Rate My Professor Bethany McKissick

Dr. Bethany McKissick serves as Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Placement in the Department of Special Education, Foundations, and Research within East Carolina University's College of Education. She is also the Program Area Coordinator for Special Education clinical experiences. A native of Huntington, West Virginia, McKissick earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Education in Special Education, focusing on moderate to severe disabilities, from the University of Kentucky, followed by a PhD in Special Education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Prior to joining East Carolina University in 2017, she held a position as Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education at Mississippi State University. Her career has been dedicated to special education, beginning with volunteering with Special Olympics at age eight, and she teaches courses such as SPED 3200, a methods course for special education teacher candidates.

McKissick's research centers on improving post-school outcomes for students with disabilities and advancing racial equity for students with disabilities in rural school settings, with additional expertise in general curriculum access, special education pedagogy, computer-assisted instruction, and applied behavior analysis. Her publications address evidence-based practices for teaching academics to students with severe developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorder, often utilizing technology-based interventions and explicit instruction. Notable works include "A review of technology-based interventions to teach academic skills to students with autism spectrum disorder" (Knight, McKissick, & Saunders, 2013, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, cited 389 times), "Evidence-based practice for teaching academics to students with severe developmental disabilities" (Spooner, Knight, McKissick, et al., 2012, Remedial and Special Education, cited 323 times), "Using systematic instruction and graphic organizers to teach science concepts to students with autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disability" (Knight, Spooner, Browder, Smith, & Wood, 2013, Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, cited 213 times), and "Teaching science content and practices to students with intellectual disability and autism" (Knight, Wood, McKissick, & Kuntz, 2020, Remedial and Special Education, cited 74 times). She has contributed to the Exceptional Children Regional Education Consultant Program, serves as Chair of the Student Academic Appellate Committee for the Faculty Senate, and received the East Carolina University Scholar-Teacher Award for 2021-2022.