The Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology at the University of Missouri is recruiting for a highly qualified individual to help coordinate a new large-scale group randomized intervention trial to evaluate the efficacy of a teacher classroom management training program. For a full description of the position, which is at the Assistant or Associate Research Professor rank, please download the position announcement.

Scholars in the field of reading research are encouraged to submit applications for the 2010-2011 Jeanne S. Chall Research Grant. The purpose of this grant is to provide a stipend for a scholar to spend a period of time (usually from 2-8 weeks) at the Harvard Graduate School of Education to conduct research utilizing the Jeanne S. Chall Collection on the Teaching of Reading housed in the Monroe C. Gutman Library’s Special Collections Department. Additionally, the researcher will have access to other extensive reading resources available in Special Collections, Gutman Library and elsewhere at Harvard University. The Chall Collection consists of books and other materials related to the history of reading research and the teaching of reading, spanning both the 19th and 20th centuries. Most of the materials are dated from the 1950s through 1980s and include reading textbooks, curriculum sets, and scholarly works.

The research should focus on beginning reading, reading instruction, reading difficulty, or other related topics in the field. Additionally, projects may be historical in nature, focus on textual analysis, or relate to the research and writing of Jeanne Chall. The award will support travel to and from Cambridge and other expenses (up to a total of $2500). Applicants must hold a doctoral degree from an accredited institution of higher learning. Please include a current resume and a project proposal not exceeding 500 words in length. The application deadline is May 14, 2010.

Send to Edward Copenhagen, Special Collections Librarian, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Gutman Library, 6 Appian Way, Cambridge, MA 02138; e-mail submission to: edward_copenhagen [at] harvard [dot] edu

Reading is Fundamental, the US nonprofit organization devoted to promoting reading and literacy, is soliciting proposals from university graduate students who would be willing to help conduct some research. The student who receives the award must analyze data and write a report of a study being conducted at Brooklyn (NY, US) Public Library. The study is to investigate the feasibility and impact of providing audio books to children with reading and developmental disabilities.

Upon completion of the project, the grantee will receive $3,000 in compensation. Digital media and special education majors are encouraged to apply. Proposals are due March 26. Direct questions to Patricia Oholeguy at 202.536.3476 or poholeguy [at] rif [dot] org. Learn more about RIF. Download a copy of the RFP.

Michael Silverstein and colleagues reported interesting data about whether children who are retained during the early grades later require special education. Exploring the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K, ), they found that many children who were retained continued to experience academic difficulties, but never received an IEP.

Receipt of Special Education Services Following Elementary School Grade Retention
Michael Silverstein, MD, MPH; Nicole Guppy, MD; Robin Young, MA; Marilyn Augustyn, MD
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2009;163(6):547-553.

Objective To estimate the proportion of children who receive an Individualized Education Program (IEP) following grade retention in elementary school.

Design Longitudinal cohort study.

Participants Children retained in kindergarten or first (K/1) grade and third grade, presumably for academic reasons, were followed up through fifth grade.

Main Outcome Measure Presence or absence of an IEP.

Results A total of 300 children retained in K/1 and 80 retained in third grade were included in the study. Of the K/1 retainees, 68.9% never received an IEP during the subsequent 4 to 5 years; of the third-grade retainees, 72.3% never received an IEP. Kindergarten/first-grade retainees in the highest quintile for socioeconomic status and those with suburban residence were less likely to receive an IEP than retained children in all other socioeconomic status quintiles (adjusted odds ratio, 0.17; 95% confidence interval, 0.05-0.62) and in rural communities (0.16; 0.06-0.44). Among K/1 retainees with persistently low academic achievement in math and reading, as assessed by standardized testing, 38.2% and 29.7%, respectively, never received an IEP.

Conclusions Most children retained in K/1 or third grade for academic reasons, including many of those who demonstrated sustained academic difficulties, never received an IEP during elementary school. Further studies are important to elucidate whether retained elementary schoolchildren are being denied their rights to special education services. In the meantime, early-grade retention may provide an opportunity for pediatricians to help families advocate for appropriate special education evaluations for children experiencing school difficulties.

Should retention be a flag for special education evaluation? Some folks argue that it should. For example, using data from a study by Margaret Beebe-Frankenburger and colleagues (2004), Ryan Kinlaw answers, “Yes”:

Most students at risk of retention can be identified on the basis of ability measures and teacher perceptions at least by second grade. Possible strategies for minimizing the likelihood of retention include… focused and individualized assessment of their special education needs.” (Kinlaw, 2005, p. 5)

How does all this fit into the response-to-instruction efforts that are popping up in so many schools around the US? If we had a database of the progress-monitoring data that we could connect to data about teacher ratings, retention in grade, evaluation for special education, and so forth, what would we be able to learn? Would we learn that when a child has been retained, then he’s protected from being referred for special education? If so, is that a good outcome?

My hunch is that we’d find some students (~5-10%; not counting those who have physical disabilities) who started at the low end of the distribution on measures of literacy and had progress rates that were lower than most of their peers. They would very likely be among students who received tier-2 services. And they would be significantly more likely to be retained, evaluated for special education, etc.

Sources

Beebe-Frankenberger, M., Bocian, K. M., MacMillan, D. L., & Gresham, F. M. (2004). Sorting second-grade students: Differentiating those retained from those promoted. Journal of Educational Psychology, 96, 204-215.

Kinlaw, C. R. (2005, Fall). Sorting out student retention: 2.4 million children left behind? Durham, NC: Center for Child and Family Policy and Sanford Institute of Public Policy Policy Briefs. [link]

Among the questions that senators might ask during the hearings on the nomination of Dr. S. Gupta for the office of US Surgeon General, there is this one: “Dr. Gupta, I’d like to ask you about a contentious subject, the practice of facilitated communication, known as “FC,” as a means of helping individuals with disabilities, especially those with Autism, to communicate. During your tenure on influential television news programs carried by CNN, you noted that “literature, studies, and views on FC largely discredit the technique” [link]. However, you then presented summaries of studies, many of them anecdotal, some of which reported supposed successes with facilitated communication [link and link]. Do you anticipate that, if you are confirmed, your office will promote the use of facilitated communication? Moreover, do you anticipate that your office will depend on anecdotes or more rigorous science as a basis of policies?”

Jeff Wagg of the James Randi Educational Foundation: Sanjay Gupta Unfit?;

The School of Education
Department of Special Education

Position Announcement for Chairperson/Professor
The School of Education at the University of Kansas is seeking a Chairperson/Professor for the Department of Special Education to assume responsibility by July or August, 2009. The Department of Special Education is nationally recognized for its doctoral, post-doctoral and master’s programs, and its graduate and undergraduate teacher licensure programs. It is a major center for research and development in the field.
The Department is looking for an individual who will embrace and advance our commitment to effective preparation of special education and early intervention teachers and leadership personnel for professional practice in school, community, and higher education settings. Our program graduates are prepared to serve infants, toddlers, children, youth, and adults with special educational needs in inclusive learning environments. Administratively, the Department is located on the main campus in Lawrence. The faculty offers preparation programs at this location and at the Edwards campus in suburban Kansas City.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
1. Doctoral degree in special education or related field.
2. Teaching and/or related experience with individuals having special needs.
3. Demonstrated administrative leadership skills.
4. Evidence of strong scholarly contributions to the field.
5. Record of service to the profession.
6. Commitment to or experiences in securing external support for program development and maintenance.
7. Knowledge of local, state, and federal, educational structures and regulatory processes and requirements.
8. Competence in developing interdisciplinary approaches to the education of infants, toddlers, children, youth, and adults with special needs.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
1. Administrative experience in an institution comparable to the University of Kansas.
2. Experience with special education, related service, and/or early intervention/early childhood special education personnel preparation.
3. Current engagement in sponsored research and development activities.
4. National reputation in the field of special education.
5. Knowledge of and experience with educational applications of emerging information technologies.
6. Record of collaboration with early intervention programs, preschools, K-12 schools, and/or human service agencies, and university departments.

SALARY RANGE:
Salary is competitive and dependent on the experience and qualifications of the candidate.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS AND SCHOOL OF EDUCATION:
The University of Kansas is a leading research university with a strong tradition of academic excellence that attracts 21,000 undergraduates and 6,000 graduate students from every state in the nation and over 100 countries (http://www.ku.edu/). The School of Education educates future teachers, administrators, counselors, psychologists and health and sport professionals. There are over 700 undergraduate and 1300 graduate students served by 85 tenure-track faculty (http://www.soe.ku.edu/).

APPLICATION PROCEDURES:
A complete application will include a letter of application, a curriculum vita, and names of three references (name, title, address, phone number, and email address). Please submit these materials as PDF files attached to an email sent to Donna Goodwin (goodwin2@ku.edu). In the letter of application, please include information pertinent to the position qualifications, and specify the applicant’s philosophy relevant to program development and administration, teaching, scholarship, and service. Contact persons are Don Deshler (ddeshler@ku.edu) and Tom Skrtic (tms@ku.edu), Search Committee Co-Chairs, Department of Special Education, University of Kansas, 1122 West Campus Road (Room 521), Lawrence, KS 66045-3101 (phone: 785-864-4954). Screening of applications will begin October 15, 2008 and will continue until the position is filled.

The University of Kansas is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. The University encourages applications from underrepresented group members. Federal and state legislation prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, disability, and veteran status. In addition, University policies prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, marital status and parent status. EO/AA.

University of Kansas: Assistant Research Professor

Working title: Project Coordinator

Position Number: 00207039

Position Overview: Juniper Gardens Children’s Project is a community-based research institute affiliated with the University of Kansas. We are seeking an Assistant Research Professor who will work with a multi-site team of senior researchers who are collaborating on a new center funded by the Institute of Education Sciences to conduct research to prevent reading delays. The research group, called the Center on Response to Intervention in Early Childhood, is conducting a nationally prominent program of research to develop and validate preschool-level measures for monitoring children’s progress acquiring language and early literacy skills and to develop and evaluate interventions for children who are not making expected rates of progress. A highly skilled individual is sought who with the team of Principal Investigators will provide national leadership in this area of research.
Continuation is contingent on a satisfactory yearly employee evaluation and funding availability. Position will be responsible for project coordination and leadership for externally funded research projects with the intention of later developing an independent research program within the center. Candidate must sucessfully pass a background check.

Job Duties:
1) Participate and provide leadership in the design and conduct of research related to CRTIEC’s research objectives related to the development, validation, and evaluation of new progress monitoring measures and new interventions to be used in RtI models in early literacy and language (25%)
2) Coordinate a national network of researchers and practitioners interested in RtI in Early Childhood and manage an annual meeting of the network participants to advance the science and practice of RtI (15%)
3) Recruit and supervise a team of research assistants and graduate students carrying out research related to the measurement and intervention goals of the Center (15%)
4) Promote CRTIEC’s public presence through the dissemination of its expertise and capabilities through a dedicated web site, publication in professional journals, presentations at national and regional meetings (15%)
5) Maintain cross-site communication with Center investigators and site coordinators by developing agenda for regular cross-site meetings and maintaining and distributing records of these meetings (10%)
6) Develop and submit grant proposals to external funding agencies relating to research interests (10%)
7) Facilitate productive research partnerships and collaborations with state and local Pre-K and Head Start agencies (5%)
8) Monitor Center progress in achieving its established timelines for meeting objectives and communicate progress to Center collaborators and the federal project officer (5%)

Required Qualifications:
Evaluation of the following requirements will be made through (1) records of accomplishment entered into CVs, (2) descriptions of research and educational experiences as addressed in letters of application, and (3) references.

1. Ph.D. in School Psychology, Special Education, Human Development, Applied Behavioral Science, or related field by start of position.
2. One year minimum experience implementing early childhood interventions addressing the promotion of language and literacy skills.
3. One year minimum experience in the administration, interpretation, and use of progress monitoring measurement.
4. One year minimum experience with research focusing on measurement and/or intervention in language and early literacy.
5. Three years minimum experience working with young children in research or early education/intervention settings
6. Evidence of potential for securing independent external funding.

Preferred Qualifications:
1. One year minimum experience training and supervising staff in the implementation of early childhood interventions addressing the promotion of language and literacy skills.
2. One year minimum experience training and coordinating staff in the administration, interpretation, and use of progress monitoring measurement.
3. One year minimum experience in coordinating multi-site research projects focusing on measurement and/or intervention in language and early literacy.
4. Publication of articles in peer-reviewed journals addressing language and early literacy topics.
5. Experience presenting research findings at national conferences, as evidenced in work and education experience.
6. One year minimum experience working in community settings with culturally diverse children and families.
7. One year minimum experience using website technology to scale up data collection and reporting.
8. Experience organizing large regional or national meetings, as evidenced in work experience.
9. Previous experience writing grants for external funding.

Salary Range: $45,000 – $55,500 + benefits

Application Instructions:
All applicants must apply online and provide a cover letter, resume, and contact information for 3 professional references. To apply online go to: https://jobs.ku.edu, position # 00207039, or use the quick link, https://jobs.ku.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=87340

Position will remain open until filled; however, first consideration will be given to application materials received by the initial review date of September 19, 2008.

The University of Kansas is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. The University encourages applications from underrepresented group members. Federal and state legislation prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, disability, and veteran status. In addition, University policies prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, marital status, and parental status.

Call for Nominations: 2009 Student Research Award

Division for Research, Council for Exceptional Children

The Division for Research seeks nominations for the 2009 Student Research Award. This award recognizes high-quality research across multiple research methodologies conducted by students in the course of their undergraduate or graduate special education training program. The Division will award up to three such awards annually, with one award presented in each of up to three areas of research designs or methodologies: qualitative, single-subject, and quantitative. No award will be given in any research methodology area if an exemplary, high-quality research study is not submitted; thus, there may be fewer than three awards presented in any given year. Nominations are sought across all areas of special education services and are due by October 15, 2008.

Criteria

1. The nominated student must be the sole or first author of the nominated manuscript and the research study must represent the student’s intellectual work.
2. The nominated research study must have been conceptualized and conducted while the first author was a student.
3. The nominated study must not be in press at the time of submission nor have been published prior to submission for the award.
4. The nominated manuscript must not exceed 45 double-spaced pages, not including tables and references. Manuscripts should be formatted according to APA 5.0 guidelines.
5. Independent of the methodological area in which the manuscript is submitted, research studies nominated must adhere to standards for high-quality research advocated for in the field of special education and by the Division for Research. Detailed quality indicators of high-quality research in each of the identified methodological areas (e.g., quantitative, qualitative, single-subject) can be found in the Winter 2005 special issue of Exceptional Children, Volume 71(2), edited by Odom et al. Applicants are referred to this issue for guidance. Please note that the “quantitative” category for this award includes group experimental and quasi-experimental designs (Gerston et al., 2005) and correlational designs (Thompson, Diamond, McWilliam, Snyder, & Snyder, 2005).

Nomination Process

1. Nominations may be self-nominations or nominations from another person, such as an academic advisor or professional colleague.
2. Include a brief cover letter (no more than one page, single spaced) that:
   1. identifies the title of the manuscript
   2. states the methodological area in which the research is being submitted for consideration
   3. provides written assurances that the research was conceptualized and conducted by the nominee and while the nominee was a student and has not been accepted for publication; and
   4. provides all current contact information (name, title, position, affiliation, address, telephone number, email address).
3. Include one or more copies (see subsequent item) of the manuscript reporting the research being nominated.
4. Nominations may be submitted by mail or email by October 15, 2008. Emailed submissions are preferred. Emailed nominations must be received by October 15. If submitting by postal service, nominations must be postmarked by October 15 and include five copies of the manuscript. Send nominations to

Michael L. Wehmeyer, Ph.D.
Chair, Student Research Award Committee
Professor of Special Education
University of Kansas
1200 Sunnyside Avenue, Room 3136
Lawrence, Kansas 66045

785-864-0723

wehmeyer AT ku.edu

Award Details

The awardee in each research method area will receive payment of registration for the 2009 CEC Annual Convention, to be held in Seattle, Washington; a free membership to CEC-DR for one year; and a certificate. In addition, the recipient(s) will present the award-winning research in a poster session during the CEC-DR Reception.

References

Gersten, R., Fuchs., L. S., Compton, D., Coyne, M., Greenwood, C., & Innocenti, M. S. (2005).  Quality indicators for group experimental and quasi-experimental research in special education. Exceptional Children, 71(2), 149-164.

Odom, S. L., Bratlinger, E., Gersten, R., Horner, R. H., Thompson, B. & Harris, K. R. (2005).  Research in special education:  Scientific methods and evidence-based practices. Exceptional Children, 71(2), 137-148.

Thompson, B., Diamond, K. E., McWilliam, R., Snyder, P., & Snyder, S. W. (2005).  Evaluating the quality of evidence from correlational research for evidence-based practice. Exceptional Children, 71(2), 181-194.

Postdoctoral Fellowship on Reading Disabilities and Response To Intervention

The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk and the Department of Special Education at the University of Texas are seeking applications for two qualified candidates interested in participating in a two-year, IES-funded postdoctoral training program designed to promote the conduct of methodologically-rigorous research on reading disabilities and response to intervention. Training for fellows will begin in August, 2008 or August, 2009, depending upon the applicant’s schedule, and involve (a) mentored professional development, independent writing, and grant development; (b) immersion in large-scale, federally-funded applied education research drawing from multiple disciplines (e.g., educational psychology, special education); and (c) didactic research training. Fellows will have an opportunity to assume a leadership role on at least one large-scale research project directed by the Training Director. Within this role, they will have an opportunity to (a) assist in the conceptualization and management of existing and follow-up research, (b) apply methodological and data analytic approaches in addressing research questions, and (c) supervise data collection/ management/ analysis and implementation efforts. In addition, they will be encouraged to establish unique and independent strands of research culminating in the solicitation of future grant funding. At the conclusion of their experience, fellows will be exceptionally well poised to assume roles in institutes of higher education, research centers, and training programs that have as their priority advancing the scientific basis of educational programs.

Qualified applicants will have obtained a degree in educational psychology, special education, or a related field by August, 2008. Applications will be reviewed starting July 1, 2008 and remain open until both positions are filled. Those with a background in reading disabilities, methodology, school-based intervention delivery, family-school partnerships, or response-to-intervention (RtI) are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants should have a basic understanding of research design and analysis for randomized group designs and educational and psychological measurement. The following application materials are required: (a) a cover letter describing professional research interests, research experience, methodological and statistical training, and professional development and research goals to be pursued during the fellowship; (b) a complete vita; and (c) two letters of recommendation (at least one from a faculty advisor or mentor). Application materials should be submitted to Dr. Sharon Vaughn, Director, Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, 78712, or electronically to Kshumake @ mail.utexas.edu.

The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk is an interdisciplinary Center of Excellence that promotes and supports a vibrant grant-active culture in the College of Education and across University of Texas. The Center is a highly prolific research entity that pursues and secures competitive funding with a high rate of success. It is closely affiliated with the Departments of Special Education and Educational Psychology, which offer master’s and doctoral programs and coursework in Quantitative and Psychometric Methods; School Psychology and Counseling Psychology (both APA-accredited); Cognition, Learning, and Instruction; and Cultural Studies and Development.

Vanderbilt University is inviting applications for post-doctoral fellows in the two year Postdoctoral Intervention Research Program in Special Education. Fellows will work closely with a faculty advisor in the Department of Special Education matched to their interests in intervention research and with Karen Harris, Project Director. The special education faculty at VU are nationally recognized as leaders in intervention research in special education (see http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/Microsites/Academic_Department/Special_Education.xml for more information). Fellows are sought across the areas of Early Childhood, High Incidence (EBD/LD/ADHD and other struggling learners) and Severe Disabilities. Participating advisors include: Donald Compton, Stephen Elliott, Doug Fuchs, Lynn Fuchs, Steve Graham, Karen Harris, Mary Louise Hemmeter, Ann Kaiser, Craig Kennedy, Kathleen Lane, Joseph Wehby, Mark Wolery, and Paul Yoder. Fellows will be prepared to make a difference in intervention research though (1) intensive mentoring by appropriate faculty members and the Project Director, (2) additional rigorous training in research methods and the science of learning beyond that received in their doctoral programs and tailored to their individual interests in intervention research, (3) concentrated experiences in one or more currently funded intervention research programs, (4) participation in an Intervention Research Reading Group that will allow intense study of critical works on intervention research, and (5) experience in writing IES research proposals, writing for publication, and presenting at research conferences. Upon completing this postdoctorate, fellows will have begun to build a programmatic line of research that will have significant impact on practice and the field of special education.

Qualifications: Applicants should have a doctoral degree in special education or related area. Assistant professors as well as recent doctoral graduates are encouraged to apply.

Applicants should send a letter of application indicating their areas of interest in intervention research and relevant work, CV, and a list of references to Karen Harris (Karen.Harris @ Vanderbilt.edu). U.S. citizenship or permanent residency required. Start dates are flexible, beginning August, 2008. Applications will be reviewed as received. Vanderbilt University is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer. Members of under-represented minority groups are strongly encouraged to apply.