In response to the COVID-19 school closures in both K-12 and higher education, a group of educati... more In response to the COVID-19 school closures in both K-12 and higher education, a group of education partners in the United States collaborated to offer a statewide webinar series, 12 webinars in total, to support preservice teachers as they worked to complete their clinical hour requirements. The webinars and extension activities provided via Padlets covered topics associated with best practices and related to credential requirements such as applying universal design for learning and differentiating instruction. This study explored the perceptions of 248 preservice teachers regarding the virtual professional learning format and extension activities, as well as what professional learning they felt they needed in the future as they began their first year teaching during COVID-19. Findings suggest preservice teachers were receptive to learning through the structured webinar platform and found extension activities helpful in applying content. Their knowledge, sense of preparedness, and ...
Employment rates and post-school transition outcomes for individuals with disabilities remain ala... more Employment rates and post-school transition outcomes for individuals with disabilities remain alarmingly low compared to peers without disabilities. Transition plans often focus on skills associated with employment opportunities that are immediately available to the individual with a disability. We contend that transition plans must be developed with specifc attention to projected labor market needs to ensure that we are preparing students with disabilities for long-term success. This research brief describes how the results of an in-depth labor market analysis can be used to develop strong transition plans that prepare students for careers that will last far into the future.
Despite the overwhelming body of research suggesting that students with intellectual disability b... more Despite the overwhelming body of research suggesting that students with intellectual disability benefit from access to general education placements, students with intellectual disability continue to be educated primarily in segregated settings. Furthermore, the percentage of students with intellectual disability included in general education classrooms varies greatly among and within states across the United States. In an effort to explore such variability in New York State, we examined trends in general education placement rates of students with intellectual disability across districts and possible predictors of placement in regular classes. Results suggest that although descriptive patterns of placement exist, a more definitive explanation of variability requires a deeper analysis of policy and procedure at the district level.
The Review of Disability Studies: An International Journal, 2016
Scholars in the field of Disability Studies (DS) have asserted that introducing future and curren... more Scholars in the field of Disability Studies (DS) have asserted that introducing future and current educators to the field of DS may impact their perceptions of disability and their practices in supporting students with disabilities. However, little empirical research exists on how introduction to DS actually shifts their perspectives. This study examined the impact of Disability Studies online modules on the perceptions of education professionals. Results of this study suggested that participating in online modules and learning about Disability Studies did impact the ways in which some participants viewed disability, as well as their views on supporting students. These findings suggest that online DS learning modules could be a powerful tool in preparing education professionals to work with students with disabilities.
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Papers by Meghan Cosier