Understanding and Researching Disability in Higher Education Emerging
Understanding and Researching Disability in Higher Education: Emerging Perspectives Ellen Broido, Bowling Green State University Kirsten Brown, The University of Wisconsin - Madison Edlyn Peña, California Lutheran University Susan Rankin, Penn State (retired) Lissa Stapleton, The University of Southern Mississippi Katherine Stygles, Bowling Green State University ACPA 2015
In this program we will: Explore challenges Consider implications Interrogate assumptions Examine positionality Discuss techniques for inclusive assessment and research
Checking in Who are you? What do you hope to learn today? • Institution • Position
Why Research Disability? 11% of college students have a disability; numbers growing Number of disabled/faculty and staff/with disabilities also presumed to be rising Inadequate information about the experiences of disabled/people/with disabilities
Kinds of Disabilities Disability Percent of Students Learning disabilities 31% ADD/ADHD 18% Mental illness, psychological or psychiatric 15% Heath & chronic conditions 11% Mobility or orthopedic 7% Hearing 4% Seeing 3% Cognitive or intellectual 3% Brain injury 2% Autism 2% Speaking 1% (Raue & Lewis, 2011)
Kinds of Disabilities Disability Percent of Students Learning disabilities 31% ADD/ADHD 18% Mental illness, psychological or psychiatric 15% Heath & chronic conditions 11% Mobility or orthopedic 7% “Other” 15% (Raue & Lewis, 2011)
Kinds of Disabilities Heath & chronic conditions, 11% Mental illness, psychological or psychiatric, 15% Mobility & Orthopedic, 7% ADD/ADHD, 18% Learning disabilities , 31%
Purpose Identify methodological considerations Describe challenges, suggest strategies, and propose solutions
We Are… A mix of disabled and temporarily -able bodied women scholars who have studied regarding disability within higher education. • campus climate, • activism, • and identity
Discussion Question How would you develop a survey or interview protocol that was inclusive of people with disabilities?
Methodological Issues in Disability Studies Research Empirical research is scarce Disability studies is typically theoretical Methodological issues are not given much attention Negative consequences
Divergent Theoretical Paradigms �Medical Model �Minority Model �Social Constructionist �Social Justice
Four Methodological Concerns Positionality Language & Labels Accessing Participants HSRB
Researcher’s Positionality Biases, values, and experiences Own and participants’ social identities Power or privilege Lived experience Intersectionality
Language and Labeling People-first Identity-first For collective references, disabled/people/with disabilities Participants’ preferred language
Accessing Participants Cultivating participants’ trust Gatekeepers Rapport
Human Subjects Review Boards Vulnerable populations Scope and focus Reputational recruiting
Research Design Considerations: Qualitative Data Collection Synchronous Trustworthiness Asynchronous
Research Design Considerations: Quantitative Operational definitions Survey Accessibility Design Assistive Technology Data Cleaning
Recommendations: Universal Research Design • Respects participants • Involves participants • Is fully accessible • Considers privilege and oppression • Has meaningful practical outcomes Explore identity intersections and influence of researcher positionality
Small Group Work Group 1 Group 2 • Practitioners • Assessment • Faculty/ Graduate students • Research
Small Group Questions How could you use these concepts to shape your assessment or research efforts? What challenges are you facing/do you anticipate facing as you conduct your research/assessment? Which model presented is useful in your work with people with disabilities? What are the strengths and limitations? What questions remain for you?
Report Back Summarize your study Common themes across studies Areas for improvement
Questions Access our Power. Point, articles, and resources at: https: //disabilityresearchinhighereducation. wordpress. com/
For Further Information Ellen Broido, Bowling Green State University ebroido@bgsu. edu Susan Rankin, Penn State (retired) sxr 2@psu. edu Kirsten Brown, University of Wisconsin – Madison krbrown 7@wisc. edu Lissa Stapleton, University of Southern Mississippi lissa. stapleton@msu. edu Edlyn Peña, California Lutheran University epena@callutheran. edu Katherine Stygles, Bowling Green State University kstygle@bgsu. edu https: //disabilityresearchinhighereducation. wordpress. com/
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