Alex Cabanela '23

2022 SOAR Profile

We Thought She Would Be Able to Go: Exploring Parents' Experiences of Ableism Concerning School Trips

Major and Minor: Psychology Major, Education Minor
Hometown: Bath,  PA
Project Advisor(s): Dr. Kahn & Dr. Wynarczuk
General field of study for the project: Special Education

Briefly describe your project.

We analyzed previously-recorded interviews of 26 mothers of students with disabilities. We were interested in seeing what forms of ableism they encountered along with the support they were able to get. Another aspect we ended up looking into was how the mother advocated and supported their child past these obstacles. With this information, we could try and see how educators can collaborate with parents to provide the best support for students with disabilities on school trips.  

Describe the origin of your project. (E.g., did you pitch the idea and choose a faculty member, or did they come to you with an idea?)

I asked Dr. Kahn about potentially doing a SOAR project for the 2022 summer, and she came up with the idea of having me join the research team. The project has been ongoing since Dr. Wynarczuk came to Moravian, and many other faculty have joined to help support students with disabilities on school trips. Bringing me on allowed us to look at the data with a focus on ableism.

What’s the best part about working with your faculty mentor? What valuable insights have they brought to your project?

Both Drs. Kahn and Wynarczuk have been incredibly helpful in teaching me the ins and outs of qualitative research and educational research as a whole. Throughout the summer I was able to have plenty of meaningful conversations regarding support for those with disabilities, the state of our educational system, and personal matters. Every moment working with them was a positive influence on my academic and personal growth.

What has been your biggest obstacle so far?

Some uncontrollable challenges affected our progress throughout the summer. Quarantine or COVID scares, technology issues, and other commitments deterred our timeline occasionally.

What has been your biggest takeaway from this experience?

By far my biggest takeaway is that education research is something I want to continue with. I already had previous experience doing research in psychology, but educational research is a lot more appealing than before. My current plan after Moravian is to go into school psychology, but in the future, I may want to explore educational psychology because of potential research opportunities.

What was the result of your project?

The data suggests that students with different disabilities tend to face various forms of ableism. As a possible result, the mothers feel obligated to take on a lot more responsibilities so their children can actively participate in the trip. Essentially, ableism towards students with disabilities may relate to how involved parents are in student advocacy.

In your own words, how do you feel about being awarded this opportunity? Why should other students take advantage of the SOAR program at Moravian University?

This was one of the most rewarding experiences I could have had at Moravian. I learned so much in terms of research, career growth, and how we can support all students. SOAR gave me the chance to explore research in fields outside of my major, and I think that can be valuable to any student regardless of discipline.

Now that SOAR is over, do you plan to expand upon your research? If so, how?

The research team will continue with other aspects of the overall project. While my focus on ableism may be done, for now, I would like to further explore the role of the parent in supporting their child with a disability on school trips.

Have you, or do you plan to present this research outside the SOAR presentations? If so, where? Be specific, if possible.

We plan on submitting a manuscript to the Journal for Special Education for potential publication. We may also present at some conferences in 2023 either in Pennsylvania or out of state. This information will also be presented to a local parent group so we can have more conversations about advocacy and accessibility.