Research interests
Michael Dunn has four ongoing research projects. In the
area of general education classroom teachers' referral
criteria, Dunn is investigating teachers' reasoning of
their stated referral reasons, and how factors that
influence teacher referrals are perceived by teachers.
In reading disabilities, Dunn is examining methods of
response-to-intervention, and methods that help improve
literacy skills. He also researches literacy
definition(s) and public policy, and its implementation
in schools and communities. In the area of assistive
technology, Dunn is investigating the effectiveness of
several technologies (Kurzweil 3000, Dragon Naturally
Speaking, and co-Writer) in the classroom context,
teacher and student perspectives on their use, and
their degree of effectiveness for students' academic
improvement.
Teaching/professional interests
Dunn teaches special education courses. While doing his
doctoral program at Indiana University, he taught
Introduction to Learning Disorders; Family, School, and
Society; and Methods of Teaching Reading. As an
elementary teacher in the Toronto area for eleven
years, he taught Second-Language Education,
Kindergarten, and Special Education/English as Second
Language. In 2002, Dunn was group leader for those
teachers marking the Ontario Provincial Standardized
Assessments for Grade 6 Reading. He trained a group of
20 teachers in how to do the marking and assisted
throughout the three-week marking session in
maintaining the reliability of the process. During the
1998-99 school year, Dunn also served as program
facilitator.
Recent accomplishments
- Dunn, M. W. (2007). Diagnosing reading disability:
Reading Recovery as a component of a response to
intervention assessment method. Learning
Disabilities: A Contemporary Journal, 5(2), 31-47.
- Dunn, M. W., & Walker, T. (2007). Assessment of
ELL students with disabilities. In F. Pawan & G.
Butler (Eds.), Collaborative partnerships between
ESL and classroom teachers: Helping English Language
Learners succeed in middle and high school.
Alexandria, VA: TESOL Publications. (Peer reviewed).
- Dunn, M. W. (2007, May 14). A strategy for reading
disability diagnosis in a response to intervention
model. Discussion session at the International Reading
Association Annual Convention, Toronto, Ontario.
- Dunn, M. W. (2007, February 15). Reading Recovery
components for reading disability identification.
Research Poster Session at the Learning Disabilities
Association of America Annual Convention, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania.
Educational background
- Ph.D. Special Education/Language Education, Indiana
University, Bloomington, 2005
- M.A.Ed. Literacy Education, Mt. St. Vincent
University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2002
- B.A./B.Ed. Second-Language Education/Political
Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia,
1991
