Special Education News

Alumnus Receives CEC's Early Career Research Award
Erik Carter, Ph.D., Vanderbilt '04, Assoc. Professor, Rehabilitation Psychology & Special Education, Univ. of Wisconsin; has received the Council for Exceptional Children's award for his work in two areas -- peer mentoring for adolescents with severe disabilities and transitions for high school students with disabilities to life after high school. Carter's first publication was written in conjunction with Professor Carolyn Hughes while he was a Peabody master's student in Special Education.

In announcing the award, the CEC noted the depth, breadth, and quality of Carter's scholarship and the impact his work has had on the field of special education in the short time since receiving his doctoral degree.

Carter's research focuses on identifying effective educational services and supports for adolescents and young adults with disabilities. Specifically, he works with schools to find effective strategies for increasing access to the general curriculum and meaningful peer relationships for middle and high school students with severe disabilities (e.g., cognitive disabilities, autism, multiple disabilities). Additionally, his research is to identify new approaches for improving school, work, and community outcomes for youth with disabilities, particularly students identified as having emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) or severe disabilities.

Carter received his Master's degree in Special Education from Vanderbilt and began working with Hughes in the field of peer supports. After receiving the M.Ed. he worked for several years as a special education teacher before returning for his doctoral studies.

Carter's publications include 32 peer-reviewed articles, 4 books, and 4 chapters or monographs. His work has appeared in outstanding journals, including Exceptional Children, American Journal on Mental Retardation, Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, and The Journal of Special Education and is supported by over one million dollars in funding.

Erik Carter's Web page:
https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/ewcarter/web/Carter/Welcome.html

Student Receives DEC's Doctoral Award
Kathleen Artman-Meeker has received the Division of Early Childhood's J. David Sexton Award which recognizes a doctoral student who shows outstanding promise in early childhood special education leadership. Artman is a doctoral student in the Vanderbilt Special Education Department and is advised by Mary Louise Hemmeter, Associate Professor of Special Education.