Diversity, equity, and inclusion is one of five pillars upholding the American Occupational Therapy Association's (AOTA) strategic plan. Ensuring organizational, educational and governance structures, policies, programs, and services all reflect diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and accessibility (DEIJA) is a priority for the profession. Yet,…

The traditional nature of higher education, the permanence of its structure and function, has allowed many universities to act with a degree of invisibility, a reluctance to change with the times, though the evasion of public purview is more difficult in a regional institution so dependent and interconnected with its local community. This…

This dissertation is a quantitative research paper that includes data from teachers in Louisiana elementary schools. The critical focus of this dissertation centers around elementary teachers being prepared to educate students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Throughout this paper, teacher preparation programs, professional learning, and…

Improving the ability to solve mathematical word problems is one of the most critical issues facing students with developmental disabilities, because it is directly related to their independent living skills. The purpose of this study was to propose a teaching model that implements augmented reality (AR) and video modeling (VM), and to validate…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the effectiveness of attending the IDEAcon Conference virtually compared to attending the conference in-person. The study was conducted by surveying educators who attended both the IDEAcon conference in 2020, which was in person, and IDEAcon 2021 which was virtual. Using a Likert-like online…

High-quality instructional materials (HQIM) can make a real difference in student learning. But purchasing HQIM is only the first step in the process of ensuring that students benefit. The Guide to the Implementation of HQIM synthesizes advice from practitioners and researchers about how to encourage solid execution of plans and realize the full…

In 2015 the Athletic Training Strategic Alliance made the decision to transition all athletic training programs from undergraduate level degrees to entry-level master's degrees. This decision stems from efforts to align the athletic training profession with other allied health professions. With this decision came several concerns including the…

Recognizing the limitations of how "learning loss" is conceptualized and measured, this study is attempted to draw lessons by exploring the bright side of school closure and distance learning during COVID-19. The main research question is "What, in reality, valuable experiences are students gained during school closure and distance…

As developments in technology progress, their use in education in general and in mathematics teaching specifically increases. The aim of this study is to explore the potential of technology use in mathematics lessons in the schools by examining prior research on the use of technology in mathematics teaching. Within the scope of the study, a…

The SKI-HI Deaf Mentor Program is an early intervention model that supports families in creating an effective bilingual environment (American Sign Language [ASL]/English) with their deaf or hard of hearing child. The program can be adopted and implemented in any state. A Deaf Mentor is a deaf or hard of hearing adult specifically trained to engage…

Despite the demonstrated learning benefits of peer evaluation, fears of teachers about its low reliability may restrict its use. In this study, the validity of peer assessment, in terms of agreement with the ratings of the teacher, has been tested in an organic chemistry course. The students were organized into small groups and commissioned to…

Protein structure and function are important concepts in the biochemistry curriculum. A three-part CURE was developed to be used in an undergraduate biochemistry course that enhances student learning of these aspects in addition to practicing oral and written communication skills. Students used three protein-protein docking programs (PRISM,…

Teaching is at a crossroads where traditional methods and rationale for pedagogical practices are rightfully under attack. However, the fight is currently transpiring in the professional ranks of current classroom teachers. Now is the time to make progressive inroads by restructuring teacher education. Reformulating teacher education will require…

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of the Early Language Comprehension Individualized Instruction (ELCII) program in supporting kindergarteners' learning of inference-making during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two different cohorts of pre- and in-pandemic students completed the ELCII program, which was designed to teach them how to make…

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, home visiting programs were faced with an unprecedented challenge: How do you deliver home visiting services without visiting homes? One home visiting model--Child First--quickly pivoted to telehealth, offering caregivers the option to receive services virtually. Child First has since resumed delivering…