Episode 57 | Technology in Special Education and the National Center for Innovation, Design, and Digital Learning

Technology has played a significant role in special education and has a lot more potential. In this episode we invite the top professors in technology and special education to discuss the past, present, and future of technology in special education. They are also leading the newly funded national center: Center for Innovation, Design, and Digital Learning (CIDDL). The center has a strong mission to connect with higher education faculty to promote better and more uses of technology. More about the guests below the video.

James D. Basham, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Kansas. Dr. Basham is also the Senior Director for Learning & Innovation at CAST and co-founder of the Universal Design for Learning – Implementation and Research Network (UDL-IRN). His research is focused on the implementation of UDL, STEM education, learner-centered design, innovation, and technology in human learning. He is well published, given hundreds of talks, and serves on various boards for journals, companies, and organizations.

Eleazar “Trey” Vasquez III, is Director of the Toni Jennings Exceptional Education Institute and Professor for the Exceptional Education Program in the College of Community Innovation and Education at the University of Central Florida. He also holds affiliate faculty status with Lockheed Martin UCF academy, SREAL synthetic reality lab, and the Learning Science Cluster at UCF. He earned his Ph.D. from Utah State University and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst at the Doctoral level (BCBA-D). He has practiced in the field of education as a resource math teacher, technology coordinator, and school psychologist prior to becoming a professor. His research has been supported from the National Science Foundation and Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs.  Dr. Vasquez’s research focuses on the evaluation of academic and behavioral outcomes for traditionally marginalized populations with executive functioning deficits in STEM utilizing the Universal Design for Learning framework and Lean Start Up models. Nationally Dr. Vasquez serves on the executive board of directors for CAST and Treasurer for Higher Education Consortium for Special Education.

The Center for Innovation, Design, and Digital Learning (CIDDL) is serving as the National Center to Improve Faculty Capacity to Use Educational Technology in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Personnel Preparation and Leadership Personnel Preparation Programs. We are primarily focused on the following activities: