This phenomenological research study investigated how participation in the Educational Opportunity Fund summer bridge program shaped first generation low-income students' learner identity as they entered college. Learner identity is generally defined as a learner's personally and socially constructed roles that influence his or her capacity,…

Understanding the needs of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their post-high school experiences is a new and widely under-studied area of research (MacLeod & Green, 2009). The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of a young woman with ASD in her journey following high school graduation to the world…

This dissertation consists of four chapters. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the self-determination literature documenting the importance of promoting the self-determination of transition and secondary age students with disabilities, as well as a summary of research examining the self-determination of students with disabilities across…

The transition from primary to secondary school can often be a difficult time for children, and managing the transition smoothly has posed a problem for teachers at both upper primary and lower secondary level. At a time when "childhood" recedes and "adulthood" beckons, the inequalities between individual children can widen,…

The adjustment to college represents a potentially invigorating and unsettling time for students. As students are socialized into college experiences, they must simultaneously navigate issues of identity, uncertainty, and change--all of which take place in a dynamic, ever-changing communication environment. The purpose of this study was to explore…

This document contains 24 papers. Keynote addresses were given on the topics of autonomy for deaf adolescents and parent-adolescent dialogue. A section titled "Demographic Profiles of Deaf Adolescents in America" compares students in special schools with mainstreamed students. A section on "Family Intervention and Parent…