Level 3 Graduate Faculty (may chair or serve on dissertation committees
  • Rhonda S. Black, Ed.D., Professor (rblack@hawaii.edu)
    • Research Areas: transition, secondary special education, social competence and integration, teacher education, disability in media
  • Sara Cook, Ph.D., Associate Professor (cothren@hawaii.edu)
    • Research Areas: learning disabilities, evidence based practices, co-teaching, pre-service teacher education, assessment in special education
  • Jennifer Ninci, Ph.D., Associate Professor (jninci@hawaii.edu)
    • Research Areas: Applied behavior analysis; Systems change; Early childhood education; Variables affecting motivation and engagement; Assessment and treatment of challenging behavior; Adaptive skill development and generalization; Validity in single-case research data analysis and aggregation; Applied behavior analysis supervision and consultation
  • Cecily Ornelles, Ph.D., Associate Professor (cecily@hawaii.edu)
    • Research Areas: students with mild/moderate disabilities, instructional strategies, social competence, teacher education
  • Kavita Rao, Ph.D., Professor (kavitar@hawaii.edu)
    • Research Areas: universal design for learning, instructional and assistive technology, culturally and linguistically diverse students, online learning
  • Linda Oshita, Ph.D, Associate Specialist, (lindao@hawaii.edu)
    • Teacher education, Mild/Moderate Disabilities
Level 2 Graduate Faculty (may serve on dissertation committees)
  • Marija Colic (Assistant Professor)
    • Stigma, discrimination and social justice from the lenses of families of people with autism and historically marginalized populations
  • Lyndsey Conradi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor (lconradi@hawaii.edu)
    • Research Areas: Students with severe disabilities, inclusion in general education settings, positive behavior supports
  • Cindy Farley, PhD, Assistant Professor (farley87@hawaii.edu)
    • Teacher education, evidence-based practices, high-leverage practices in special education
  • Sarah Fishstrom (Assistant Professor)
    • Effective instructional practices-reading difficulties and disabilities; Evidence-based reading instruction and interventions; Social-emotional supports; Teacher support & professional development.
  • Rockey Knox, Ph.D., Assistant Professor (rknox@hawaii.edu)
    • Research Areas: Transdisciplinary Knowledge Development, Educational Neuroscience, Adolescent Development, Teacher Education
  • Paul Meng, Ph.D., Assistant Professor (paulmeng@hawaii.edu)
    • Research Areas: Data-based decision making; Racial equity in disciplinary and academic outcomes; Reading assessment; Integrated academic and behavioral supports; Reading instruction and intervention
  • Kelsey Oliver (Assistant Professor)
    • Inclusion, students with extensive support needs, autism, ADHD, teacher preparation & professional development, early childhood/elementary education, implementation & dissemination science
  • Shawna Ortogero, Ph.D., Assistant Professor (saveiro@hawaii.edu)
    • Research Areas: Special Education Teacher Preparation, Administrative Support in Special Education, Specially Designed Instruction
Affiliate Graduate Faculty & Emeritus:
  • Mary Jo Noonan, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus (noonan@hawaii.edu)
  • Patricia Sheehey, Ph.D., Professor (sheehey@hawaii.edu)