Summit on Special Ed
For two days in September, the Education Sciences Building hosted a who’s who in special education. Leaders from across the country came to the invitational summit, “Back to the Future of Special Education: Individualizing Education Through Data-Based Programming.”
The summit was designed to generate a research agenda for evaluation, development, and dissemination of data-based decision-making and experimental teaching methods. Day 1 provided keynote presentations in critical areas, and Day 2 allowed small groups to draft outlines for monographs.
Douglas and Lynn Fuchs
The keynotes were given by Douglas and Lynn Fuchs, Nicholas Hobbs Professors of Special Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University—named among 14 “revolutionary educators” by Forbes in 2009.
Douglas Fuchs (Ph.D. ’78) talked about Smart RTI, a research-based approach meant to help practitioners make efficient use of school resources.
Lynn Fuchs (Ph.D. ’81) gave an overview of curriculum-based measurement (CBM) and her research on assessment tools for enhancing instructional planning and on instructional methods for improving reading and math outcomes for students at risk for and with learning disabilities.
Professor emeritus Stan Deno spoke at the end of Day 1. Much of the work in special education nationally and internationally today is grounded in the early work of Deno and the late Phyllis Merkin.
On Day 2, associate professors and conference cohosts Ted Christ and Kristen McMaster facilitated work sessions to outline plans for monographs on the future of measurement, instruction, problem-solving, and professional preparation.
Nearly half of the 25 summit participants were CEHD alumni. Funds for the summit were provided by the Phyllis Mirkin estate. Learn more at Research Institute for Problem Solving.
A strong contingent of CEHD doctoral alumni from the United States and
Europe were among the leaders in special education at the summit on
school-based problem solving hosted by the Department of Educational
Psychology September 29-30. They were (front L-R) Erica Lembke (’03),
Ann Foegen (’95), Lynn Fuchs (’81), Christine Espin (’90), Mark Shinn
(’81); (back L-R) Melissa Coolong-Chaffin (’11), Stan Deno (’65), Doug
Fuchs (’78), Doug Marston (’82), Joe Jenkins (’67).
