Martha D. Elford, PhD, is a Lecturer and Program Associate in the Department of Special Education at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. Dr. Elford is the Program Designer for the online High Incidence Disabilities Teacher Education Practicum program. She has experience as a classroom teacher, a reading specialist, and an instructional coach. Dr. Elford earned her doctorate degree in Special Education at the University of Kansas as a doctoral fellow with L-TEC, Leadership in Teacher Education Core. As a post-doctoral fellow, Dr. Elford supervised the following two research projects: (a) Poses Family Foundation grant studying instructional coaching, and (b) TeachLivE, the use of simulation in teacher-preparation programs. She also has served as Educational Consultant to school districts on co-teaching, instructional coaching, and strategic instruction. Dr. Elford's research interests include the impact of feedback and coaching for pre- and in-service teachers on professional growth, using virtual coaching for teacher preparation and professional development. As a Fulbright Award recipient, Dr. Elford spent 3 months in Finland studying Finnish education and collaborating with faculty at the School of Education at both the University of Jyväskylä and the Niilo Mäki Institute in Jyväskylä, Finland. You can follow her at Vector Virtual Coaching: https://www.vectorcoaching.org/.
Heather Haynes Smith, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Education at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on high incidence disabilities and reading instruction. Dr. Smith´s research, teaching, and service support inclusion, research-based reading instruction, Response to Intervention, Multi-Tiered System of Supports, Social and Emotional Learning, service-learning, and integrated academic and behavioral supports. Prior to completing her doctorate at the University of Kansas, Dr. Smith worked in Texas as an elementary teacher, instructional coach (reading), state-level Reading Technical Assistance Specialist, project coordinator for the Higher Education Collaborative at the Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and Language Arts, and a consultant for the Meadows Center for Prevention of Educational Risk. The United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County honored her as a nominee for the Inaugural Higher Education Innovation Award in 2019. Locally, Dr. Smith serves on the United Way Successful Student Impact Council, SA Reads Board, Winston School Medical and Scientific Advisory Council, and Mahncke Park Community Garden Board. Dr. Smith is a Certified Principal, and an elementary, ESL, and special education teacher and welcomes the opportunity to collaborate on implementing reading-focused multi-tiered systems of support and instruction with schools and districts. You can follow her on Twitter @DrHaynesSmith.
Susanne James, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). Dr. James is also the Project Director for the SIUE Virtual Professional Practice Lab (http://www.siue.edu/virtual-practice-lab/). In addition to her work with the SIUE Virtual Professional Practice Lab, she teaches courses in educational research, effective instructional strategies, differentiated instruction, and accommodations of core curriculum. Dr. James serves as the Program Director for the Department of Teaching and Learning Master of Arts in Teaching graduate program for those seeking an alternative route to teacher licensure in Special Education at the graduate level. Prior to completing her doctorate at the University of Kansas, Dr. James was a classroom teacher of students with special needs for 13 years within instructional and inclusion settings in Kansas and Missouri. She also has been an instructional coach and educational consultant to school districts for co-teaching, differentiated instruction, strategic instruction, and effective practices. Dr. James´ research, teaching, and service supports virtual learning, co-teaching, teacher preparation, and strategic instruction. You can follow her on the SIUE Virtual Professional Practice Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SIUEVPP.
