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Summary

AERA is the world’s largest conference of education researchers and showcases innovation in the field.

Rectangular AERA 2025 image with conference details and theme.

Dr. Stephanie W. Cawthon will be presenting her research findings and giving a special keynote at the American Education Research Association Annual Meeting (AERA 2025) on April 23-27, 2025, in Denver —  the world’s largest showcase for groundbreaking and innovative education research. 

A Special Keynote Presentation

Dr. Cawthon has been invited to give a special keynote presentation to AERA’s Inclusion and Accessibility in Educational Assessment Business Meeting on Saturday, April 26. 

She will address her founding of the National Disability Center for Student Success in 2023 — and its innovative and interdisciplinary approach that centers the disabled student experience — and the 2024 publication of her new book, Disability Is Human: The Vital Power of Accessibility in Everyday Life, which seeks to dispel myths and raise expectations about disabled people. 

Measuring Accessibility on Campus

Her first research presentation, Access for All? Including the Student Perspective in Measures of Campus Accessibility, is a roundtable on Wednesday, April 23, co-presented with Desirée Lama, Ryan A. Mata, Soren Aldaco, Lily Grace Alvarez, and Madeline Celeste O’Grady from the National Disability Center. 

It is part of the session “Empowering Voices: Equity and Agency in Higher Education.” 

At the roundtable, they will report the process and the outcomes of the pilot of the National Disability Center’s research project, the Campus Accessibility Measure (CAM), which addresses the need for a comprehensive measure of accessibility for students in higher education. By prioritizing accessibility, higher education institutions foster an inclusive and effective learning environment for all students, especially disabled students. However, despite the recognized value of accessibility, there are few validated measures of accessibility in higher education. 

This research measure consisted of two subscales, one for instructor-level and institution-level accessibility. For example, instructor-level items relate to learning experiences in the classroom, whereas institution-level items relate to the accessibility of campus systems and services. The validation process included diverse perspectives during design, survey pilot, and cognitive lab interviews. 

Boosting Academic Engagement and Outcomes

Dr. Cawthon’s second research presentation, College Readiness and Academic Outcomes for Students Who Use Disability Services in Community Colleges, is a paper on Thursday, April 24, co-presented with North Cooc, Anna-Maria Fall, Greg J. Roberts, Denisa Gàndara, Pierce Capelli, and Michael Bohlig. 

It is part of the session “Bridging the Gap: Transfer Students, Advising Styles, and Academic Support Structures.” 

In this study, they examine how enrollment in developmental courses may relate to engagement and academic outcomes among students who use disabilities services. Enrollment in remedial and developmental courses is a measure of college readiness and a common experience among U.S. college students, particularly those with disabilities at two-year colleges. 

Using data from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement 2021-2023 cohort (n = 218,302 students, 481 community and technical colleges, 44 states) and multilevel structural equation modeling, they find that developmental course enrollment is associated with higher levels of engagement and perceived academic skills and career preparation. The results have implications for supporting students with disabilities in entering and completing college.

About AERA 2025

AERA 2025 is a showcase for groundbreaking, innovative education research in an array of areas, including postsecondary settings, disability, and accessibility. The year’s theme, Research, Remedy, and Repair: Toward Just Education Renewal, asks researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to “share insights from our work toward a goal of improving education for all and to remind ourselves of the critical importance education holds in realizing democratic ideals.” 

Check the AERA 2025 program for complete details, times, and locations. The conference hashtag is #AERA25.

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