla Martin, Zeida Gutierrez

Spring 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

This project researched and explored how socialization through adaptive sports in this case impacts the perception of quality of life among individuals who have sustained a spinal cord injury.