An Exploration of Educational Leadership in Part C of Idea: Voices from the Field

Given the complexities of providing intervention services and supports to families of infants and toddlers with disabilities birth through 2 years of age, building educational leadership capacity from within the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part C is important. Nevertheless, this area of educational leadership is woefully understudied. This article provides a summary of key themes that emerged from a qualitative survey of 44 identified educational leaders from seven states and various levels of the Part C program. Participants’ understanding of effective leadership clustered into three areas: technical-functional knowledge that is unique to Part C, dispositions that have been identified elsewhere as characteristic of successful leaders, and skill sets that have also been recognized as important for leaders to possess. The article ends with a call to the field for additional research

Health, Wellness, and the Pursuit of Happiness: Common Ground for Adults with Cerebral Palsy and Modern Physical Therapists

Health, wellness, and happiness are important long-term goals for adulthood, especially for children with cerebral palsy (CP). Physical therapists (PTs) can assist individuals with CP realize these goals; however it requires PTs to have a greater understanding of how to apply impairment, functional, or contextual interventions to meet these goals. A critical gap in knowledge exists about perceptions of happiness and health priorities of adults with CP. The purpose of this paper is to describe the beliefs, feelings, and perceptions of happiness and health of adults with CP as compared to adults without CP, specifically PTs

Universal Design for Learning: University Faculty Stages of Concerns and Levels of Use

Increasingly, students with disabilities are attending postsecondary schools.  As with any form of diversity, there are also pedagogical challenges and opportunities that go beyond accommodation and support the goal of learning for all.  This paper describes the results of the data collection phase of a faculty action-research project that grew from a core group of university faculty members’ concerns about how best to support students with disabilities on campus.  A researcher-developed survey was used to identify faculty members’ stages of concern about and use of nine Universal Design for Learning guidelines in their classes.  Findings reveal that the 46 respondents were at the stage of being largely concerned with learning more about the nine guidelines.  The results provide a snapshot of initial stages of concern.  Recommendations for action are provided

Universal Design for Learning in Postsecondary Settings: One Faculty Member’s Journey Toward Making Learning Accessible for all Students

This paper presents a description of a project designed to field test a research-developed faculty development series on embedding Universal Design for Learning (CAST, 2011) into curriculum, instruction, and assessment. A description of Goodwin College, where the project was enacted, is presented. Goodwin is a four-year private not-for-profit postsecondary institution with an open admissions process and is similar in many ways to Connecticut’s community colleges. Highlights from and reflections on the journey of translating knowledge and skills gained are offered as examples of how professional development in universal design can affect faculty practice

Urban Community Schools: Educator Perceptions of the Effects of Children's Health and Wellness on Learning

Findings from a participatory action-research project that brought together 11 individuals from five of Hartfords seven community schools to engage in a focus group discussion about the effects of childrens health and wellness on learning are presented. The researchers and key personnel from Hartford Public Schools and Achieve Hartford! co-constructed the inquiry. Issues identified as interfering with student learning clustered into themes that include students and family members mental, behavioral, nutritional, and domestic/neighborhood health. The results are being used to create a call for translational research proposals for University researchers to address these questions and disseminate findings to Hartford Public Schools and related community partners

Connecticut's New Teacher Evaluation Process: The Concerns and Experiences of Educators in Two Pilot Districts

This paper provides select results from a study that examined public school personnels concerns about implementing Connecticuts new teacher evaluation process. Data were gathered from educators in two districts involved in a statewide pilot of the new process. To examine change over time, study volunteers completed an Internet-based survey twice: in the beginning of the school year and at the end of the school year. A subsample of participants also participated in a focus group at the end of the pilot school year. Results reveal a shift in concerns from a focus on self and tasks to improving the process. At the same time, the level of commitment to implementing the process as experienced in the pilot decreased somewhat