Special Education Professor's Research Helps Teachers, Families

University Relations

Suzanne Kucharczyk

Suzanne Kucharczyk, new assistant professor of special education at the University of Arkansas, is providing professional development and coaching for teachers. She is implementing evidence-based practices to support the learning of students with disabilities, and, in particular, autism spectrum disorder.

"We are using what we know works through research and evidence-based practices in schools," Kucharczyk said, "and helping them to apply those to their work so that we have better outcomes for our children with disabilities, particularly those with autism."

Children with autism have the worst adult outcomes compared to any other disability group, she said.

Kucharczyk is supporting families through this process, along with developing curriculum for parents to use. She plans to incorporate graduate students in her research in the future.

Kucharczyk was director of professional development for a nonprofit organization in New York City that provided schooling for children with disabilities. Since then, she has worked at the University of North Carolina at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute. There, she was involved in research projects designed to help teachers and schools implement evidence-based practices for children with autism spectrum disorders.

Kucharczyk earned a bachelor's degree in special education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, along with a master's degree in educational policy studies and educational organization and leadership. She then earned a doctorate in organizational learning and leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Kucharczyk wanted a more challenging experience in focusing on the support of teachers. During her master's studies, she worked with students majoring in teacher education.

"It's definitely been a progression from being a classroom teacher and being embedded in many schools across different districts and states," Kucharczyk said. "I feel like I have a really broad perspective of different types of educational settings."

With her current research, Kucharczyk said she is continuing in the same vein, as she is able to support teachers in classroom settings.