Sarah

Wilson

Education

• Ph.D. in Education with a Concentration in Special Education, University of Virginia. Dissertation title: Peer Interactions in Academic Contexts for Adolescents with Disabilities.
• M.Ed. in Special Education, University of Florida
• B.A. in Education, University of Florida

Bio

Dr. Sarah Emily Wilson joined the faculty at NDMU in January 2026 as an Assistant Professor and the Director of Special Education Programs, bringing expertise in special education, disability studies, teacher preparation, and qualitative and mixed methods research. She brings over fifteen years of experience working across K–12 schools, higher education, and community-based settings, with a focus on supporting students with disabilities across the lifespan as well as their families and teachers.

Dr. Wilson teaches undergraduate and graduate courses related to special education methods and assessment, mental health and social and emotional learning, disabilities across the lifespan, and transition planning for secondary students with disabilities. In her teaching, she emphasizes equity-centered, student-focused practice and consistently integrates real-world applications that connect research, policy, and classroom instruction. Her courses draw on her prior experience as a special education teacher, dyslexia interventionist, and MTSS coordinator in both elementary and secondary school settings as well as her own lived experiences as a neurodivergent woman.

Dr. Wilson’s research focuses on students’ social, emotional, and mental health well-being; school belonging; peer relationships and inclusion; and transitions from secondary school to postsecondary education and employment. She specializes in qualitative, mixed-methods, and design-based research approaches and has led or contributed to multiple federally and foundation-funded projects focused on improving outcomes for students with disabilities. Her work has been published in leading journals in special education and emphasizes translating research into meaningful practice and policy recommendations.

Select Publications

• Wilson, S. E., Fleming, J. I., Therrien, W. J., & Jamieson, O.S. (2026). A meta-analysis of peer-mediated social interventions for secondary students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Remedial and Special Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325251409318
• Wilson, S. E., Therrien, W. J., Gersib, J., Rojo, M., VanUitert, V.J., Benson, S., Lovette, G., Longhi, M. A., Powell, S.R., & Doabler, C. T. (October 2025). Inquiry-based science instruction for students with disabilities: A systematic and meta-analytic review. Science Education. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.70029
• Fleming, J. I., VanUitert, V. J., Wilson, S. E., & Cook, B. G. (2026). Evaluating a peer-education intervention for autistic middle school students and their peers. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities.
• Wilson, S. E., Wiggins, J., Wong, L., Gault Ulrich, T., Causey, W., Parra, J., Gage, N., & Blackorby, J. (2025). Leveraging design-based research in the development of a technology-based intervention for students with disabilities. Journal of Special Education Technology. https://doi.org/10.1177/01626434251317989
• Rodrigo, S. A., Wong, L. N., Harris, S. L., Wilson, S. E., Malone, A. S., Stelitano, L., Fuller, N., Kubatzky, L., Gage, N. A., Blackorby, J., & LeBoyd, N. (2024). The state of learning disabilities: Navigating the transition to adulthood. National Center for Learning Disabilities.
• Fleming, J. I., Wilson, S. E., Espinas, D., van Dijk, W., & Cook, B. G. (2024). Special education researchers’ knowledge, attitudes, and reported use of open science practices. Remedial and Special Education, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325241237268
• Scott, T. M. & Wilson, S. E. (2024). Issues and considerations for research integrity in special education. In J. Kauffman, D. Hallahan, & P. C. Pullen (Eds.), Handbook of special education (third edition). Routledge.
• Wilson, S. E. & Lauterbach, A. (2023). Open science in qualitative research. Focus on Research (newsletter of the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division for Research).
• Bateman, K., Wilson, S. E., Matthews, K., Gauvreau, A., Gucwa, M., Therrien, W. J., Nevill, R., & Mazurek, M. (2023). Keeping teachers engaged during non-instructional times: An analysis of the effects of a naturalistic intervention. Education Sciences, 13(6), 534.
• Bateman, K. J., Wilson, S. E., Ingvarsson, E., Doucette, J., Therrien, W., Nevill, R., & Mazurek, M. (2023). Snack talk: Effects of a naturalistic visual communication upport on increasing conversation engagement for adults with disabilities. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 1-15.
• McLucas, A. S., Wilson, S. E., Lovette, G. E., & Therrien, W. J. (2023). Lead exposure in children: What special educators need to know. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 55(6), 412-421. https://doi.org/10.1177/00400599211054867
• Wilson, S. E., Fleming, J. I., Therrien, W. J., & Cook, B. G. (2022). Open science in special education research. In E. Talbot, K. McMaster, D. Lee, T. Farmer, & T. C. Aceves (Eds.), Handbook of special education research (volume 1). Routledge.
• Wilson, S. E. & Cook, B. G. (2021, January). Open peer review. Focus on Research (newsletter of the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division for Research), 34(1), pp. 2-4. https://cecdr.org/sites/default/files/2021-02/DR%20Newsletter_Jan2021_v2.pdf
• Wilson, S. E., Fleming, J. I., Therrien, W. J., & Cook, B. G. (2020, November). Open science in special education: Materials sharing. Focus on Research (newsletter of the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division for Research), 33(4), 2-4. https://higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/SPED/b7acd4b4-bc4d-4c1f-a7d4-efab3d52da44/UploadedImages/DR_Newsletter_Nov2020_v2.pdf

Select Presentations:

• Wong, L. N., Wilson, S. E., Rodrigo, S. A., Harris, S. L., & LeBoyd, N. (2024, September). Preventing, detecting, and removing bots and bad actors in online survey research. Society for Research on Education Effectiveness (SREE) 2024 Conference.
• Wilson, S. E., Wong, L. N., Rodrigo, S. A., Harris, S. L., & LeBoyd, N. (2024, September). Cognitive interviews and survey research: Considerations for individuals with disabilities. Society for Research on Education Effectiveness (SREE) 2024 Conference.
• Blackorby, J., Gage, N. A., Wilson, S. E., & Wong, L. (2024, March) FRACTAL: Innovations in computer science, AI, and art. [Conference session]. Council for Exceptional Children Conference, San Antonio, TX, United States.
• Parra, J., Wong, L., & Wilson, S. E. (2023) Examining teacher and student perceptions of intersectional rural identities and barriers to STEM/CS engagement in rural schools. The 2023 National Forum to Advance Rural Education.
• Wilson, S. E., & Fleming, J. I. (2023, March). Adolescents with autism's experiences of peer interactions during learning. [Poster session]. Council for Exceptional Children Conference, Louisville, KY, United States.
• Therrien, W. J., Cook, B. G., Wilson, S. E., Fleming, J. I., & McLucas, A. S. (2022, February 24-25). This is not a moment; it's the movement: Open science revolution in special education research. [Conference session]. Unconference on Open Practices for Education Research, United States.
• Cook, B. G., Therrien, W. J., Fleming, J. I., Wilson, S. E. & McLucas, A. S. (2022, February 24-25). Crowdsourced research in special education? We have a platform; Let’s develop a democratic action plan. [Conference session]. Virtual Unconference on Open Scholarship Practices in Education Research, United States.
• Banks, J., Rodriguez, D., Chard, D., Bateman, D., McCree, N., & Wilson, S. E. (2022, January 16-19). DLD showcase: Progress and advocacy: Advancing an inclusive vision for equity in learning disabilities. [Panel session]. Council for Exceptional Children Learning Interactive Virtual Event, United States.
• McLucas, A. S., Wilson, S. E., Lovette, G. E., & Therrien, W. J. (2022, January 16-19). Lead exposure in children: What special educators need to know. [Poster presentation]. Council for Exceptional Children Learning Interactive Virtual Event, United States.
• Cook, B. G., Fleming, J. I., Therrien, W. J., & Wilson, S. E. (2022, January 16-19). A Pilot Experiment Using the Special Education Accelerator. [Poster presentation]. Council for Exceptional Children Learning Interactive Virtual Event, United States.
• Wilson, S. E., Therrien, W. J., Doabler, C., & VanUitert, V. (2021, March 8-13). Science inquiry instruction for struggling learners: What we know and don’t know. [Conference session]. Council for Exceptional Children Learning Interactive Virtual Event, United States.
• Wilson, S. E., Fleming, J. I., & Therrien, W. J. (2021, March 8-13). Supporting students with disabilities in developing friendships and community membership in secondary schools. [Conference session]. Council for Exceptional Children Learning Interactive Virtual Event, United States.
• Wilson, S. E., Fleming, J. I., Cook, B. G., & Therrien, W. J. (2021, February 8-9). Initiation and integration: The continuum of open science practices across the lifetime of a project. [Conference workshop]. Virtual Unconference on Open Scholarship Practices in Education Research, United States.

Professional Associations

• Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness
• Council for Exceptional Children
• Council for Exceptional Children, Division for Autism and Developmental Disabilities
• Council for Exceptional Children, Division on Career Development and Transition
• Council for Exceptional Children, Division for Research
• Council for Exceptional Children, Division of Learning Disabilities
• American Education Research Association

Awards

2021    Majorie Hare Andrews Fellowship Award, University of Virginia, College of Education and Human Development

2021    John and Florence May Fellowship Award, University of Virginia, College of Education and Human Development

2018    Lives of Teachers, Best Paper Award, Lives of Teachers SIG of the American Educational Research Association