After the return to on-campus teaching post-COVID, reports of student disengagement and low attendance are common and anxieties over the relationship between lecture recordings and attendance have re-emerged, leading some educators to remove recordings. To understand the potential impact of such decisions, this study explored how neurodivergent…

Schools are accountable for the academic outcomes of all students, including those with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to examine how educators perceived "achievement" and to explore the structures in place to support student success. Results indicated that a schoolwide approach worked to provide access before a student…

The SSIS SEL Brief + Mental Health Scales (SSIS SELb+MHS) are multi-informant assessments developed in the United States to assess the social and emotional learning (SEL) competencies and emotional behavior concerns (EBCs) of school-age youth. Although there are translations of the SEL items of the SSIS SELb+MHS available in other languages, a…

Pervasive disparities in educational outcomes suggest the need to train teachers to better support minoritized students by leading inclusive, equitable, and multicultural classrooms. Given the potential benefits of teacher training in antiracist and culturally responsive instructional practices, we synthesized the available research on diversity…

Deaf and hard-of-hearing people are no less capable of being geoscientists or working geoscience academics than are hearing people. However, deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals are represented in lower percentages in these fields, contributing to a lack of diversity. People with some form of hearing loss face stigmas and misconceptions, as well…

Secondary special education and transition research is crucial for improving outcomes for students with disabilities during their transition to postschool life. However, rural schools are underrepresented in this field, hindering the development of tailored interventions that can support youth with disabilities as they transition into adult life…

The purpose of this collective case study was to understand how special education teachers interpret and navigate the concept of the least restrictive environment (LRE) standard in providing educational support for students with intellectual disabilities and autism. The guiding theories for this study were behaviorism and social cognitive theory.…

Background/Context: As of Fall 2021, approximately 7.3 million students between the ages 6 to 21 were served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which accounts for approximately 15%of students in that age range (U.S. Department of Education, 2022). Students with disabilities receiving special education services are guaranteed a…

Supporting student success and meeting college completion and equity goals requires institutions to do more than just work at the margins. Overcoming deep-seated challenges means that campuses need to transform. Successful transformation requires identifying, understanding, and navigating campus culture so initiatives can both implement new…

This dissertation investigated the persistence of African American college students with disabilities in higher education, focusing on academic, social, and institutional factors influencing their success. Using a qualitative approach and insights from interviews; findings revealed that comprehensive academic support services, social integration,…

This study examined the impact of a classroom-level component of The Inclusive Skill-building Learning Approach (ISLA), an instructional and restorative alternative to exclusionary discipline, on student behaviors and school discipline practices in middle schools. Intervention implementation, classroom observations, and all other data collection…

The concept of sense of belonging is a critical component of student success, retention, and well-being in higher education, particularly for underrepresented students. This dissertation examines the lived experiences of Black students and explores how sense of belonging impacts their collegiate experiences as members of historically white…

Mentoring is a high-impact strategy for supporting student success and is particularly important for rural community college students, who often face heightened structural and systemic inequities, highlighting the need for mentorship approaches tailored to their unique needs and strengths. This data note analyzes the descriptions of 587 mentorship…

Every student deserves a welcoming university and college environment. In fact, it is impossible for students to thrive and succeed without feeling safe, valued, and cared for as they work toward earning a college degree. Universities should proudly proclaim their commitment to racial diversity and its educational benefits and remember their legal…

Aim/Purpose: This study examined the experiences of international students writing a typed e-assessment at the on-campus computer lab on the ExamOnline system. Background: After a computer-based typed summative examination was introduced for one of the MSc degree's modules in a UK university, it was critical to ascertain its inclusivity. The…