SPIDERS Scholar Feature: Cara Wilmot
Cara Wilmot is a SPIDERS scholar in the Educational Leadership doctoral program at UNF. Project SPIDERS stands for School-University Partnerships Influencing aDvocacy and Engaging Rural Special educators. This scholarship program for doctoral students is a partnership between the University of Oklahoma, University of Louisville and the University of North Florida. Project SPIDERS prepares special education personnel who are well-qualified for, and can act effectively in, leadership positions in high need rural school systems.
With a dual bachelor’s degree in Deaf Education and Elementary Education from Flagler College and a master’s degree in Special Education from UNF, Cara has honed her skills across various educational settings. Throughout her career, Cara has dedicated herself to serving students from birth to age 22 across the continuum of services, from self-contained classrooms to inclusion support at all levels. Currently, she holds the role of STEM Academy II (Florida) Coordinator for the National Technical Institute for the Deaf Regional STEM Center at the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (NRSC at AIDB). Stemming from AIDB, the STEM Academy is expanding to Florida on the UNF campus in the summer of 2024. Operating under NTID at AIDB, Cara's work encompasses transition programming for youth who are deaf and hard of hearing across several states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Her areas of expertise lie in literacy, transition services, itinerant support and the Expanded Core Curriculum for Deaf/Hard of Hearing (ECC-DHH).
Describe the focus of your current research within the Project SPIDERS program? I am investigating the impact of STEM summer bridge programs for high school students who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH). In the United States, there exists a significant disparity in educational attainment and employment rates between DHH individuals and their hearing peers. For instance, only about 22% of DHH individuals aged 25-64 hold a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to 37.7% among hearing individuals. Similarly, the employment rate for DHH individuals aged 16-64 is notably lower at 55.8%, contrasting with 72.9% among the hearing population (Bloom et al., 2004). Recognizing the potential of STEM careers to bridge this gap, I am collaborating with the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind – National Technical Institute for the Deaf Regional STEM Center (AIDB-NRSC) and Rochester Institute of Technology/National Technical Institute for the Deaf (RIT/NTID) to study the effectiveness of STEM summer bridge programs in facilitating the transition of DHH students to postsecondary training in STEM fields. These programs, including the STEM Academy, provide tailored support to empower DHH students to pursue lucrative careers in STEM.
Secondly, I am delving into the development and implementation of accessible educational materials (AEM) in sign language. AEM plays a crucial role in ensuring equitable education for students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Access to Instructional Materials, 2007). For DHH individuals, limited access to language during critical developmental stages impedes their ability to communicate and learn to read effectively. Through collaborative efforts, I am advocating for the integration of American Sign Language (ASL) videotext as AEM, which shifts instructional paradigms from deficit models to positive sociocultural perspectives. Research indicates that ASL-literate DHH students perform better in reading comprehension, highlighting the transformative potential of ASL videotext as AEM (Zernovoj, 2015).
Lastly, I am actively engaged in enhancing the participation of DHH students in pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS). Partnering with organizations such as the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes (NDC) and the Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Exceptional Student Education (FDOE, BEES), I aim to increase access to Pre-ETS for DHH youth aged 14-21. These services encompass job exploration counseling, postsecondary educational counseling, self-advocacy training, peer mentoring, work readiness training and work-based learning experiences (WBLEs). By facilitating collaborative practices between vocational rehabilitation agencies and educational institutions, we strive to improve post-graduation employment outcomes for DHH students.
What are some of the challenges you have encountered or anticipate to encounter in your research or work within the realm of rural special education? How did you or do you plant to address them? One significant challenge is finding enough deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) students to participate in the research. With less than 1% of students served in special education being DHH and approximately 80% integrated into general education classrooms where they might be the sole DHH student, gathering sufficient data for evidence-based practices (EBP) can be daunting (Cogswell Macy Act, n.d.). Many clearinghouses, essential for validating research, hesitate to review data from such small cohorts. To address this, I've prioritized building relationships and advocating for the recognition of DHH research needs within these clearinghouses.
Another challenge pertains to reading and language intervention for secondary students who are DHH. While federal and state initiatives emphasize evidence-based literacy instruction rooted in the science of reading, the available strategies are often limited, especially for this low-incidence population. Currently, only eight identified strategies meet evidence-based criteria, primarily focusing on elementary-age students. My aim is to contribute to this body of research with a specific focus on secondary students who are DHH. However, the lack of review platforms for low-incidence DHH research presents a hurdle. While the What Works Clearing House doesn't review such research, my colleagues and I are collaborating with the Best Evidence Encyclopedia (BEE) to disseminate knowledge effectively. Through their special focus section dedicated to DHH findings, we aim to bridge the gap and ensure equitable access to evidence-based literacy instruction for all students, including those who are DHH.
How has your work through Project SPIDERS influenced your career aspirations or goals in advocating and engaging with rural special educators? Since joining SPIDERS, I have experienced notable growth and a significant career advancement. The networking opportunities afforded by researching projects for coursework and the leadership skills honed during my research endeavors have paved the way for securing a new position that represents a promotion within my field. I have been in my current role for just eight months, therefore, I am continuously refining my skills through ongoing coursework.
My involvement in the Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) committee spans several years. While progress had been sluggish despite our best efforts, a pivotal moment arose when I applied the principles of a design-for-change project from one of my classes to our committee's endeavors. Surprisingly, within a mere three months, our committee achieved more progress towards our goals than in the preceding two years. Emboldened by this success, we are steadfastly continuing our journey towards achieving our objectives, particularly in enrolling more students who are DHH in Pre-ETS within rural districts.
Moreover, the expansive network of colleagues fostered through SPIDERS has profoundly bolstered my confidence both in academia and in my professional capacities. My cohort at UNF, alongside counterparts from other participating universities, has evolved into a trusted circle of colleagues, with some transcending into cherished friendships. Undoubtedly, this experience has been transformative, marking a pivotal juncture in my personal and professional growth journey.