2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Board 154: Broadening Participation and the Mission of Engineering for US All: A Case Study of Engineering in a Classroom Serving Students with Disabilities (Work in Progress)

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

Strategic Goal 1 of the NSF 2022-2026 Strategic Plan aims to broaden the participation of the "Missing Millions" or under-served, underrepresented, and marginalized populations to fully participate in STEM. Students with disabilities represent one of these marginalized groups. In response to this NSF priority, Engineering for US All (e4usa) democratizes access to engineering knowledge and practices, especially for students from underrepresented groups and areas with limited access to engineering education. The curriculum developed by e4usa includes hands-on engineering projects and is designed to be engaging and relevant to real-world problems. Furthermore, it seeks to promote not only technical knowledge and skills but also creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills essential in the engineering profession. Through these efforts, e4usa is broadening participation in engineering professions and promoting a diverse engineering workforce that can address the various challenges faced by society. This work in progress presents a case study of a high school special education teacher implementing the e4usa curriculum for students with disabilities. The work in progress paper will present the intentional modifications and supplements to the curriculum that aided in the removal of barriers and increased access to and success in engineering education for students with disabilities in the classroom.

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.
Ms. Rachel Figard http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1524-5778 Arizona State University [biography]

Rachel Figard is a Ph.D. candidate in Engineering Education and Systems Design at Arizona State University. She received her M.S. in User Experience from Arizona State University and B.S. in Industrial Engineering from North Carolina State University.

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Broadening Participation in Engineering and Engineering Technology
Pre-College