Congrats to WSU’s Dr. Rui Dai for co-authoring a new review on father involvement in early childhood disability interventions! Important insights on culture & inclusion. #EarlyChildhood #DisabilityStudies #WSU link.springer.com/article/10.100…

Co-authored by Dr. Reagan Murnan, this piece shows how home routines, storytelling, and cultural traditions lay the foundation for reading, writing, and language success—long before school begins. 🏡📚 👉 doi.org/10.1007/s10643… #EarlyLiteracy #FamilyEngagement #ScienceOfReading

“Special education means specially designed instruction … to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability. Without individualization, special education just doesn’t exist.” — Pullen & Hallahan #SpecialEducation #SDI

Evidence-based practice isn’t a buzzword—it’s a promise, embedded in IDEA, to use what’s proven to make a difference for every learner. The question is—are we truly doing that in our schools?

🎓 On Oct. 3, 2025, Dr. Donna Sayman delivered the Presidential Address at the Society of Philosophy & History of Education (SOPHE) Conference in San Antonio. Since 1950, SOPHE has advanced scholarship in the philosophy and history of education. #SOPHE2025

Dr. Reagan Murnan represented colleagues Dr. Stinchcomb and Dr. Moody at the International Council for Learning Disabilities Conference on Oct. 15—presenting Inside the Eyes of a Special Education Teacher and Misplaced Blame: Universities as Leaders in the Science of Reading.

The essence of special education is SDI. SDI isn’t extra help—it’s different instruction. It’s distinguishable because it’s individualized, different, and relevant for meeting the unique needs of a child with a disability. Individualized ≠ Standardized. #SpecialEducation

See this Instagram post by @daydreamingaboutdata instagram.com/p/C-oIUkORj9K/…

Universities built the Science of Reading. They prepare teachers with the knowledge and skills to teach reading. It’s time to end the cycle of blame — teachers are taught to teach reading. Let’s focus on systems that support implementation. #ScienceOfReading #LiteracyLeadership

Reading comprehension happens in three phases: ✨ Before – activate schema & preview text 👀 During – ask, infer, visualize 💡 After – summarize & connect For exceptional students, breaking these into explicit, scaffolded routines helps turn “hidden thinking” into taught skills.

Check out Wichita State's new MEd in Applied Behavior Analysis program! youtube.com/shorts/FeAx52L…

📣 Exciting news! Dr. Reagan Murnan is presenting at the Teacher Education Division of CEC in Kansas City! 🇺🇸 Alongside Dr. Kim (WSU) and Dr. Bequette (Emporia State), she’ll be sharing “Phonemic Awareness and Orthographic Mapping: A Key to Reading Success.” #TEDCEC2025

📣 Excited to share that Drs. Murnan & Stinchcomb are presenting “Embedding Explicit Instruction in Teacher Preparation for Reading Success” at the Teacher Education Division (TED) meeting of CEC in Kansas City! Preparing future educators with the tools that move the needle💛📚🖤

🎉 Excited to cheer on Dr. Rui Dai at #TEDCEC! He’s presenting “Examine the Effects of Autonomy-Supportive Teaching on Student Engagement” — important work advancing how we support learners and strengthen teacher preparation. Honored to see this research highlighted in KC 💛📚

🌟 Celebrating Dr. Yang Fu, Assistant Professor of Elementary Education, presenting at #TEDCEC! She’s sharing “Exploring Supports and Strategies in Math Methods Courses for Teaching English Learners with Disabilities in Special Education Programs.” Such important work!💛📚

Multisensory instruction isn’t a magic bullet. Even the IDA notes it lacks the research base behind other Structured Literacy principles. What truly drives reading growth? Explicit, systematic instruction grounded in the Science of Reading.

Proud to share new research on HRV-biofeedback & special education teacher stress 💙 Supported by a Wichita State multidisciplinary grant for Dr. Reagan Murnan (SPED) & Dr. Claire Gregory (Counseling), with doctoral support from Sara Ijaz.

“Fail fast.” “Learn from failure.” Sounds wise—but it’s mostly wrong. We overestimate how much people learn from failing. Failure often reduces attention, increases cognitive load, and leads to disengagement—especially for novices. Difficulty ≠ failure.

📄 Publication Alert New content analysis published by Dr. Reagan Murnan, a WSU graduate assistant, and colleagues from George Mason University. Findings show strong transformative intent, with room to expand methodological diversity. Pluralism strengthens rigor and impact.

🎉 Exciting news! Wichita State LIFE launches Fall 2026 at Wichita State University. This postsecondary program supports students with IDD through campus courses, internships, independent living skills, and career readiness—building pathways to competitive employment.