Handbook of Learning Disabilities, Third Edition

About the Author

Cynthia M. Okolo, PhD, is Professor Emeritus of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Special Education at Michigan State University. Her research focuses on technology and literacy for students with mild disabilities, universal design for learning, and history instruction for students with learning challenges. Dr. Okolo is a former special education teacher, and her scholarship is rooted in applied issues related to instruction in inclusive classrooms. She has played a leadership role in numerous state, regional, and national boards and organizations; has directed undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs; and has been a frequent contributor to the scholarly literature as an author and editor. Dr. Okolo is a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council for Exceptional Children.

Nicole Patton Terry, PhD, is the Olive and Manuel Bordas Professor of Education in the School of Teacher Education and Director of the Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) at Florida State University. She is the founding director of The Urban Child Study Center at Georgia State University and The Village at FCRR, two research entities where researchers collaborate with school and community partners to promote student success. Dr. Patton Terry’s work focuses on young learners who are vulnerable to experiencing difficulty with language and literacy achievement in school, in particular, African American children, children growing up in poverty, and children with disabilities. A former special education teacher, she currently serves as president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading and is a Fellow of the American Speech–Language–Hearing Association and the American Educational Research Association (AERA). Dr. Patton Terry is the recipient of AERA's 2026 Exemplary Contributions to Practice-Engaged Research Award.

Laurie E. Cutting, PhD, is the Patricia and Rodes Hart Professor of Neuroscience in the Departments of Special Education, Psychology and Human Development, Radiology, Pediatrics, and Electrical and Computer Engineering at Vanderbilt University. She is also Associate Director of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, a member of the Vanderbilt Brain Institute, and training faculty for Vanderbilt’s Neuroscience PhD program, and was the recipient of the 2017–2018 Joe B. Wyatt Distinguished University Professorship. Dr. Cutting recently completed a 2-year assignment as Associate Provost in the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation. Her work focuses on brain–behavior relations in children and adolescents, with a particular emphasis on academic and cognitive development.