Inclusive Special Education: Severe Disabilities

Linda teaches in the inclusive special education programs in the Graduate School of Education. Her work has focused on supporting persons with complex needs, considered to have severe disabilities in inclusive environments. Before entering higher education, she supported persons with severe disabilities and their families in school, work, employment, and home settings. Linda also has an extensive history of advocacy activities, supporting IEP teams, as well as advocating for systemic and policy changes. Previous to coming to Lesley, Linda was a faculty member in higher education for over 15 years.

Barbara is a faculty member in the Inclusive Special Education Programs in the Graduate School of Education at Lesley. She has had experience teaching, supervising, designing programs and teaching educators in both general and special education. She is interested in neuroscience research and the implications for education, effective learning strategies for students with disabilities, executive function, differentiated instruction practices, the development of inspiring mentoring skills, and the collaborative educational process.

Christina is director of academic advising and student services in the Graduate School of Education, where she is also advisor for the Special Education and Collaborative Internship programs.

She earned a BA in American Studies from the University of New England and a Master's degree in Higher Education Administration from Suffolk University. She joined Lesley in 2007 after serving in a professional advisor capacity at other local universities. A presenter at the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) regional conferences, Christina’s research interests include topics such as student engagement and empowerment and organizational behavior. She is the co-founder and current co-chair of the Lesley Professional Academic Advisor Committee, a university committee connected to best practices in academic advising at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.

Gail Cahill teaches in the Inclusive Special Education programs in the Graduate School of Education. She also serves as a senior advisor to PhD students in several programs. Gail joined the Lesley community after many years in the public education sector. She has taught at various grade levels as well as held several administrative positions, including special education administration and school-based administration. She has also worked at private facilities such as McLean Hospital and the Guild School.

Throughout her career, Gail has been an adjunct instructor in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. She has taught courses in special education, administration, reading, assessment, and curriculum. She has served on the International Council of Exceptional Children, CEC Elections Standing Committee. 

Stephanie Spadorcia, Ph.D., is the Associate Dean in the Graduate School of Education and the Director of the Teacher Residency Programs. Her research and teaching focus on literacy instruction for students across the disability continuum; assessment of reading and writing; and using technology to support literacy instruction. She has published articles and book chapters, and presents nationally. She does work in schools to provide literacy instruction for all students, and the role of assessment in a literacy program.

Stephanie also co-facilitates Leadership Enrichment and Development with other members of the Lesley community. This work focuses on leadership identity development for self-identified women in a higher education setting. She is a member of the International Leadership Association’s Research Women’s Leadership Colloquium focused on intersectional approaches to leadership development. Currently, she co-facilitates a Mastermind Series focused on feminist self- and peer- mentoring leadership development for the International Leadership Association.

Beverley Cush Evans teaches in the special education programs in the Graduate School of Education. She has worked with students with Autism Spectrum Disorder for over 30 years, and has been a consultant for the Pennsylvania State Department of Education for Inclusive Education. She has served in higher education for 18 years, first at Duquesne University and most recently at Lesley University. Prior to her entrance into higher education she worked in both segregated and inclusive settings as a special education teacher for 14 years.

In 2021, The Run Around, created by youth designers in partnership with Beverley, iThrive Games, and Transition HOPE’s Janelle Ridley, won a gold medal in the category of Educational Tabletop Games at Serious Play Conference’s 2021 Serious Play Awards. The game authentically communicates the emotional, mental, and spiritual bondage the juvenile justice system creates.

Abby Hanscom is an adjunct instructor in the Moderate and Severe Inclusive Special Education programs in the Graduate School of Education. Her full time job as the Director of Student Services in the Westwood Public Schools and twenty years in the field of special education inform how she teaches in the special education program. Her goal is to help students prepare to enter their future professional roles as special educators with the knowledge, skills and confidence to be active and effective team members.