Congratulations Spring 2018 Graduates! See Full List of Graduates at Bottom of the Newsletter

KIHd & University News

Our news in May and June focuses on our graduates

Mason's Autism Support Initiative helps students help themselves. Learn More.

Graduation profile: Teaching and learning at the same time. Learn More.

Mason gains in worldwide, national rankings. Learn More.

First Washington Lobbyist with Down ’s syndrome. Learn More.

Upcoming Events

State of the Art Conference 2018 October 10-11, 2018 Syracuse, New York

Learn More.

The Kellar Newsletter

May/June 2018

International Conference on Learning Disabilities 2018 October 11-12, 2018

Portland, Oregon Learn More.

The International Dyslexia Association Conference

October 24-27, 2018 Mashantucket, Connecticut

Learn More.

The Kellar Library Featured this Month!

Rachel Is

Call Number: VIDEO 362.196 RAC 2011

This is a great video for anybody interested in transition. Rachel wants what most people her age want, to move out of her mother's house. This dream

of independence seems impossible. Rachel can't be left alone and the social services needed for her to live an "adult life" are unavailable. This documentary chronicles Rachel's last year in school and the difficult relationship between mother and daughter. Rachel Is, is an honest, heartbreaking, and funny film about parenthood, disability, and the universal struggle for

happiness.

Running time: 67 minutes

Watch the trailer here- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh0BUEE_r70

The Kellar Library is located in the Finley Building, Room 116 on the Mason Fairfax campus. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm, Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. Closed Weekends and George Mason University holidays. Anyone living or working in the Northern Virginia area (VDOE Region 4) including K-12 teachers, school administrators, George Mason University students, faculty and staff, may check out materials.

Free 30 minute parking directly in front of the building. For more information about the library, see our web page at https://kellarlibrary.gmu.edu

Faculty Travel May/June

Sheryl Asen in Cuba!

Left: “Me with my GMU umbrella in Trinidad, Cuba. It was another of many days of torrential rains as tropical storm Alberto swept over the island. This was taken just before the rains intensified and the streets turned into

rivers.”

Center: “Taken at the Sociedad Grafica de Cienfuegos, a graphic arts cooperative workshop in Cienfuegos, Cuba that, in addition to supporting local artists, offers programs in printmaking for children and young adults with

intellectual disabilities (pictured in the photo album).”

Right: “Me with Samuel and Brenda, two first grade students (son and niece of our guide) at a public elementary school in Havana, Cuba. Students wear uniforms. The bandana color signifies grade level. High school students have

different color uniforms, depending on whether their courses of study are technical or pre-university.”

Grace Francis, Carlos Lavin, and Linda Mason Conduct Research in Mexico City!

Grace Francis, Carlos Lavin, and Linda Mason spent a week in Mexico City, visiting various types of inclusive school settings, and conducting surveys, interviews, and focus groups with administrators, teachers, and parents. Looking

forward to seeing the results of this mixed-methods research and policy analysis!

“Pictures include the famous mural building on the Universidad National de Mexico campus, a mural painted by students from Emmanuel Mounier Colegio, and the Mason research team.”

Spring 2018 Graduation

Class of 2018 Student Speaker Candice Joel Fathi

Master of Education in Special Education

Presentation of LIFE Program Certificates Heidi Graff, PhD, Mason LIFE Program Director Helen A. Kellar Institute for Human disAbilities

LIFE Program Certificate Recipient Special Education

Mohammed Abdullah I. Alsalamah

Curtis Kente’ O. Bishop

Bassel G. Dib Andrew James Kenworthy

Dongeun Annie Kim James MacLeod Rill Kathryn Lord Robb

Allison Nicole Robbins Alexander M. Totah

Elizabeth Rose Ann Wills

Academic Program Awards Special Education

Tracie Khazmo (Students with Disabilities Who Access the Adapted Curriculum)

Leah J. Maddox (Applied Behavior Analysis) Raya Lynne Mutti-Roberts Katarzyna Piwek (Autism)

Casey Renee Quigley (Students with Disabilities Who Access the General Curriculum) Alexander R. Tierney (Assistive Technology)

Candidates for Doctor of Philosophy in Education Special Education

Soo Y. Ahn

Dissertation: Using a Mobile-Based Graphic Organizer with Embedded Procedural Facilitation for Idea Generation to Support Persuasive Essay Writing for Middle School Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.

Aseel Sulaiman Alsuhaibani

Dissertation: Arabic Version of the Arc’s Self-Determination Scale for Female Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities, Learning Disabilities, and Multiple Disabilities in Saudi Arabia: Validation Study.

Amy Gyamfiwah Ansong

Dissertation: Examining the Role of Toys in Undergraduate Women’s Decision to Major in Engineering.

Meghan P. Betz Dissertation: Professional Development with Optional Components for Educators of English Language Learners:

A Mixed-Methods Study of Educators’ Changes in Knowledge and Experience.

Kelly K. Brady Dissertation: Using Web-Based Graphic Organizer Instruction with Embedded Self-Regulated Learning Strategies

and Additional Brainstorming Supports to Improve the Planning and Persuasive Writing of Secondary Students with Complex Intellectual Profiles.

Melissa Durbin Hughes

Dissertation: Examining the Role of Self-Regulated Learning Instruction on the Performance and Self-Efficacy Beliefs of Struggling Writers.

Leigh Ann Kurz

Dissertation: Literacy Integrated with Kindergarten Science: An Investigation of Impacts of Kindergarten Students Including Those At-Risk for Learning Disabilities.

Nichole S. P. MacVittie

Dissertation: Guided Self-Reflection with Video and Changes in Teacher Instructional Behaviors.

Dwannal Wade McGahee

Dissertation: The Effects of a Self-Advocacy Intervention on the Performance of High School Students with Learning Disabilities when Requesting Academic Accommodations.

Donna M. Sacco

Dissertation: Special Educators’ Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Instructional Practices for Students Who Are Dually Identified as English Learners with Specific Learning Disabilities.

Laura C. Siko

Dissertation: Wearable Technology for Self-Monitoring of Academic Engagement in College Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Candidates for Master’s Degree Program in Special Education

Juliana M. Erickson Gregory Bowman Farrar Caitlin Farrell

Kristen Fennel Emily Ferguson Adriena B. Garwood

Carleen A. Gilbert Emily Jean Gillespie Lauren Michelle Glaser

Heidi M. Hanania Audrey L. Hardwick Sonny Haynie

Susan M. Hemphill Amanda R. Herlihy Toby Hettler

Sonya Qahar Hossainkhail Maura Hoyson Lindsay Huber

Rachel Hudgens Rachael Marie Huggins Amna Hussain

Elaine Wozniak Israel Kasey May Jackonis Ebony Juanita Jeter

Jajuan Denzel Johnson Megan Victoria Johnston Margaret Sullivan Jones

Danielle L. Justice Leslie A. Keenan Eliane Hemi Kim

Valerie Kopyta Gloria Koretsky Melissa C. Kozak

Emily Ann Kraus Alexis Joy Kuhfeldt Meghan E. Lamson

Alexis Lewis Kayla Llena Bridget A. Lorenz

Leah J. Maddox Antoinetta Michelle Mann Alexander S. Marsengill

Meghan L. Martin Sue K. Massey Kathryn A McAllister

Jeremy Alexander McCain Danielle Ofelia McKenzie Lakshmi Menon

Christine M. Mercede Marina R. Mikhaiel Emily A. Miller

Shauna R. Mojaddidi Jessica M. Montana Samantha L. Mullen

Christopher J. Murphy Raya Lynne Mutti-Roberts Ryan A. Nelson

Laura Pantaleo Jazette Sharice Perry Briana Pichalski

Alyssa Ann Pierno Katarzyna Piwek David Jason Powell

Elinor Pretsch Jasmine S. Proctor Kiersten Pyrtle

Anne E. Quigley Margaret Ramos Rebecca Lea Reichel

Yodit Reinhold Deborah Anne Roeseler Laura Elizabeth Rojek

Lauren B. Rothgeb Caitlin Nicole Russel Barbara Ryan

Rosy Sahoo Scott Allan Schoonover Allison R. Schwer

Adeela Shah Sohela Sharafatnezad Samantha R. Sheridan

Joanne E. Singer Caitlin Elizabeth Smith Julia-Anne C. Smith

Sherri R. Spellar Lauren Spinelli Meghan Ashley Spoth

Jared Lee Stanley Tahera Mohamed Sumar Tamera Lea Thomason Taylor

Rachel S. Thomas Nestor Guillermo Tolaba Deborah A. Tolomeo

Melissa Ruby Torres Carolyn M. Tran Terrice Travers

Courtney Danielle Tucker Stefany Turner Carly Jane Utterback

Alana Van Allen Andrea Michelle Vechery Kyle E. Walker

Sonja Webster Kaylin Grace Leavitt Welch Melissa L. Westphal

Julia A. White Tara Belle White Bobbie Witherell

Kassem Bassem Yamak Jacqueline Zemaitis Meghan J. Zidek

Assistive Technology

Zerena Buenaventura Gloria Jeanette Jinks

Aaron Carrillo Kacie Power Shannon L. Finch Morgan Grace Thompson

Melissa Fortson Green Alexander R. Tierney Samantha Ashleigh van Greuning

Candidates for Graduate-Level Certificates Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis

Emma Kai Adjetey-Doku Taylor LeAnne Allen Rachel Arigo

Jillian Margaret Bair Gino D. Binkert Alexandra Bragg

Karen Lyn Brown Emma Hyeri Choi Meghan Kathleen Cook

Kaitlyn Cooke Shalini Divitotawela Annalise Giogianni Dzyak

Alexis Lauren Eckstein Rachael Ellington Rachel Enos

Mary Grace Guiang Rui Heng Amna Hussain

Margaret Sullivan Jones Cassandra Kelleher Valerie Kopyta

Alexis Joy Kuhfeldt Kayla Llena Leah J. Maddox

Linda E. Maguire Bridget Denise Mangrum Brown Amy Neal

Katherine Danielle Gallagher Orth Jamie Rina Park Jee Sook Park

Melissa A. Parker Allyson B. Patterson Danielle Peterson

Kiersten Pyrtle Margaret Ramos Beverly P. Rehberg

Lauren B. Rothgeb Adeela Shah Meghan Ashley Spoth

Jared Lee Stanley Sophia Elizabeth Wilhelmina Strydom Carly Jane Utterback

Alana Van Allan Yujue Yang Maliha Zaman

Graduate Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Taylor Michelle Ohrwashel

Katarzyna Piwek Kaylin Grace Leavitt Welch

Kristen Michelle Willets

Graduate Certificate in Assistive Technology

Carmen Flowers McCroy Amanda Summers

Graduate Certificate in Special Education Leadership

Emily Jean Gillespie

Karah Michelle Schuler

Graduate Certificate in Students with Disabilities Who Access the Adapted Curriculum

Stephanie Blankers Kasey May Jackonis Sarah R. Bracken Frances Ann Johnson Chris Campbell Elinor Pretsch

Chinasa Berenice Campoverde Caitlin Nicole Russell Lydia H. Conover Caroline Theresa Scarborough

Kirk Conrad Delacruz Melissa L. Westphal Amanda R. Herlihy

Graduate Certificate in Students with Disabilities Who Access the General Curriculum

Nissrine Canina Danielle Lauren Castaneda

Katie Brooke Clemmer Michael Cometz

Kevin Michael Duffy John T. Enoch III

Kristen Fennel Heidi M. Hanania

Rachel Hudgens Diana Crowling Intagliata

Sophie Noel Johnson Leslie A. Keenan

Melissa C. Kozak Alexander S. Marsengill

Meghan L. Martin Kathryn A. McAllister

Christine M. Mercede Jessica M. Montana

Christopher J. Murphy Laura Pantaleo

Susan Hardaway Proctor Casey Renee Quigley

Rebecca Lea Reichel Allison R. Schwer

Ann Kathleen Smith Julia-Anne C. Smith

Tahera Mohamed Sumar Bobbie Witherell

Jacqueline Zemaitis

Graduate Certificate in Specialized Reading Instruction for Students With Specific Learning Disabilities

Catherine F. Dorman Dianne M. Granahan

Lisa A. Jones Kristen G. Kipps

Sarah O’Hare Christen Carol Oliver

Joy E. Potter Erin Savage

Karen L. Schuler Elaine R. Stripling

Crystal V. Van Buren Susan D. Waffle

Graduate Certificate in Visual Impairment Licensure (PK – 12)

Blair Alexandra Kersh

Anne Roningen

Publications

McElwee, C., Regan, K., Baker, P., & Weiss, M. (2018). PreService special education teachers’ perceptions: The

influence of university coursework, context, and relationships, during the clinical teaching experience. The Teacher Educators’ Journal, 11, 22-51. Retrieved from http://files.umwblogs.org/sites/2385/2009/05/18204847/The-Teacher-Educators-Journal-spring-2018.pdf

Have you been published recently or made a conference presentation? Are you aware of any upcoming events they may interest others? Do you have news to share?

Send news and events to DKastens@gmu.edu! May/June 2018