Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston University / The State of Maine provides many opportunities for the education of physically handicapped children. There was no single source of these opportunities available. Since many people are in positions to refer such children, it seemed wise to procure information about these services; therefore, the purpose of this study is to survey through a questionnaire all available opportunities for physically handicapped children in the State of Maine, and to summarize the findings.

Housing and disability services

Housing and disability services

This study endeavored to answer the question, what leadership model for change is effective in establishing exemplary programs for students with learning disabilities in private Christian colleges. The focus was on leaders in three private Christian universities who developed programs that positively affected students' success.This multiple case study of leaders produced evidence that Fullan's change model (2001), which is often utilized by leaders in K-12 education, could be applied to program development in higher education when collaboration is a strategic componet in all elements of the model. Interviews about the history and current status of each institution's program explored how leaders in the three institutions effectively implemented programs to assist students with learning disabilities. The interviewees indicated they endeavored to build collaborative relationships to create and share knowledge. Leaders developed collaborative groups to assist in coherence making. The overriding emphasis of the leaders in this study was on collaboration, which permeated all elements of the leadership model for change. Not surprisingly, given the context of the study, the data revealed that the guiding motivation for this service was faith in Christ. While data analysis revealed each leader used most elements of Fullan's (2001) model, there is little evidence of one element of the model, understanding the nature and effects of change. Findings included the importance of moral purpose, relationship building, knowledge creation and sharing, understanding change, and coherence making in program development. The researcher found three additional elements that seemed to enhance the success of disability services; (1) the leaders' propensity to innovate, (2) the faculty's attitude toward disability services, and (3) the administration's value of disability services. All of these elements functioned through a strong emphasis on collaboration. Due to the unique nature, culture, and structure of higher education, this study suggests that an emphasis on collaboration by the leaders is essential to all the elements of the model for developing programs for students with disabilities at Christian colleges and universities.

No description available.

This qualitative research study investigated the self-determination of community college students diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome (AS). Varying levels of self-determination were displayed within each of the five participants. However, despite the unique characteristics and experiences of the participants, five major and two minor themes related to the collegial experiences of these students were revealed. The major themes highlighted were that community college students with AS (a) enjoyed academic success, (b) found disability services and accommodations important, (c) chose majors based on personal interests, (d) relied on family members for support, and (e) had difficulty developing social connections on campus. The minor themes related to the particular importance of faculty and attendance at a community college to some of the students.

No description available.

This study investigated postsecondary disability service providers' (DSP) perceived usefulness of an example of a well-developed SOP. This example SOP was included in a 22 question survey, administered electronically to DSPs who are members of the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD). The participants (n=298) were asked to rate the usefulness of the test scores, rationale for accommodation, history of use or success of accommodation, report writer's recommendations, and student input included in the example SOP for making accommodation decisions. ANOVAs were used to determine if the perceived usefulness of the parts of the Model SOP varied as a function of the DSPs' highest degree, disciplines or fields of study, training for the interpretation of disability documentation, and/or years of experience in postsecondary disability services. DSPs with less than five years of experience (M=1.85, SD = .87) found the report writer's recommendations more useful than DSPs with greater than 10 years of experience (M=2.24, SD = 1.02). DSPs with 5-10 years of experience did not differ significantly from either of the other groups. Additionally, statistical significance was approached (p = .085) suggesting that DSPs with doctorate degrees compared to DSPs with a master's degree or a bachelor's degree may find the history of use or success less useful for accommodation decisions. Overall, the average usefulness ratings for all DSP groupings for the identified parts of the SOP were in the extremely useful or very useful range. / School of Education; / School Psychology / PhD; / Dissertation;

Adults with a diagnosis of High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (HF ASD) are becoming a significant presence on college campuses across the United States. A number of colleges have created programs to provide services to support accommodations for these students under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); the first was created in 2002. The creation of these programs does not guarantee success. The use of the logic model in the formative evaluation process has been found to be a key foundation for the establishment of an effective program. The logic model provides a visual representation of the defined problem, the resources and services, and the data sources which provide documentation of service delivery and the intended outcomes of the program. This study is a formative evaluation that uses a logic model approach conducted during the second year of an Autism Spectrum Support Program. This study analyzed data generated by 25 adult participants (20 male, 5 female) between the ages of 18 and 30 with a diagnosis of HF ASD to determine what changes to the program were required. The logic model served a dual purpose in this evaluation. First, it provided a visual representation of the services provided. Second, it served as a template for the organization of the program data. Methodological problems, suggested program changes, and future research directions are discussed.

Thesis advisor: Kristen Bottema-Beutel / Many autistic students enrolled in colleges/universities, who are academically qualified for admission, experience difficulties adjusting to their college life. Disability support offices (DSOs) of higher education institutions (HEIs) assume the responsibility of providing supports to autistic students, but many DSOs lack the resources to cater to the varied needs of these students. To gain a nuanced understanding, this set of three studies explores contextual factors around DSOs that may influence autistic students’ experiences with DSOs and their perspectives about available DSO support. In Study 1, DSO websites of 12 US HEIs were examined using multimodal discourse analysis, and the study revealed that DSO websites share genre features with advertisements. DSO websites advertised the services they provide in efforts to ‘brand’ their institution. This commodification of DSO supports raises concerns because accommodations given to students with disabilities should be understood as their legal rights rather than sellable products. In Study 2, a nationwide sample of 153 DSO staff members completed a battery of online surveys to determine significant predictors of their attitudes and knowledge about autism. The quality of previous contact was shown to be associated with social distance, openness, and knowledge about autism, and several institutional variables significantly predicted staff members’ attitudes and knowledge about autism. Lastly, in Study 3, 27 autistic undergraduate students were interviewed about their experiences with DSOs, and their responses were qualitatively analyzed using a generic inductive approach. Students reported on their general perceptions of DSOs, decisions about not receiving DSO supports, and their perception of ways that DSOs could support them better. Together, the findings of the three studies inform the work of DSOs in developing appropriate systems that support autistic students to successfully navigate college. Developing service provision systems that comprehensively address these issues reported by autistic students should be a collective institutional responsibility to increase autism awareness and acceptance on college campuses and make online and physical space accessible for autistic students. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2020. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.