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Outstanding Ed.D. Doctoral Study Award Dr. Kimberly Showalter-Barnes was recognized for her research on teacher attitudes about inclusion for students with autism.
The Outstanding Doctoral Study Award is bestowed upon a graduate of the Walden Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program whose doctoral study is judged as meeting the highest standards of academic excellence and as having extraordinary potential for impact on an educational system or institution, student issue, classroom or learning environment.
Recipient: Dr. Kimberly Showalter-Barnes
Program: Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Doctoral Study Title: The Attitudes of Regular Education Teachers Regarding Inclusion for Students with Autism
Nominator Comments: Nominating Walden faculty member and doctoral study committee chair Dr. Marie-Anne Mundy said Showalter-Barnes’ research “is significant because of today’s rising incidence of autism and the effort nationwide to place children with special needs in regular classrooms.” Dr. Mundy added that the study demonstrated that years of experience and training were significant factors relating to teacher attitude toward inclusion [of students with autism]. “According to Showalter-Barnes, autism costs society over $35 billion annually and being able to effectively teach children with autism in the regular classrooms can increase the chances of an independent and productive life,” she said.
About the Doctoral Study: In her research, Dr. Showalter-Barnes explored how teachers’ training and experience affected the educational success of students with autism. Her study recommends urging administrators to plan professional development activities to target teachers with more years of experience and less training in order to create positive attitudes toward the inclusion of students with autism, as teacher attitude directly impacts student achievement.
Awards Ceremony
“I cannot thank Walden University enough for allowing me to achieve something that I would not have deemed possible with a job and a family,” Dr. Showalter-Barnes wrote. She was unable to attend the awards ceremony in Dallas due to family obligations.
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