Congratulations to Tiffany Fielding-Clarke who on Friday, May 15, 2026, successfully defended her dissertation proposal.
The title of Tiffany’s dissertation is, "A QUALITATIVE STUDY AMPLIFYING THE VOICE OF CAREGIVERS OF STUDENTS WITH PROFOUND AUTISM (ASD)."
Overview of Problem: Despite clear policy guidelines under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), many schools still do not provide consistent, individualized, or emotionally responsive transition planning for students with profound ASD and their families (Roux et al., 2015).
Research Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study is to amplify the voices of caregivers of students with severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as they navigate school support during the transition from high school to adult care services. Drawing upon Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (1979), this study situates caregiver experiences within the broader nested systems microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem; that interact to influence the quality of transition planning and outcomes.
Research Design: Interpretive inquiry with qualitative methods for gathering and analyzing interview data.
Sample: The population for this study includes families of students diagnosed with profound autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who are currently enrolled in high school and are expected to transition into full-time adult care services such as residential programs, day habilitation, or therapeutic settings within the next two years
Data Collection: Interviews with 12 parents and caregivers of students diagnosed with profound autism (ASD) who are currently in high school, ages 18-21, and expected to transition into adult care services within the next two years.
Dissertation Committee Chair:
Dr. Susan V. Iverson
Dissertation Committee Members:
Dr. Kalli Kemp
Dr. Leif Albright
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