Albagshi’s research on students’ perspectives toward individuals with disabilities published

Amira Albagshi, assistant professor of educational studies at Ripon College, has published her research on students’ perspectives regarding individuals with disabilities.

The work, titled “A Mixed-Methods Study to Investigate the Effect of Person-Centred Videos on Students’ Attitudes Toward Individuals With Disabilities,” explores how watching videos featuring individuals with disabilities positively engaging in everyday activities could influence the attitudes of elementary school students (grades 3-8) toward their peers with disabilities.

Albagshi said the research utilized a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data collection methods.

Other collaborators on this research included Darcy Miller, a faculty member at Washington State University, specializing in educational practices and inclusive pedagogy, and Hawaa Alshemari, affiliated with the Kuwait Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, contributing expertise in educational assessment and cross-cultural studies.

Albagshi and her colleagues aimed to determine whether presenting person-centered videos featuring individuals with disabilities could improve student perceptions.

“This research began by addressing the ongoing challenge of integrating students with disabilities into mainstream school environments, recognizing that student attitudes are key to creating inclusive spaces,” Albagshi said.

During a six-week period, students watched these videos during assemblies, and their attitudes were assessed using pre- and post-intervention surveys and focus group discussions.

“The results showed meaningful improvements in students’ understanding and feelings toward individuals with disabilities, though changes in behavior were limited,” Albagshi said. “The study concluded that while media can effectively foster empathy, lasting behavioral change requires ongoing engagement and inclusive practices.”

Albagshi said seeing the research recognized by peers and made accessible to educators and policymakers is rewarding and motivating.

“Getting this research published is a deeply fulfilling milestone — it validates the hard work, collaboration, and commitment to making a real difference in inclusive education,” Albagshi said. “It’s especially meaningful because the study addresses a pressing issue: how to positively shape young minds to be more accepting, empathetic and inclusive of individuals with disabilities.”

She said future work to expand this research could include extended interventions, such as classroom-based activities, peer interaction programs or teacher-led discussions to reinforce what students see in the videos.

Albagshi said this is practical research for schools and educators because it’s easy to implement, cost-effective and adaptable to different educational settings.

Since this research directly informs her approach to inclusive education, empathy development and fostering student engagement with diversity, Albagshi said this work has a meaningful impact on her teaching at Ripon.

“Students benefit not only from the content but also from seeing an example of applied research that bridges theory and practice,” Albagshi said. “It encourages them to think critically about social issues and inspires many to explore how they, too, can contribute to more inclusive environments — whether as future educators, psychologists or community leaders.”