Dr. Alyson A. Collins is an Associate Professor of Special Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Texas State University (TXST). Prior to earning her doctoral degree from Vanderbilt University, Dr. Collins taught for nine years in Texas public schools. Her program of research focuses on exploring writing instruction for students with disabilities, effective interventions for these students, and professional development models that support teacher implementation of evidence-based practices. Dr. Collins has served as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI on four Institute of Education Sciences (IES) grants aiming to improve writing instruction for students with disabilities. In addition, she leads two Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) preparation grants at TXST.

Stephen Ciullo is a Professor of Special Education at Texas State University (TXST). His research includes evaluating classroom writing instruction, exploring its alignment with research evidence, and its impact on student writing performance. Dr. Ciullo has received multiple research grants from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), including projects that assess writing instructional practices among educators and the effectiveness of interventions to enhance teachers’ instruction and student outcomes. He teaches undergraduate and masters-level courses on learning disabilities and literacy practices in special education. Dr. Ciullo earned his doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin, and he taught special education in public schools for six years.