sigcse 2008, portland, or, usa march 15, 2008 course experiences of computing students with...

SIGCSE 2008, Portland, OR, USA

March 15, 2008

Course Experiences of Computing Students with

Disabilities: Four Case Studies

Katherine DeibelComputer Science and

EngineeringUniversity of Washington,

Seattle

March 15, 2008SIGCSE 2008, Portland, OR, USA 2

Inclusive Education

−Preemptively build accommodations into one’s educational practices [Loreman, 2005]−Minimizes accommodation requests−Proactive instead of reactive

−Focus on all forms of disabilities−Involves good pedagogical practices:

−Reflective learning, collaborative learning, attention to different learning styles, etc.


What about Computing Education?

What is the state of our current inclusive practices?


Outline

−Introduction−Methodology−Participants−Themes−Discussion−Conclusion


Previous Work

Studying Our Inclusive Practices:Course Experiences of Students with

Disabilities−Presented at ITiCSE 2007−Describes challenges of conducting disability

research−Suggests appropriate protocols and methodologies


Illustrative Case Study

−In-depth investigation of a phenomenon

−Looks at only a few instances−Findings are:

−To enhance current knowledge−To support or challenge theories−To stimulate conversation

−Case studies are NOT to be generalized

Semi-Structured Interviews

Grounded Theory Analysis



Participants

−4 students interviewed−Two interviews per participant

−Mid-quarter−End of term


Student Profile: Alan

−26 year old male junior (commuter)−Developmental disability affecting

memory and reading/writing ability−Enrolled in computer animation−Art major−Registered with disability services

−Books-on-tape−Note takers


Student Profile: Seth

−18 year old male freshman−Deaf in left ear−Enrolled in CS1−Interested in computer engineering−Plays saxophone in a jazz band−Used a hearing aid as a child−Chooses not to use a hearing aid now−Talked with disability services but

ineligible for accommodations


Student Profile: Pam

−19 year old female freshman−General anxiety disorder−Enrolled in CS2−Interested in CS or EE−Recent diagnosis of anxiety disorder

and panic attacks−Discloses only to family and close

friends−Only beginning to view anxiety as a

disability−Not registered with disability services


Student Profile: Dave

−19 year old male freshman−Obsessive-compulsive disorder,

anxiety, and low-level depression−Enrolled in CS1 (out of curiosity)−Psychology / Pre-Med major −Father called up for deployment to

Iraq−Completed only 1 of 2 interviews−Applied for a hardship course

withdrawal


Identified Themes

−Self-Advocacy−Family Support−Friend Support−Personal Definitions of Disability−Attention to Different Learning Styles−Access to Course Artifacts and Materials−Frustration with Collaboration Policies−Podcasting


Identified Themes (in paper)

−Self-Advocacy*−Family Support−Friend Support−Personal Definitions of Disability−Attention to Different Learning Styles*−Access to Course Artifacts and Materials*−Frustration with Collaboration Policies−Podcasting*


Identified Themes (in talk)

−Self-Advocacy*−Family Support−Friend Support−Personal Definitions of Disability−Attention to Different Learning Styles*−Access to Course Artifacts and Materials*−Frustration with Collaboration Policies−Podcasting*


Self-Advocacy

−Taking personal responsibility for managing one’s disability (for better or worse)


Self-Advocacy


Seth

−Chooses not to use a hearing aid

−Usually chooses seating positions that favor his good ear

−Sometimes sits by friends instead

−Contacts instructors before start of every term about accommodations

Alan


Self-Advocacy


Would you ask an instructor or TA for help regarding your anxiety?

“Because of the person I am, I probably would not tell them and try to deal with the problem myself... I’d just think I’d be kind of embarrassed and feel like I was just complaining...”

Pam

Q:


Self-Advocacy


−Takeaway:−Students with disabilities decide when and

if to ask for assistance−Inclusive practices offer a way to provide

assistance without the need for requests


Access to Course Artifacts and Materials

−Many of the course materials in CS1 and CS2 available on the course website




Seth

Pam

Dave

−Reduces anxiety about getting lost or missing a lecture for both Dave and Pam

−Fallback in case he mishears or misses something in lecture




−Even minor breakdowns in access lead to problems





Pam

−CS1 and CS2 use a password protected online textbook

−Pam used CS1 text to prepare for exams and assignments

−CS2 TA forgot to give out password−Increased Pam’s anxiety over CS2

exams and assignments




−Even minor breakdowns in access lead to problems−Animation course lectures were

mainly software tutorials −Difficult for Alan to take notes−A set of tutorials on DVDs were

available but only during TA lab hours

−Availability further limited by Alan being a commuter student

Alan





−Takeaway:−More reasons to have course repositories−Simple breakdowns can be noticeably

damaging to students with disabilities


Podcasting

−UW Podcasting Initiative−Automatic audio recording and online

posting of lectures for some courses−Motivated primarily to be cutting-edge−Not considered [originally] as a disability

support−Usage and performance being studied and

evaluated


Podcasting

−None of the computing courses used podcasting

−Students’ other courses have used podcasting


Podcasting


−Students’ other courses have used podcasting−Lessens stress of note taking

Alan

Seth

−Fallback in case he mishears or misses something in lecture


Podcasting



“I’ve never done that because I’ve never had this much trouble with a class before but I definitely would with computer science if that were an option... It would be so much nicer to have a podcast.”

Dave

When asked if he has ever listened to podcast lectures in his other courses


Podcasting



−Takeaway:−Podcasting has potential as a disability

accommodation−Educational technology initiatives can have

unexpected benefits towards inclusion


Themes Redux

−Self-Advocacy−Access to Courses Artifacts and Materials

−Breakdowns−Podcasting


Potential Criticisms of Cases

−Not blind, deaf, mobility-impaired, etc.−3 of 4 students not registered with disability

services−2 of 4 students do not view themselves as

having a disability



−Not blind, deaf, mobility-impaired, etc.

Learning 55%

Mental/Emotional 10%

Health 6%Other 5%

Mobility 12%

Speech 1%

Visual 5%

Hearing 6%

Disabilities at U.S. Colleges & Universities (NCES Report 1999-046)

Disabilities of Students Registered with Disability Services at 4-year U.S.

Universities



−Not blind, deaf, mobility-impaired, etc.

Alan

Seth

Pam

Dave





having a disability





having a disability−All cases meet academic definition of disability−All cases involve invisible disabilities

−Option of avoiding the stigma of disability [Cory, 2005]−Students with invisible disabilities tend to delay

requesting accommodations [Cory, 2005]





having a disability


Findings and Takeaways

−Cases align with current knowledge about university students with disabilities

−There are students who do not register with disability services in computing courses−Disabilities still lead to problems and difficulties−Inclusive pedagogies reaches all students

regardless

−No findings specific to computing education−Possibility still of field-specific barriers to inclusion−Inclusive education practices are readily applicable


Conclusions

−Illustrative cases provide vivid insights into experiences of students with disabilities

−Themes and takeaways suggest directions for further research into making computing education accessible to all students


Acknowledgements

Special thanks goes to…−The participants−Sheryl Burgstahler and Rebecca Cory, DO-IT−The SIGCSE reviewers

Questions..?


Extra Slides


Inclusive Education (cont.)

−Implemented and studied with success at many schools [Clough & Corbett, 2000].

−Numerous inclusion guides exist:−K-12: Loreman et al., 2005.−College: Burgstahler, 2005; Strange, 2000.

−Involves good pedagogical practices:−Reflective learning, collaborative learning,

attention to different learning styles, etc.


Methodology

−One-on-one interviews:−60 minutes−Students with disabilities in

their first or second computing course

−Participants interviewed twice

−Analysis−Simultaneous with data

collection−Themes emerge from data






−One-on-one interviews−Prepared questions only a

guide −Subject drives conversation−Two interviews conducted

(middle and end of term)






−Inductively develop themes from data

−Occurs throughout the data collection process−Themes evolve as more data is

considered−Explore and challenge themes

with new data






−How does your instructor run the course? What do you like? Not like?

−How does your disability affect your education?

−Assuming that your instructor(s) knew about your disability, how would you want them to respond to you as a student?





Summary of Students

AlanAnimation courseArtDevelopmental disabilityUses disability services

PamCS2Intended CS or EE majorGeneral anxiety disorder

SethCS1Intended CS majorDeaf in one ear

DaveCS1PsychologyOCD, depression, anxiety


Self-Advocacy


−Failure in self-advocacy leads to embarrassment

“Generally, I try to keep my parents out of my business being that I’m a junior in college, but at this point my mom did get involved because she saw how frustrated and angry I was.”

Alan

Describing the aftermath of failing to receive the animation textbook on tape in time.


Attention to Different Learning Styles

−The students readily identify what teaching styles work or do not work for them

Seth

−Prefers when instructors write and say aloud what they are doing

−Helps bypass his hearing problems

Alan

−Software tutorials in class difficult to take notes about

−Recognizes usefulness to others




Alan






Seth

−Prefers when instructors write and say aloud what they are doing

−Helps bypass his hearing problems

Alan






−Views in-class problems as productive

−OCD can lead to him obsessing over why a solution does not work

−Uses provided slides to look ahead and understand the solution

−Thus avoids being distracted

Dave




−Takeaway:−Teaching with multiple learning styles in

mind helps make the classroom inclusive−Polling the students about their preferred

learning styles could be fruitful


Podcasting


−Students’ other courses have used podcasting−Provided note takers do not capture all the material in a lecture

−Podcasts helpful for filling in gaps−Advantageous for commuter

students

Alan


Podcasting



Alan

“I actually recently purchased an iPod for podcasts, and I’ve taken lectures with podcasting before and have done really well when it has been podcasted because I have been able to keep up and I can listen to it anywhere… on the bus…"

sigcse 2008, portland, or, usa march 15, 2008 course experiences of computing students with...

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