Impact In The World

The Department of Special Education is committed to impacting the world through three major activities: Research, Teaching, and Service.

All three of these activities directly and indirectly impact the improvement of educational, employment, and social opportunities for persons with disabilities. The focus on the dissemination of new knowledge in the area of special education, gifted education, and developmental disabilities impacts all those who advocate on a daily basis for improving the quality of life for all persons with disabilities and their families. Faculty conduct research focused on issues related to diverse needs of individuals. These issues encompass applied and basic research questions and issues of social policy. The research often parallels the departments’ teaching and service activities which focus on integration of special education with general education and the community through models of collaborative consultation, supportive employment, inclusive classrooms, improvement of instructional outcomes, service learning opportunities, and family centered interventions. The following projects are examples of how the Department of Special Education is making an impact in the world:

	Promoting early literacy skills Boosting literacy skills and readiness for kindergarten of 4-5 year olds is a goal of five Special Education Professors through Early Reading First on the Developing Early Language and Literacy in Danville grant.
	Enhancing services for children with autism The Autism Program (TAP) is a state funded program collaborative project with the Department of Special Education that brings together, parents, schools, community agencies, health care providers, and private therapists to enhance services for children with autism and their families. The Autism Resource Center is located in Christopher Hall on the UofI Urbana-Champaign campus.
	Demonstrating best practices in early childhood and gifted education University Primary School is an early childhood gifted education program serving children ages 3-7. Learn more....
	Strengthening ties between general and special education Project TIES prepares teachers to work more effectively with students who display challenging behavior and strengthens the ties between general and special education. Learn more...
	Using technology to help improve special education instruction The purpose of the IEP Quality Project is to create and test a web-based IEP tutorial and decision-making support system. This is a research grant at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences.
	Training future educational specialists Students interested in early childhood special education with an emphasis on working with infants/toddlers with disabilities and their families can receive training in the Department of Special Education through the PREP Project. Learn more about the Bachelor's or the Master's Program.
	Empowering teachers to help students with disabilities access the general curriculum Project PLAD prepares dynamic, visionary leaders in the field of special education with expertise in empowering teachers to help students with disabilities. Learn more....
	Sharing expertise and experience in early childhood education and parenting ECAP (Early Childhood and Parenting Collaborative) is a collaboration of projects that focus on educating and raising young children. These projects include research, technical assistance and service projects. Learn more....
	Collaborating across the globe Inje University's Department of Special Education in Busan, Korea and the Department of Special Education at the University of Illinois has a reciprocal student exchange program. Each academic year Illinois may send up to 5 exchange students to Inje University and Inje University may send up to 5 exchange students to Illinois. Learn more....
	Promoting Social and Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children CSEFEL (Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning) is a collaborative project with faculty and staff from many institutions including the University of Illinois. The purpose of this project at the University of Illinois is to develop and disseminate materials and to provide training and technical assistance as part of the national effort to build the capacity of Head Start and Child Care programs and state systems to meet the needs of children with social and emotional challenge. Learn more....
	Focusing on causality and assessment to train leaders in Children's Communication Disabilities Project FOCAL was designed to prepare doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows in the areas of assessment and the etiology of communication disorders in children with disabilities. The project brings together faculty and scholars from the departments of Speech and Hearing Science and Special Education, with cooperation from the Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services, for the purpose of preparing knowledgeable, influential, and visionary leaders. Individuals will be trained to conduct research and teach through a collaborative, cross-disciplinary training model. Graduates of the program will be prepared to join Speech and Hearing or Special Education faculties at colleges and universities, where they will conduct research, teach, and provide service. Learn more....