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SELECTED Publications

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*This list is limited to contributions authored or co-authored by Dr. Phelan and/or emerging scholars at SHIFT.



Peer-reviewed Articles Published in Scientific Journals


Harasym, J., Gross, D., MacLeod, A. A. N., & Phelan, S.K. (2024). “Do it afraid”: An arts-based reflexive collective case study exploring youth ​responses to post-concussion communication changes in daily life. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, ​Advance Online, 1-18. doi: 10.1111/1460-6984.13082.


Harasym, J., Gross, D., MacLeod, A. A. N., & Phelan, S.K. (2024). "This is a Look into My Life”: Enhancing Qualitative Inquiry into ​Communication through Arts-Based Research Methods [Special Issue: Accessibility and Inclusion: Advancing the Use of Qualitative ​Research Methods for All]. International Journal of Qualitative Research Methods, 23, 1-16. doi: 10.1177/16094069241232603.


Esquivel, P., McGarvey, L., Phelan, S. K., & Adams, K. (2024). Exploring environmental factors affecting assistive technology strategies in ​mathematics learning for students with physical disabilities. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 19(1), 66-77. doi: ​10.1080/17483107.2022.2062465.


Reeves, P., McConnell, D., & Phelan, S.K. (2023). The (radical) role of belonging in shifting & expanding understandings of social inclusion ​for people labelled with intellectual or developmental disability. Sociology of Health & Illness, 45(2), 317-330. doi: 10.1111/1467-​9566.13574.


McConnell, D., & Phelan, S.K. (2022). Intimate partner violence against women with intellectual disability: An anti-oppressive, trauma ​informed response. Health & Social Care in the Community, 30(6), e5156-e5166. doi: 10.1111/hsc.13932.


McConnell, D., & Phelan, S.K. (2022). The devolution of eugenic practices: Sexual and reproductive oppression of people with ascribed ​intellectual disability. Social Science & Medicine, 298, 1-8. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114877.


Phelan, S.K., & Reeves, P. (2022). (Re)Imagining inclusion in ways that foster belonging in the lives of disabled children and youth. The ​Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 6(2), 77-78. doi: 10.1016/S2352-4642(21)00371-0.


Pritchard, L., Phelan, S. K., McKillop, A., & Anderson, J. (2022). Child, parent, and clinician experiences with a child-driven goal setting ​approach in paediatric rehabilitation. Disability and Rehabilitation, 44(7), 1042-1049. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2020.1788178.


Reeves, P., Ng, S., Harris, M., & Phelan, S.K. (2022). The exclusionary effects of inclusion today: (Re)production of disability in inclusive ​education settings. Disability & Society, 37(4), 612-637. doi: 10.1080/09687599.2020.1828042.


Baker, L., Phelan, S. K., Woods, N. N., Boyd, V. A., Rowland, P., & Ng, S. L. (2021). Re-Envisioning Paradigms of Education: Towards ​Awareness, Alignment, and Pluralism. Advances in Health Sciences Education, 26(3), 1045-1058. doi: 10.1007/s10459-021-10036-z.


Becerra Puyo, L., Capel, H., Phelan, S. K., Wiebe, S., & Adams, K. (2021). Using a robotic teleoperation system for haptic exploration. ​Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Engineering, 8, 1-11. doi: 10.1177/2055668320969308.


Moore, S.A. & Phelan, S.K. (2021). Using longitudinal trajectories and reference percentiles for participation in activities for children with ​disabilities: An evidence to practice commentary. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 41(1), 38-43. doi: ​10.1080/01942638.2021.1853440.


Bragg, E., Spencer, N., Phelan, S.K. & Pritchard-Wiart, L. (2020). Player and parent experiences with child and adolescent power soccer ​sport participation. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 40(6) 1-14.DOI: 10.1080/01942638.2020.1746946. Co-A.


Thompson-Hodgetts, S., Labonte, C., Mazumder, R., & Phelan, S.K. (2020). Helpful or Harmful? A scoping review of perceptions and ​outcomes of autism diagnostic disclosure to others. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 77, 1-22. ​https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2020.101598.


Pritchard-Wiart, L., & Phelan, S. K. (2018). Goal setting in paediatric rehabilitation for children with motor disabilities: A scoping review. ​Clinical Rehabilitation, 32(7), 954-966. doi:10.1177/02692155187584.


Ng, S. L., Phelan, S., Leonard, M., & Galster, J. (2017). A qualitative case study of smartphone-connected hearing aids: Influences on ​patients, clinicians, and patient-clinician interactions. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 28(6), 506-521. ​doi:10.3766/jaaa.15153.


Beveridge, B., Feltracco, D., Struyf, J., Strauss, E., Dang, S., Phelan, S., Wright, V., & Gibson, B. E. (2015). “You gotta try it all”: Parents’ ​experiences with robotic gait training for their children with cerebral palsy. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 35(4), 327-341. ​doi:10.3109/01942638.2014.990547.


Ng, S., Lingard, L., Hibbert, K., Regan, S., Phelan, S., Stooke, R., Meston, C., Schryer, C., & Manamperi, M., Friesen, F. (2015). Supporting ​children with disabilities at school: Implications for the advocate role in professional practice and education. Disability and ​Rehabilitation, 37(24), 2282-2290.


Phelan, S. K., Gibson, B. E., & Wright, V. (2015). What is it like to walk with the help of a robot? Children’s perspectives on robotic gait ​training technology. Disability and Rehabilitation, 37(24), 2272-2281. doi:10.3109/09638288.2015.1019648.


Phelan, S. K., & Ng, S. (2015). A case review: Reframing school-based practices using a critical perspective. Physical & Occupational ​Therapy in Pediatrics, 35(4), 396-411.


Phelan, S. K., & Kinsella, E. A. (2014). Occupation and identity: Perspectives of children with disabilities and their parents. Journal of ​Occupational Science, 21(3), 334-356. doi:10.1080/14427591.2012.755907.


Phelan, S. K., Wright, V., Gibson, B. E. (2014). Representations of disability and normality in rehabilitation technology promotional ​materials. Disability and Rehabilitation, 36(24), 2072-2079.


Ng, S., Stooke, R., Regan, S., Hibbert, K., Schryer, C., Phelan, S., & Lingard, L. (2013). An institutional ethnographic inquiry of health care ​work in special education: A research protocol. International Journal for Integrated Care, 13(Jul-Sep), URN:NBN:NL:UI:10-1-114741.


Phelan, S. K., & Kinsella, E. A. (2013). Picture this…safety, dignity, and voice. Ethical research with children: Practical considerations for the ​reflexive researcher. Qualitative Inquiry, 19(2), 81-90. doi:10.1177/1077800412462987. PA.


Phelan, S. K. (2011). Constructions of disability: A call for critical reflexivity in occupational therapy. Canadian Journal of Occupational ​Therapy, 78(3), 164-172.


Phelan, S., & Kinsella, E. A. (2009). Occupational identity: Engaging socio-cultural perspectives. Journal of Occupational Science, 16(2), 85-​91.


Phelan, S., Steinke, L., & Mandich, A. (2009). Exploring a cognitive intervention for children with Pervasive Developmental Disorder. ​Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 76(1), 23-28.



Peer-reviewed Chapters Published in Books


Spencer, N.L.I, & Phelan, S.K. (2024). Love and Community Based Participatory Research. In K. Rich, R. Smith, & A.R. Giles (Eds). ​Participatory Research in Sport and Physical Activity (pp. 44-56). New York: Routledge.


Phelan, S., & Kinsella, E. A. (2011). Photoelicitation interview methods and research with children: Possibilities, pitfalls and ethical ​considerations. In J. Higgs, A. Titchen, D. Horsfall & D. Bridges (Eds.). Creative spaces for qualitative researching. Living research (pp. 125-​134). Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense. PA.



Peer-reviewed Abstracts Published in Scientific Journals


Diggins, C.M., Moore, S.A., & Phelan, S.K. (2022). An occupational and ecocultural perspective on inclusive early education: The family ​experience. Journal of Occupational Science, 29(sup1), S596.


Phelan, S.K., Harasym, J., Reeves, P., Eckl, D., McKie, D., & Harris, M. (2022). Making it work: The invisible work of mothers in pursuit of ​inclusion. Journal of Occupational Science, 29(sup1), S553-554.


Phelan, S.K., & Reeves, P. (2022). What if inclusion was radical? Centering belonging and agency in inclusion today. Journal of ​Occupational Science, 29(sup1), S577-578.


Reeves, P., McConnell, D., & Phelan, S. (2022). The belonging project: Conditions that support belonging for people with intellectual and ​developmental disabilities. Journal of Occupational Science, 29(sup1), S553.


Reeves, P., McConnell, D., & Phelan, S. (2022). The (radical) role of belonging in expanding and shifting understandings of social inclusion. ​Journal of Occupational Science, 29(sup1), S578.


Jackman, A., Phelan, S., Zwaigenbaum, L., & Tjosveld, L. (2020). The family experience of the Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnostic ​conference: A meta-synthesis. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 19(1), 70.


Phelan, S., & Boyd, K. (2019). Engaging dis/abled youth in critical qualitative research: Rights, dignity and ‘voice(s)’. Journal of Intellectual ​Disability Research, 63(7), 880-881.


Phelan, S., Reeves, P., Eckl, D., McKie, D., & Harris, M. (2019). Making it work: The invisible work of parents of children with intellectual and ​neurodevelopmental impairments in the pursuit of inclusion in school settings. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 63(7), 767-768.


Reeves, P., Harris, M., & Phelan, S. (2019). The exclusionary effects of inclusion today: Constructions of intellectual and developmental ​disability in inclusive education settings. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 63(7), 768-769.


Duebel, E., & Phelan, S. (2018). The government of child culture: The construction of the “good” child(hood) through “Mommy Blogs”. ​International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 17(1), 9.


Phelan, S., & McConnell, D. (2018). Inclusion tomorrow: Prioritizing child-driven culture. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual ​Disabilities, 31, 487.


Wright,V., Beveridge, B., Struyf, J., Dang, S., Strauss, E., Feltracco, D., Gibson, B., & Phelan, S.K. (2014). Parents of children with cerebral ​palsy’s experiences with robotic gait training: ‘You gotta try it all’. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 95(10), e104.


Ng, S., Lingard, L., Phelan, S., Hibbert, K., Regan, S., Stooke, R…et al. (2014). Health Advocacy By Proxy: An Institutional Ethnography of ​Healthcare Work in Special Education. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 13, 466-467.


Phelan, S., & Kinsella, E. A. (2011). Ethical considerations in qualitative research with children: The quest for safety, dignity, and voice in ​the research process. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 10(4), 468.


Phelan, S., & Kinsella, E. A. (2011). Photoelicitation interviews and research with children: Practical considerations from the field. ​International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 10(4), 493.



Technical/Scientific Reports


Moore, S. & Phelan, S. (2022). Spotlight on: The well-being of children and youth living with disability in Nova Scotia (p. 135-139). In ​Department of Pediatrics and Healthy Populations Institute, One Chance to Be a Child: A data profile to inform a better future for child ​and youth well-being in Nova Scotia. Available from: ​https://www.onechancens.ca/_files/ugd/db246d_ed932623367e4946a774417671694c33.pdf. SRA.


Phelan, S., *Diggins, C., *Ausman, C., *Vardy, L., McConnell, D., & Moore, S. (2022). Equitable access to inclusive early learning and ​childcare for children with disabilities: The family experience (p. 1-65). Submitted to Employment Social Development Canada, ​Government of Canada. Full Report. http://hdl.handle.net/10222/84314. PA.



Online Resources


Phelan, S., *Diggins, C., *Ausman, C., *Vardy, L., McConnell, D., & Moore, S. (2024). Promoting equitable access to disability ​inclusive early learning & childcare in Nova Scotia: The family experience. Summary Report. http://hdl.handle.net/10222/84327. ​PA.


Phelan, S. & Kinsella, E.A. (May 2014). Understanding Disability and Identity in Childhood: Perspectives of Children and their ​Parents. Facts to go…, 10(1). Thames Valley Children’s Centre, London, ON. ​https://www.tvcc.on.ca/sites/default/files/files/TVCC_FactsToGo_Summaries.pdf. PA.












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