Special education faculty presents research at three conferences
Stephanie Devine, Ph.D.
Stephanie Devine, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Elementary and Special Education, presented at three conferences in fall 2018.
During the Annual TASH Conference held in Portland, Oregon, Devine presented “Effects of Multimedia Shared Story on Comprehension of an Employee Handbook for Young Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.” Based on a paper, Devine shared research on literacy skill development for young adults (ages 18 and up) with intellectual disabilities, particularly on work-related texts such as employee handbooks. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a multimedia shared story using speech-to-text technology on the text comprehension skills of workplace texts of college students with intellectual disabilities. This study used a multiple probe across participants design to measure the effectiveness of the shared story intervention across three sections of the employee handbook. This research sought to extend the literature by investigating the effects of this literacy treatment package on the participants’ comprehension of the text and their ability to transfer that knowledge into a practical demonstration of related work tasks.
Devine also presented “Practical Applications of the Universal Design for Learning,” at the Council for Exceptional Children TED Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. In this presentation, she discussed the use of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in the classroom. The presentation provided an opportunity to help teachers and teacher educators gain insight into the strategies used to make UDL work in a practical way.
During the annual Council for Exceptional Children Division of Career Development and Transition Conference in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in October, Devine presented “Providing text comprehension supports for young adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in employment settings.” The session addressed research on providing text comprehension strategies and supports for young adults with intellectual disabilities on an adapted employee handbook. Using principles of Universal Design, this adapted text allows the reader to access essential workplace policies and procedures that may aid in successful employment.
Posted in Conferences