Karena Cooper-Duffy

Biography

Dr. Karena Cooper-Duffy is a Full Professor in the Special Education and coordinator of the graduate special education program at Western Carolina University. She has been teaching at the university for 21 years and specializes in teaching students with significant intellectual disabilities, multiple disabilities, autism, and team building with families who have children with disabilities. Her research is practitioner friendly and includes strategies on how to implement current research based strategies to instruct students with significant intellectual disabilities. Specific areas addressed include teaching students with significant intellectual disabilities functional skills, academic skills and community based skills. Current work is on the collaboration with families and professionals. Karena presents her work at local, national, and international conferences. Karena has worked with staff who support students with severe disabilities a) in orphanages in Jamaica, b) inclusive placements in London and c) schools in Botswana, Africa.

Education

• Ph D, Lehigh University, Special Education (Severe Disabilities)
• MAED, Lehigh University, Special Education (Severe Disabilities)
• BS, Allentown Business College, Biology with a minor in foreign language

Teaching Interests

Special Education - Severe Disabilities

Research Interests

Teaching literacy, functional skills, community skills to students with significant intellectual disability, collaboration with families and professionals, online instruction for higher education, and autism.