Her research focuses on literacy and secondary students with and without high incidence disabilities, with a specific focus on written expression. She also explores the role of technology in the classroom, both using it to teach and using it to learn. Most recently, she was involved in the development of a software to support written expression. She has published articles in various peer reviewed journals and presented at conferences on her research. Prior to joining the faculty at UMaine, Sara was a special education faculty member at the University of Kentucky. She earned her doctorate from Purdue University in 2012.