A Study of the Impact of Online Disability Studies Modules on Teacher Perceptions and Practice

• In Event: 14.033 - Disability Studies in Education: Promoting Justice in the Postsecondary World

Abstract

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 daily teaching practices. However, little empirical research exists on how introduction to DS actually shifts their perspectives and practice. The purpose of this study was to explore how (if at all) introducing teachers to the field of DS changed their perspectives and practices. The results of this study suggest that participating in online modules related to DS did impact the ways in which some teachers viewed disability and special education. These findings suggest that online modules could be a powerful tool in preparing teachers to work with students with disabilities.

Authors

• Meghan Cosier, Trinity Washington University

• Aja McKee, Chapman University

• Audri Gomez, Chapman University