Research has shown the importance of diversity representation in education both in PK12 and in higher education, but disability and neurodiversity have often been left out of the DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) conversations in higher education. Disabled and neurodivergent faculty members in higher education face barriers and stigma, and…

The present study measured factors that influence the representation of LGBTQ+ materials in New York State (NYS) school library collections. The existing body of literature has shown the importance of providing inclusive curricula for LGBTQ+ youth in schools to help decrease negative outcomes. This study surveyed school librarians to assess the…

This study examines the experiences of recently graduated students with and without disabilities in a seven-month inclusive rehearsal and performance process of a musical theatre production in an urban performing arts high school. This qualitative, participatory/practitioner action research (PAR) based investigation provides insight into the field…

When immigrant youth are harmed by institutional policies and practices that reinforce idealized notions of nationalism and assimilation through subtractive and coercive strategies, school leaders can turn to restorative justice as a technology of resistance. This participatory action research study, with the author as a participant, captures four…

This research highlighted the critical importance of colleges and universities to prioritize the education of diverse students, foster inclusive communities, and cultivate awareness of inclusive learning environments. As higher education continues to evolve with an increasingly diverse student body, a one-size-fits-all institutional model is…

Centered on the theories of Carol Dweck (2006) and James Burns (1978), an expanding theory case study approach was used to analyze how growth mindset and transformational leadership influence instructional decisions made specifically for economically disadvantaged students. In addition, analysis of how leaders perceive these decisions to have…

Faculty preparedness is a crucial parameter that influences students with learning disabilities' success. With limited research on faculty preparedness to teach students with learning disabilities in community colleges, this qualitative study took on a crucial and often overlooked area of inclusive education. The study focused on faculty…

The achievement gap has a long history in the United States of America which is demonstrated by inequitable graduation rates. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic of 2019, the continued genocide and murder of countless Black and Brown people, civil unrest demonstrated by protests nationally after the execution of George Floyd and countless others,…

Assessments are one of the vital pillars of education but often are designed without the specific needs of students considered. Instruction is often differentiated for students with individualized education programs (IEPs), but rarely are assessments. Students in classes with IEPs in the social studies department at the project site school in the…

Drawing upon Weick's (1995) theory of sensemaking, this qualitative study described how high school social studies teachers make meaning of culturally responsive sustaining education (CR-SE) as outlined in New York State's (NYS) CR-SE framework. This study also examined how that sensemaking is reflected in social studies teachers' curricular and…

This asset-framing semi-ethnographic case study examined how school leaders in a successful, economically disadvantaged New York State high school--Evergreen High School--cultivated student belonging through a culture of dignity for low-income students. The dignity framework for educational equity (Cobb & Krownapple, 2019) was used as an…

The purpose of this phenomenological, qualitative study was to investigate how district leaders' support is perceived by district pupil personnel service (PPS) leaders in the areas of ethical leadership, district policies and practices for special education programs, and how that may contribute to a culture of inclusivity. One on one interviews…

Over the years, many special education trends have emerged and faded, each claiming to be the solution to providing students with special needs a greater chance for success. Each year, new requirements for graduation and new educational legislation are introduced to try and correct old problems of ensuring students with special needs are properly…

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between teachers' perceptions of transformational leadership and teacher academic optimism in elementary schools and identify how inclusion of students with disabilities influences the relationship between the two constructs. This study also explored the relationship between the number of…

Evidence consistently reveals that taking part in an inclusion classroom does not guarantee that children with disabilities will be accepted, valued, or included (Lindsay & Edwards, 2012; Rillota & Nettelbeck, 2007; Ison et al., 2010). Children with disabilities have been reported to have significantly less friendships and overall social…