Rachel E. Robertson - University of Pittsburgh School of Education

Dr. Rachel Robertson is an associate professor of special education, board certified behavior analyst, and certified K-12 special education teacher. Her research focuses on 1) supporting the implementation of positive behavior interventions and supports for students with developmental disabilities (DD) and persistent challenging behavior, and 2) the development and benefits of community-based physical activity programs for individuals with DD. She teaches courses related to special education, applied behavior analysis, and research design.

Instructional Interests

Training programs

PhD Special Education
EdD Special Education
MEd Applied Behavior Analysis
MEd MOSAIC
MEd CASE

Courses

Applied Behavior Analysis 1, 2, 3, & 7
PhD/EdD Seminars in Special Education
Interdisciplinary Leadership Seminar in Developmental Disabilities
Curriculum Development for Students with Low Incidence Disabilities

Scholarly Interests

Positive behavior interventions and supports
Teacher professional development
Family-Teacher Partnerships
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Community-based physical activity programs

Selected Grants

Co-Principal Investigator (with Drs. Doug Kostewicz, Sheila Conway, and Richard Milner). Federal Office of Special Education Programs. Urban Special Education Scholars (USES) (8/1/18 – 8/1/23), $1,027,584.

Senior Personnel (PI: Dr. Miya Asato). Federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND), (9/1/18 – 9/1/21), $2,732,779.

Principal Investigator. University of Pittsburgh Central Research Development Fund. Do Teachers’ Implicit Theories of Personality Affect the Quality of Behavior Support They Provide to Students? (8/1/16 – 8/1/21), $14,670.

Featured Publications

Robertson, R. (2020). Breaking down buy-in: Can lessons from social psychology increase teacher use of proactive behavior management? Psychology in the Schools, 57, 1771-1786.

Maggin, D., Robertson, R., & Cook, B. (2020). Introduction to the special series on results-blind peer review: An experimental analysis on reviewer editorial recommendations and manuscript evaluations. Behavioral Disorders, 45, 195-206.

Robertson, R., Kokina, A., & Moore, D. (2020). Barriers to implementing behavior intervention plans: Results of a statewide survey. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 22, 145-155.

*Sobeck, E., Robertson, R., & *Smith, J. (2020). Effects of didactic instruction and performance feedback on provision of positive behavior supports by paraeducators in inclusive classrooms. The Journal of Special Education, 53, 245-255.

Robertson, R., & *Coy, J. (2019). Your student is hungry, tired, angry: Now what? Addressing distal setting events in the classroom. Teaching Exceptional Children, 51, 361-371.