UCLA Tarjan Center Distinguished Lecture Series: A Social-Emotional and Equity-Focused Approach to Supporting Children with Disabilities and Their Families
You are invited to the UCLA Tarjan Center Distinguished Lecture Series: A Social-Emotional and Equity-Focused Approach to Supporting Children with Disabilities and Their Families
Speaker: Claudia M. Dunn
Dr. Claudia Montoya Dunn is a Visiting Professor and Lecturer at San Diego State University in the Departments of Special Education and Dual Language and English Education. Her work focuses on social-emotional development, equity, and family engagement in multicultural and multilingual communities, with a particular emphasis on supporting children with disabilities. Dr. Dunn bridges research and practice in social-emotional learning, special education, and culturally responsive approaches to improve access, inclusion, and well-being across educational systems. She has led and contributed to federally funded research projects and has extensive experience working with first-generation, immigrant, and underserved communities. Dr. Dunn is also the co-author of the bilingual children’s book The Big Day at the Fair, which incorporates cultural legends to teach social-emotional skills. She translates research into practice through community-engaged scholarship, professional development, and family-centered advocacy.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
- Discuss research highlighting the role of family voice, cultural strengths, and social-emotional processes in shaping outcomes for children with disabilities.
- Describe how research that centers on family perspectives and lived experience contributes to more equitable and responsive approaches in disability-related research and practice.
- Identify ways research findings can guide culturally responsive, equity-centered strategies for training educators, engaging families, and supporting children’s social-emotional development across educational and community settings.
For recorded lectures and additional information, please visit: https://teams.semel.ucla.edu/tarjan/lecture-series.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at tarjancenter@mednet.ucla.edu.