Valerie Owen
Rank Associate Professor
Office Location: Wheeling
Office Phone # : 847-947-5049
Office Fax Number: 847-465-5617
Email Address: vowen@nl.edu
Education
Degree: Ph.D.
Institution: University of Illinois at Chicago
Field: Education (Special Education)
Professional Statement
I began my career as a teacher of children with significantdisabilities. My current work is centered around access to thegeneral education for students with the most significantdisabilities. I consider this focus on access to education withinthe context of identifying the conflicts between the clinical/medicalmodels of disability and the emerging disability rights and disabilityculture perspectives in education. Through this socio/culturallens, disability is seen not as a deficit within the person, but ratheras an interaction between the person's abilities, the environment, andsocietal attitudes towards deviance. This alternative view ofdisability, I believe, provides a more holistic view of the individual.My hope is that all children will be viewed as educable and that theywill have opportunities to learn and grow in schools. That is mygoal in teacher preparation and the focus of my work in schools.
Current Courses I Teach
Practicum I (SPE572)
Introduction to exceptional children and adolescents (SPE 500)
Survey of the exceptional child (SPE 300)
Educational and diagnostic assessment of exceptional children and adolescents (SPE 501)
Individualized Curriculum and Instruction (SPE527)
Special Topic: Characteristics of and methods of instruction for children and adolescents with autism (SPE 595)
Traditions, Assumptions, and Paradigms (DEE601)
Supervision of student teaching and teacher research projects
Seminar for Masters of Education/Certificate of Advanced Study Practicum students (SPE 592C)
Presentations (recent)
Owen, V., Ferguson, D., Ferguson, P., Sailor, W., Brown, N., Brown, B.,Rice, N., Ruppmann, J. (2005, November). Forum on IDEA on its30th Anniversary. Session chair and participant at the TASHConference, Milwaukee, WI.
Owen, V. (2005, May). Disability Studies and ClassroomPractice. Session chair at the Disability Studies and EducationConference, New York, NY.
Owen, V., DaBoll-Lavoie. K., DeHaas, S. J., Fraser, P., Hill, C.,Kim, J., Mantle. J., Rao, S., Summy, S., & Whitten, E.(2005, February). Our collective passion, courage and wisdom:Meeting today's challenges of preparing 'highly qualified' specialeducators. Symposium presented at the Association for TeacherEducators Conference, Chicago, IL.
Owen, V., Neville, P., & Olson, P. (2004, November). Specialeducation preservice students Blazing the Trail toward access to theGeneral Education Curriculum for all: What can be expected fromone course? Presentation made at the Annual TASH Conference,Reno, NV.
Smith, R., Owen, V., Skrtik, T., Peters, S., and Sapon-Shevin, M.(2004, April). Ethical Impact Standard for Disability Studies inEducation: Implications for social and environmental justicestandards. Symposium presented at the American EducationalResearch Association Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.
Owen, V. (2003, April). Accountability for social justice: How to write and use standards to foster social justiceeducation. Session facilitator at the American EducationalResearch Association, Chicago, IL
Work in Schools and Community
I am consultant in a number of schools in the city and in the suburbsof Chicago. I also serve on a number of board and committeesincluded the Wheeling Township Advisory Committee onDisabilities. the Professional Advisory Board of the RettSyndrome Association, and Immediate Past President of TASH (a researchand advocacy organization for persons with severe disability).
Research Interests
My research interests include Standards-based Instruction andAssessment; Differentiated Instruction, Applied BehaviorAnalysis/Functional Behavioral Assessment; Literacy of students withthe most significant disabilities, Rett Syndrome; and Autism.
