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DR early career research award

By JohnL on May. 27, 2008.

Call for Nominations: 2009 Distinguished Early Career Research Award
       
Division for Research, Council for Exceptional Children

In recognition of the critical role of research to both current practice in and the future of the field of Special Education, the Division for Research seeks nominations for the Distinguished Early Career Research Award.  This award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding scientific contributions in special education, in basic and/or applied research, within the first 10 years following receipt of the doctoral degree.  Nominations are sought across all areas of Special Education as well as all forms of research methodology.  For the award, to be presented at the 2009 CEC Annual Convention, nominations of individuals who received their doctoral degrees in 1999 or later are sought.  The award, co sponsored by the Donald D. Hammill Foundation, includes $1000 presented at the 2009 DR reception at the CEC Annual Convention and an invited presentation at CEC the following year. Previous recipients of this award include: Michael Wehmeyer, Ron Nelson, Patricia Mathes, Rollanda O’Connor, Batya Elbaum, Terrance Scott, Kathleen Lane, Frank Symons, Bryan Cook, and Michael Coyne. Further information on previous recipients can be found at http://www.cecdr.org/.
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DR early career publication award

By JohnL on May. 27, 2008.

2009 EARLY CAREER PUBLICATION AWARD: Call for Nominations

The Division for Research seeks nominations for the 2008 Early Career Publication Award. This award recognizes an outstanding research publication by an individual within five years after completing the doctorate. Nominations are sought across all areas of Special Education as well as all forms of research methodology. The Early Career Publication Award will be presented at the Awards Ceremony and Reception of the Division for Research at the Annual CEC Convention in the spring of 2009. We invite colleagues to nominate candidates for recognition by November 1, 2008.

Nomination Procedures:
To nominate an individual for recognition, submit the following materials to the Chair of the Early Publication Award Committee by November 1, 2008:

1. Three clear copies of the article being submitted for recognition.
2. Letter of nomination in which the nominator provides an assessment of the article identifying the research method, the quality of the research, how the study extends the knowledge base, and the impact of the publication. If the article submitted has multiple authors, the contributions of the nominee to the publication must be clearly identified. The nomination letter is not to exceed three pages in length.
3. Three copies of a current resume for the article’s author.

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International Child and Adolescent Conference

By JohnL on May. 23, 2008.

International Child & Adolescent Conference Opportunities
November 6-8, 2008
Minneapolis, MN

Breakout Session Proposals & Scholarship Applications Invited
Colleagues and Friends:

The Behavioral Institute for Children and Adolescents and co-sponsors, the Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders (CCBD) and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), are pleased to present the biennial International Child and Adolescent Conference XIV on November 6-8, 2008 at the Hilton Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport-Mall of America Hotel.
The conference, began in 1982, is a transdisciplinary forum for individuals from education, mental health, juvenile justice and related fields along with families to share information on effective interventions and programs for troubled youth.

The theme for the 2008 conference is Decoding RTI-PBS-EBD to Improve Learning and Social Outcomes for Students. This event will feature keynote addresses, in-depth workshops and topical strands. This year’s event will highlight literacy and social competency. We are seeking proposals for a wide variety of presentations surrounding this theme from practitioners, administrators, researchers, trainers, advocates, parents, students and others who work in or with education, mental health, juvenile justice or related fields. You are invited to submit a proposal and participate in the program. All proposals must be submitted on line at our website, www.behavioralinstitute.org . Click the conference logo on the home page, then the call for proposals link and complete the requested information. The deadline is July 15, 2008. Note: all program participants are required to register for the conference. The registration form and featured speakers will be posted soon.

The Behavioral Institute for Children and Adolescents is also pleased to announce the call for applicants for the Institute’s biennial Tara Reilly Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is offered to encourage and assist an individual pursuing a career serving troubled youth. The applicant must have junior/senior or graduate student standing and must be enrolled in an accredited program for the 2008-09 school year in one of the following areas: a) special education; b) juvenile justice; c) mental health; or d) a related field with the intent to work with children and youth with behavioral challenges. The intent of the scholarship program is to encourage and assist persons choosing a career in direct service rather than administration or higher education. Additional information and application are on line at www.behavioralinstitue.org. The deadline is July 15, 2008.

U of I department head

By JohnL on May. 21, 2008.

HEAD, DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

Position: The Department of Special Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign seeks a full-time tenured Professor of Special Education, who is an established scholar with effective leadership and administrative qualities, to serve as Head of the Department. This is a tenure-track faculty position, with a time allocation of 50% research and teaching and 50% administration. As Head, this person will support a strong faculty and continue to recruit and support students at the graduate and undergraduate levels.

The College of Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is known for its groundbreaking research, innovative approaches to teaching, and service to the global community. The Department, consistently ranked fourth in Departments of Special Education in the nation by U.S. News and World Report (2008), is committed to the production and dissemination of new knowledge in special education, gifted education, and developmental disabilities through excellence in research, teaching, and service. Faculty and graduate students employ varied research approaches, work in diverse educational and community settings, and prepare educational professionals at graduate and undergraduate levels

Responsibilities: As Head of the Department, the successful candidate will be expected to support the mission of this highly regarded and internationally recognized department, which is to address critical issues related to the diverse needs of individuals across the life span. Research that parallels the department’s teaching and service activities is focused on the advancement of knowledge and improvement of practices that promote successful early childhood, school, and life outcomes for individuals with and at risk for disabilities and their families. An infrastructure to support access to sponsored projects exists within the College and enables faculty to competitively garner millions of dollars in external funds. This position also involves working in concert with a team of unit heads to collectively foster the achievement of the college mission.

Qualifications: An earned doctorate in special education or a related field is required; teaching or related experience with individuals with special needs; demonstrated administrative leadership skills; and a record of scholarly contributions, service to the profession, and experience in securing external support that is commensurate with the position of full professor. Other highly desirable skills are administrative experience in higher education, experience in personnel preparation, a record of collaborative partnerships with P-12 education human service agencies and university departments, and knowledge of local, state, and federal educational structures and regulatory processes and requirements.

Starting Date and Salary: The starting date is August 1, 2009, or as soon as possible after the closing date. Salary will be competitive and commensurate with qualifications.

Information about the Department of Special Education may be found at

http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/sped/

In order to ensure full consideration, a letter of application referencing Search #11823, a curriculum vitae including email address, the names and contact information for three references, and any teaching evaluations must be received by October 10, 2008. Applicants may be interviewed before the closing date; however, no hiring decision will be made until after that date. Please send applications to:

Dr. Thomas Schwandt, Search Committee Chair
c/o Susan Michaels, Assistant to the Dean
College of Education
110 Education Building
1310 S. Sixth Street, Champaign, IL 61820

217-244-3293

Email submissions preferred: susanm _at_ uiuc.edu

For more information, please contact Dr. Schwandt, Search Committee Chair, at tschwand _at_ uiuc.edu or 217-333-5350.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women and members of underrepresented minority groups are especially encouraged to apply.

Special education dictionary

By JohnL on May. 16, 2008.

The folks at The IRIS Center, a national center that provides resources for teacher educators concerned with students with disabilities, announced the availability of a dictionary of terms used in special education. It’s online and free!
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VP for TheArcLink

By JohnL on May. 11, 2008.

The folks over at The Arc are searching for a senior administrator for TheArcLink, the organization’s means of providing resources for individuals with disabilities and their families so that they can make informed decisions about services and participate actively in their communities. Here’s a brief version of the announcement:

This key position has responsibility for TheArcLink’s marketing and communications activities as well as new product development. For a complete position description, go to www.thearclink.org/egroup/thearclinkvp.pdf.

Marketing activities include communicating via email, training webinars and direct personal contact to participating providers, potential participating providers, Roommates users, representatives of new potential state subscribers to Roommates, potential funders for the National FindFamily Registry and potential underwriters and supporters for TheArcLink in general. The Vice President will also staff exhibits at state and national meetings as requested by the President.

TheArcLink periodically develops new products in response to consumer demand or perceived market gap. Key to development are regular conversations with stakeholders, knowledge of the market niche, focus group results, and a knowledge of TheArcLink’s internal engineering capacity to develop specific applications. Since the initial launch of TheArcLink in 2000, these new products have been developed and introduced: The TheArcLink Calendar, the Medicaid Reference Desk, MyPlan (an online individual needs assessment in conjunction with the Medicaid Reference Desk), Roommates and the National FindFamily Registry. TheArcLink also hosts the websites of other disability organization on request. The Vice President will be a key participant in the process of all new product development, and will serve as the lead contact for new products as assigned by the President.

The successful candidate will have training and experience in Information Technology Management (IT), as well as an orientation to the field of cognitive disabilities.

Application Deadline: June 10, 2008

Send all resumes and inquiries to vicepresident@thearclink.org.

Salary: Competitive

TheArcLink Incorporated is an equal opportunity employer.

Download a PDF of the position description here.

Post-doc opportunity

By JohnL on May. 3, 2008.

Lee Swanson passed along this announcement:

A four year Post-doctoral training grant funded by Institute of Education Science, U. S. Department of Education, has been awarded to the University of California-Riverside. The Post-Doctoral support focuses on Methodological Training in Instruction, Reading, Math and Cognition Research for Children with Learning Disabilities.

Abstract of Post-Doctoral Fellowship Training

Beginning Sept 1, 2008, Postdoctoral training program awards are available to prepare leaders to conduct methodologically rigorous research, write research grants, and disseminate research outcomes in refereed articles focusing on assessment models and interventions for children with learning disabilities in reading and/or math. Post-doctoral students will focus on learning disabilities in reading and math reading, specifically in the areas of cognition, reading fluency, and response to instruction. Three post-doctoral students will be supported for years 1 and 2, and three new postdoctoral students will be supported for year 3 and 4. The particular focus of the training will be for post -doctoral students who aspire to faculty positions in special education. Trainees will develop expertise through research mentoring; participation in IES funded research, research with special education or affiliated faculty, advanced course work in statistical analysis of data, and a set of specific competencies. Postdoctoral students will be prepared to publish scholarly research that furthers the knowledge base and improves practice for children with learning disabilities, and to occupy tenured positions of leadership in universities. The program described here makes full use of the resources of the University of California at Riverside (UCR), and the UC Center for Research on Special Education, Disabilities, and Developmental Risk. (With UC Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Diego, Davis, Berkeley, and Irvine). Post-doctoral Fellowships include up to 50K per year for support, plus benefits, travel and research support.

Send vitae and letter of intent to:
H. Lee Swanson, Area of Educational Psychology and Special Education, Graduate School of Education. University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521 or e-mail Lee.Swanson_at_ucr.edu

Chief Program Officer

By JohnL on May. 1, 2008.

Virginia Institute for Autism (VIA) is searching for an individual to assume responsibility for programming educational environments for children and youths with Autism. Here’s VIA’s description of the position.

The Virginia Institute of Autism (VIA) in Charlottesville seeks a Chief Program Officer committed to evidence-based practice and the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA). The primary roles are to develop, oversee and ensure the quality of programming across the Institute’s James C. Hormel School, which serves up to 30 students with autism, preschool through post high; ensure the quality of and staff fidelity to behavior support plans; and work collaboratively with the Program Director for Student Instruction to review, select and evaluate assessment tools, curricula and IEPs.

The person filling the position should have, at minimum, a master’s degree in education, special education, psychology, or a related discipline. Candidates should also have five or more years experience overseeing educational programs for children and adolescents with Autism. Most VIA staff members have board certification in behavior analysis (BCBA).

See VIA’s announcement of the positionhere and learn more about VIA itself here.