Debra Janas

Dr. Debra Janas is chair of the department of education and professor and coordinator of the intervention specialist program. Her teaching responsibilities consist of coursework that includes instruction on writing goals for individualized education programs (IEPs), remediation, differentiated instruction, response to intervention and assessment. Additionally, she has been trained in the development of online learning courses. She has coordinated and participated in various federal grants. She has worked with projects that focus on working with children with special needs living in poverty in both rural and urban settings, using developmentally appropriate practices with children with special needs, interdisciplinary personnel preparation and embedding children's IEP goals and objectives into the regular classroom routines and activities. She previously taught special education and was a school psychologist in urban school settings. Further, she has a background in mental health, working in areas such as jails, detention centers, runaway shelters, drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers and mental health organizations. Her previous work experiences included working with children with serious emotional and behavioral difficulties and their families. Her current research interests include working with teachers to develop effective goals and objectives and design data collection plans that will result in effective decision making for children with disabilities.