Women with Disabilities in STEM Education Research Agenda Development Project (WWDSE)

American Psychological Assoc, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

Intellectual Merit: The American Psychological Association (APA) is launching an effort to contribute to the knowledge base on disabilities related differences in postsecondary STEM education for women. This includes the educational, social, and pre-professional experiences that influence student interest, academic performance, retention in STEM degree programs, STEM degree completion, and career choices. The "Women with Disabilities in STEM Education Research Agenda Development Project" (WWDSE) will create a research agenda that cultivates an emerging body of scholarly work on women with disabilities in STEM education that will lead to broadening the participation and achievement of women with disabilities in all fields of STEM education. APA is undertaking the following activities: 1) conducting a pre-workshop survey of NSF and Department of Education grantees with expertise in the areas of gender and disability, and 2) convening a workshop on supports and barriers facing women with disabilities in STEM education. Broader Impacts: Although several empirical literatures within psychology address specific aspects of the issue, currently no one line of research specifically identifies or informs our understanding of the supports and barriers to positive educational outcomes for women with disabilities in STEM. This critical gap in knowledge effects efforts to maximize the human capital represented by women with disabilities in meeting national goals of increasing STEM professionals by 2020. APA will disseminate the resulting research agenda to encourage both junior and more seasoned investigators to design studies to answer the questions raised. In addition, the research agenda will serve as a potential guide to funders on ways to direct resources to support this research and begin to provide educators and administrators with the seeds of interventions to better support women with disabilities in STEM education. All deliverables will be made accessible to those with disabilities.