Autism and Developmental Disabilities

Doctoral Degree

The Department of Special Education offers a doctoral degree in Special Education with a specialization in Autism and Developmental Disabilities. This program provides advanced preparation in the design, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-based services to individuals with autism and related developmental and physical disabilities, and their families. In addition to coursework, students are expected to become actively involved in a variety of professional activities.

Doctoral Degree Options

Two doctoral degree programs are available: the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.). Both programs prepare students for a variety of careers.

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program trains students to conduct research in universities and in other environments. The dissertation, which demonstrates research skills, is a novel contribution to the field of special education.

The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program emphasizes applied research and prepares students for leadership roles in a variety of educational settings. This dissertation investigates an issue in special education or rehabilitation counseling and contributes to policy development or practice.

Comparison of the Doctoral Degree Requirements

Core Areas of Study	Ph.D.	Ed.D
Specialization Core	12 hours	12 hours
Content Core	9 hours	9 hours
Research Core	15 hours	12 hours
Professional Core	15 hours	15 hours
Interdisciplinary Core	9 hours	9 hours
Internship*	As required by area	6 hours
Dissertation	12 hours	12 hours
	72 hours	75 hours

*Students seeking the Ed.D. must complete a 6-hour internship (appropriate prior work, completed within six years of admission to candidacy may be substituted with the approval of the Academic Adviser and Graduate Adviser).

These general requirements set a minimum standard for the doctoral degree. Students develop their own individualized program of study in consultation with their Academic Adviser and the Graduate Adviser.

Program Components

Doctoral programs require 72 to 75 credit hours beyond the master's degree and generally take three to four years of full-time study to complete. The program of study includes work in the following core areas:

• The Specialization Core provides students with specialist expertise through advanced coursework and collaboration with faculty in their chosen area of study.
• The Content Core complements each student’s specialist training by exposing students to contemporary and emerging trends across a range of special education and rehabilitation topics. This is accomplished by completing coursework in at least three other areas of specialization within the Department.
• The Research Core includes work in quantitative and qualitative methodology, single-subject design, and measurement and evaluation. This work develops knowledge and skills in the design, conduct, and evaluation of research related to individuals with disabilities.
• The Professional Core develops skill in research, teaching, and service.
• The Interdisciplinary Core consists of elective coursework in a related discipline outside the Department of Special Education that complements the major areas of study.
• Dissertation
• Professional Activities Beyond Coursework. In addition to coursework, all students are expected to become actively involved in a variety of professional activities across these core areas (e.g., supervision of student teachers, presentation at professional conferences, submitting manuscripts for publication, teaching at the undergraduate level).

Core Courses

Assessment Research in Autism and Developmental Disabilities (Fall)
This course examines assessment practices for developing and evaluating educational programs for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. The course includes a consideration of the theoretical orientations that underlie the major assessment strategies, including standardized, behavioral, and informal assessment practices. Also included will be a review of research studies related to the development and validation of contemporaryassessment instruments and practices. The course will include a systematic review of assessment procedures for diagnosis and screening, classification, and program planning. Students will not only gain knowledge of the scientificprocess involved in developing and validating assessment tools for assessing students with autism and developmental disabilities, but also acquire skills to enable them to select appropriate assessment practices inclassroom settings.

Intervention Research in Autism and Developmental Disabilities (Spring)
Special education programs for students with autism and developmental disabilities are heavily focused on designing and implementing effective intervention programs to enhance adaptive behavior functioning. But where do the intervention programs come from? How are they developed, evaluated, and disseminated? The aim of this course is to show how research is and can be used to develop new and more effective interventions for students with autism and developmental disabilities. We will consider the role of basic research and theory in the development of applied interventions and the use of experimental design to demonstrate the effectiveness of an intervention program. Students will gain an understanding of the strategies that are used to develop and empirically validate intervention programs. Strategies for disseminating intervention programs will also be covered. In addition students will gain skills in undertaking qualitative and quantitative (meta-analytic) reviews of intervention research.

Single-Subject Research Design
This course covers one of the most powerful, flexible, and practical approaches for evaluating intervention programs in Special Education and related disciplines. It is becoming increasing important for Special Educators to evaluate the effectiveness of their intervention programs and document student outcomes. In this course you will learn how to use Single Subject Research Designs to make data-based decisions about program effectiveness and student outcomes. You will also learn how to integrate applied research into classroom instruction as part of the more towards evidence-based professional practice in educating students with autism and developmental disabilities.

Trends and Issues in Developmental Disabilities (Summer)
Each year sees the emergence of new programs and services for educating and treating individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. With each new approach come advocates and skeptics. Leadership in special educationrequires the ability to independently evaluate newly emerging programs and services so as to be able to distinguish the good from the bad, the sound from the unsound, the sense from the nonsense. In this course you will learn howto critically evaluate newly emerging trends in the education and treatment of students with autism and developmental disabilities. The course is intended to develop your skills in critical analysis and serve as an objectlesson for how to identify and respond to the pseudo-science that is all too common in special education.

Advances in the Understanding and Treatment of Autism (Spring)
An apparent increase in the prevalence of autism combined with recent claims of dramatic improvements under some treatment regimes has lead to a surge of interest and research into autism and its treatment. The purpose of this course is to review the major recent advances in the understanding and treatment of autism and related developmental disorders. Examination of this literature is necessary to ensure your familiarity and understanding of recent advances, but this examination is also intended to show more generally how progress can be made in the understanding and treatment of disability. To this end, the course will highlight the social forces that shape research and scientific understanding and the political forces that influence the delivery of education and related services. Students will leave with an appreciation for why the analysis and consideration of such factors is necessary for effective leadership in the field of special education.

Area Faculty

Mark O'Reilly, Ph.D., (University of Illinois at Urbana––Champaign)
Professor and Fellow in the Mollie Villeret Davis Professorship in Learning Disabilities
Area Coordinator, Autism & Developmental Disabilities

Karrie Shogren, Ph.D., (University of Kansas)
Assistant Professor