Embracing parental advocacy is pivotal in navigating the challenges associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Such challenges include stress, stigmas, educational challenges, and access to support and services. This study's purpose was to examine parents' and adult primary caregivers' perspectives when advocating for an individual with ASD.…

There is a broad disconnect between the beauty cultivated by disabled communities and the ways in which schools continue to position disability as a problem that resides in the individual student. To shift conceptions of disability in schools, there is a significant need to educate folks about disability history and pride, especially disabled…

Despite legal advancements recognizing the rights of individuals with disabilities, societal barriers are still arising from the medical model of disability. These obstacles have resulted in marginalizing and isolating practices, in turn leading to the underrepresentation of individuals with disabilities in the workforce and, by extension, in…

Ascertaining an effective delivery method to enhance general education teacher empowerment and confidence in working with students with disabilities is the focus of this research. A survey instrument and focus group discussions were used with participants to determine how effective professional training was as an ongoing tool to enhance inclusive…

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to explore African American parental involvement of students with disabilities during transition planning in urban high schools. Through an explanatory case study the author seeks to gain a better understanding of parental involvement during the transition process in preparation for employment or…

By participating within the educational setting in making decisions about their lives that reach beyond choice-making, students with disabilities who acquire the skills of self-determination may express interests and goals through their own authentic voice. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe the experiences and…

Pregnancy is relatively a distinct research area given the perception of positive lifestyles mothers follow during their pregnancy. While the assumption may have validity, complications do occur during pregnancy and childbirth. It is predicted that every 4.5 minutes an infant is born with a birth defect, and, on average, 1 in 33 infants are born…

All modes of oppression, including psychological, political, and economic, as well as the kinds of alienation that they generate, serve and maintain a caste system of privilege. The belief systems on which the realities of structural oppression rest are especially relevant for people of color and other subordinated identities (e.g., LGBTQ…

Parents are important stakeholders in their children's special education program, but understanding the special education process can be complicated and overwhelming. Further, it is unclear how parents are informed about procedural safeguards within the process for their children and themselves, the extent of their understanding, and whether and…

Procedural safeguards have been in place for years with the intention of protecting the rights of parents and their children with disabilities. Despite the promises of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, parents have not been given the tools they need to be active participants in their child's special education. Parents of children…

Despite a general consensus that students with disabilities should learn skills of independence and self-determination, schools have been criticized for not adequately preparing these students to actively participate in their education. In an effort to place a greater emphasis on this type of preparation, many educators have focused on increasing…

The purpose of this study was to examine the role that self-determination played in the transition process for young African American women with disabilities who exited high school with a special diploma and participated in a local transition program. Factors under study included the young women's autonomy, self-regulation, psychological…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of implementing the Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) model of instruction to teach students with special needs to use a planning strategy. Single-subject design was used. The three participants were elementary students from a small suburban school in southern New Jersey. The…

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 purpose of this single community qualitative case study was to determine how the voice of the student was present in the IEP process, documentation paperwork, and curricular and diagnostic decisions, among a group of seven students, grades 9 through 12, placed in a self-contained program for students with emotional disabilities in a suburban…