Accomplishments

Provided here is a listing of recent awards received by KU Department of Special Education faculty, staff, and students, attesting to their high achievement and accomplishments in scholarship, service, and teaching.

• Faculty & Staff Awards

• Student Awards

• Recent Doctoral Program Graduate Placements

Faculty & Staff Awards

Judith J Carta, Professor

• Council for Exceptional Children, Division of Early Childhood, Mary McEvoy Service to the Field Award (2007)
• Council for Exceptional Children, Kansas Division for Early Childhood, Award of Excellence (2007)

Jerry D Chaffin, Professor

• University of Kansas, School of Education, Gene A. Budig Teaching Professorship in Special Education (2006-2007)
• University of Kansas, Department of Special Education, Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award for Service (2005)

Gary M Clark, Professor

• University of Kansas, Department of Special Education Nominee for Chancellor's Club Teaching Award (2005) 

Donald D Deshler, Professor

• University of Kansas, School of Education, Gene A. Budig Teaching Professorship in Special Education (2007-2008)
• National Center for Learning Disabilities, Distinguished Education Achievement Award (2007)
• Presidential appointment to National Institute for Literacy Advisory Board (2006-present)
• Exceptional Parent Magazine, Maxwell J. Schleifer Distinguished Service Award (2006)
• WETA Public Television, LD Online Inspiration Award (2006)
• National Governors Association Advisory Council on Adolescent Literacy Member (2005-present)
• University of Kansas, School of Education, Research Achievement Award (2005)
• National Center for Learning Disabilities, Board of Directors (1998-present)

Eva Horn, Professor

• University of Kansas, School of Education, Service Achievement Award (2008)

Edward L Meyen, Professor

• Finalist for the International Association of Science and Technology for Development (IASTED) Non-Commercial Software Competition. Chamonix, France. (2007)
• Finalist for International Association of Science and Technology for Development (IASTED) Non-Commercial Software Competition. Peru. (2006) 
• University  of Kansas, School of Education, Service Achievement Award (2006)
• Finalist for the International Association of Science and Technology for Development (IASTED) Non-Commercial Software Competition. Switzerland. (2005)

Mary E Morningstar, Associate Professor

• Association of Continuing Higher Education, Midwest Division, Award for Excellence for Transition Coalition online short courses (2008)

Sally L Roberts, Associate Dean

• University Continuing Education Association, Great Plains Excellence in Teaching Award (2005)
• University of Kansas, Distinguished Service Award for University Outreach & Continuing Education (2005)

Sherrie Saathoff, Administrative Professional

• University of Kansas Support Staff Employee of the Year Award (2006)

Wayne Sailor, Professor

• The Arc's Distinguished Research Award (2007)
• University of Kansas, School of Education, Research Achievement Award (2007)  
• CALTASH Robert Gaylor-Ross Memorial Scholarship Award (2006)
• TASH Positive Approaches Award (2005)

Lynda Schoonmaker, Accountant

• University of Kansas, School of Education, Outstanding University Support Staff Employee Award (2006)

Richard L Simpson, Professor

• University of Kansas, School of Education, Research Achievement Award (2006) 

Tom Skrtic, Professor

• University of Kansas, School of Education, Teaching Achievement Award (2008)
• University of Kansas, School of Education, Gene A. Budig Teaching Professor in Special Education Award (2005-2006)

Sean J Smith, Associate Professor

• University of Florida, Center for Personnel Studies in Special Education, Post-Doctoral Fellow (2007)
• State Liaison for Assistive Technology in Education (2005-2007)
• Canandaigua Senior Academy Graduate of Distinction (2005)

Ann P Turnbull, Distinguished Professor

• Higuchi/KU Endowment Association Research Award (2007-2008)
• National Down Syndrome Congress Research Award (2007)
• The Arc of the U.S.A, Board of Directors (2006-2007)
• Council for Exceptional Children, Division on Developmental Disabilities, Burton Blatt Humanitarian Award (2006)
• University of Kansas, Marianna and Ross Beach Distinguished Professor  (2006) 
• University of Kansas, School of Education, "Making a Difference" Award (for distinguished leadership, research, teaching, and service) (2005)
• Century Award in Mental Retardation (given by a national consortium of the seven leading organizations in the field of developmental disabilities for the 36 individuals who have made the most significant impact in the field of mental retardation/developmental disabilities over the 20th Century) (1999)
• Louise E. Byrd Graduate Educator Award (1999)
• Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Leadership Award (1990)

H R Turnbull, Distinguished Professor

• National Down Syndrome Congress Research Award (2007)
• Council for Exceptional Children, Division on Developmental Disabilities, Burton Blatt Humanitarian Award (2006)
• University of Kansas, Marianna and Ross Beach Distinguished Professor (2006)
• Kansas Federation of the Council for Exceptional Children Distinguished Public Service Award (2005)
• TASH Positive Contributions Award (2005)
• University of Kansas School of Education Making a Difference Award (for distinguished leadership, research, teaching, and service) (2005)

Christine S Walther-Thomas, Professor

• Council for Exceptional Children, Teacher Education Division, President (2008)
• Higher Education Consortium for Special Education, President (2007-2009)

Michael L Wehmeyer, Professor

• Council for Exceptional Children, Division on Career Development and Transition, Patricia Sitlington Research in Transition Award (2007)
• American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD, formerly AAMR), Board of Directors (2006-2010)
• Council for Exceptional Children, Division on Developmental Disabilities Research Award (2006)
• TASH Distinguished Reviewer Award (2006)
• Remedial and Special Education, Editor-in-chief (2005-2008)
• Council for Exceptional Children Division on Career Development and Transition Outstanding Service Award (2005)

Recent Student Awards

• Council for Exceptional Children, Division of Early Childhood, J. David Sexton Doctoral Student Award (2007)
• Kansas Council for Exceptional Children, Division for Early Childhood Award (2006)
• KU Woman of Distinction (2005)

• KU Graduate and Professional Association, Graduate Research Competition Award Winner and Summit Participant (2008)

• Council for Exceptional Children, Outstanding Student Member of the Year Award (2006)

• University of Kansas, Department of Special Education, Dahlke Community Inclusion Award (2008)

• KU Graduate and Professional Association, Graduate Research Competition Winner  (2007)
• KU Department of Special Education Judy Tate Outstanding Doctoral Student Medallion Award (2008)

• Council for Exceptional Children, Division for Learning Disabilities, Outstanding Dissertation Award (2007)
• Council for Learning Disabilities, The Outstanding Researcher Award (2006)

• Council for Exceptional Children, Division for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Exceptional Learners, Teacher of the Year (2006)

• KU Graduate and Professional Association, Graduate Research Competition Winner and Summit Participant (2007, 2008)

• University of Kansas, School of Education, Outstanding Dissertation Award (2004)

• KU Outstanding Woman Student in Partnership Award (2008)
• Higher Education Consortium for Special Education (HECSE) Doctoral Student Internship (2007-2008)

• University of Kansas, Department of Special Education, Gordon R. Alley Family Scholarship Award (2008)

• Council for Exceptional Children, Teacher Education Division Dissertation Award (2007)

• Council for Exceptional Children, Division on Developmental Disabilities, Herbert J. Prehm Student Presentation Award (2006)

• University of Kansas, Department of Special Education, Dahlke Community Inclusion Award (2007)
• Kansas Bio Research Award (2006)

• Council for Learning Disabilities Outstanding Dissertation of the Year Award (2007)

• University of Kansas, Department of Special Education, Dahlke Community Inclusion Award (2006)

• KU Department of Special Education's Judy Tate Outstanding Doctoral Student Medallion Award (2006)
• Alice H. Hayden Award (2005)
• Phi Kappa Phi inductee (2005)

• Council for Exceptional Children, Division on Developmental Disabilities, Herbert J. Prehm Student Presentation Award (2007)

• Council for Exceptional Children's Executive Board of Directors Student Representative for 2008

• Kansas Council for Exceptional Children, Division for Early Childhood, Outstanding Student Award (2007)
• KU Outstanding Woman Student Community Service Award (2006)

• International Peace Scholarship, P.E.O. (2007)

• American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (formerly AAMR) Student Award (2007)
• KU Department of Special Education Judy Tate Outstanding Doctoral Student Medallion Award (2007)
• KU Women of Distinction Recognition (2007)
• Among select group of national disability officials and advocates invited to a roundtable on economic freedom for people with intellectual disabilities in Washington, DC. (2006)

Selected Special Education 2005-2007 Doctoral Program Graduates