Caroline I. Magyar, Ph.D.

Research Bio

Dr. Magyar has several lines of research that link directly to community-practice. The first is in educational program development and evaluation. Youth with autism require extensive special education services that often challenge a school's capacity to develop and implement effective programming. Given the diversity of student needs, and of school cultures with respect to program development and evaluation it is unlikely that any one approach to educational programming for youth with autism will be sufficient. To learn more about Dr. Magyar's work, check out her newly published book entitled: Developing & Evaluating Educational Programs for Students with Autism (2011, Springer Publisher). Instead, it is expected that replicable program evaluation methods will be necessary to assist schools in designing and evaluating evidence-based programs tailored to their educational context and the varied needs of the students. Dr. Magyar's research seeks to validate a reliable program model for schools and autism treatment centers to use in their own program development activities. Over the past several years, she has developed and studied a model of program development and evaluation. This model includes a formal needs assessment protocol, standard program elements, an implementation plan, and program evaluation protocol. She has field-tested this model through a series of case studies, supported by grants or large technical assistance contracts, and is has summarized this work in a book.