William Therrien

Special Education Research Accelerator Phase 2: Identifying Generalization Boundaries Add

In this project, researchers will develop and pilot test the Special Education Research Accelerator (SERA), a platform for organizing many research teams to collaboratively conduct high-quality, large-scale replication studies with diverse samples of learners with disabilities.

The postdoctoral research program will provide postdoctoral fellows with extensive research training in the academic, behavioral, and social development of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) from pre-K through their transition out of secondary school. The overarching goal of this program is to prepare four fellows (with 2 years of training each) to engage in rigorous research related to the developmental needs of students with ASD and the factors that enhance school achievement.

The Science Writing Heuristic Postdoctoral Fellowship trained four fellows on topics in the areas of science and special education. Educational and applied experiences ensured that each fellow acquired the skills necessary to conduct rigorous education research. Fellows worked with faculty on an efficacy study of the science writing heuristic approach, which embeds science argument in typical inquiry lessons to improve student understanding of science.