KUCRL - Library of Congress Cooperative Agreement Award 2024

KU Center for Research on Learning was recently notified it will receive a cooperative agreement award from the U.S. Library of Congress. The project, titled “Citizen Journalism for All Students: Making Journalism in Action’s Library of Congress resources more accessible and relevant for students with disabilities,” will be led by Co-PIs Suzanne Myers, Assistant Research Professor and Jocelyn Washburn, Assistant Research Professor and Director of the Professional Development Research Institute at KUCRL.

In partnership with the PBS News Hour Classroom, the project focuses on improving the usability of Journalism in Action’s primary sources to increase civic participation and media literacy for students with learning disabilities, and creating and improving resources to address the needs of students with disabilities and their teachers. The project will address a growing gap between SWDs and their peers without disabilities in reading, writing, and civics by (1) conducting research to determine SWDs' current needs in using primary sources; (2) designing and publishing resources to address needs of SWDs and their teachers, (3) launching a new "Civic Journalism" strand to improve student motivation, and (4) disseminating new resources for teachers and SWDs. 

Contact simpd@ku.edu for more information.