RESEARCHERS

Dr. Donald Deshler, University of Kansas

"When we plant a seed we are unable to see the fruit, but we must believe that every seed we plant will eventually produce. The road to mastery is an unending process."

Dr. Deshler teaches graduate courses on instructional methodologies for teachers of adolescents and young adults with learning disabilities and seminars on current issues in and research procedures for populations with learning disabilities. 

He provides leadership for research, product development and staff development activities at the Center of Research on Learning.  Dr. Deshler and colleagues have developed and validated the Strategic Instruction Model and the Learning Strategies Curriculum as mechanisms for improving the learning effectiveness of students with learning disabilities and the instructional effectiveness of teachers.

Dr. Deshler is the author of the textbook "Teaching the Learning Disabled Adolescent: Strategies and Methods." He was the original editor of the Council for Learning Disabilities' journal, "The Learning Disability Quarterly", and is currently on the editorial boards of six other journals in learning disabilities and special education.

Dr. Deshler is devoted to the translation of research into practice and as a result has, with his colleagues, created a network of certified professionals throughout the United States and other countries who train teachers to use the methods developed at the Center.  Dr. Deshler's expertise and interests lie in program design and implementation of strategic-based interventions for students at risk for failure and assisting schools and professionals in the process of educational change and professional growth. 

Dr. Deshler offers training and consultation on all of the published SIM materials, program implementation, and system change.

Dr. Joseph Torgeson, Florida State University

Joseph K. Torgesen is currently a Distinguished Research Professor of psychology and education at Florida State University and the Director of the Florida Center for Reading Research. He graduated from  the University of Michigan in 1976.  For the last ten years, he has been part of the research effort sponsored by the National Institutes of Health to identify the nature, cause, and best approaches to instruction for children with moderate to severe reading problems. Dr. Torgesen's research interests include:  Cognitive disabilities in learning disabled children; psychology of reading and prevention of reading disabilities; development and individual differences in memory; assessment practices with children; computer assisted instruction in basic academic skills. Currently Dr. Torgesen is involved in the following areas of research:

• Studies of methods to prevent and remediate severe reading disabilities
• Integration of computer assisted and teacher led instruction for children at-risk for serious reading failure
• Development of a comprehensive test of phonological processes in reading for children from kindergarten through fifth grade
• Development of methods to assess pre-reading phonological skills in pre-school children
• Development of procedures to use peers as tutors in phonological awareness and reading for at-risk children in kindergarten and first grade.

Dr. Jim Knight, University of Kansas

Dr. Knight  is studying school change and the integration of content enhancement and learning strategy instruction. He also is leading the development of the University of Kansas Center's Institute for Research on Organizational Learning. 

Dr. Knight's research on Partnership Learning: A New Approach for staff development has been adopted as the training methodology for strategies trainers in the United States and Canada. Dr. Knight will provide training on all Strategic Instructional Model components, including content enhancement, and on Partnership Learning.

Dr. Enrique Ortiz, University of Central Florida

Dr. Enrique Ortiz was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, but grew up in Puerto Rico (P.R.). Dr. Ortiz has a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics education (1976, Interamerican University, P.R.), a Master of Arts in administration and supervision of schools (1981, Phoenix University), and an Educational Doctoral (1987, Louisiana State University) in mathematics education. Dr. Ortiz has worked as a mathematics teacher and supervisor in P.R. (1976-86), instructor in the Louisiana State University (1982-87), assistant professor at the University of New Orleans (1987-89), and assistant and associate professor at UCF (1989-to present). As an associate or assistant professor, Dr. Ortiz has taught the graduate and undergraduate elementary school mathematics methods courses. Dr. Ortiz has published four books, and several professional articles in the area of mathematics teaching. He has made many professional paper presentations at national, regional and local conferences, and received research grants to develop educational materials. Additionally, Dr. Ortiz has developed games and educational songs to teach mathematics.