ERIC Number: EJ1422500
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1941-1243
EISSN: EISSN-1941-1251
Safety of Students with Disabilities in Emergency Situations
Asha Asher; Joanne Estes; Sarah Allender; Mackenzie Ferguson; Mary Schoen; Grace Villarosa
Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools & Early Intervention, v17 n1 p97-119 2024
All students have the right to be safe at school. Regulations mandate that schools must establish procedures to ensure the safety of all students during emergency situations. Twenty years ago, a Midwestern school district created Individualized Emergency Evacuation Plans (IEEPs) to address unique safety needs of students with disabilities. A mixed methods design program evaluation was conducted to study its effectiveness. It examined the extent to which these practices align with the needs of students with disabilities, and what changes might be implemented to improve the program. Participants were multiple levels of District personnel. Data were collected using a quantitative online survey and qualitative individual semi-structured interviews and two focus groups. Most survey participants felt that current plans meet needs of students with disabilities; however, the plans could be updated to better support student safety. Interview analyses produced three emergent themes: We will do whatever it takes; There is always room for improvement; and "It might be helpful to … ." District Q continues to implement some practices from the original framework of the Individualized Emergency Evacuation Plans. The program evaluation produced suggestions for more effectively and efficiently meeting the safety needs of students with disabilities in emergency situations.
Descriptors: Students with Disabilities, Special Needs Students, Special Education, School Safety, Emergency Programs, Allied Health Personnel, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Teacher Attitudes, Administrator Attitudes, Individualized Programs, Board of Education Policy
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A