Anjali J. Forber-Pratt

The Perspectives of Students with and without Disabilities on Inclusive Schools.

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of students with and without disabilities being educated in inclusive schools, documenting their perceptions of the culture of their school, inclusion, and the practices that were implemented to support all students. Focus groups were conducted with 86 students with and without disabilities from six schools that were recognized as exemplars of inclusive schoolwide practices. Three major themes emerged: (a) students’ sense of belonging in their school culture, (b) inclusion and its impact on students, and (c) school and classroom practices, such as positive behavior support systems, co-teaching, and instructional practices related to student self-determination and direction, feedback and re-teaching, multiple means of representation and expression, and technology utilization. Implications of these findings for implementing inclusive practices in other schools are discussed.

Preliminary Validity and Reliability of Scores on the Self-Determination Inventory: Student Report Version:

The purpose of this article is to describe preliminary psychometric characteristics of a student self-report measure of self-determination, the Self-Determination Inventory: Student Report version (SDI-SR), designed for youth with and without disabilities. We administered the draft assessment to 311 youth and examined item functioning using structural equation modeling and item response theory. The 50 items that demonstrated strong psychometric properties were examined for construct validity using a series of confirmatory factor analyses. Overall, the pilot measure aligned well with the theoretical framework that guided its development, demonstrating acceptable model fit in adolescents with and without disabilities. Implications for further development and practice are discussed.

A Model of Social and Psychosocial Identity Development for postsecondary students with Physical Disabilities

Social and psychosocial development for all students is a central goal of higher education. Courses in college student development and student affairs have become core classes across universities for students majoring in higher education leadership, higher education policy studies, and related areas. Such courses are designed to expose program majors to the profile of students attending institutions of higher education including four-year universities and community colleges. Additionally, such courses introduce participants to the theories that help explain how post-secondary students from various backgrounds develop social and psychosocial identities and the potential barriers and challenges they face on college campuses while moving through this process. As Evans, Forney, Guido, Patton, and Renn state, “becoming knowledgeable about student development requires serious study, including critical analysis and evaluation of theory and research” (2010, 2). Armed with this knowledge, daily interactions with students are improved and “program planning and policy development are both enhanced” (Evans et al. 2010, 2).

Understanding posttraumatic growth of paratriathletes with acquired disability

Abstract Purpose: To examine the relevance of key components of Organismic Valuing Theory of Growth through Adversity in understanding posttraumatic growth amongst paratriathletes with acquired disability. Methods: Semi-structured interviews informed by organismic valuing theory of growth through adversity were conducted with 14 elite paratriathletes (eight male, six female). To increase the likelihood that participants had experienced posttraumatic growth, a short form of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory was completed prior to interview participation. Interview data were analyzed using directed content analysis. Results: Although the initial response to disability was largely negative, paratriathlon experiences were reported to be a mechanism through which growth was facilitated. In particular, participants suggested that social, competence, empowerment, and identity development processes were instrumental in facilitating posttraumatic growth. Conclusions: Analysis identified themes largely consistent with the main tenets of organismic valuing theory of growth through adversity, supporting its utility in understanding response to a traumatic event and subsequent growth. These findings also suggest that para sport may be an efficacious means for promoting posttraumatic growth, especially for individuals with severe initial reactions to their disability. Lastly, findings suggest that fostering perceptions of competence, autonomy, and social connection may promote posttraumatic growth. Implications for Rehabilitation Acquiring a physical disability may have a detrimental impact on the satisfaction of an individual’s fundamental psychological needs. In order to foster posttraumatic growth, the para sport environment should allow for participants to feel competent, autonomous, and to have meaningful interactions with fellow athletes and coaches. Para sport may be particularly beneficial for individuals with previous sporting backgrounds and for those with severe initial reactions to their disability.

The Emergence of a Human Services Cooperative to Support Families and Young Adults with Disabilities: Implications for Disability Services and Supports

This paper documents the experiences of a group of parents who came together to form a human service cooperative in their local community to address the needs of their adult children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Each parent felt that their childs needs were not (or could not be) met by existing providers. Parent leaders who formed the Board of Directors of the human service cooperative were interviewed, and key themes in the emergence and growth of the cooperative were identified. Issues in the development and implementation of innovative services and supports are summarized, and implications for policy, research, and practice are outlined.

Multiple Oppression and Tackling Stigma Through Sport

The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of the relationships between disability and gender, race, sexuality, class and religious beliefs in the context of Paralympic sport. These differences in the context of Paralympic sport are only beginning to be discussed and examined. In order to explore the effects of multiple oppressions, a case study will be used to examine how individuals, such as a Paralympic athlete, might deal with conflicting identities and associated stigmas.

From core belief challenge to posttraumatic growth in para sport athletes: moderated mediation by needs satisfaction and deliberate rumination

Abstract Purpose: To examine how deliberate rumination and psychological need satisfaction interact to facilitate posttraumatic growth for para sport athletes with acquired disability. Methods: Utilizing a sample of 70 para sport athletes, the hypothesized mediating role of deliberate rumination was examined via a simple mediation model. The interaction between needs satisfaction and deliberate rumination and their effect on posttraumatic growth was examined utilizing a moderated mediation procedure. Results: Disruption to one’s core beliefs was significantly associated with posttraumatic growth. This relationship, was in part, explained by the deliberate rumination engaged in soon after the trauma. Needs satisfaction, while a significant predictor of posttraumatic growth, did not moderate the indirect effect. Conclusions: Although deliberate rumination at both timeframes and needs satisfaction were independently associated with posttraumatic growth, they did not interact in the hypothesized manner to influence posttraumatic growth. There remains a need to better understand how the experience of posttraumatic growth is achieved amongst individuals with acquired disability, and the role that para sport may play in this process. Implications for rehabilitation The disruption to one’s core beliefs caused by acquiring a physical disability is not only a natural experience but also a necessary antecedent to posttraumatic growth. As such, rehabilitation practitioners ought to normalize these types of challenges when working with individuals with acquired disability. Practitioners may help to facilitate growth outcomes by encouraging individuals to deliberately ruminate about their acquired disability. That is, practitioners can help those with acquired disability to seek meaning and understanding about their disability or the precipitating event. For those who struggle to deliberately ruminate in the immediate disability aftermath, practitioners may encourage para sport participation to potentially prompt constructive cognitive processing. Individuals with acquired disabilities would also be well served by rehabilitation practitioners and para sport organizations that provide opportunities for basic psychological needs satisfaction. Specifically, individuals with acquired disabilities should be given the opportunity to demonstrate physical competence, make meaningful relationships, and feel a sense of volitional control over their rehabilitation or para sport participation. For example, practitioners and para sport organizations could establish mentorship programs wherein individuals with more recent disabilities can be mentored by those with greater disability experience.

“Not Everybody Can Take Trips Like This”: A Paralympian’s Perspective on Educating About Disability Around the World

This chapter presents an autoethnographic account of my experiences living with multiple identities as a disabled adopted woman of color and reflections from my travels to poverty-stricken areas helping to advance disability policies and promoting awareness. The stories presented allow readers to interrogate, or question the world, where we’ve come from, where we are today. The significance of this chapter rests in what Ellis (The ethnographic I: a methodological novel about autoethnography. Altamira Press, Walnut Creek, 2004), a well-known autoethnographer, describes as producing survivor tales that open up a moral and ethical conversation. The two stories being told are about my experiences returning to India, my place of birth, and the moment of shifting from being an outsider looking in at the culture to becoming an insider looking out. This story is about the intersection of disability, race, and my perspectives on poverty pertaining to my own identity development. The second story, building on these experiences, is about work I’ve completed in Ghana to help develop opportunities for persons with disabilities in the realm of sport. In this nation, I learned the power sport has to serve as a catalyst for social change in improving the lives and opportunities for persons with disabilities. Key policy makers and decision makers for the country of Ghana interested in disability affairs who had previously never met each other came together to improve lives for persons with disabilities. Collectively, these experiences of oppression and facing stigmas strengthened and enhanced my own identity development, and may serve as a catalyst for others’ reframing of their own experiences.