Service dogs are becoming an integral part of our society. Consequently, there is a need for research that explores how Canada should proceed with the development and implementation of appropriate laws and policies that will ensure the proper use and equal integration of service dogs. Before this can take place, the terminology used within the field must be clarified, as society continues to move toward a more expanded definition of service dog, and public access challenges continue to impact the lives of persons with disabilities. The goal of this autoethnographical research study was to determine what service dog handlers, particularly ‘owner-trainers,’ feel constitutes a ‘service dog’ in Canada. When researchers conduct investigations on topics related to the lives of persons with disabilities, their research typically takes the form of disabled individuals being studied and not being directly involved within the research. Therefore, this project sought to directly involve persons with disabilities, while also attempting to avoid the possibility of censorship or silence. Through the use of statements from social media, this project captured the lived experiences without worrying about participants changing them to fit within society’s expectations. Society is not structured to be accessible for all, so when ‘accommodations’ are made, it is ‘expected’ that persons with disabilities will show gratitude and not voice their true feelings. Through the use of autoethnography, I shared my experiences, as a service dog raiser, trainer and handler, and provided a glimpse into the lives of other service dog handlers as they participate within their communities. In doing this, I hope the findings of my project will offer an important perspective to the discussion surrounding what constitutes a ‘service dog’ in Canada. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

Neonatal intensive care is an ambiguous and anxious medicine with troubling un/intended consequences. The causes and increasing prevalence of premature birth, available histories and the establishment hospital-based neonatology are presented, with a particular focus on American and Canadian contexts. The thesis traces neonatal medicine’s unlikely swerve through early-American freakshow culture, considers the influence of the eugenics movement, and spans decades of haphazard clinical experimentation with premature babies. Of particular interest is the complex nexus between neonatology and disability and what new technologies reveal about deep-rooted human desires and fears about life, death and disability. Incorporating statistical data, policy analysis and clinical trends with personal, parent and practitioner narratives leads to provocative ethical questions about neonatology’s growing powers. This thesis draws on critical disability theory and contemporary critical theories concerning technology, and builds towards a conception of disability that is separate from the medical paradigm, somewhat unorthodox, and certainly post conventional. / Graduate

Many learners with intellectual disabilities in mainstream schools are awaiting possible placements in special schools. In some instances, when placement becomes unsuccessful learners remain in mainstream schools which becomes the schools’ responsibility to find ways to support them in a manner that maximises their learning potential and provides direction regarding career development. This study explored parents, teachers and principals’ perceptions about intellectual disability and its influence on career development. The Critical Disability Theory guided this study as it was aimed at discovering the factors which influence the implementation of career development in schools. A qualitative approach was followed to collect data from 25 participants consisting of 2 principals, 14 teachers and 9 parents. Data was collected in the form of interviews, focus group discussions, and demographic questionnaires. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Findings indicated that stakeholders had limited knowledge about career development services. Parents concluded that schools could put more effort into supporting learners with intellectual disabilities, and that teachers could put more effort to academically support learners. Stakeholders were optimistic that learners with intellectual disabilities would be able to participate in the labour market, provided that they are taught work related skills at an early age. It was recommended that stakeholders make efforts to obtain knowledge about the career development services available and provide information to learners in that regard; make career development services accessible, and to teach learners with disabilities practical work skills enabling them to participate in the labour force post-school. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Educational Psychology / MEd / Unrestricted

This study will unpack and deconstruct the normative view of ability within Swedish school libraries. The theoretical framework for the study comprises Critical Disability Theory which is being applied to examine and describe how language, actions, and understanding strengthen and contribute to maintain power structures. The research questions of the study firstly consider how local school library policies are defined to ensure equal opportunities for all pupils and their needs and rights. Secondly, how these policies are interpreted and applied in practice. Lastly, what strategies, methods and approaches are used to accomplish this. By making the structures within the policies, interpretations, and practical applications visible the study aims to enrich and evolve the discourse on disability in Swedish school libraries as well as highlight the effect power structures have on inclusion, accessibility, and equal opportunities. The study was carried out by collecting data through existing school library policies as well as by conducting semi structured interviews with six school librarians. Both the policies and the interviews were analysed by qualitative content analysis where themes were generated from the empirical evidence collected and from previous research.  The results show that there is a normative view of ability as well as a normative view of disability. An aspiration for equality and accessibility permeates the school library practice with a focus on physical and compensatory education. Varying ability is part of human variation and focus must lie on needs, and not specific ability.

<p>The social inclusion of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities remains an elusive goal for many adults, their families, and allies. Many of the typical relational human interactions people without intellectual and developmental disabilities enjoy and take for granted, have been denied to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, largely because of harmful conceptualizations of what it means to live with a disability. These conceptualizations have not only influenced the development of public policy but they have also shaped the interactions and relationships between professionals and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Equipped with the historical knowledge of how public policy was used to cultivate and maintain the mass institutionalization of adults living with intellectual and developmental disabilities – and then subsequently used to lead to it’s demise – this study set out investigate if and how public policy might influence the nature of professional relationships between service users with intellectual and developmental disabilities and service providers. Using qualitative methods guided by critical disability theory, this study looked specifically at how <em>Ontario Regulation 299/10</em> has already, and/or may in the future, change the interpersonal relationships that exist between adults living with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their care-givers at L’Arche Hamilton. Research methods included working with the policy document and also conducting face-to-face interviews with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their caregivers. It was important for this study to include the voices of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and to examine the research question from their perspective because without their input it would not be possible to really understand the regulation’s impact.</p> <p>This study focused on the current experiences of three residents (core members) and three care-givers (assistants) at L’Arche. It was found that there exist genuine and caring relationships between the two; relationships shaped by the understanding of the assistants that adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities have something of value – a “gift” – to contribute to what they define as a mutual relationship. In addition, both core members and assistants point to the importance of human touch in care-giving interactions – touch that moves beyond the functional (e.g., assistance with personal care) to also include expressive touch (e.g., hugs) that conveys affection and love. However, the findings further suggest that <em>Ontario Regulation 299/10</em> threatens the ability of care-givers to engage in the intentional form of relationship which currently exists within the L’Arche service model. This form of relationship is understood to be restricted by the regulation under the guise of “protection” and as being “best practice”. The legislation recognizes that people living with disabilities have higher rates of abuse then those living without disabilities; in response to this reality the legislation attempts to reduce opportunity for such abuses to occur and, as a result, articulates clear boundaries around the type of relationships that are permissible. The assistants interviewed for this study also recognize these concerns but they also worry that these concerns overlook the reality of the limited opportunities for genuine relationships between adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and those without. Further research, directed by adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, is needed to unpack how this relationship is understood and experienced by both parties, and how each feels it should be maintained, especially in regards to the use of physical touch as an expression of relationship. Research which engages the core members in dialogue on what “safety” and “relationship” mean and looks like for them is needed in order to truly understand the potential impact limiting the professional relationship may have.</p> / Master of Social Work (MSW)

<p>This study explores people’s life experiences when they are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as an adult, the impact of this diagnosis and how they experience living with ADHD. ADHD is often missed as a diagnosis in children whom have inattentive type ADHD, as “characteristic” symptoms such as hyperactivity and impulsiveness are not as prominent and therefore the child does not typically stand out in a school setting as having problematic or challenging behaviours. Consequently many children may navigate through their childhood and teen years not receiving a diagnosis until sometime into their adult years. In an attempt to give this group a voice I have created an opportunity for a small group of adults diagnosed with ADHD as adults to share their experiences in this qualitative research study. Discussions and findings from my research include the participants’ experiences of feeling relieved after being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, their resulting responses of thinking about things differently, changing expectations and seeking more information. Participants shared everyday challenges of living with ADHD including physical and cognitive, challenges of daily living and challenges in the school environment. Participants also talked about the emotional impact when relating their experiences of living with ADHD, including having low self esteem, ongoing struggles with feelings of failure, not fitting in and self blame. The purpose of my research was to inform helping professions, and specifically the social work profession, about the experience of receiving a diagnosis of ADHD in adulthood and the realities of living with ADHD. The last area of my findings and discussion fulfills this purpose as it focuses on professional support.</p> / Master of Social Work (MSW)

Historically, people labelled/with intellectual disability in Canada have received institutionalized forms of care in which they were mistreated, abused, and controlled (Seth et al., 2015; Spagnuolo & Earle, 2017). Today, many people labelled/with intellectual disabilities live within the community and instead receive support from disability support workers in various settings, including within smaller-scale institutions such as group homes, supported independent living arrangements. In some instances, such settings continue to provide institutionalized forms of care (Spagnuolo & Earle, 2017). They may also be in receipt of disability support through involvement with various other community services, including education, employment and recreation. While this shift away from large-scale institutionalization has generally granted a greater level of autonomy for those so labelled than there was previously, the power differential between disability support staff and people labelled/with intellectual disability is such that many problematic support dynamics persist (Sagnuolo & Earle, 2017; Robinson et al., 2022; Antaki et al., 2007). This qualitive co-production project aimed to learn more about what people labelled/with intellectual disability wanted disability support staff to know about the provision of support and did so using a series of focus groups and individual interviews with a participatory component: the co-creation of a series infographics for training of support staff. Thematic analysis revealed two major themes in my data. The first, the ways that support was too often unhelpful or harmful, I broke down into three subthemes: variable treatment, assumptions of (in)capability, and directing or doing for participants leading to neglect of opportunities for skill development. My second theme described what the participants wanted to see from support instead, which also had three sub-themes: respect for boundaries, kind and compassionate treatment, and respect for individuality. My findings and the co-created infographics emphasized the importance of respecting the knowledge that people labelled/with intellectual disabilities have about their own needs, challenging social workers and other professionals to reflect upon their self-perceptions as experts. / Thesis / Master of Social Work (MSW)

Social work services prior to the COVID-19 pandemic generally preferred in-person service delivery. When the lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic began, social workers needed to modify their practice and pivot to a virtual delivery format to ensure safety as well as continuity of service for the individuals and communities they support. Current literature on virtual care in social work lacks clear identification of best practices for virtual care service delivery. Additionally, 1 in 5 Canadians have a disability. Given the prevalence of disability, social workers must consider how accessibility is impacted by service delivery methods. This research aims to address the gap in the literature by centering the narratives of 7 social workers who have disabilities, who both access and provide virtual care services. This research is guided by Critical Disability Theory (CDT) and the Nothing About Us Without Us movement to explore the social construction of disability within virtual care service delivery, from the perspective of those with disabilities. A focus group was conducted to elicit the experiences of these social workers. Using narrative and reflexive thematic analysis, five themes were identified: 1) digital literacy, 2) privacy, 3) factors enhancing accessibility, 4) factors challenging accessibility, and 5) practice standards in the digital domain. Reflecting on the themes identified in the data analysis, in conjunction with the literature review, a set of guiding best practices are proposed to support accessible virtual care service delivery in social work. Implications for policy and practice are discussed, as well as limitations of this research and potential directions for future research in virtual care and accessibility. / Thesis / Master of Social Work (MSW)

abstract: According to national data, there continues to be an ongoing achievement gap between students with disabilities and their non-disabled peers (USDE, n.d.b). This data is representative of a continued disparity in academic performance for students in local Arizona school districts. To address this gap, many districts have implemented inclusion models in which students with disabilities spend increasing amounts of time in general education classrooms, in some cases for the majority of or all of their school day. However, the persistence of the achievement gap suggests that general education teachers working in inclusion models may be lacking systematic instructional methods for ensuring access to the curriculum for those with disabilities and other diverse learning needs. The purpose of this action research study was to examine the impact that a series of professional development workshops had on teacher beliefs and understanding of disability, intelligence, and accessible pedagogy. The study was conducted over the course of a school semester at a kindergarten through 8th grade school in a large, semi-rural school district in southeastern Arizona. Ten teachers from a variety of grade levels and subject areas participated in the study along with a school psychologist and two school administrators. Theoretical frameworks guiding this project included critical disability theory, growth mindset, universal design for learning, and transformative learning theory. A mixed-methods action research approach was used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data in the form of surveys, interviews, and written reflections. The workshop series included five modules that began with activities fostering critical reflection of assumptions regarding disability and intelligence and ended with pedagogical strategies in the form of universal design for learning. The results indicate that the innovation was successful in reshaping participant views of disability, intelligence, and pedagogy; however, changes in classroom instruction were small. Implications for future research and practice include more extended sessions on universal design for learning and a more diverse sample of participants. Workshop sessions utilized a variety of active learning activities that were well received by participants and will be included in future professional learning plans across the district. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Leadership and Innovation 2018

Background: Fat people are subjected to oppression including medical “obesity” rhetoric and fat discrimination which may affect their ability to experience an embodied relationship with their bodies. Aims: The aim of this study was to discover how self-identified fat female-bodied people understand their relationship with their bodies. Methods: Six participants were recruited for semi-structured interviews which were then analyzed in a constant comparative method. Findings: Five themes emerged from the data: dehumanization, acceptance of (the fat) body, empowerment, resistance, and dis<-->embodiment. Relationship with (the fat) body was identified by the participants as fraught with tension in a context that involves considering the positionality of “non-normative’ bodies, the value and importance of community, and a high degree of effort. / Thesis / Master of Social Work (MSW)