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Grad Students Research
Tsz-Wing Zita Lau, Western University
Tsz-Wing Zita Lau is a PhD student in the School and Applied Child Psychology program at Western University. Zita completed her Master of Arts at the same institution, examining children’s thoughts on social exclusion of peers with learning difficulties in inclusive education. Participants were invited to share their ideas and sort the data into meaningful categories through the group concept mapping methodology, which allowed educators and researchers to perceive from students’ perspectives. Zita would like to further explore students’ educational experiences in inclusive classrooms and bring more attention to children’s voices in research. Her supervisor is Dr. Jacqueline Specht.
Supervisor: Dr. Jacqueline Specht
Evan Charles, Western University
Supervisor: Dr. Jacqueline Specht
Jessica Delorey, Western University
Jessica Delorey is a PhD student in the School and Applied Child Psychology program at Western University. Under the supervision of Dr. Jacqueline Specht, Jessica’s research for her M.A. thesis explored experiences that shape beginning teachers’ beliefs about teaching and learning in inclusive classrooms as they transition from their teacher education program into the early years of their career.
Supervisor: Dr. Jacqueline Specht
Petra Owusu, Western University
Supervisor: Dr. Jacqueline Specht
Fizza Haider, University of Victoria
Fizza Haider is a recent graduate! In December, 2021 she earned an M.A. at the University of Victoria, pursuing graduate work in special/inclusive education within Educational Psychology under the supervision of Dr. Donna McGhie-Richmond. Her research focuses on exploring factors and experiences that influence the development of beginning teachers’ self-efficacy for teaching in diverse classrooms. She is interested in understanding the quality and nature of such experiences so that they can be promoted at both the pre-service and in-service level for building teachers’ confidence and competence for inclusive instructional practices. Previously, she has worked with both children and young adults with varying levels of cognitive, developmental and physical abilities, evaluating their needs, providing appropriate instruction, and facilitating the provision of academic accommodations.
Supervisor: Dr. Donna McGhie-Richmond
Research Awards
Graduate Student Research Awards
Inclusive Education Research Award
The Inclusive Education Research Award is funded by Foundation Western, and administered by the Canadian Research Centre on Inclusive Education. Each year, up to three awards of $750 each will be granted to graduate students in education.
Each recipient must be a graduate student in the Faculty of Education at Western who is conducting a research project that is part of the thesis/dissertation requirement for completion of their program of study.The applicant’s research proposal must address an issue that is related to the inclusion of students who represent a diversity of backgrounds or learning needs.
2021 Recipients
Candace Brunette-Debassige: The trickiness of policy practices: Indigenous women administrators' experiences in Canadian universities
Evan Charles: Predicting teachers' long-term self-efficacy for teaching in inclusive classrooms: A five-year longitudinal analysis
Jessica Jean Campbell Coulson Award
Established through Foundation Western by the late Mr. David Campbell (BA ’38), this award is presented in memory of his daughter, Jessica Jean Campbell Coulson, a teacher who inspired students with learning disabilities to succeed by focusing on their strengths. Each year, one award of approximately $2,000 is given.
The recipient must be a full-time graduate student in the Faculty of Education , having an average of 78% or better, and conducting research on a topic that is relevant to the inclusion and education of students withexceptionalities.
2021 Recipient
Tsz-Wing Zita Lau: Beginning teachers' development of inclusive practices: A longitudinal multiple case-study approach
Below: Zita Lau (right) receives the Jessica Jean Campbell Coulson Award. Photo taken in 2018 when Zita received the Award for a previous research study completed for her Masters degree.
