Elizabeth Barker, PhD
Accessibility Research Manager
Researcher Bio
Elizabeth Barker began her career in education as a middle school and elementary special education teacher, specifically of students with mild-to-moderate disabilities in Michigan and Colorado. She received her doctoral degree with an emphasis on growth trajectories for students with learning disabilities in mathematics and reading comprehension from the University of Oregon. Her current research focuses on how growth trajectories vary among students with visual impairments, deafness and hearing loss, and other disabilities.
Research by Elizabeth Barker
5 patterns in math skills of new kindergarteners—and 4 ways to address them
Learn what research shows about the variation in math skills early learners have when they enter kindergarten and ways to support building of these foundational skills.
Topics: Early learning, Equity, Math & STEM
Individualize instruction, remove barriers, track student progress: Some tips for making distance-learning special ed work
How can educators effectively engage students with disabilities in distance learning? Elizabeth Barker shares shares four ingredients for effective special education in this piece by The 74’s Beth Hawkins.
The 74.
Topics: COVID-19 and schools, Accessibility, Equity
The 4 ingredients you need for reaching students with disabilities online
The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, formative assessment strategies, student data, and individualized or small-group instruction can help educators provide quality instruction for students with in distance learning.
Topics: Accessibility, COVID-19 and schools, Equity
The pandemic is a crisis for students with special needs
Some students rely on schools for the personal, hands-on attention of specialists. What do they do now?
The Atlantic (2020, April 18)
Topics: COVID-19 and schools, Accessibility, Equity
6 ways to support students with disabilities during COVID-19 school closures
As COVID-19 pushes us toward distance learning, we can make small adjustments to online instruction to better meet the specific learning needs of students with disabilities.
Topics: Accessibility, COVID-19 and schools, Equity
The changing landscape of assessment and accommodation policies
Educational assessments must include accommodations in the pursuit of accessibility for all, but the development and drive for accommodations on assessments is everchanging. This paper looks to review the accommodations landscape— discovering the past, highlighting our present progress, and uncovering new areas to explore.
Topics: Accessibility, Equity, Student growth & accountability policies
Back-to-school accessibility checklist
Devices are only as accessible as the content they deliver to students. Put your vendor list to the test with these accessibility questions.
Topics: Accessibility
