James K. McAfee, PhD

Coordinator, Special Education Supervisory Program for PDE Certification
Dr. McAfee began his career in special education in 1969 as teacher of children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbance. Later, he became a school principal, a superintendent, and the state director of vocational/community living services for the South Carolina Department of Mental Retardation. He currently teaches courses in special education law and administration, and instruction of students with disabilities in general education settings. His research interests include special education law and due process, transition, and postsecondary education, and the interactions of persons with disabilities and the criminal justice system.

Debra Freedman, PhD

Dr. Freedman is a former middle school teacher. Her research interests include curriculum theory, supervisory practices, and cultural studies. In addition, Dr. Freedman is interested in teacher education — specifically, critical pedagogical strategies and mentoring practices of cooperating teachers with preservice teachers. She teaches undergraduate courses in secondary education and graduate courses in curriculum, supervision, and research.

Charles Hughes, PhD

Professor of Special Education
Dr. Hughes is a professor of special education at Penn State. He has worked in special education for 35 years. His first 15 years were spent as a classroom teacher of students with learning and behavior problems, as a diagnostician, and as a state-level consultant. His research interests focus on developing and validating learning and self-management strategies used to help adolescents become independent learners. Dr. Hughes is currently the executive director of the Council for Children's Division for Learning Disabilities and the editor of the journal Learning Disabilities Research & Practice.

Rick Kubina, PhD

Associate Professor of Special Education
Dr. Kubina received an undergraduate degree in psychology and master's and doctoral degree in special education, with an emphasis on applied behavior analysis. He has worked as a behavior analyst and special education teacher, using both effective and behavioral change practices with a range of learners with disabilities. His research focuses on explicit instruction and methods for facilitating instructional decision making.