Biases, Assumptions, and Ethics A large portion of our class time has been devoted to exploring ethics in research;

basically, looking closely at what it means to be ethical, and what the guidelines provided by governing bodies (such as the IRB) are. We have also been encouraged to reflect on the kinds of research we want to do, and how we can conduct ourselves ethically. This means addressing potential biases and assumptions that we may have about our work, our subjects, and our topic areas. I have found this to be a helpful process, and one that I keep going back to. It is important to me that I address any potential problem areas that could come up with my research, and the more time I spend, and the more thorough I am, the more prepared I will be to address any bumps in the road. To begin, I want to address my biases as I am planning on working with and researching a population I know well students with disabilities. I teach students with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities, and have worked with students with mild to moderate learning disabilities. Although I believe I can be objective to a degree, because of my experiences in the classroom, I have certain biases towards this population. To be more specific, I am interested in mainstreaming and inclusion situations, and also in self-esteem. As part of my job duties as a high school teacher, I am familiar with teaching students in these situations. I have observed that some students with severe intellectual disabilities who spend time with their general education and non-disabled peers notice the differences and some express anger and frustration over being different. Obviously this is not the case with every student, nor do I expect it be, but because I have seen this type of reaction, I have some expectation that further research could reveal it again. Again, I believe I will be able to research this area with some objectivity, but I am aware

of how I have been shaped by my experiences and I want to be very upfront and clear about the existence of my biases. One of my major concerns is making sure that I keep my subjects from any harm. The confidentiality of student subjects springs to mind first and foremost, but protecting adult subjects, such as school faculty and staff is equally important. I want the people I work with to feel that the research environment is safe and that I can be trusted. I am currently a mandated reporter and if that is the case when working with students, I would let them know that certain information shared with me has to be passed on to Child Protection Services. As I am interested in studying inclusion practices and self-esteem in students with disabilities, I doubt this kind of information will come up, but it could and I want students to be aware. Another way to protect subjects from harm is to protect confidentiality. I do not intend to single students out based on their having a disability and being included in general education, but would like to research students in inclusion classrooms with and without disabilities. I want to gather data from the whole class, and from the teacher, and emphasize self-esteem, rather than focus on a particular group. I also want to keep the information from being so specific that parents and teachers in the community know which school or class I am writing about. Given that I am interested in something as personal as feelings and emotions, it is imperative that my subjects feel safe. Researching the target population of students with disabilities could be difficult in that I will most likely be working with minors (I have not narrowed down an age group yet) and will need parent permission, as well as informing students. I want parents to have clearly informed consent, which will mean the use of a translator for non-English-speaking families, and I will work hard to make sure parents understand what Im asking for. Students with disabilities,

especially students with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities, can be difficult to research and assess, due to cognitive and language deficiencies, and parents may be hesitant to grant me access. If that is the case, as it could be, I assume that it will be easier to work with population with mild to moderate disabilities, such as students with learning disabilities, as the deficits arent as great. Informed consent is of course important for the students as well, and again, I will work hard to explain what Im doing in comprehensible ways. As I plan on conducting research in schools, gatekeepers are another concern. Taking research in an elementary school, for example, will mean obtaining permission from the school district, the principal, the teacher, the parents, and the students, as well as the IRB for the university. A lot of people and a lot of paperwork are represented by that list, and I need to keep in mind that obtaining permission from a group that big will take time. I would like to begin building some of these relationships in the near future, so that they have time to grow and trust can be established. I dont want to rush anything, and in taking my time I can continue to plan for complications. I would like to conduct research in the district I work for, but not at my current or previous site, and probably not with my specific population. Ideally, I would work with teachers I do not know. I do not have any plans to go into administration, where I could potentially be overseeing teachers I have worked with through my research, but theres always the possibility that I could work with or for or over a colleague who participated in my research and I would need to maintain objectivity and protect confidentiality. I believe thinking about these situations now will better prepare me should they arise in the future. I know I have only begun the work needed to conduct research in an ethical, well-planned way, but I believe that the biases and assumptions I have addressed so far are starting me off

well, and I plan to continue thoroughly exploring the ways my biases, assumptions, and ethical concerns can impact my research.