Ball State University’s Department of Special Education and Department of Educational Psychology, both in the University’s Teachers College, were awarded a $1,999,999 grant from the United States Department of Education as part of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and the Special Education Research Grants Program.
The grant will allow researchers at Ball State to evaluate and develop new educational practices to improve postsecondary outcomes for students with autism.
“We are grateful to the IES and its National Center for Special Education Research for their support in this endeavor,” said Dr. David McIntosh, interim dean of Teachers College. “The funded project will identify effective methods for improving communication and collaboration among the home, school, and community related to transition services for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).”
The research investigators at Ball State will develop and test the Collaborative Model for Promoting Competence and Success (COMPASS) Across Settings. The goal of COMPASS Across Settings (CAST) is to integrate home, school, and community priorities for better outcomes for autistic adults.
The project’s principal investigator is Dr. Lisa Ruble, distinguished professor in Special Education and Autism. Fellow contributors as co-investigators include Dr. William Finch, distinguished professor of Educational Psychology; Dr. Lindsey Ogle, assistant professor of Special Education; and Dr. Lisa Rubenstein, professor of Educational Psychology.
Other university collaborators include Dr. Cathy Pratt, research associate at the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community and at the Irsay Institute at Indiana University; Dr. David Dueber, postdoctoral researcher, and Dr. Michael Toland, executive director, at the Herb Innovation Center at the University of Toledo; and Dr. Bryan Parsons, director of the Center for Policy, Ethics, and Law at Roanoke College.
Under its Special Education Research Grants Program, the IES National Center for Special Education Research has established long-term research portfolios which cover support and interventions for children from birth to postsecondary education, families of students with disabilities, and professional development for teachers and other instructional personnel.