Deborah Deutsch Smith

Director, IRIS at CGU

Professor, Special Education

B.A., Pitzer College
Teacher Education, California State University – Northridge
M.Ed., University of Missouri – Columbia
Ed.D., University of Washington

Biography

Deb Deutsch Smith, professor in the School of Educational Studies at Claremont Graduate University (CGU), was honored in 2012 when she became a fellow in the International Association for Research in Learning Disabilities. In 2011, she was recipient of Pitzer College’s Distinguished Alumni Award and the 2009 recipient of the University of Washington's College of Education Distinguished Alumni Award.

Dr. Smith has directed many federal, state, and local projects and has received over $41.5 million in funding to support those efforts. She is currently co-Principal Investigator of the new IRIS Center for Coursework and Training Resources (U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs [OSEP]; Project Number H325E12002). This five-year project, which began in January of 2013, is an expansion of its predecessors, charged with providing the nation’s college faculty, professional development providers, and independent learners with interactive modules and other training materials about effective practices to improve results of students with disabilities. The center now extends its focus to all children and youth (ages birth to 21) receiving services through IDEA. The center will provide new, more comprehensive resources and services that center on effective and research-based strategies for use in initial licensure of general and special educators, induction events, and professional development activities. The purpose is to upgrade the knowledge and skills of all education professionals as they work to improve the results of children and youth with disabilities so they are college- or career ready upon graduation from high school. IRIS materials are available at no cost through Center’s the barrier free Web site: http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu or www.iriscenter.com. IRIS@CGU is the national outreach arm of The IRIS Center, providing dissemination, technical assistance and training services to faculty and professional development providers.

Through 2011, Dr. Smith served as the principal investigator of Special Education Faculty Needs Assessment (SEFNA) project. The four-year study funded by OSEP to CGU determined that the nation does not have the capacity to prepare a sufficient number of new, highly effective teachers to work with students with disabilities. It also found that the nation is facing an unprecedented rate of special education faculty attrition in the upcoming five years at a rate of 20% nationally. Doctoral programs that produce the next generation of college faculty and research will experience and even greater turnover, losing up to 2/3 of their special education faculty due to retirement alone. The complete final report and various summaries are available at www.cgu.edu/sefna.

For 12 years, she directed the highly successful Alliance Project, a national technical assistance effort funded by OSEP to help faculty working at special education and related services personnel preparation programs housed at minority colleges and universities (e.g., Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Historically Hispanic Serving Universities, Universities Serving Predominately Asian/Pacific Islanders, Tribal Colleges, and other minorities institutions). The main purpose of that effort was to help these faculty members obtain external funding to support college students preparing to work with students with disabilities in school settings. The Alliance Project far exceeded its goals with these institutions of higher education far surpassing their representation among colleges and universities across the nation.  

Dr. Smith has authored 12 major textbooks, including the first interactive introduction to special education e-text, Contemporary Special Education: New Horizons, released by Pearson Publishing in April of 2013. In addition, she authored the best selling introduction to special education text, Introduction to Special Education: Making a Difference, which is in its 7th edition, and is available in Spanish, Polish, Portuguese, and Mandarin Chinese. She has written over 31 chapters and book supplements, 60 refereed articles and report, as well as many instructional materials for children. Since 1984, Deb has served on the Board of Trustees for Pitzer College, Claremont Colleges, and was recognized as a Life Trustee in 2003.

Teaching Areas

•     Special Education

•     Disability Policy

•     Learning Disabilities

•     Response to Intervention and Multi-tiered Instruction

Research Interests

•     “How People Learn” (HPL) Theory

•     Learning outcomes of college students through instructional technology

•     Supply and demand of special education faculty

Publications, Projects, and Presentations

Selected Books

  • Smith, D. D. & Tyler, N. C. (2010). Introduction to special education: Making a difference (7th ed.). Columbus, OH: Pearson/Merrill.
  • Bryant, D. P., Smith, D. D., & Bryant, B. (2008). Teaching students with special needs in inclusive classrooms. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.


Selected Articles in Referenced Journals and Publications (since 2008)

  • Smith, D. D., & Tyler, N.C. (2011). Effective inclusive education: Equipping education professionals with necessary skills and knowledge. Prospect, 41, 323-339.(UNESCO)
  • Smith, D. D., Truong, A., Watson, R., Hartley, M., Robb, S. M.,Gilmore, R. (2011). The federal role in the preparation of special education doctorates: An analysis of the Office of Special Education Programs' leadership preparation initiative. Teacher Education and Special Education, 34, 267-283.
  • Montrosse, B. E., Smith, D. D., Tyler N. C., Robb, S. M. & Watson, R.(2011). Supply and demand in special education: Findings from the Special Education Faculty Needs Assessment Project. American Educational Research Association (AERA) Conference Proceedings.
  • Smith, D. D., & Robb, S. M. (2010). The IRIS Center: Providing on-line instructional resources about students with special needs. Congress Proceedings: Inclusive and supportive education, promoting diversity and inclusive practice. Belfast: Queens College.
  • Smith, D. D., Robb, S. M., West, J., & Tyler, N. C. (2010). The changing educational landscape: How special education leadership preparation can make a difference for teachers and their students with disabilities. Teacher Education and Special Education, 33(1), 25-43.

Most cited article in TESE 2010 & 2011

  • Tyler, N., Smith, D. D., & Miller, J. (February, 2009). RTI…Where can I get one? Online, interactive training materials from the IRIS Center. CEC Today, http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=CEC_Today1&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=11793<http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=CEC_Today1&amp;TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&amp;CONTENTID=11793
  • Smith, D.D. (2009). The IRIS Center and Differentiated Instruction: Meeting the Needs of Today’s Learners. IASE Conference, Alicante, Spain. Smith, D. D. (2009). HECSE and the federal role in leadership (doctoral) preparation. Higher Education Consortium for Special Education (HECSE), 1. www.hecse.org
  • Smith, D. D. (2009). Special Education faculty needs assessment (SEFNA): Progress Summary. Higher Education Consortium for Special Education (HECSE), 1. www.hecse.org.
  • Smith, D. D. (2009). The IRIS Online Resources: Providing Information and Research about Students with Disabilities. IASE Conference Proceedings, Alicante, Spain.
  • Smith, D. D. (Novembro 2008/Janeiro 2009). Entrevista: E preciso estar atualizado para fazer a diferenca. Patio Revista Pedagogica, 12, 20-21.
  • Smith, D. D., & Watson, R. (2008 May). Special education faculty needs assessment: Special education’s capacity to produce a highly qualified workforce. Higher Education Consortium for Special Education (HECSE), 1, 3, 6. www.hecse.org.
  • Smith, D. D. (2008 Winter). Assessing trends in the leadership development: Special Education’s capacity to produce a highly qualified workforce. TED-Lines, p. 12. www.tedcec.org/tedlines/TEDLinesWinter08.pdf.
  • Bryant, D. P., Smith, D. D., & Bryant, B. (2008). Teaching students with special needs in inclusive classrooms. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Selected Presentations (since 2009)

  • What’s New at the IRIS Center?: The Latest in Course-Enhancement Modules and Resources. TED, Austin, TX, November 2011.
  • Towards Sustainability: The Supply of Special Education Doctoral Graduates, the Demand for new Teacher Educators and Researchers, and the Relationship to Highly Effective Teachers. TED, Austin, TX, November 2011.
  • The Nation’s Capacity to Prepare a Sufficient Supply of Highly Effective Teachers. CEC, National Harbor, MD, April 2011.
  • Inclusive Schools, Evidence-Based Practices, and Implementation Fidelity: Information for School Leaders. CEC, National Harbor, MD, April 2011.
  • Research on IRIS Center’s Online Modules and their Effectiveness in College Courses. CEC, National Harbor, MD, April 2011.
  • Supply and Demand in Special Education: Findings From the Special Education Faculty Needs Assessment Project, American Education Research Association, New Orleans, LA, April 2011.
  • HECSE Membership Hill Briefing: The federal role in the preparation of the new generation of special education researchers, teacher educators, and education professionals for school settings. Higher Education Consortium for Special Education (HECSE) Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, January 2011.
  • Highlights of the assessment of the nation’s special education personnel preparation programs: SEFNA. Teacher Education Division of CEC’s Annual Conference, St. Louis, November 2010.
  • Using IRIS on-line modules in college courses with confidence: Effectiveness results. Teacher Education Division of CEC’s Annual Conference, St. Louis, November 2010.
  • The effectiveness of Web-based instructional units on college students’ learning. Office of Special Education (OSEP) Annual Project Directors’ Meeting. Washington, DC, July 2010.
  • Special Education Faculty Needs Assessment (SEFNA) Project: A report of preliminary findings. OSEP Annual Project Directors’ Meeting. Washington, DC, July 2010.
  • Learning outcomes for on-line modules used in college courses. OSEP Annual Project Directors’ Conference, Washington, DC, July 2010.
  • Learning outcomes for on-line modules used in college courses. Council for Exceptional Children’s Annual Conference, Nashville, April 2010.
  • San Diego State Distinguished Speaker’s Series: Helping teachers create effective inclusive settings. San Diego State University, San Diego, CA February 2010.
  • HECSE Membership Hill Briefing: The important role of Congress in Special Education Leadership Preparation Agenda. Higher Education Consortium for Special Education (HECSE) Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, January 2010.
  • The IRIS Center: Helping Teachers Create Effective Inclusive Settings. Distinguished Lecture Series, San Diego State University, January 2010.
  • Graduation Rates of OSEP-Funded Doctoral Students. Office of Special Education Leadership Team, Washington, DC, September 2009.
  • A Message to graduates: Social Justice for Individuals with Disabilities, Your Role in Making a Difference, University of Washington, Seattle, June 2009.
  • SEFNA is Underway: Preliminary report on Graduation Rates of Doctoral Students’ Funded by the Office of Special Education Programs’ Leadership Preparation FY 2000 and 2001 Projects. Higher Education Consortium for Special Education (HECSE) Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, January 2009.

International Presentations

  • The IRIS Center for Training Enhancements: Providing On-line Resources about Students with Special Needs. Inclusive and Supportive Education Congress (ISEC2010): Promoting Diversity and Inclusive Practice, Queen’s University, Belfast 2010.
  • The IRIS Center and Differentiated Instruction: Meeting the Needs of Today’s Learners. International Association of Special Education (IASE) Conference, Alicante, Spain 2009.
  • The IRIS Online Resources: Providing Information and Research about Students with Disabilities. IASE Conference, Alicante, Spain 2009.
  • Who’s in Charge? The IRIS Center’s Online Behavior Module Series. 2009 Hawaii International Conference on Education, Honolulu, January 2009.

 

 

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