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ERIC Number: ED579659
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2017-Sep
Pages: 42
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Educators' Experiences with and Attitudes toward Accessibility Features and Accommodations
Thurlow, Martha L.; Larson, Erik D.; Lazarus, Sheryl S.; Shyyan, Vitaliy V.; Christensen, Laurene L.
National Center on Educational Outcomes
To evaluate the experiences that teachers and other decision makers were having with accessibility features and accommodations, as well as their attitudes toward them, an online survey was conducted with educators in nine states. These states were part of an Enhanced Assessment Initiative grant project to promote optimal decision making about accessibility features and accommodations. This project, Data Informed Accessibility--Making Optimal Needs-based Decisions (DIAMOND), received funding in 2015 to collect information that would support the creation of professional development modules for individuals making decisions within the new accessibility frameworks. On the advice of the nine project states (Alabama, Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, the U.S. Virgin Islands, West Virginia, and Wisconsin) and the project's panel of experts, an educator survey was added to the project activities. Its purpose was to obtain a better understanding of the current state of affairs for educators who were being asked to make decisions about accessibility features and accommodations within the new paradigm. The online educator survey was developed to collect current information from educators on their experiences with accessibility features and accommodations and their attitudes toward them. Three research questions were addressed through the educator survey: (1) What are educator experiences with accessibility features and accommodations?; (2) What are educator attitudes toward accessibility features and accommodations?; and (3) Do educator experiences and attitudes vary by the role of the educator? Most of the 2,000 respondents reported that they work with students who use accessibility features and accommodations, which they believe to have a positive impact on educational outcomes. However, the survey results also show noticeable differences between different groups of educators and suggest that teachers in general education and English learner education may need more support in making and implementing decisions about accessibility features and accommodations.
National Center on Educational Outcomes. University of Minnesota, 207 Pattee Hall, 150 Pillsburg Drive Southeast, Minneapolis, MN 55455. Tel: 612-626-1530; Fax: 612-624-0879; e-mail: nceo@umn.edu; Web site: http://www.cehd.umn.edu/nceo
Publication Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (ED)
Authoring Institution: National Center on Educational Outcomes
Identifiers - Location: Wisconsin; West Virginia; Virgin Islands; Ohio; Minnesota; Michigan; Maryland; Connecticut; Alabama
Grant or Contract Numbers: S368A150015