Understanding Families

Serra Acar, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Massachusetts-Boston

Dr. Acar received her doctorate degree from the Early Intervention Program at the University of Oregon in 2013. She is an Associate Professor in the Early Care and Education in Inclusive Settings (EECIS) program at the University of Massachusetts-Boston and teaches courses on family systems, assessment, ethics, and introduction to research. Dr. Acar's primary research interests are culturally and linguistically responsive assessment and personnel preparation in early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE).

She has served as the Vice President and President of the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). She is also an active member of DEC's International Committee. She received the Merle B. Karnes Award for Service to DEC in 2020. She is the Recommended Practices Ambassador (aRPy) for Massachusetts and a higher education representative at the Massachusetts Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC). Dr. Acar is committed to inclusive early childhood education and interested in examining the intersectionality of culture, language, and EI/ECSE systems. She is directing and co-directing several personnel preparation and research grants.

Marci J. Hanson, Ph.D., Professor Emerita, Department of Special Education, San Francisco State University, California

Professor Hanson was actively engaged in teaching, research, and service related to young children and their families. She taught courses on family systems and services, learning and development, atypical infant development, and early childhood curriculum development and assessment. She directed the Joint Doctoral program with University of California Berkeley in Special Education and co-directed the early childhood special education graduate program at San Francisco State University. Dr. Hanson received her doctorate in special education with a minor in developmental psychology from the University of Oregon. Prior to joining the faculty, she worked as a research scientist in the Institute for the Study of Exceptional Children, Educational Testing Service, in Princeton, New Jersey. For many years, Dr. Hanson was actively involved in research and community service with a primary focus on the inclusion of young children with disabilities in early childhood settings. She also directed a number of federally funded personnel preparation and research grants in early childhood and two model demonstration early intervention programs focused on family involvement in early education. The graduate training programs and the early intervention programs reflected the wide diversity of the San Francisco Bay Area and the country. Dr. Hanson has presented and consulted widely in the United States and internationally. She has contributed widely to the peer-reviewed professional literature, and she has authored a number of books and chapters. She is the author with Dr. Eleanor Lynch of Developing Cross-Cultural Competence: A Guide for Working with Children and Their Families (4th ed.) (Brookes, 2011). As Professor Emerita, she continues to consult on statewide and national projects and mentors college students within her community.

Eleanor W. Lynch, Ph.D., Professor Emerita, Department of Special Education, San Diego State University, California

Throughout her academic career, Dr. Lynch focused on advocacy, opportunities, and inclusive services for individuals with disabilities and those at risk. Teaching, community outreach, research, and service led her to concentrate on young children with disabilities and their families, incorporating the critical need for systems and professionals within them to become more effective at interdisciplinary practice and understanding the impact of cultural diversity on interactions. She taught courses on early childhood assessment, curriculum, and strategies to promote effective interactions with children, families, and other professionals. Dr. Lynch received her M.A. degree in Special Education and doctorate in Exceptional Children with a minor in School Psychology from The Ohio State University. After completion of her doctorate with an emphasis on interdisciplinary practice, she joined the Educational Psychology faculty at Miami (Ohio) University. She subsequently held dual appointments at the University of Michigan including Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education and Special Education Program Director at the clinically based, interdisciplinary Institute for the Study of Mental Retardation and Related Disabilities (ISMRRD). At San Diego State University, Dr. Lynch directed the credential and master's degree programs in early childhood special education. She also directed state and federally funded projects focusing on personnel preparation in early childhood special education, interagency collaboration to improve early intervention services for infants, toddlers and families, and best practices in developing Individualized Family Service Plans.
Dr. Lynch has contributed to the peer-reviewed professional literature and has authored numerous books and chapters She is the author with Dr. Marci J. Hanson of Developing Cross-Cultural Competence: A Guide for Working with Children and Their Families (4th ed.) (Brookes, 2011). She has consulted throughout the United States and served on a USAID project to train special education faculty in Indonesia.