We conclude a new series of reports called Racer Scholar Profiles, highlighting Murray State Faculty research, scholarly and creative activities across colleges and schools, with Assistant Professor in the Department of Adolescent, Career and Special Education: Dr. Ajay Das. His research centers on inclusive education for students with disabilities through post-secondary education. Dr. Das speaks with Kate Lochte on Sounds Good about his findings.
Dr. Ajay Das' work in researching inclusive education for students with disabilities has taken him recently to India, where he delivered a keynote speech about inclusive education. His work on mathematics instruction for students with disabilities came from observations while teaching high school and from raising his own kids. He's collected data from teachers and found they lacked significant knowledge in the area of evidence-based strategies that are helpful in inclusive classrooms.
Often students with special needs are not pulled aside in a separate classroom or given one-on-one attention to improve their abilities. Teachers, he says, need to have the right skills in their toolbox. He says there's been a greater push for more evidence-based practices in college course instruction at Murray State so that graduates have that knowledge with their degree.
Next, Dr. Das is looking for college students with disabilities on Murray State's campus. His research will look at how they are coping with their deficits, how they are requesting for accommodations from their professors and how professors are meeting the needs of students with documented disabilities. There are about 600 students on campus with special needs. They try to hide their disability, Dr. Das says, or don't want to be up front in disclosing their disability. This is unfortunate, he says, because they are disadvantaging themselves and their academic performance.
He tries to empower his students to be up front about their disability and needs. When students were in K-12, they were covered by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as adults in college their needs are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Dr. Ajay Das is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Adolescent, Career and Special Education of Murray State's College of Education and Health Sciences. We appreciate the assistance of MSU Jesse D. Jones Endowed Professor of Geosciences Dr. Kit Wesler for this series highlighting faculty pursuing interesting and productive ideas that advance knowledge or create novel works of art and literature, informing their teaching and exciting students.
