UMD Theses and Dissertations
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/3
New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a given thesis/dissertation in DRUM.
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Item The Effects of Causal Attributions and Previous Status on Expectations(2024) Greenberg, Mollie; Lucas, Jeffrey W; Sociology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)In this dissertation, I explore the influence of status history and causal attribution on expectations. I propose that information about status history and causal attribution of status help to explain how expectations form. To test these propositions, I develop a model that accounts for the possible influence of previous history with a characteristic on current expectations. I also propose that causal attribution and previous status information may work in concert to influence expectations. I examine the influence that causal attribution of status has on expectations when status remains consistent and the influence of causal attribution in the event of status change. I begin by assessing the utility of this combined “Status-Attribution Model” overall. Next, I build upon findings examining if perception of status affects both expectations of those being evaluated and behavior toward these individuals. Finally, I explore effects that the combination of status history and attribution has on the self-concept. In Study 1, I found, as expected, that information about status history and information indicating attribution of status can affect expectations. Status loss had a significantly negative effect on evaluations compared to evaluations of those with consistently low status. Also as expected, internal attribution of status led to significant differences between ratings. Results from Study 2 were more variable. As expected, those who experienced status loss were rated as significantly more dependent than those who remained consistently low status on that characteristic. But causal attribution of status did not always affect evaluations. In Study 3, many findings supported my hypotheses. As predicted, internal attribution of low status made individuals rate themselves as less trustworthy and report a lower sense of mastery and self-esteem. And the effect of attribution on self-concept was magnified when considered with status loss. But unexpectedly, those that experienced status loss rated themselves as significantly less able and competent relative to those with consistent low status. Results from each study indicate that factors apart from current status, including status history and causal attribution, can significantly influence expectation formation. Both expected and unexpected findings present many avenues for future research.Item "I love that they exist, even if imperfectly:" Disability, Music Archives, Descriptive Language, and Symbolic Annihilation(2023) Pineo, Elizabeth; Marsh, Diana E; Library & Information Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Drawing on scholarship that addresses symbolic annihilation, this thesis brings together three related studies to argue that music archivists need to address the symbolic annihilation of Disabled individuals within their materials. It offers an assessment of the current state of representation of Disabled individuals in music and non-music archives (chapter 2) and in Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) (chapter 3). From there, it explores the ways in which music and non-music archives are perceived by Disabled individuals with ties to music (chapter 4). Following the presentation of these three studies, the thesis relates combined implications, considerations for further research, and suggestions for methods archivists might use to combat symbolic annihilation and its underlying causes. The author provides practical steps for combatting symbolic annihilation of Disabled individuals throughout, but the final chapter (chapter 5) focuses exclusively on this topic.Item Examining the Disproportionate Representation of Bilingual Children in Special Education(2022) Ortiz, Jose A; Cummings, Kelli D; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Chapter 2: Nonword repetition has been endorsed as a less biased method of assessment for children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, but there are currently no systematic reviews or meta-analyses on its use with bilingual children. The purpose of this study is to evaluate diagnostic accuracy of nonword repetition in the identification of language impairment (LI) in bilingual children. Using a keyword search of peer-reviewed literature from several large electronic databases, as well as ancestral and forward searches, 13 studies were identified that met the eligibility criteria. Studies were evaluated on the basis of quality of evidence, design characteristics, and reported diagnostic accuracy. A meta-regression analysis, based on study results, was conducted to identify task characteristics that may be associated with better classification accuracy. Diagnostic accuracy across studies ranged from poor to good. Bilingual children with LI performed with more difficulty on nonword repetition tasks than those with typical language. Quasiuniversal tasks, which account for the phonotactic constraints of multiple languages, exhibited better diagnostic accuracy and resulted in less misidentification of children with typical language than language-specific tasks. Evidence suggests that nonword repetition may be a useful tool in the assessment and screening of LI in bilingual children, though it should be used in conjunction with other measures. Quasiuniversal tasks demonstrate the potential to further reduce assessment bias, but extant research is limited. Chapter 3: The disproportionate identification of language-related disorders in schools, including communication disorders and specific learning disability, is an ongoing problem for bilingual children, with evidence of both over- and underrepresentation. Previous research has uncovered distinct identification patterns for emergent and English-proficient bilinguals, as well as differences in identification rates across grades. However, there is limited information about disability identification for different groups of bilinguals across grades. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence and incidence of language-related disorders in emergent and English-proficient bilinguals in elementary school. Using a nationally representative, individual-level, longitudinal data set, this study examined representation in language-related disorder categories, as well as identification rates by year. This study also examined individual- and school-level predictors of disability identification for bilingual children. Results indicate that emergent and English-proficient bilinguals exhibit distinct patterns of language-related disorder identification. Emergent bilinguals experienced a disproportionate increase in disability identification rates in third grade, resulting in significant overrepresentation in subsequent grades. By fifth grade, emergent bilinguals experienced approximately twice the odds of being identified with a language-related disorder, compared to monolinguals. English-proficient bilinguals, on the other hand, were underrepresented in language-related disorder categories in early elementary school grades, but experienced identification rates similar to monolinguals by fifth grade. Outcomes from this study provide insight into patterns of language-related disorder identification for bilinguals that have not been addressed in previous research. The implications for education practice and policy are discussed. Chapter 4: The disproportionate representation of bilingual children in special education is an ongoing issue in US schools, with evidence of both over- and underrepresentation. Identification rates of language-related disorders, including communication disorders and specific learning disability, are particularly relevant for bilingual children given the challenges associated with differentiating language difference from disorder and the possibility of misidentification. School-based speech-language pathologists are well positioned to address the issue, but many do not engage in practices that may reduce disproportionate disability identification. The purpose of this practitioner paper is to provide school-based clinicians with an evidence-based model for addressing disproportionality in bilingual children, with a focus on prevention. This paper provides a review of the literature on the topic and integrates information from relevant studies to provide a clear depiction of the nature of the problem. In addition, this paper describes a model of disproportionality prevention, and provides a set of evidence-based methods that clinicians can employ. Topics include, pre-referral intervention, early identification, parent engagement, and collaboration. By adopting the methods described in this paper, school-based speech-language pathologists can strengthen their ability to meaningfully address many of the issues that contribute to over- and underrepresentation of bilingual children in special education.Item Embodied Performance: War, Trauma, and Disability on the Eighteenth-Century Stage(2021) LeRoy, Tamar Dora; Rosenthal, Laura; English Language and Literature; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This project brings attention to the emotional work performed by plays about war from the Restoration and eighteenth century—how these plays position soldiers and communities in relation to one another and the state and in what ways they contribute to the work of negotiating trauma. War-themed plays of the period obsessively reenact tropes and devices that communicate particular affective scenarios or experiences of wartime. These affective scenarios include the temporality of soldiering and enlistment that locks the recruit in a state of inevitable injury and injuring; the longings for return of someone seemingly lost or displaced and the simultaneous fear of the outcome of this return (or no return); and a sense of rootlessness or displacement that unsettles surety in homeland, homecoming, or nation. The tropes and devices that convey these affective scenarios include devices involving the literal substitution bodies, such as bed tricks and dead tricks; an obsessive repetition of scenarios of recognition of identity, reunion, and the many complications of mistaken identity; and humor, joking, and comic tropes (like the soldier breeches role) that communicate a sense of the corporeal/temporal experience of war through the body. From these devices an experiential bridge is created in the playhouse between home front and warfront that positions the soldier as well as the grieving individual as part of a larger affective community. These figures are not isolated by their potentially extreme experiences of the battlefield, enlistment, waiting, or mourning: through the collective space of the stage, their extreme experiences are shown to be acknowledged by the larger group. From these plays, we see the affective experience of war at home from the community networks touched by military conflict.Item EMBODIED HAMLET: DISABILITY, ACCESSIBILITY, GENDER, AND SCIENCE FICTION(2019) Hands, Christine; Widrig, Patrik; Dance; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)“Hamlet” was a thirty-eight minute work of dance art premiered at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland on October 12 and 14, 2018. The work explored four pillars of research through embodied exploration: representation, accessibility, inclusion, and reinvention. These four themes are discussed in the following paper as theoretical points of inquiry. The first chapter discusses representation of peoples with disabilities. The second chapter explores the accessibility features for audience members which were available at the performance. The third chapter considers inclusion and challenges the canon of traditional white, male casting of the role of Hamlet. The fourth chapter discusses the use of science fiction to tie everything together by creating a space of transformative play-acting where people can exercise their imaginations to create a more inclusive and accessible society. Theoretical and scholarly research informs and then reflects the work onstage in “Hamlet.”Item EXPLORING THE ACCESSIBILITY OF HOME-BASED, VOICE-CONTROLLED INTELLIGENT PERSONAL ASSISTANTS(2018) Pradhan, Alisha; Lazar, Amanda; Library & Information Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)From an accessibility perspective, home-based, voice-controlled intelligent personal assistants (IPAs) have the potential to greatly expand speech interaction beyond dictation and screenreader output. This research examines the accessibility of off-the-shelf IPAs (e.g., Amazon Echo) by conducting two exploratory studies. To explore the use of IPAs by people with disabilities, we analyzed 346 Amazon Echo reviews mentioning users with disabilities, followed by interviews with 16 visually impaired IPA users. Although some accessibility challenges exist, individuals with a range of disabilities are using IPAs, including unexpected uses such as speech therapy and memory aids. The second study involved a three-week deployment of Echo Dot, a popular IPA, with five older adults who use technology infrequently. Findings indicate preferences for using IPAs over traditional computing devices. We identify design implications to improve IPAs for this population. Both studies highlight issues of discoverability and the need for feature-rich voice-based applications. The findings of this research can inform future work on accessible voice-based IPAs.Item TEACHERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARD INCLUSION OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN RURAL EL SALVADOR(2015) Sabella, Thomas V.; Beckman, Paula; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The attitude of school teachers toward inclusion of children with disabilities is an important factor in the successful implementation of a national inclusion program. With the universal pressure to provide education for all and international recognition of the importance of meeting the needs of diverse populations, inclusive education has become important to governments around the world. El Salvador’s Ministry of Education seeks to establish inclusion as an integral part of their struggle to meet the needs of children across the country, but this is a difficult process, especially for a country with limited resources which still struggles to meet international expectations of educational access and quality. Teacher attitude is an important factor in the success of inclusion programs and can be investigated in relation to various factors which may affect teachers’ classroom practice. While these factors have been investigated in multiple countries, there is a need for more knowledge of the present situation in developing countries and especially in schools across the rural areas of El Salvador to meet the needs of the diverse learners in that country. My research was a mixed methods case study of the rural schools of one municipality, using a published survey and interviews with teachers to investigate their attitudes regarding inclusion. This research was the first investigation of teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion in rural El Salvador and explored the needs and challenges which exist in creating inclusive schools across this country. The findings of this study revealed the following important themes. Some children with disabilities are not in school and those with mild disabilities are not always getting needed services. Teachers agreed with the philosophy of inclusion, but believed that some children with disabilities would receive a better education in special schools. They were not concerned about classroom management. Teachers desired more training on disability and inclusion. They believed that a lack of resources, including materials and personnel, was a major barrier to inclusion. Teachers’ attitudes were consistent regardless of family and professional experience with disability or amount of inclusion training. They were concerned about the role of family support for children with disabilities.Item Teachers' Beliefs and Practices Toward Children with Disabilities in Ethiopia(2014) Abera, Nicole Taylor; Beckman, Paula J; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The purpose of this study was to examine the beliefs and practices of teachers toward students with disabilities at one early childhood school in Ethiopia. I conducted a case study that included ethnographic features in order to examine teachers' beliefs about children with disabilities, factors that influence their beliefs and ways in which teachers' beliefs are evidenced by their daily classroom practices. I used the bioecological systems theory as a framework to consider data for this study. I conducted a series of classroom observations and interviews with 12 teachers at Addis Early Childhood School (AECS) for this study. I also gathered extensive background and contextual data interviews with other Ethiopian education professionals in order to gather additional data on this topic and to triangulate data I gathered from primary sources. Findings of the study indicate that, although AECS teachers acknowledged that Ethiopian traditional beliefs linking disabilities to supernatural causes persist in Ethiopia, most AECS teachers rejected those beliefs and believed children with disabilities could learn with appropriate support. Teachers' prior training and experience related to teaching children with disabilities influenced their beliefs about children with disabilities. They held similar expectations for all of their students regardless of their abilities, and they often provided assistance and differentiation to students in order to help them meet participatory, behavioral and academic standards. Findings from this study provide valuable information for Ethiopian teachers, education policy makers, and international organizations as they continue to reform Ethiopia's education system and attempt to improve education for all children.Item PREDICTING COLLEGE ADAPTATION AMONG STUDENTS WITH PSYCHIATRIC DISABILITIES(2013) Lin, ChiaHuei; MacDonald-Wilson, Kim; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The number of college students with psychiatric disabilities has been growing steadily in higher education in recent years. Most of these students choose not to disclose their mental health conditions and do not register with disability services. Thus, little is known about the subjective experiences of these students in their college lives. This study seeks to identify college students with psychiatric disabilities and to explore the factors predicting college adaptation among these students. Participants in the study were 292 college students with psychiatric disabilities who completed at least one semester in a large mid-Atlantic University. Participants completed an on-line survey of college adaptation, internalized stigma, social supports, and coping strategies. With hierarchical multiple regression analyses, results of the study suggest that internalized stigma of mental illness has significant relationships with college adaptation. Supports from different sources may play different roles in adaptation to college. Family support was found to be associated with academic adjustment and personal-emotional adjustment, while support from friends was significantly related to better social adjustment and attachment. Use of coping strategies was also found to be predictive of college adaptation. Greater use of seeking support and less use of venting and self-distraction are associated with better academic adjustment. Particularly, self-blame coping was negatively related to all three types of psychosocial adaptation. The current study suggests that interventions that reduce internalized stigma and increase use of effective coping strategies should be developed and implemented in college. Collaboration among special educators in middle schools, families, and college disability services staff is also addressed. Finally, efforts should be made to create services that meet students' needs and increase their willingness to understand and use available resources.Item Disability in Utopian and Dystopian Fiction: A Care and Justice Perspective(2011) Schotland, Sara Deutch; Cartwright, Kent; English Language and Literature; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study addresses a neglected question: how are the ill, the deformed, and the disabled treated in utopian and dystopian fiction? It might seem obvious that those with disabilities will fare better in an ideal society where they receive adequate if not generous care. However, from the beginning of utopian thought, there has been ambivalence about how to treat those who are impaired and can no longer contribute productively to the state. How can such care be justified in a society with limited resources? This is the first study that examines in detail the representation of individuals with disabilities in utopian and dystopian fiction. I apply a capacious definition to "disability" that includes not only physical or mental impairments but also significant illness and bodily deformity. I argue that in utopian and dystopian fiction, we are invited to appraise societies (in part) by the extent to which those who have physical or functional impairments are respected, and treated or neglected. I further argue that the perspectives of "justice theory" and "the Ethics of Care" can illuminate our readings of texts which utilize the trope of disability in utopia and dystopia to critique or reform social institutions. In utopian texts, generous care is provided to those who can no longer work productively. We see approaches that resemble today's Ethics of Care. In contrast, in dystopian texts, human beings are used as means to ends; their bodies literally disabled and sacrificed to achieve ulterior societal objectives. The concept of medical care is subverted--hospitals are slaughter houses, and medicines are spiked to increase the profits of the pharmaceutical industry. In dystopian worlds, vulnerable human beings are used as means to ends in violation of Immanuel Kant's categorical imperative. These dystopian texts send a warning about the dangers of applying utilitarian approaches to medical care and skewing the allocation of scarce resources and therapies to those who are, or seem, most valuable and productive.