Promoting Social Success: A Curriculum for Children with Special Needs (AAC)
The teaching experience of Emily Paige Rickards, M.A., ranges from fourth grade to the college level and includes the development of numerous professional development programs for teachers. She worked for many years with students with physical and mental disabilities and remains interested in education and curriculum development at all levels. After receiving her master's degree from Boston University, she worked as Research Assistant and Curriculum Specialist on the Promoting Social Success project at the Center for Social Development and Education at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She currently serves on the Educators Advisory Board for the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; tutors adult learners in the Harvard Bridge to Learning and Literacy Program; and participates in efforts to include issues of diversity and culture in the medical school curriculum.Gary N. Siperstein, Ph.D., is Founder and Director of the Center for Social Development and Education (CSDE) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. CSDE is a research and training institute focused on improving the social and academic adjustment of children with learning problems who are at risk for academic and social failure. For more than 20 years, CSDE has been gathering data on the social functioning of children with special needs. A professor at the University of Massachusetts Boston since 1976, Dr. Siperstein received his doctorate at the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University. He has published approximately 100 articles, chapters, and books on the social relationships and social development of children with disabilities. He has served as associate editor and editor of national journals and has received more than 20 research grants from federal agencies, including the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the U.S. Department of Education. Dr. Siperstein received the prestigious Merit Award from NICHD for his work on the social aspects of mental retardation. Enhancing the social competence of children with disabilities in inclusive educational settings has been the focus of his most recent projects. Dr. Siperstein is presently President-Elect of the Division for Research of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC).