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This chapter examines in-service teachers’ transformed perspectives and practices for educating emergent bilinguals resulting from graduate study in a bilingual education graduate program in Chicago. This examination is contextualized in consideration of emergent bilinguals relative to the changing face of P-12 classrooms and gaps in teacher education. Findings from autoethnographic and discourse analytic inquiry suggest that teacher preparation in bilingual education (1) prepared and empowered in-service teachers to meet the academic, social, and cultural-linguistic needs of emergent bilinguals in their classrooms and (2) fostered a conscious inner transformation in in-service teachers that resulted in new ways and purposes of interacting with emergent bilingual students, their families, and colleagues. Findings also suggest that although there is institutional progress in meeting emergent bilinguals’ needs, it is incremental and insufficient. There are three major deficiencies: (1) new and increased teacher education standards lack the required specialized coursework in the education of emergent bilinguals; (2) teacher preparation of emergent bilinguals is inadequate; and (3) teacher preparation programs resist requiring specialized coursework in teaching emergent bilinguals.

Individuals with disabilities may not be aware of their communicative, academic, social, and/or vocational needs. Over the last 20 years, self-advocacy has been referred to as a goal for education, a civil rights movement, and a component of self-determination (Test, Fowler, Wood, Brewer, & Eddy, 2005). As a measurable skill, self-advocacy can be specifically defined as a skill that helps “individuals communicate their needs and stand up for their own interests and rights” (Yuan, 1994, p. 305). Individuals diagnosed with a variety of disabilities (learning disabilities, cognitive impairments, language disorders, etc.) experience difficulty in achieving success in situations where they are required to communicate their needs and stand up for their rights. Test et al. (2005) documented 25 definitions of self-advocacy that were published between 1977 and 2002. The most recent definition focused on self-advocacy in the realm of social change and civil rights; the enablement of individuals with disabilities to make decisions, speak for themselves, and stand up for their rights.

This paper aims to examine barriers to information literacy (IL), including: language use, social structures, and the neutrality‐advocacy dilemma.

In this paper critical analysis is used to discuss: effect of language used on audience reach; cognitive locus assumptions in IL standards and oversight on structural factors; opportunities for libraries to overcome IL barriers. Arguments are substantiated with theories and research from sociology, psychology, and education.

Effective diffusion of IL depends on using common language and being relevant to learners. However, knowledge differences between librarians and the public can make finding common language challenging. Additionally, by assuming information illiteracy in people, the term may convey negative‐evaluation, which may negatively affect learners' sense of competence and motivation for learning, and result in ineffective learning. Extracurricular/civic activities in schools are rich settings for effective learning, but structural factors, often overlooked by proponents of IL, constrain students' opportunities for civic participation. Fortunately, the library provides a sense of relatedness to students and has the potential to support conditions for effective learning in civic contexts.

Propositions have not been empirically tested in IL contexts.

The paper proposes ways to address barriers to information literacy and calls for empirical research.

The paper legitimizes librarians to play advocacy roles for students' civic engagement.

No literature in information literacy examines in‐depth the effects of its language choice and cognitive locus on audience reach. This paper integrates theories from sociology, psychology, and education, to argue how language choice and social structures constrain IL attainment and proposes ways to address those barriers.

In this chapter we describe an action research study on our course “Language and Literacy in the Early Childhood Curriculum.” We also explore links between the study and postmodern theory, embedding our analyses in an ongoing accreditation process. This required process positions us to question what authoritative narratives we have accepted and whether, through our action research, we have begun to create our own counternarrative that challenges assumptions underlying the accreditation process.

The current 5.4 million English Learners (ELs) make up the lowest performing academic group in the United States (US) today. A number of weaknesses and struggles in the field of EL education have been simmering below the surface for years, and while previously treated as an unspoken dysfunction in our education system, the inequitable treatment of ELs can no longer be ignored. There is an urgent need to ensure equitable, inclusive, high-quality educational opportunities and outcomes for ELs, including preparation for college and career readiness. This study relies on two established legal policy research methodologies, specifically the four-step method of analysis and the quantitative method of “simple-box scoring,” to systematically analyze case law outcomes and identify seven litigation trends from cases over the past 40 years. This research can provide alternative proactive remedies other than costly litigation and demonstrates the need for a more effective coordination of mechanisms to unite institutions that service ELs. This study bridges the gap of critical knowledge needed to help educators, attorneys, and professors who prepare school leaders and teachers to meet legal requirements for ELs, each of whom are entitled by law to access mainstream curriculum. Further limitations and implications are presented.

The chapter on special education in South Africa initiates with a very comprehensive historical account of the origins of special education making reference to the inequalities linked to its colonial and racist past to a democratic society. This intriguing section ends with the most recent development in the new democracy form special needs education to inclusive education. Next, the chapter provides prevalence and incidence data followed by trends in legislation and litigation. Following these sections, detailed educational interventions are discussed in terms of policies, standards and research as well as working with families. Then information is provided on regular and special education teacher roles, expectations and training. Lastly, the chapter comprehensively discusses South Africa’s special education progress and challenges related to budgetary support, staff turnover, and a lack of prioritizing over the number of pressing education goals in the country’s provinces.

Researchers examine the new landscape of higher education, which is changing and evolving in the twenty-first century, as many non-traditional students, especially learners with physical disabilities, are “knocking on the door of higher education” (Harbour and Madaus, 2011, p. 1). Students with physical disabilities must decide how they desire to become engaged (or not) in campus life. This study also provides a theoretical lens of the moral responsibility of the multicultural academic community. Thus, the purpose of this study is to present findings that indicate gaining insight into the isolation, stigma and advocacy of these students’ lived experiences will require openness for inclusive practices to uplift all students with goals of graduation and employment.

This research investigation includes the process of discovery being analyzed and interpreted through participants’ narratives as a rigorous act of coding, imagination and logic to aggregate findings. To elicit the findings most effectively, transcendental phenomenology is the specific qualitative approach chosen for this study.

This study includes critical findings that indicate gaining insight into the isolation, stigma and advocacy of these students’ lived educative experiences. Concerns regarding communication and support are emphasized through the participants in the findings.

A core limitation would be that this study takes places without regard for historical lived experiences.

Implications exist for this new landscape of Higher Education, as we work beyond the gates of higher education for real-change and social progress. We need to learn about others (non-traditional students) while working toward multicultural competence that should be modeled in academic spaces to impart this knowledge to students to impart into broad society. Let us remember the growth that happens when social support exists, because each person has a value and role in society so that we live together and support each other in lessons of self-empowerment

This is an original study about learners with physical disabilities and the moral issues of how to create an inclusive, multicultural environment in higher education.

The purpose of the paper is to explore the implementation of Madrasah Education Program (MEP) in selected Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE) schools in Quezon City, Philippines and identify some challenges faced in their implementation practice.

This study utilized qualitative method of research using exploratory study, employing in-depth interviews, document analysis, and observation. The authors used purposive sampling with eight research participants: one Administrator, three ALIVE Coordinators, and four Madrasah Teachers or Asatidz.

The main findings in the MEP implementation, generally, the schools delivered some program goals through institutional support, pedagogical and instructional development, and enrichment of cultural diversity in the school community. However, the study identified some major challenges affecting the program implementation in selected ALIVE schools such as: lack of permanent infrastructure, limited instructional resources, learners' absenteeism, low and delayed Asatidz allowances, and cultural variances among Muslim Filipinos.

The results of the study provide a general overview of MEP implementation and the major challenges experienced by program implementers. However, the study is limited to three selected ALIVE schools in the Philippines.

These results are useful in guiding education stakeholders in evidence-based policymaking to further improve the implementation of Madrasah Education.

This study provides enrichment of evidence-based research especially on the lived experiences of grassroots implementers. Fewer studies on Madrasah Education were conducted outside the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BARMM) particularly in the context of a non-Muslim dominated locale.

This paper aims to present recently published resources on library instruction and information literacy providing an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography of publications covering all library types.

This paper introduces and annotates English-language periodical articles, monographs, dissertations, reports and other materials on library instruction and information literacy published in 2018.

The paper provides a brief description of all 422 sources, and highlights sources that contain unique or significant scholarly contributions.

The information may be used by librarians and anyone interested as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.

This paper presents recently published resources on library instruction and information literacy, providing an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography of publications covering various library types, study populations and research contexts.

This paper introduces and annotates English-language periodical articles, monographs, dissertations, reports and other materials on library instruction and information literacy published in 2020.

The paper provides a brief description of all 440 sources and highlights sources that contain unique or significant scholarly contributions.

The information may be used by librarians, researchers and anyone interested in a quick and comprehensive reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.