Deidre Gilley, Ph.D.

Deidre Gilley, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Psychology (EDP) in Baylor’s School of Education, specializing in special education. Additionally, Dr. Gilley is an affiliate faculty of the Baylor Center on Developmental Disabilities (BCDD). Dr. Gilley earned her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Florida State University with an emphasis on transition and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Additionally, Dr. Gilley has a master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from Florida State University and a bachelor’s degree in K-12 special education from Pfeiffer University.

Dr. Gilley’s research focuses on targeting in-school predictors of post-secondary outcomes for individuals with IDD. Specifically, her research emphasizes preparing individuals with IDD with the necessary pre-transition skills and services to have a positive and successful post-school transition by providing access to the general education curriculum (i.e., mathematics) and developing self-determination skills. Dr. Gilley’s research primarily utilizes mixed methods and single-case design to engage in the following scholarly activities: (a) the identification and validation of research and evidence based practices to support general curriculum access in the area of mathematics and (b) the instructional emphasis and incorporation of self-determination.

Her publications can be found within The Journal of Special Education, Research and Practices for Persons with Severe Disabilities, Remedial and Special Education, TEACHING Exceptional Children, and more. 

Dr. Gilley is a former high school self-contained classroom teacher in Knoxville, Tennessee, and transition teacher of students with IDD in Tallahassee, Florida. Dr. Gilley was previously the director of The Summer Institute, a summer transition program for young adults with IDD, in Tallahassee, Florida. Dr. Gilley has international experience consulting and teaching within secondary and transition-aged special education programs in Madrid, Spain. 

Degrees 

B.A. K-12 Special Education
Pfeiffer University, Misenheimer, North Carolina

M.S. Curriculum and Instruction
Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida

Ph.D. Curriculum and Instruction
Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida

Research Interests: 

• Improving the post-secondary outcomes of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through experimental and exploratory research 
• Developing, evaluating, and improving curriculum, instructional strategies, and interventions to provide individuals with IDD access to the general education curriculum and develop self-determination skills 

Expertise

• Special Education 
• Transition
• General Curriculum Access
• Self-determination
• Intellectual Disability
• Developmental Disabilities 

Professional Affiliations

• Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
• CEC Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD)
• CEC Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT)
• CEC Division for Research (DR)
• CEC Teacher Education Division (TED)