Titles

• Senior Global Futures Scientist, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory
• Faculty Associate, Division of Educational Leadership and Innovation, Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College

Biography

Dr. Iris S. Drower became an affiliate faculty member of the Mary Lou Fulton College of Education in 2003. She is also the facilitator for University Community Partnerships for Social Action Research (UCP-Sarnet), ASU; President of the International Association of Special Education (IASE), an international non-profit organization and a Fulbright Specialist. She holds a Bachelor degree with a double major in elementary education and special education from Northern Illinois University, a MA degree in Higher and Adult International Education from Arizona State and Ph.D. degree in Family Development and special needs education from Loughborough University, England, UK. This is combined with over two decades of teaching and administrative experience in inclusive practices, teacher-training, supervision, learning strategies, collaboration, instructional leadership, designing and planning curriculum for linguistically diverse and multicultural settings from the graduate level to young adults and to children and their families in the public, charter and private sector.

Dr. Drower’s research interests are in the area of disability, inclusive practices, assessment, and teacher-training and building community leaders. More recently, her research has been related to issues within the classroom practice (action research and design) , empowering woman, cultural diversity, specifically with disability, transition and employment, as well as setting up Volunteer Services Sites to facilitate the identification of special needs in developing countries and improve the lives of children, young adults, women and the elderly by sharing professional expertise and experience, caring and assisting them to develop more sustainable communities.

She came to Arizona State University with 20 years of experience working in the field of special needs and multicultural education. As a consultant and officer for many non-profit organizations she has provided advisement and developed trainings, strategic plans, needs assessments and provided collaborations with educational providers at various levels.

Education

• PhD, Special Needs Education, University of Loughborough, 1996
• MS, International Higher Education and Adult Education, Arizona State University, 1984
• BS, Special and Elementary Education, Northern Illinois University, 1976

Expertise

• inclusive practices
• Partnerships for the Goals
• Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
• Sustainable Cities and Communities
• Gender Equality
• Reduced Inequalities
• Quality Education
• woman empowerment issues and practice
• literacy
• transition research
• action research and design
• special needs education
• teacher training
• cultural studies
• assistive technology
• learning disabilities
• dyscalculia
• dyslexia
• attention deficit disorder
• Down Syndrome
• autism
• cognitive science