Research Interests and Expertise

Effective instructional methods for struggling readers and students with disabilities

Research Projects and Grants

  • Strategies for Reading Information and Vocabulary Effectively (STRIVE), Institute of Education Sciences, 2015–2019, $3,500,500, Principal Investigator
  • Promoting Adolescents’ Comprehension of Text (PACT), Institute of Education Sciences, 2010–2016, $20,000,500, Co-Investigator
  • Promoting Adolescents’ Comprehension of Text + Responsive Instruction for Students with Disabilities (PACT+), Office of Special Education Programs, 2015–2019, $1,600,000, Co-Principal Investigator

Representative Publications

Book
  • Klingner, J. K., Vaughn, S., Boardman, A. G., & Swanson, E. (2012). Now we get it! Boosting comprehension with collaborative strategic reading. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Refereed Articles
  • Swanson, E., Wanzek, J., Vaughn, S., Fall, A.-M., Roberts, G., Hall, C., & Miller, V. (in press). Middle school reading comprehension and content learning intervention for below average readers. Reading and Writing Quarterly: Overcoming Learning Difficulties.
  • Wanzek, J., Swanson, E., Vaughn, S., & Roberts, G. (in press). Improving content acquisition and comprehension in general education social studies classes for English learner and non-English learner students with disabilities. Exceptional Children.
  • Vaughn, S., & Swanson, E. (in press). Special education research advances knowledge in education. Exceptional Children.
  • Swanson, E., Wanzek, J., McCulley, L., Stillman-Spisak, S., Vaughn, S., Simmons, D., . . . Hairrell, A. (2015). Literacy and text reading in middle and high school social studies and English language arts classrooms. Reading and Writing Quarterly. Advance online publication. doi:10.1080/10573569.2014.910718
  • Swanson, E., Wanzek, J., Vaughn, S., Roberts, G., & Fall, A. (2015). Improving reading comprehension and social studies knowledge among middle school students with disabilities. Exceptional Children. Advance online publication. doi:10.1177/0014402914563704
  • Vaughn, S., Roberts, G., Swanson, E. A., Wanzek, J., Fall, A.-M., & Stillman-Spisak, S. J. (2014). Improving middle school students’ knowledge and comprehension in social studies: A replication. Educational Psychology Review. Advance online publication. doi:10.1007/s10648-014-9274-2
  • Swanson, E., & Wanzek, J. (2014). Applying research in reading comprehension to social studies instruction for middle and high school students. Intervention in School and Clinic, 49(3), 142–147.
  • Swanson, E. A., Wanzek, J., Haring, C., Ciullo, S. P., & McCulley, L. V. (2013). Intervention fidelity in special and general education research journals. The Journal of Special Education, 47(1), 3–13. doi:10.1177/0022466911419516
  • Vaughn, S., Swanson, E. A., Roberts, G., Wanzek, J., Stillman-Spisak, S. J., Solis, M., & Simmons, D. (2013). Improving reading comprehension and social studies knowledge in middle school. Reading Research Quarterly, 48(1) 77–93. doi:10.1002/rrq.039
  • Swanson, E., Hairrell, A., Kent, S., Ciullo, S., Wanzek, J., & Vaughn, S. (2012). A synthesis and meta-analysis of reading interventions using social studies content for students with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities. Advance online publication. doi:10.1177/0022219412451131
  • Swanson, E., Solis, M., Ciullo, S., & McKenna, J. (2012). Special education teachers’ perceptions and instructional practices in response to intervention implementation. Learning Disability Quarterly, 35, 115–126.
  • Vaughn, S., Klingner, J. K., Swanson, E. A., Boardman, A. G., Roberts, G., Mohammed, S. S., & Stillman-Spisak, S. J. (2011). Efficacy of Collaborative Strategic Reading with middle school students. American Educational Research Journal. Advance online publication. doi:10.3102/0002831211410305
  • Swanson, E. A., Vaughn, S., Wanzek, J., Petscher, Y., Heckert, J., Cavanaugh, C., . . . Klingner, K. (2011). A synthesis of read-aloud interventions on early reading outcomes among preschool through third graders at risk for reading difficulties. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 44, 258–275.
  • Swanson, E. A., Edmonds, M. S., Hairrell, A., Vaughn, S., & Simmons, D. (2011). Applying a cohesive set of comprehension strategies to content area instruction. Intervention in School and Clinic, 46, 266–272.