Martin Agran, Ph.D., is a Professor of Special Education at the University of Northern Iowa. Prior to this, he was a Professor of Special Education at Utah State University. Dr. Agran taught high school students with moderate to severe disabilities, was a Fulbright Scholar in the Czech Republic, and served as a consultant and visiting professor at Herzen University of St. Petersburg University, Russia. Dr. Agran's principal research interests include the education of students with severe disabilities, self-determination, transition, and the preparation of teachers of students with significant instructional needs. He has directed several federally funded grants in these areas. He is the associate editor of Research and Practice in Persons with Severe Disabilities (formerly JASH). He is also on the editorial board of several professional journals, and he is the co-editor, along with Dr. Michael L. Wehmeyer, of the American Association on Mental Retardation's research-to-practice publication, Innovations. He has published extensively in the professional literature and is the author of several books, including Teaching Self-Determination to Students with Disabilities: Basic Skills for Transition with Michael L. Wehmeyer and Carolyn Hughes (Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., 1998), Teaching Problem Solving to Students with Mental Retardation with Michael L. Wehmeyer (American Association on Mental Retardation, 1999), and Student-Directed Learning: Teaching Self-Determination Skills (Brooks/Cole, 1997).
Fredda Brown, Ph.D., is an affiliate of the Institute of Professional Practice in New Haven, Connecticut. Her work focuses on issues and practices for individuals with challenging behavior, with a specific focus on the relationship between challenging behavior, quality of life, and self-determination. Dr. Brown has published many articles and chapters in the area of severe disabilities and was co-editor with Donna Lehr of the book Persons with Profound Disabilities: Issues and Practices (Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., 1989).
Carolyn Hughes, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Special Education at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, and Project Director of the federally funded Metropolitan Nashville Peer Buddy Program. In 1990, she received her doctoral degree in special education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, specializing in the areas of secondary transition and employment and self-management strategies. At Vanderbilt University, Dr. Hughes teaches courses in behavior management and the transition from school to adult life and manages several federally funded research and personnel preparation grants. She conducts research and publishes widely in the areas of self-instruction and self-determination, supporting the transition from school to adult life, and social interaction and social inclusion of high school students. Dr. Hughes is a coauthor of Teaching Self-Determination to Students with Disabilities: Basic Skills for Successful Transition (Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., 1998) and is on the editorial board of the American Journal on Mental Retardation, Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, Journal of The Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, Journal of Behavioral Education, and Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions. In addition, Dr. Hughes taught general and special education classes in public schools in Montana for 10 years.
Carol Quirk, Ed.D., Co-executive Director, Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education. Dr. Quirk directs the professional development services of the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education (MCIE). Before founding MCIE, she was Executive Director of a supported employment agency for adults with developmental disabilities, Adjunct Faculty at The Johns Hopkins University, Director of a North Carolina Technical Assistance Project for early intervention services, a psychologist at a regional residential center, and teacher of students with severe disabilities in Connecticut. She received her Ed.D. from The Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Quirk was a member of the National Board of Directors and Past President of TASH and is currently a member of the Presidenta (TM)s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities. She has provided consultation to Russia, Vietnam, and Trinidad and Tobago related to including students with disabilities and transition planning; she serves as an expert witness on issues related to inclusive education and positive behavioral supports; and she has provided consultation and strategic planning for other nonprofit organizations. Dr. Quirk was a winner of the Top 100 Minority/Women Business Entrepreneurs in 2008 for the mid-Atlantic region and was recognized by the National Academy of Public Administration Standing Panel of Social Equity for her community service. In 2012, she received the Distinguished Alumna Award from The Johns Hopkins University.
Diane Ryndak, Ph.D., received her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is the author or coauthor of numerous articles, chapters, and books and coeditor of two compendia of TASH articles most frequently used by institutions of higher education. Several of her articles have been republished in the compendia and in international journals, and one of her books has been republished in Japan. Dr. Ryndak served as a Fulbright Research Scholar in Poland, where she returns frequently to work with colleagues at The Maria Grzegorzewska Academy for Special Education in Warsaw and across Poland. She has represented the U.S. Department of State with efforts related to the inclusion of citizens with disabilities in all aspects of life in the Ukraine; conducted over 30 international presentations; andguest lectured in Turkey, Peru, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Her body of work focuses on inclusive education and access to the general curriculum for students with extensive support needs, student outcomes achieved by inclusive services, preservice teacher preparation, and technical assistance for sustainable school reform efforts related to inclusive education. Dr. Ryndak has served multiple terms as a member of and Secretary for the TASH National Board of Directors and as the chair of the TASH Publications Committee, National Agenda Committee on Inclusive Education, Conference Committee, International Issues Committee, and Personnel Preparation Committee. She has served as Associate Editor for Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities (RPSD) and as a member of the editorial or review board for seven peer-reviewed professional journals, including RPSD, American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Journal of Ethnographic and Qualitative Research, and Teacher Education and Special Education.
Linda M. Bambara, Ed.D., is a professor and program director of special education at Lehigh University, where she also directed two university fieldEditor-based programs serving adults and transition-age youth with developmental disabilities and autism to participate in inclusive community settings. She has been involved with individuals with disabilities for more than 35 years as a teacher, teacher trainer, advocate, researcher, and director of research and training projects. As a productive author, she has published numerous books, chapters, and articles, including three additional books on positive behavior support. She has served on national boards of professional organizations such as TASH, the Association for Positive Behavior Support, and the editorial boards of six journals. She is former Editor-In-Chief of Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities.
Christine Bigby, B.A. (Hons), M.SocWk, PhD, is a Lecturer in the Department of Social Work and Social Policy at LaTrobe University in Melbourne, Australia.
Matthew E. Brock, M.A.
National Professional Development Center
on Autism Spectrum Disorder
Frank Porter Graham Child Development
Institute University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Diane M. Browder, Ph.D., is Snyder Distinguished Professor and doctoral coordinator of Special Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Dr. Browder has more than 2 decades of experience with research and writing on assessment and instruction of students with severe disabilities. Recently, she has focused on alternate assessment and linking assessment and instruction to the general curriculum. She is Principal Investigator for an Institute of Education Sciences--funded center with a focus on teaching students with moderate and severe disabilities to read. She is a partner in the National Center on Alternate Assessment and Principal Investigator for Office of Special Education Programs--funded projects on access to the general curriculum.
Erik Carter is a Professor in the Department Special Education at Vanderbilt University and a member of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. His research and teaching focuses on evidence-based strategies for supporting access to the general curriculum and promoting valued roles in school, work, and community settings for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Prior to receiving his doctorate, he worked as a high school teacher and transition specialist with youth with significant disabilities. He has published widely in the areas of educational and transition services for children and youth with significant disabilities. He was the recipient of the Distinguished Early Career Research Award from the Council for Exceptional Children and the Early Career Award from the American Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. His research interests include adolescent transitions from school to adult life; peer relationships and peer support interventions; students with severe disabilities, access to the general curriculum; and religion, congregational supports, and disabilities.
Susan R. Copeland, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Special Education at the University of New Mexico. She teaches courses in both the undergraduate dual license program and the graduate program in special education. Prior to receiving her doctorate from Vanderbilt she worked with individuals with disabilities in several capacities, including as a classroom special education teacher and as a coordinator for a community program serving children and adults. Dr. Copeland's research and teaching focus developing instructional and social supports for students with disabilities within inclusive environments and advocacy and empowerment of individuals with severe disabilities.
Dr. Lise Fox is a professor in the Department of Child and Family Studies of the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida and the Co-Director of Florida Center for Inclusive Communities: A University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (www.flcic.org ). Lise was the Principal Investigator of the Technical Assistance Center for Social Emotional Intervention (www.challengingbehavior.org) funded by the Office of Special Education Programs. Dr. Fox is engaged in research and training efforts related to the implementation of the Pyramid Model in early education and care classrooms, program-wide models of implementation, and positive behavior support. She received the Mary E. McEvoy Service to the Field Award from the Division for Early Childhood.
Dr. Meg Grigal is a Senior Research Fellow at University of Massachusetts Boston at the Institute for Community Inclusion where she Co-Directs Think College. Dr. Grigal is the Co-Principal Investigator for the NIDRR funded Center on Postsecondary Education for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities, the Office of Postsecondary Education funded National Coordinating Center and the Administration on Developmental Disabilities funded Consortium for Postsecondary Education for People with IDD. Prior to joining ICI, Meg was Senior Research Associate at TransCen, Inc. where she served as the Principal Investigator of the Postsecondary Education Research Center (PERC) project, conducting research on the efficacy and outcomes of college based dual enrollment programs for students with intellectual disability. Dr. Grigal also previously directed On-Campus Outreach (OCO) at the University of Maryland. She has provided technical assistance and training across the country, conducted research studies on the provision of postsecondary education services for students with intellectual disability and has coauthored two books and published numerous journal articles on the topic.
Debra Hart is the Director of the Education and Transition Team for the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. She serves as the Principal Investigator for the NIDRR funded Center on Postsecondary Education for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities, the ADD funded Consortium on Postsecondary Education for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities and Office of Postsecondary Education funded National Coordinating Center. Debra has over 25 years of experience working with youth and adults with disabilities, their families, faculty, and professionals that support youth in becoming contributing valued members of their community via participation in inclusive secondary and postsecondary education, and competitive employment. Since 1997, Ms. Hart has directed five federal grants designed to create access to postsecondary education for youth with intellectual disabilities.
Melissa Hudson, M.A.Ed., is a graduate research associate and doctoral student in special education at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Charlotte. Her research interests include general curriculum access, alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards, and evidence-based practices for students with significant intellectual disability. Before beginning the doctoral program at UNC Charlotte, Melissa taught students with severe intellectual disability in Kentucky for 10 years.
Dr. Keefe received her bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the United Kingdom, her master's degree in anthropology at the University of Nebraska, and her master of arts and doctoral degrees in special education from the University of New Mexico. She has taught in inclusive settings at the elementary level and now is actively involved in various educational reform issues throughout New Mexico. Her research interests include inclusive practices, co-teaching, and systematic change at the school level. Dr. Keefe enjoys tennis, playing banjo with ther band, going to Jamaica, and reading.
Donna H. Lehr, Ph.D., is affiliated with the Department of Exceptional Education at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Donna Lehr's work focuses on educational issues and practices for students with complex health care needs and the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education settings. She has published articles and chapters on individuals with severe disabilities and was co-editor with Fredda Brown of the book Persons with Profound Disabilities: Issues and Practices (Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., 1989).
Richard G. Luecking, Ed.D., is the President of TransCen, Inc., a non-profit organization based in Rockville, Maryland, that is dedicated to improving education and employment outcomes for people with disabilities. Dr. Luecking has held this position since 1987, when he was charged by the Board of Directors as the organization's first employee to create improved linkages between schools, employment service providers, government, business, and families so that youth with disabilities experience improved post-school employment outcomes. During his tenure with the organization, he and his TransCen colleagues have been responsible for the design and implementation of numerous model demonstration and research projects related to school-to-work transition and employment of people with disabilities. He is the author of a range of publications on related topics, including the book, The Way to Work: How to Facilitate Work Experiences for Youth in Transition (Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., 2009).
John McDonnell, Ph.D., Dr. McDonnell's research focuses on curriculum and instruction, inclusive education, and transition programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He has published extensively in these areas and has been actively involved in the development of innovative school programs for more than 25 years.
Bethany R. McKissick, Ph.D., Dr. McKissick's research focuses on providing general curriculum access for students with disabilities. Additional research interests include evidence-based practices for teaching students with disabilities, students with severe challenging behaviors, inclusive education, and students with autism spectrum disorders.
Martha E. Snell, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Special Education, Curry School of Education, University of Virginia, 405 Emmet Street, Charlottesville Virginia 22904
Dr. Martha Snell is a Professor Emeritus of Special Education at the Curry School of Education, University of Virginia where she directed the teacher preparation program in severe disabilities for 30 years. With others, she has authored a number of books on teaching methods and the definition of intellectual disability and has been an active member of TASH and the American Association for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. She directed both federal and state grants directed toward the preparation of teachers and research with individuals having intellectual disability and autism and their teachers; more recently her research has concerned Head Start classrooms and young children at risk. Her research topics have encompassed the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms, effective teaching strategies, communication intervention, and positive behavior support for problem behavior.
Dr. Spooner is Professor of Special Education, Coordinator of the Adapted Curriculum (Severe Disabilities) Program, and Principal Investigator on a personnel preparation project involving distance delivery technologies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Dr. Spooner has more than 2 decades of experience with research and writing instructional practices for students with severe disabilities. He is co-editor for Teacher Education and Special Education and serves as an associate editor for Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities. He was a co-editor for TEACHING Exceptional Children and an associate editor for Teacher Education and Special Education. Recently, he has focused on alternate assessment and linking assessment and instruction to the general curriculum and serves as a Senior Research Associate for an Institute of Education Sciences--funded center with a focus on teaching students with moderate and severe disabilities to read.
Michael L. Wehmeyer, Ph.D. is Professor of Special Education; Director, Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities; and Senior Scientist, Beach Center on Disability, all at the University of Kansas. He has published more than 25 books and 250 scholarly articles and book chapters on topics related to self-determination, special education, intellectual disability, and eugenics. He is s co-author of the widely used textbook Exceptional Lives: Special Education in Today's Schools, published by Merrill/Prentice Hall, now in its 7th Edition. His most recent book, co-authored with J. David Smith, is Good Blood, Bad Blood: Science, Nature, and the Myth of the Kallikaks, published by the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD). Dr. Wehmeyer is Past-President (2010-2011) of the Board of Directors for and a Fellow of AAIDD; a past president of the Council for Exceptional Children's Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT); a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA), Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Division (Div. 33); a Fellow of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IASSIDD); and former Editor-in-Chief of the journal Remedial and Special Education. He is a co-author of the AAIDD Supports Intensity Scale, and the 2010 AAIDD Intellectual Disability Terminology, Classification, and Systems of Supports Manual.
