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Using a value-creation framework to evaluate an inclusive education program: A case study in a US middle school
Rachel L. Juergensen
Delaware State University, USA
Amy Pleet-Odle and Meg Knapp
Joyful Inclusion, USA
Inclusion has become the focus of a significant body of research, advocacy, and committed action in communities, businesses, and schools across the United States and beyond. Professional development focused on inclusion is part of a program called Joyful Inclusion. Evaluating the impact a professional development program has on stakeholders is often a neglected piece of the puzzle and there is little agreement about the best way to assess the quality of professional development. In this study, we used a value-creation framework to evaluate the Joyful Inclusion program and whether participation in it made a difference. Results from the study suggest that Joyful Inclusion participants improved and increased their communication with parents of students and family engagement, increased student engagement, empowered their students to take ownership over their learning including giving students choice within their instruction, and used co-teaching strategies to improve outcomes for students with disabilities.
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Authors: Dr Rachel Juergensen (corresponding author) is an Assistant Professor of Special Education at Delaware State University, USA. Her research focuses on equitable opportunities for students with disabilities and students experiencing difficulty in the K-12 classroom. Dr Juergensen also serves as program evaluator for Joyful Inclusion. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3996-7465 Email: rjuergensen@desu.edu Dr Amy Pleet-Odle has over 50 years of experience as an educator. She believes in using a research-based, sequential plan for improvement and a support network to improve outcomes for all students, especially those with disabilities. She is the founder and CEO of Joyful Inclusion [https://amypleet.com/joyful-inclusion-schools] Email: amy@joyfulinclusion.com Meg Knapp is an Administrative Assistant for Joyful Inclusion. She holds accessible education near and dear to her heart as a neurodivergent mother to a neurodivergent child. She utilises her insight as a parent and community member to support the growth of the vision of Joyful Inclusion. Email: meg@joyfulinclusion.com Please cite as: Juergensen, R., Pleet-Odle, A. & Knapp, M. (2024). Using a value-creation framework to evaluate an inclusive education program: A case study in a US middle school. Issues in Educational Research, 34(4), 1350-1368. http://www.iier.org.au/iier34/juergensen.pdf |