Amy Williams, Ed.D.

Dr. Amy R. Williams is an associate professor in the Elementary/ Special Education program at the University of North Georgia. She received her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership with a specialization in special education and literacy from Appalachian State University. She received both the Cratis D. Williams Graduate research grant and the Graduate Student Association Senate Research grant supporting her dissertation research. Dr. Williams earned her M.A. in Reading Education and her B.S. in Special Education from App State as well. She taught in the North Carolina public school system for ten years across inclusive, resource, and self-contained special education settings, and as a literacy specialist at the same Title 1 school. During her time at App State, Dr. Williams served as an adjunct reading and special education faculty member, clinical reading clinic supervisor, special education field supervisor, and research assistant. She has presented and conducted workshops at the international, national, state and local levels. In addition, she represented UNG as a visiting professor at Liaocheng University. Dr. Williams' scholarly work has been published in the peer-reviewed journals of Augmentative and Alternative Communication, The Journal of Thought, American Reading Forum Online Yearbook, Seminars in Speech and Language, and Pennsylvania Reads. She has presented and conducted numerous workshops at the international, national, state and local levels.

• Ed.D., Educational Leadership: Special Education & Literacy, Appalachian State University, 2010
• M.A., Reading Education K-12: Clinical/ Classroom Emphasis, Appalachian State University, 2002
• B.S., Special Education, Appalachian State University, 1998

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

Williams, A. R. (Spring-Summer 2016). Becoming a Positive & Effective Special Educator: Lessons Learned from a Special Education Mentor. The Journal of Thought, 49-62.

Hughes, E. M., Evering, L. C., Williams, A. R., & Henzler, D. (Summer 2014). Exceptional Literature: Finding and Using Literature that Portrays Characters with Behavioral, Social, and Learning Exceptionalities. Pennsylvania Reads: Journal for the Keystone State Reading Association, 13, 10-22.

Williams, A. R., and Koppenhaver, D. A. (2014). When Scientifically Based Instruction May Not Be: Employing Theory to Reinterpret Student Failure to Respond to Intervention. American Reading Forum Online Yearbook, 34,
http://americanreadingforum.org/yearbook/14_yearbook/documents/Williams.When_ScientificallyBased-Instruction_May_Not_Be.pdf

Koppenhaver, D. A., and Williams, A. R. (2010). A Conceptual Review of Writing Research in Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 26 (3), 158-176.

Williams, A. R., Koppenhaver, D. A., and Wollak, B. (2007). Email Interactions of Pre-service Teachers and Adolescents with Special Needs. American Reading Forum Online Yearbook, 27, http://www.americanreadingforum.org/07_yearbook/html/arf_07_Williams.htm.

Koppenhaver, D. A., Hendrix, M. P., and Williams, A. R. (2007). Toward Evidence-Based Literacy Interventions for Children with Severe and Multiple Disabilities. In L. Justice (Ed.), Seminars in Speech and Language themed issue, Optimizing Emergent and Early Literacy Achievement for All Children: An Evidence-Based Perspective for Working with Special Populations, 28, (1), 79-89.

Book Chapters

Koppenhaver, David A. Foley, Beth E., and Williams, Amy R. (2009). Reading Assessment to Guide Instruction of School-Aged Children. In Gloria Soto and Carole Zangari (Eds.), Practically Speaking: Language, Literacy, and Academic Development for Students With AAC Needs. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.

Foley, Beth E., Koppenhaver, David A., and Williams, Amy R. (2009). Writing Assessment for Students with AAC Needs. In Gloria Soto and Carole Zangari (Eds.), Practically Speaking: Language, Literacy, and Academic Development for Students With AAC Needs. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.