2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Board 161: Engineering Community Inclusion of Individuals with Autism (ECIIA): The Commitment of Community Collaborators in Engineering Education and Industry (Work in Progress)

Presented at Pre-College Engineering Education Division (PCEE) Poster Session

The underrepresentation of neurodiverse individuals, particularly those with autism, in the field of engineering has been well-documented. The inclusion of these diverse learners must involve innovative pathways to engineering instruction. Additionally, steps must be taken to ensure inclusion and success in both educational and workplace settings through individualized supports and by effectively preparing educators, peers, and employers. Engineering Community Inclusion of Individuals with Autism (ECIIA), an NSF-funded project, will employ virtual reality (VR) technology to engage more autistic high school students in engineering. ECIIA builds off the Engineering for US All (e4usa) project, a high school program that expands student and teacher access to engineering. The project will apply the five design elements of collaborative infrastructure to engage Community Collaborators. Community Collaborators include stakeholders such as e4usa high school educators and students, engineering education and VR researchers, and engineers in industry. Autistic individuals serving the role of Autism Advisor will inform all stages of the project, and support Community Collaborators as they gain an understanding of autism and evidence-based practices, develop a collective commitment to the project, and identify individualized commitment goals and objectives that will increase inclusion and advocacy. In sum, ECIIA will lead to the development of VR that is disability-responsive and lay the groundwork for change by building a network of Community Collaborators to broaden participation and foster authentic inclusion in the field. The work in progress presents the overall project and preliminary results from focus groups and surveys collected from both Community Collaborators and Autism Advisors as they engage in the project.

Authors

Dr. Jennifer Lee Kouo http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4609-8555 The Johns Hopkins University [biography]

Dr. Jennifer Kouo is an Assistant Research Scientist at the Center for Technology in Education (CTE) at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education. Jennifer’s areas of expertise include Universal Design for Learning, technology integration, assistive technologies, and serving students with a range of disabilities, particularly autism spectrum disorder. She is currently engaged in multiple research projects that involve transdisciplinary collaborations in the field of engineering, medicine, and technology, as well as research on teacher preparation and the conducting of evidence-based practices in multiple contexts. Jennifer’s publications appear in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, and Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities.

Before joining the CTE, Jennifer was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education at Towson University. Prior to joining higher education, she was a special education teacher at the Kennedy Krieger School: Fairmount Campus. Dr. Kouo holds a B.S. in Integrated Elementary and Special Education from Towson University, an M.S. in Special Education from Johns Hopkins University, and a Ph.D. in Special Education with an emphasis in severe disabilities and autism spectrum disorders from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Jeanette Chipps http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9029-2304 The Johns Hopkins University [biography]

Jeannie Chipps is a research assistant at the IDEALS institute at Johns Hopkins. Her interests are in supporting teachers in their efforts to create learning environments that support diverse learners in STEM.

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Broadening Participation in Engineering and Engineering Technology
Pre-College