![[Link to content.]](../images/a.gif){kind=small}
Biography for Nancy Higgins
Dr Nancy Higgins is a senior researcher at the Donald Beasley Institute. Nancy was born in Alaska; grew up in Massachusetts; is of Greek ancestry; and has had an extended working holiday in New Zealand for the past 18 years.
She holds a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and in Drama from Tufts University, and a Masters Degree in Education from Boston College. In 2001, she completed her doctoral thesis, which is entitled Blind people: A social constructivist analysis of New Zealand's education policy and practice, under the supervision of Professor Keith Ballard and Dr Jude MacArthur.
Her areas of interest include inclusive education, vision impairment, school culture, bullying, Vygotsky's writings on disability, social constructivism, and education policy.
Publications
Articles in Peer Reviewed Journals
- Higgins, N., MacArthur, J., & Reitveld, C. M. (2006). Higgledy-piggedly policy: Excluding inclusion. Childrenz Issues, 10 (1), 30-36.
Books and Book Chapters
- MacArthur, J., Kelly, B., & Higgins, N. (2005). Supporting the Learning and Social Experiences of Students with Disabilities: What Does the Research Say? In Fraser, D., Moltzen, R. & Ryba, K. (Eds). Learners with Special Needs in Aotearoa New Zealand. Victoria: Thomson Dunmore Press.
Reports and other publications
- MacArthur, J.A., Kelly, B., Higgins, N., Phillips, H., McDonald, T.A., Morton, M. & Jackman, J. (2003). Building capability in education for students with moderate and high needs: Literature Review. (498 pages) Wellington; Ministry of Education.
Other forms of Dissemination (including Conference and Seminar presentations)
- Higgins, N. (2006, June). Disability Arts: Difference, Visibility and Participation. A public seminar at the Donald Beasley Institute, Dunedin, June 22.
- Higgins, N., & MacArthur, J. (2006, August). Higgledy-piggledy policy: Confusion about inclusion. IHC seminar series on Children's Rights, Wellington, New Zealand.
- Higgins, N. . (October, 2006). The Macbeth Project: Inclusion, creativity, & diversity. A panel presentation at the Involve: Ceativity, Diversity, Connection Conference at Lincoln University, Nov 1-3, Christchurch, New Zealand.
- Higgins, N. (2006, November). Disability Arts: Difference, Visibility and Participation. A paper presented to the New Zealand Association for the Study of Intellectual Disability Conference: Getting the message: Living, Learning, working and Playing in inclusive communities, November 2-3, Brentwood Hotel, Wellington, New Zealand.
- Kelly, B., MacArthur, J., Sharp, S. & Gaffney, M. (2006). Promoting inclusive learning MacArthur, J., & Higgins, N. (2006, July). Social justice and inclusion: Classrooms as a site for change. Paper presented at the Teacher Education Forum of Aotearoa New Zealand, Dunedin College of Education, Dunedin. 3-5 July.
- MacArthur, J. & Higgins, N (2006, December). National confusion about inclusion means confusion in the classroom. Paper presented to NZARE Conference, Rotorua, 5-8 December, 2006.
- MacArthur, J. & Higgins, N (2006, December). Teaching, Learning and Research Initiative (TLRI) Project: Supporting transient students' learning and social experiences - A sense of belonging? Paper presented to NZARE Conference, Rotorua, 5-8 December, 2006.
- MacArthur, J., & Higgins, N. (2006). Social justice and inclusion: Classrooms as a site for change. Paper presented to the Teacher Education Forum of Aoteaoroa Conference, Dunedin College of Education, 3-5 July, 2006.
- MacArthur,J., Kelly, B & Higgins, N. Take the "special" out and put "inclusive" in: Enhancing the educational experiences of disabled children in New Zealand schools. Paper presented to the Australasian Association for Scientific Study of Intellectual Disability (ASSID) Conference, Waipuna, Auckland, 10-13 October, 2005.
- MacArthur, J., and Higgins, N. Higgledy-piggledy policy, confusion about inclusion. Presentation to the IHC National Seminar Series on Children's Rights, Wellington, 30 August, 2007.
