Biology education research provides important guidance for educators aiming to ensure access for disabled students. However, there is still work to be done in developing similar guidelines for research settings. By using critical frameworks that amplify the voices of people facing multiple forms of marginalization, there is potential to transform…

Inclusiveness is a principle of our current school system. Inclusive education should ensure equal learning opportunities for all, avoid stigmatising differences, and accept diversity in pupils. The goals are promising, but the implementation of inclusive education is a wicked problem intertwined with student, teacher, school community and wider…

This article describes the development and use of a first of its kind statewide implementation of an adapted Early Start Denver Model (ESDM). Supported by a collaborative partnership between stakeholders that included families, state agencies, and a state university, the intervention was implemented within the existing framework of a northeastern…

Despite consensus on the importance of early detection and intervention for autistic children, health disparities exist, limiting access to timely services. One specific service type in the United States is Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part C Early Intervention programs, which are federally funded interventions for children…

Special education plays a critical role in ensuring equal educational opportunities for individuals with diverse learning needs. In the context of Jordan, the development of special education has made significant progress over the years, reflecting the country's commitment to inclusivity and diversity, with notable efforts from the government and…

During school year 2021-22, around 7.3 million children ages 3 through 21 received special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This act is the primary federal special education law for children and youth with disabilities. Last reauthorized in 2004, IDEA was enacted to ensure access to a…

The separation between young children with disabilities and their peers is not merely physical but represents a deeper gap in opportunity, engagement, and understanding. True equity in inclusive education hinges on viewing disability not as an inherent limitation, but as a gap between personal capacity and the demands of the educational context --…

Appropriately identifying children with disabilities--in ways that are timely, comprehensive, and accurate--is critical for ensuring that learners receive the supports they need to meet early milestones and succeed in school. In turn, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) charges states and school districts with: (1) finding all…

This dissertation explored the challenges and adaptations made by educators and service providers in creating an inclusive virtual learning environment for students with special needs, particularly focusing on the experiences of educators working with deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students. Grounded in the identified gaps in the literature, the…

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 led to unprecedented shifts in American education. Prior to the onset of the pandemic, children across the United States were primarily educated in brick-and-mortar school buildings, with only 0.6% of the over 50 million students in the country attending fully virtual schools (National Center…

Refugee children comprise half of the total world refugee population and face numerous complex challenges (UNHCR, 2021). The purpose of this study was to explore equitable family-professional partnerships between refugee families of children with disabilities or considered at-risk (i.e., who has/had been referred to special education evaluation or…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, P.L. 108-446) is primarily thought of as the nation's special education law, and Part B, which focuses on providing special education and related services to children with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 21 years old, is the largest part of the IDEA both in terms of populations served…

Colleges are becoming increasingly diverse, including strengthening representation of students with disabilities in STEM (Science, Teaching, Engineering, and Math) fields; however, representation still lags behind national trends. To adapt to this changing demographic and improve representation, STEM college professors must be prepared to grant…

Changes in education laws have left special education teachers to determine how to provide equitable access to the general education curriculum for their students with significant disabilities. Legislation has established the need for equitable access yet has provided little guidance as to how this is to be achieved. It has been stated that…

In 2016, the federal government rescinded a 2014 disciplinary guidance package that had served as a much-needed resource to schools and districts across the country, a decision that the Center for Learner Equity (CLE) opposed. As documented in a 2019 CLE analysis, disciplinary removals cause students with disabilities to lose instructional time…