Eleanor W. Lynch, Ph.D.
Eleanor W. Lynch, Ph.D.
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 to become more effective at interdisciplinary practice and to understand 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 her 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 University (Ohio). 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.