To replace the current professional paradigm of higher education disability resources, socially-just disability resources emerged as the next step for the field to progress relative to creating experiences for students with disabilities that are not only accessible and equitable but also socially-just. Overall, descriptions of socially-just…

This study examined how metacognitive knowledge and locus of control are associated with understanding mathematical jokes in students with and without learning disabilities. This study looked at a sample of 60 ninth-grade students of which 30 had a learning disability diagnosis and 30 had no learning disabilities. Students were tested using three…

Background & aims: Although the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) has been demonstrated to be an effective intervention to teach people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder a functional communication system, the research indicates variability in PECS outcomes across people and studies. Therefore, the purpose of the current study…

The critical nationwide teacher shortage (Billingsley et al., 2019), puts increasing pressure on educator preparation programs to train candidates in less time. Special education personnel are more likely to leave the field when they feel inadequately prepared for service (Mason-Williams et al., 2020), and are less likely to leave the field when…

Virtual Reality is an emerging technology that has not been widely adapted to teach science concepts to students with significant cognitive disabilities (SCD) in part due to teachers' lack of understanding and technical competence. This narrative case study aimed to recount the experiences of teachers of students with SCD as they engage in…

This study was conducted to find how teacher candidates at a southwestern regional university understood ableism and empowerment based on their reading and interaction with the campus common reader. This work was important to help future teachers form healthy instructional practices that are inclusive of all students, regardless of ability in…

Individuals with disabilities have been less involved in school activities than their same age peers and this includes career preparation in science and math (Eriksson et al., 2007; Agran et al., 2020; Jackson et al., 2022). Specifically, individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) have been underrepresented in science education (Lee, 2011)…

Research teams must collaborate with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to identify effective and inclusive responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and other public health emergencies. Collaborating remotely requires telecommunication and other technologies. We designed and evaluated a digital "Toolkit for Remote Inclusive…

Social competence is an essential skill that can be promoted in inclusive high school classrooms. For high school students with developmental disabilities, peer-mediated interventions have shown promise for increasing social communication with feasible implementation. This study focused on increasing the appropriate peer interactions of three high…

Introduction: The assessment of well-being is crucial for measuring the effects of psychosocial interventions in people with intellectual disabilities. The aim of this study was to adapt and validate a measure of integrative well-being, the Pemberton Happiness Index (PHI) to use it specifically for this population. Methods: The Pemberton Happiness…

Over 50 years of research suggests that toilet training based on behavioral principles is effective for most individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). However, many adults with IDD are never effectively toilet trained. Lack of independent toileting is associated with detrimental physical, mental, and social experiences.…

My research project is based on The Role of Accessibility Specialists and Related Personnel in Supporting Students with Disabilities in Higher Education. I chose to pursue this topic simply because it is personal to me. I believe that students with disabilities in higher education deserve the opportunity to earn a college degree. However, limited…

This qualitative phenomenological study explored how college students with disabilities (SWDs) accessed accommodations from their universities and their perceptions of service delivery by university faculty and staff. An additional purpose of this study was to seek the type and effectiveness of accommodations received by college SWDs. I recruited…

Over the past several generations numerous policies and laws have been established that have allowed people with disabilities to further their education. Students with disabilities enter higher education with varied experiences, which allows for a wide array of perceptions of the services and support provided on this level. The purpose of this…

According to the Centers for Disease Control's (2020) current statistics, one in four adults, approximately 61 million Americans, or 26% of the U.S. population, have a pathologically diagnosed and classified disability. There are medical, moral, and social perspectives of disability that have evolved over time, creating certain stigmas and…