Disability Studies Commons^™

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.

The Purpose And Value Of A Summer Camp For Visually Impaired Young People, Anthony J. Maher, Justin A. Haegele, David Swanston

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Empirical research documents the benefits of summer camps for young people, including disability-specific or medical-speciality residential camps. Using an ethnographic approach which utilized observation and individual and group discussions with the visually impaired young people who attended a summer camp, their parents, and school teachers who staffed the summer camp, we build on the extant research here by exploring, for the first time, the purpose and value of a summer camp for visually impaired young people. The qualitative data generated from our research were subjected to thematic analysis. We discuss the summer camp in relation to the following themes: (1) …

Professional Experiences Of Disabled Music Therapists: An Adapted Multiple Case Study, August Lily Tuggle

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Literature about disability often focuses on disabled people as recipients of professional services and there is scant literature about disabled professionals. Although music therapists work primarily with disabled individuals, there is little research on or from the perspectives of disabled music therapists. A growing body of qualitative research, grey literature, and media platforms provides perspectives from the disability community regarding music therapy. Disabled individuals both within and outside the profession critique common music therapy attitudes and practices that conflict with the expressed needs of the disability community. However, much of this literature contains the perspectives of one individual or a …

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 & …

Alive For The Wake, Anna Kate Powell

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In the year 2046, bacteria strain B. bibitor has rendered all petroleum hydrocarbon compounds unrefinable. Paramedic Amanda Bailey finds hope in the resilience of humanity but struggles when she learns the powers that be would rather concentrate their efforts on fighting B. bibitor—restoring infected hydrocarbons to their previously refinable (and profitable) nature—rather than investing in already-developed clean firm energies and renewable material manufacture.

University-Level Autism Support Services: Campus Providers’ Perspectives And Experiences, Gillian Humphreys

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This qualitative study was conducted to understand the perspectives of providers located at the main campus at the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio when asked about their experiences working with students who have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis as well as what difficulties they view students on the spectrum facing in particular. Open-ended interviews were conducted with four staff members in the Office of Accessibility and Counseling and Testing Center. This qualitative study explored the perspectives of service providers at the University of Akron who work directly with students on the autism spectrum. Through in-depth interviews and subsequent …

Use Of The Slur “Retard” Triples On X After Elon Musk Shares The Word In A Post, Bond Benton, Daniela Peterka-Benton

College of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

A joint study from Montclair State University faculty in the Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication in the School of Communication and Media and the Department of Justice Studies shows that Elon Musk dramatically increased content containing the slur “retard” on X after using the term in a post. Highlights from the study include:

• A 207.5% increase in posts containing the r-word on X.
• 312,642 posts using the term r-word identified in the period studied.
• Google Trends Analysis showed a similar increase in online search activity related to the r-word.
• Indication of a broader …

“R-Word” Slurs Triple On X After Donald Trump’S Thanksgiving Post Used The Word, Bond Benton, Daniela Peterka-Benton

College of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

A joint study from Montclair State University faculty in the Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication in the School of Communication and Media and the Department of Justice Studies shows a dramatic increase in content containing the slur “retard” on X after Donald Trump’s Thanksgiving Day Truth Social post used the word. Findings showed a 225.7% increase in posts containing the r-word on X with 1,129,438 posts in the studied period. The most viewed, liked, and shared content analyzed enthusiastically endorsed use of the r-word. Results appear consistent with the period after other prominent …

Whipped Into Shape: Infrastructure As Punishment For The Unruly Citizen, Eliza Mortimer

Anthós

This article interrogates how inflexible designs and policies of airline seating, as well as critical socio-political rhetoric, discipline and marginalize bodies that do not conform to normative standards. Situating airline seating within fat and disability studies models, Mortimer argues that these punitive measures are not neutral, but rather reflective of cultural narratives of productivity, morality, and bodily discipline. Mortimer draws from ethnographic analyses of first-person accounts and policy reviews to demonstrate how shrinking seats, rigid policies, and moralized discourse construct a “space of calculability” that pressures fat individuals to monitor and minimize their bodies to justify their presence in public …

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 …

Resilience And Grit In Children And Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Danielle Oehring

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Resilience is the way in which an individual positively adapts to challenging or difficult life experiences. This process is marked by adjustments to external and internal demands through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility. Grit is perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Although grit and resilience have been researched in children and adolescents, there is a gap in the literature for how these variables relate to developmental disorders, like autism spectrum disorder, in children and adolescents. This study aimed to explore the relationship between autism spectrum disorder and internalizing and externalizing symptoms and whether grit and resilience moderates these relationships. Based …