Dr. Meenakshi Gajria is Professor of Teacher Education. She received her Ph.D. in Special Education from Pennsylvania State University. During her career of over twenty five years, she has worked with professional colleagues to prepare special education teachers, and to improve instructional practices that promote academic achievement for students, particularly for students with learning disabilities. In 2012, she was appointed inaugural dean of the School of Education.
Teaching and research are key components of her professional life. Passionate about teaching, she enjoys teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and involving students in research projects. Her scholarship interests include content area literacy, strategies to promote reading comprehension for students with learning disabilities, and instructional practices of teachers. She has published book chapters on reading interventions and several articles in journals, including Exceptional Children, Journal of Learning Disabilities, Remedial and Special Education, Focus on Exceptional Children, and Learning Disabilities Research and Practice. She has also presented at several international, national, and state level conferences. Her grant-funded efforts have focused on Curriculum Development for Inclusive Teacher Preparation and Quality Indicators for Literacy, Positive Behavior Supports, and Effective Special Education Practice. She has been honored with the College’s Board of Trustees Award for Excellence.
Ph.D. in Special Education from Pennsylvania State University
RESEARCH
Listed below are selected publications and presentations that represent her research interests and expertise.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Gajria, M., Jitendra, A., Sacks, G. & Sood, S. (2007). Improving comprehension of expository text in students with LD: A research synthesis. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 40, 210-225.
Jitendra, A., Burgess, C., & Gajria, M. (2011). Cognitive strategy instruction for improving text comprehension of students with learning disabilities: The quality of evidence. Exceptional Children, 77, 135-159.
Gajria, M., & Salend, S. J. (1995). Homework practices of students with and without learning disabilities: A comparison. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 28, 291-296.
Jitendra, A., & Gajria, M. (2011). Reading Comprehension Instruction for students with Learning Disabilities. Focus on Exceptional Children, 43 (8), 1-16.
Jitendra, A., & Gajria, M. (2011). Main idea and summarization instruction to improve reading comprehension. In R. E. O’Connor & P. F. Vadasy (Eds.), Handbook of Reading Interventions (pp. 198-219). New York: Guilford Press.
Jitendra, A., & Gajria, M. (expected 2013). Multi-component Interventions for Improving Content Learning. In R. Boon & V. Spencer (Eds.), Reading Comprehension Strategies to Promote Adolescent Literacy in the Content-Areas for the Inclusive Classroom. Paul H. Brookes Company, Inc.
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS
Burgess, C., Jitendra, A., & Gajria, M. (2009). Is cognitive strategy instruction an evidence-based strategy for students with learning disabilities? Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the Council for Exceptional Children. Seattle, WA. April 4.
Jitendra, A., & Gajria, M. (2010). Is cognitive strategy instruction for teaching text comprehension an evidence-based practice? Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the International Academy for Research on Learning Disabilities. Miami, FL. January 15.
Gajria, M. & Jitendra, A. (2010). Main idea and summarization: Improving text comprehension for students with learning disabilities. Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the Council for Exceptional Children. Nashville, TN. April 24.
Jitendra, A., Gajria, M., & Burgess, C. (2010). Teaching students with learning disabilities expository text comprehension using cognitive strategy instruction: The quality of evidence. Paper presented at the Annual American Educational Research Association Conference. Denver, CO. May 3.
Gajria, M. & Jitendra, A. (2011). Using content enhancement to improve text comprehension for students with learning disabilities. Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the Council for Exceptional Children. National Harbor, MD. April 27.
GESP 5101/GED 3101 Cognition and Instruction
GESP 5102/GED 3102 Research Methods in Education
EDSP 347 High Incidence Disabilities