Research Interests
disability studiesdisability advocacyADA and Section 504 compliancehigher educationsociolinguisticsrhetoric of disabilityethnography
Opportunities
Work Study Positions Available: Yes
OEA Proctoring Center Proctors; Accessibility Aides (scribes, readers, etc.)
Grant Funded Positions Available: No
Course-Credit Research Opportunities Available: No
Volunteer Research Positions Available: Yes
Research projects will be tailored to the current needs of the OEA and the research interests of the student.
Biography
David J. Thomas, Ph.D., M.A. has been active at all levels of higher education and disability advocacy from university level initiatives to leadership on state and national boards and committees. His teaching and service extends beyond the campus and the classroom and into the community, where he is a sought-after speaker and trainer for groups ranging from the Public Safety Agencies for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to Shriners Hospitals for Children to PhillyTech Week.
He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies and Academic Support Programs and Director of the Office of Educational Accessibility at West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He has held appointments to teaching faculties at both the undergraduate and graduate levels around the United States in English, Linguistics, Educational Research Methods, Museum Studies, and English for Speakers of Other Languages.
He serves on the Board of of Directors for Disability Rights Pennsylvania, the Protection and Advocacy Agency for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, where he previously served as Treasurer and PAIMI Council Chair, as the President of Delta Alpha Pi International Honor Society, Inc., the collegiate honor society for students with disabilities, and on the Board of Directors at CADES, a provider of educational and community living services for people with severe disabilities in Swarthmore, PA.
