Special Education Faculty

Name &Title

Credentials

Focus

At NAU

J’Anne Affeld, Ph.D., Professor

(B.A., Arizona State University; M.S., Brigham Young University; Ph.D., Saybrook Institute 1985)

Classroom and behavior management, dynamics of classroom interactions, self-esteem, creativity

NAU 1987  

Karen L. Applequist, Ph.D., Associate Professor

(B.A., M.A., Northern Arizona University; Ph.D., University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill 1995)

Early intervention, interdisciplinary practices

NAU 1991  

Lawrence D. Gallagher, Ed.D, Chair and Associate Professor

(B.A., University of Arizona; M.Ed., University of Arizona, Ed.D. The Johns Hopkins University)

Mental retardation, educating students with low incidence/severe disabilities, assistive technology, positive behavior support, special education administration

JoAnn Johnson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

(B.S., University of Idaho; M.S., Ph.D. University of Oregon0

Assessment in early intervention and early childhood special education, functional programming for infants and young children with disabilities

NAU 2007

Stephen D. Lapan, Ph.D., Professor

(B.A., Parsons College; M.Ed., University of Illinois; Ph.D., University of Connecticut 1972)

Gifted education, student thinking processes, program and personnel evaluation, philosophy of science, educational research, educational change and teacher thinking

NAU 1986  

Catherine M. Medina, Ph.D., Associate Professor

(B.A., University of Texas-El Paso; M.A., Ph.D. New Mexico State University 1995)

Home-school collaboration, bilingual and multicultural special education, severe emotional disturbances and behavioral disorders

NAU 1995

Patricia J. Peterson, Ph.D., Professor

(B.A., M.A.T., Rockford College; Ph.D., University of Florida 1978)

Home-school collaboration, bilingual and multicultural special education, innovative teacher training

NAU 1991  

Greg Prater, Ph.D., Professor

(B.S., University of Southern Mississippi; M.A., Ed.S., Louisiana Tech University; Ph.D., University of Alabama 1983)

School-university partnerships, classroom behavior management, international special education

NAU 1994

Karen Sealander, Ph.D., Professor

(B.A., M.A., Ph.D., University of Florida 1990)

Assessment, data-based instruction and intervention, functional behavioral assessment, attention-deficit disorder, early childhood

NAU 1997  

Susan Unok-Marks, Ph.D., Associate Professor

(B.A., M.A., California State University–Fresno; Ph.D., University of Oregon 1995)

Teacher preparation, school and classroom practices, teacher professional development, , autism spectrum disorders, low incidence

NAU 2002

Faculty Emeriti

Dale Homer Harper, Ed.D., Professor

(B.S., M.A., Arizona State University; Ed.D., University of Northern Colorado)

NAU 1969-74, 1976 (retired 1992)

James F. Lepich, Ed.D., Associate Professor

(B.A., M.A., Adams State College; Ed.D., University of Northern Colorado 1971)

NAU 1971 (retired 1993)

Susan A. Miller, Ph.D., Professor

(B.S.Ed., M.Ed., Ph.D., University of Missouri 1978)

Assessment of at-risk populations, home-school collaboration, inclusion of individuals with disabilities

NAU 1985 (retired 2000)

Daniel L. Peterson, Ed.D., Professor

(B.S., Rockhurst College; M.A., Ed.D., University of Missouri)

NAU 1972