ANSERS Institute
The Alice Neeley Special Education Research and Service (ANSERS) Institute provides an environment for innovation and change in special education through exemplary teaching, creative research and community outreach.
The Institute works in conjunction with the TCU laboratory schools – Starpoint and KinderFrogs – to create and coordinate professional development opportunities for local teachers, informational sessions for parents and learning experiences for students interested in becoming special education teachers.
The faculty also conducts research focused on improving academic and social outcomes for students with disabilities in public and private school settings. The Institute is striving to explore and understand how to best meet the needs of children with disabilities.
Our Vision
To lead change in special education.
Our Mission
To transform the quality of life and learning for students with disabilities and their families through research and evidence-based practice.
Our Goals
- Enhance the educational experience of TCU students who will become effective and ethical educators in the field of special education
- Conduct research that will better meet the needs of children with disabilities and contribute to development of evidence-based practices in special education
- Sponsor and participate in community outreach to enhance the inclusion of children and youth with disabilities and their families in school and community-based activities
- Engage in advocacy activities to support and promote the development and delivery of exceptional services to children with disabilities
Education in Action
Gun violence in our classrooms is an ongoing public health crisis which necessitates immediate, preventive actions both inside and beyond our schools; current research does not support that the effectiveness of increased surveillance or crisis-response protocols are effective strategies in preventing gun violence, but does support whole-community responses and proactive school safety measures such as threat assessment programs and mental health supports.