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Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University / Research suggests that web-based education increases opportunities for underserved populations to be integrated into educational activities (Schmetzke, 2001; Burgstahler, 2002; Opitz, Savenye, & Rowland, 2003). This may be true for students with disabilities because they have more flexibility to participate in formal education. However, Moisey (2004) found that people with disabilities had lower rates of enrollment and educational achievement than people without disabilities. These findings raise the question of whether or not web-based = education helps increase students with disabilities' access to learning opportunities and improve their learning outcome. This study investigated the degree of difficulty blind persons had in accessing and using web-based educational resources provided by Thailand Cyber University (TCU). Based on a mixed methods design, the data were collected in two phases. Quantitative data were collected first, in order to identify accessibility problems and conformance levels reported by automated web accessibility evaluation tools. Qualitative data was collected from interviews with blind participants in the second phase to expand the understanding of the accessibility problems and usability issues that were not discovered in the quantitative phase by the automated web accessibility evaluation tools. The findings indicate that all of the 13 selected web pages failed to meet a minimum requirement of WCAG 2.0. This means those selected web pages would be inaccessible for the blind. However, the findings indicate blind participants rated only one of the 13 pages as inaccessible. Moreover, their ratings of difficulty on "usability" were higher than their ratings of difficulty on "accessibility" on the same web page. On six out of 22 tasks, blind and sighted user groups agreed on the ratings. Nevertheless, the time that it took to complete each task varied greatly between the two user groups. / 2031-01-01

This thesis investigates the use of Inclusive theatre to disengage the ‘disabled'/ ‘non-disabled' binary for transformation to inclusive cultures. The research extends existing scholarship in Inclusive and applied theatre practices by documenting selected case studies in west and southern Africa. A sociocultural lens defines disability as a social construct, problematizing community reactions, systemic oppression and societal barriers as the disabling force rather than any physical or cognitive impairment. A series of participatory action research projects explore inclusion through an applied theatre praxis and critical/performance ethnography. Progressive pedagogy informs the methods, ethics, and values of each cross-cultural inclusive project. Participants with neurodivergent, or atypical (dis)abilities are contextualized as heroes within the metaphoric framework of the hero's journey as popularized by Joseph Campbell. Campbell's stages are juxtaposed with project workshops and performances to emphasize the universal application of inclusion, and the educational power of storytelling. The primary journey follows the development of Nigeria's premier inclusive theatre company; from drama-as-therapy beginnings to their professional performance of How to be a Superhero: A Guide to Saving the World. Supplementary projects with Hijinx Theatre in Lesotho and the Oasis Association in South Africa provide stories of igniting hidden talents and overcoming the obstacles that create barriers to inclusion in both the arts and society. An enabled dramaturgy details accessibility, authenticity, engagement, transformation, and aesthetics to debate the allies/enemies of inclusive theatre. Each project reveals the boons of adapting practices through considerations of accessibility, accommodations, and modifications. The culminating performances of each project provide evidence that storytelling, building relationships, transforming and engaging participants and audiences through theatre forges empathy, increases representation, and encourages visibility. Psychologist Philip Zimbardo argues that “Heroism can be learned, can be taught, can be modeled, and can be a quality of being to which we all should aspire.” (2011). This research, inspired by Campbell and Zimbardo, argues that inclusion, like heroism, can be learned, taught and modeled through theatre to create a culture of inclusion.

Interacting with user interfaces has becoming something that everyone of all ages is doing whether it be using smart devices like phones and tablets, ordering at fast-food restaurants, watching movies on a plane, etc. With people of all ages interacting with interfaces, designers need to consider what limitations and barriers come with different age groups. This thesis aims to improve how elderly users interact with accessibility features on iPhones. The initial user testing conducted with elderly users discovered that many users are comfortable with their iPhones interface but that they could potentially benefit from accessibility features but are hesitant to explore. These insights were utilized in redesigning the interface for accessibility options on iOS, with the goal of creating a more inviting and user-friendly feature for elderly users. Final user testing showed that elderly users benefited from efficient interactions and instruction guides to make and perceive accessibility changes more effectively. The aim of the redesign was to address the users worries including confusion, hesitancy, and insufficient feedback.

Through The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 and The Workforce Innovative Opportunity Act of 2014, legislators have created opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities to participate in postsecondary education with their typically developing peers. This study utilized the results of web-based survey data from public universities and colleges in the state of Florida to explore the varying options available for students with intellectual disabilities. This study applied a quantitative approach to the survey of 12 state university system (SUS) and 28 college system (CS) institutions in Florida to explore current program options and services afforded students with intellectual disabilities desiring postsecondary education in Florida. The web based survey yielded a 48% response rate. Findings indicate in 2016 there are 10 postsecondary education programs for students with intellectual disabilities within the public university and college system of Florida. Implications of the findings and recommendations for the future are discussed. Notably, future research should consider exploring national postsecondary programs and explore outcomes for students with intellectual disabilities.

One of the more recent topics in transportation policy making and project prioritization in DOT's across the United States is how to improve quality of life. This quality of life focus is an intersection of public health and transportation and has many different branches including traffic safety, pollution, active transportation, equity, and accessibility to resources. The topic among these that seems to receive the least attention is equitable access to resources. However, with the proven impact that equitable access to resources has on physical and emotional well-being, as well as economic opportunity it is important to ensure that all populations, including minority and low income populations have the same accessibility as those in the majority and high income populations. Transportation and public health researchers have constructed several quantitative measures to define accessibility, but the most frequent methods used lack the ability to include quality measures of the resource or a variable distance threshold. Therefore, it is important to use a more inclusive definition of accessibility that we can develop using a utility-based accessibility model. This paper develops a logit model with different variables and parameters in order to identify which variables are important and should be included in accessibility measures. The variables come from the impedance attributes for the different modes of travel and the location attributes that were obtained from a NEMS-S (Nutrition Environments Measures Survey in Stores) survey conducted in three counties in Utah. The parameters were developed using LBS data and identifying flows from home block groups to grocery stores, and then creating synthetic trips with non-chosen alternatives. After the utility model is created, we are able to use those utility values to create different logit models, each having a different set of variables included. These logit models were analyzed to find the variables that have a significance on the model. From the models it was found that cost of goods, as well as availability of quality goods have a significant impact on which grocery stores were chosen in the model. In addition, other variables such as size of store and mode of travel have a significance as well. From the models identified, it was found that in order to have an accurate accessibility model it is important to include these variables that are found to be significant in grocery store choice. These results can help with developing transportation policies and help to improve equitable access in cities.

In light of Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, medical schools witnessed increased number of students with disabilities matriculating in their program. However, the administrators face challenges because ensuring accessibility in dynamic clinical settings may not always be feasible or ideal while considering the resource implication and patient safety. There is little consensus and established guidance on how to provide responsible accommodations for otherwise-qualified medical students with disabilities. To understand the development of resilience in medical students with disabilities as they confront potential institutional barriers and social or self-imposed stigma, we asked: how do medical students with disabilities identify and communicate their learning needs to negotiate necessary accommodations with the Student Accessibility Services and/or the MD program? The Constructivist Grounded Theory approach by Charmaz (2006) served as the methodological guide. In-depth individual interviews were conducted capturing the students’ perspective on accommodations arranged by the program, inclusion challenges in medical education and their recommendations on how to enhance program accessibility. Three major themes emerged: 1) creating a dialogue to devise learner-centered accommodation strategies, 2) recognizing available extrinsic and intrinsic resources, and 3) optimizing available extrinsic and intrinsic resources. Self-reflection was the key underlying ingredient driving students’ resilience development in partnership with inclusive learning environment and supportive faculty. Student diversity present in the medical schools merits further research. Diminishing stigma towards health professionals with disabilities is imperative. Endorsement of cross-departmental and institutional collaboration that enables dissemination of cost-effective and comprehensive accommodation strategies is recommended. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Metamemory effects under retroactive interference (RI) were tested using a modified RI paradigm in order to determine whether relatedness of word pairs impacts metamemory predictions and to investigate the bases of these predictions. Conflicting findings from prior research suggested that the relatedness of materials used to test RI could produce disparate effects; some studies showed association between memory and metamemory but other studies showed dissociation between the two. The experiments consisted of four phases: original and interpolated study, prediction, and test; participants were tested on the words encountered at original study. By comparing predictions to recall, we determined that memory and metamemory were dissociated under RI regardless of cue-target relatedness and regardless of the relatedness of targets from original to interpolated study. Additionally, the findings support the use of the accessibility heuristic to make metamemory predictions under RI. The results support a separate systems viewpoint.

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