Christopher O’Brien

Christopher O'Brien

Associate Professor & SPED Undergraduate Program Director, Special Education
704-687-0754
COED 355

Bio

Dr. Christopher O’Brien is Associate Professor and Undergraduate Program Director for General and Adapted Special Education in the Department of Special Education and Child Development at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Education

  • Graduate Certificate, University of Kentucky, Distance Education (Special Education Teacher Education)
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Kentucky, Distance Education (Special Education Teacher Education) 2010-2011
  • Ph.D. in Education, University of Central Florida, Exceptional Student Education , 2003-2006
  • Teacher Certification, University of Central Florida, (Urban Teacher Residency Program) and Valencia College, 2001-2002
  • Master of Arts, University of Central Florida, Major: Speech-Language Pathology
  • Bachelor of Arts, University of Central Florida, Major: Communicative Disorders, 1994-1998

Teaching

  • Exceptionality in School and Society (Undergraduate lecture, hybrid, online, and Prospect for Success sections)
  • Content Area Instruction for Inclusive Classrooms (Graduate online and Undergraduate traditional sections)
  • Lifespan Development for Exceptional Individuals (Graduate online section)
  • College Teaching in Special Education (Doctoral level course)
  • Modifying Instruction for Learners with Diverse Needs (Undergraduate K-12 section)
  • Modifying Instruction for Middle and Secondary Learners with Diverse Needs (Undergraduate Section for Secondary Minors)

Research Interests/Areas of Expertise

  • Teacher education for inclusion and adolescent literacy support
  • Research-to-practice and implementation science in special education and adolescent literacy (e.g., MTSS; Content Literacy Continuum)
  • Prevention of school failure for at-risk learners in high needs communities
  • Technological innovations in teacher preparation
  • Universal Design for Learning and technological enhancements for learning experiences of at-risk learners.

Awards & Honors

  • 2016, Outstanding Presentation Award (with Coffey et al.). American Educational Research Association.
  • 2008, Bank of America Research Fund
  • 2006, Outstanding Dissertation Award for 2006, Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children
  • 2006, Doctorate Mentorship Award, Association of Doctoral Students in Exceptional Education, University of Central Florida

Selected Publications

O’Brien, C. & Sacco, D. (2023). Exceptionality in school and society: A guide for future Educators (4th Edition). Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt.

O’Brien, C., Boudah, D., Lopuch, J., & Nance, A. (2023) How do we best support adolescents with low academic performance and learning disabilities in the era of pandemic learning loss? The importance of intensive learning strategy interventions. Frontiers in Education 8:1215007. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2023.1215007

O’Brien, C., Byker, E, Good, A., & Myers, A. (2022). Foundations of Education and Diversity in American Schools. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt.

Lowder, C., O’Brien, C., Hancock, D., Hachen, J. & Wang, C. (2022). High School Success: A Learning Strategies Intervention to Reduce Drop-Out Rates. The Urban Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-021-00624-z

Freeman-Green, S.M., O’Brien, C., Wood, C.L., & Hitt, S.B. (2015). Effects of the SOLVE strategy on the mathematical problem solving skills of secondary students with learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 30(2), 76-90.

O’Brien, C., Hartshorne, R., Beattie, J., & Jordan, L. (2011). A comparison of large lecture, online, and hybrid introductions to special education. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 30(4), 19-31.

O’Brien, C. & Wood, C.L. (2011). Video modeling of cooperative discussion group behaviors with students with learning disabilities in a secondary content-area classroom. Journal of Special Education Technology, 26(4), 25-40.

Dieker, L.A., Lane, H., Allsopp, D.H., O’Brien, C., Wright, T.L., Kyger, M., Lovin, L., & Fenty, N.S. (2009). Evaluating video models of evidence-based instructional practices to enhance teacher learning. Teacher Education and Special Education, 32, 180-196.

O’Brien, C. & Dieker, L.A. (2008). Effects of video modeling on implementation of literature circles by students with learning disabilities and their peers in inclusive content classrooms. Journal of Curriculum and Instruction, 2(2), 52-73.

O’Brien, C. (2007). Using collaborative reading groups to accommodate diverse learning and behavior needs in the general education classroom. Beyond Behavior, 16(3), 7-15.

O’Brien, C. (2005). Modifying learning strategies for classroom success. TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus, 1(3) Article 3. Retrieve from http://escholarship.bc.edu/education/tecplus/vol1/iss3/art3.