July 18, 2025Standardized Exams + Disabilities by Kira CampagnaMy goal for this blog post is to inform educators about the tedious process students may face to receive accommodations on standardized tests. I also want readers to consider the current role educators play in the accommodations process and the…
July 15, 2025Mental Health Through a Neurodivergent Lens by Ben KrasnowMental health and neurodivergence are tied together, and I want to hear more about it. In the simplest of terms, neurodivergent people are put under a lot of stress by moving through a world that is not designed with them…
June 17, 2025Dismantling the Department of Education: What About the Kids?by Kira CampagnaOn March 20, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order to begin the process of dismantling the Department of Education. Although it is still unclear what this order will entail and how the Department of Education would change, I find…
June 3, 2025Neuroinclusive Classrooms and Spacesby Caroline J. Ketcham and Kira CampagnaIndividually and collectively, we’ve spent a lot of time thinking about neuroinclusive spaces, particularly in higher education settings. What is a Neuroinclusive Classroom? You may be curious about the term neuroinclusive classroom. Environments such as these are becoming more…
May 13, 2025Perspectives on Alternative Grading by Kira C. Campagna, Caroline J. Ketcham, Benjamin Krasnow, Kaz Kelly, and Stephen Byrd “Traditional” grading is a term used to describe the most common form of grading in an academic setting. In recent years, it has been seen that courses implementing this grading system “tend to be more oriented towards product over process,…
January 3, 2025Why Is It So Different In College?: Individualized Education Plans vs. Accommodations by Kira Campagna and Caroline J. KetchamA common point of confusion in the world of special education, with a shoutout to transitioning from a K-12 system to higher education in the US, are the differences between an individualized education plan (IEP) (often discussed alongside 504 plans), and…
December 3, 2024CEL Student Summer Experiences by Kira Campagna This was my first summer participating in the Center for Engaged Learning student scholar experience. In late spring, I applied to be part of the CEL Student Scholar program. For those who may not know, the program consists of a…
November 1, 2024Learning Disabilities, Meet Learned Helplessnessby Kira CampagnaI am currently undertaking the course Educational Psychology here at Elon. While I was reading a section of my course textbook, I came across a statement that has been stuck in my head all week: “Students with learning disabilities might…
October 22, 2024Reflecting on my Experience as a Neurodivergent Learner by Ben KrasnowI recently started my role as a CEL Student Scholar for the 2024–2026 Research Seminar on Affirming and Inclusive Engaged Learning for Neurodivergent Students. As a neurodivergent student myself, I was able to provide an important perspective for the participants,…
October 8, 2024Building Trust in Mentoring Relationshipsby Sabrina L. Thurman, Azul Bellot, and Tiffanie GrantMutual trust is widely recognized as a significant component of effective mentoring relationships because emotional and psychological safety allows both mentors and mentees to use their energy for learning and productivity rather than self-protection. Unfortunately, limited research exists on building…