Theses and Dissertations
Date of Award
2024
Document Type
Dissertation - NSU Access Only
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice
Advisor
Linda Gaughan
Committee Member
Derek Mann
Committee Member
Kimberly Durham
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, higher education leadership, peer mentoring, generic qualitative research, developmental disabilities, social support
Abstract
This applied qualitative dissertation was designed to examine how administrators design, implement, and perceive undergraduate students’ involvement in peer mentorship programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities including autism spectrum disorders. An interview protocol was designed and used to collect data from college administrators to investigate how they describe their colleges’ involvement in peer mentorship programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Individual interviews with six participants who are university administrators confirmed that they were in favor of staff and faculty training. University administrators could apply the insights gained to improve training for staff and faculty. Another finding was programs for students with intellectual and developmental disorders can help with the challenges encountered by college students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Those programs allow college students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to thrive in educational settings.
It is recommended that future qualitative studies include larger and more diverse groups of participants from various colleges and universities. It is also recommended that the research include institutions from multiple states rather than focusing on a single state, which would provide a broader perspective.
NSUWorks Citation
Armando M. Carrasco. 2024. College Programs Designed for Students With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Generic Qualitative Study. Doctoral dissertation. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. (691)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/fse_etd/691.
