The goal of this training program is to learn if the intervention (i.e., training program) can improve access to Section 504 among students with disabilities and family caregivers. If students with disabilities and/or family caregivers are educated and empowered about Section 504, then there may be improved access to higher-quality of Section 504 plans. We aim to answer the following question: Is the training program effective? If there is a comparison group: We (our research team) will compare the intervention group to a waitlist-control group to discern differences in advocacy, empowerment, and knowledge and, subsequently, higher quality Section 504 plans and greater access to services. Participants will: * Attend an online class for an hour and a half each week for 6 weeks * Complete a pre-survey * Complete a formative evaluation after each program session * Complete a summative evaluation after the entire advocacy program * Complete a post-survey after completing the advocacy program * Complete a follow-up survey * Submit a copy of their child's (or their) Section 504 plan after providing consent
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
160
Training program about Section 504 for individuals with disabilities and/or family caregivers of an individual with disabilities.
Materials-only then access to advocacy training around Section 504 plans for individuals with disabilities and/or family caregivers of individuals with disabilities. Will have advocacy training 6 months after the control group.
It is all on zoom (so anyone in the country can join)
Nashville, Tennessee, United States
RECRUITINGKnowledge of Section 504
This is a 20 item measure; each item has four response options. Only one response option is correct. The score is the sum of correct responses ranging from 0 to 20.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the training program at six weeks
Advocacy Activities Scale
This is a 15 item measure wherein each item has four response options. The final score is the sum of the response options.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the training program at six weeks
Empowerment
This is a 34 item measure wherein each item has four responses. The score is the sum of the responses.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the training program at six weeks
Quality of the Section 504 plan
This is a rubric which gauges the quality of the Section 504 plan. The score reflects a range from 0-15 of needed items on the Section 504 plan.
Time frame: From enrollment to six months after the end of the training program
Service access
This is a 24 item measure that examines whether a certain support is received. The score is the sum of received supports (ranging from 0-24).
Time frame: From enrollment to six months after the end of the training program
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