Dr. Christine Cole

Dr. Christine Cole, Professor and Program Coordinator of the School Psychology program, was recently awarded a Personnel Preparation grant through the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). The grant entitled, "Training School Psychologists as Inclusion Specialists for Students with Autism," is funded at $655,000 over four years. 

A total of 16 school psychology trainees will gain direct experience consulting with both special and general education teachers to facilitate the inclusion of students with Autism Spectrum Disorders into general education activities. 

In the fall, trainees will work with students and teachers in special education classrooms, and begin consulting with general education teachers about ways to include these students. 

In the spring, their focus will shift almost exclusively to assisting general education teachers in including these students in a variety of activities.  As part of this project, trainees will also produce instructional videos and other training materials for educators designed to further facilitate the inclusion of students with Autism into the future.